U.S. public vehicle records

Mitsubishi ECLIPSE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

1,801 owner complaints analyzed

30 distinct recall campaigns

70,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1989 to 2012 model years. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 687 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 216 of 1,801 complaints (12.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	347	19.3%
Transmission and shifting	135	7.5%
Steering behavior	103	5.7%
Electrical and battery issues	69	3.8%
Engine operation	60	3.3%
Fuel system concerns	34	1.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Service Brakes

216

Wheels:Rim

196

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Air Bags

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Wheels

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Structure:Body

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Service Brakes	216
Wheels:Rim	196
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	80
Air Bags	74
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	72
Wheels	70
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	63
Structure:Body	62

Service Brakes: 216; Wheels:Rim: 196; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 80; Air Bags: 74; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 72; Wheels: 70; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 63; Structure:Body: 62

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

101

25,000 to 49,999

123

50,000 to 74,999

145

75,000 to 99,999

131

100,000 to 149,999

130

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 101; 25,000 to 49,999: 123; 50,000 to 74,999: 145; 75,000 to 99,999: 131; 100,000 to 149,999: 130; 150,000 and above: 57

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (145). 1,114 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995

1996

2000

172

2001

224

2002

222

2003

139

2004

174

2005

107

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

140

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2024

2025

2026

Complaints over time data
Category	Count
1995	75
1996	44
2000	172
2001	224
2002	222
2003	139
2004	174
2005	107
2006	86
2007	62
2008	62
2009	23
2010	24
2011	24
2012	23
2013	15
2014	35
2015	140
2016	83
2017	13
2018	12
2019	11
2020	10
2021	5
2022	6
2024	2
2025	7
2026	1

1995: 75; 1996: 44; 2000: 172; 2001: 224; 2002: 222; 2003: 139; 2004: 174; 2005: 107; 2006: 86; 2007: 62; 2008: 62; 2009: 23; 2010: 24; 2011: 24; 2012: 23; 2013: 15; 2014: 35; 2015: 140; 2016: 83; 2017: 13; 2018: 12; 2019: 11; 2020: 10; 2021: 5; 2022: 6; 2024: 2; 2025: 7; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 347 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 135 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 103 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10093673 · 2004-10-06 (October 6, 2004)

WE BOUGHT A "CERTIFIED" CAR FROM LIBERTY AUTO PLAZA (ON THE WINDOW STICKER IT INDICATED THAT IT WAS CERTIFIED AND THAT THERE WAS A 57 POINT SAFETY INSPECTION DONE AND IT PASSED, AS WELL AS A 3 MONTH 3,00 MILE WARRANTY) 2 DAYS AFTER HAVING THE CAR, WE WERE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING AND THE BRAKES, SO WE BROUGHT IT IN TO BE CHECK OUT. THERE ARE OVER $3,000 WORTH OF PARTS TO MAKE IT A SAFE CAR, NOT INCLUDING THE LABOR AT $95 PER HOUR TO FIX. THEY WERE EVEN BAFFLED BY CERTAIN THINGS, SO THEY SUGGESTED WE TAKE IT TO THE LIBERYVILLE …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10093673 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 883193 · 2001-03-15 (March 15, 2001)

BOTH REAR BRAKE CALIPERS NEED TO BE REPLACED. CALIPERS WERE PREVIOUSLY REPLACED .*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 883193 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10212784 · 2007-12-17 (December 17, 2007)

1990 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES THAT IT HAS BROKEN TWICE IN HIS VEHICLE. HE STATES THAT IF THIS BREAKS IT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE JUST STOPS AND SHUTS OFF. *KB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10212784 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 555682 · 2000-10-02 (October 2, 2000)

TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED SLIPPING. *SLC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 555682 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 555308 · 2000-10-02 (October 2, 2000)

POWER STEERING FAILED DUE TO LINE CORROSION, A CLAMP FROM THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD TO HOLD THE POWER STEERING IN PLACE CAUSED THE CORROSION DUE TO THE CONSTANT HEATING AND COOLING OF THE LINES. *SLC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 555308 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 719130 · 2000-02-23 (February 23, 2000)

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER-SIDE DOORS ACTIVATED SWITCH FAILED CAUSED A SHORT-CIRTUIT AND DRAINED THE BATTERY EACH TIME I CAME TO A STOP. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PART FAILURE PROBLEM (BOTH SWITCHES IN A 6 YEAR OLD CAR!) AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING IT. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 719130 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 983766 · 1996-04-30 (April 30, 1996)

THE WIRING HARNESS BY THE FAN MOTOR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 983766 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 973719 · 1995-10-20 (October 20, 1995)

VEHICLE STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING, DUE TO OVERHEATING PROBLEMS, REPLACED THERMOSTAT TO NO AVAIL, NOW DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE HOSE. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 973719 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 486998 · 1995-06-14 (June 14, 1995)

VEHICLE BUCKS AND STALLS WHEN COLD, ALSO SLOW ACCELERATION AFTER REPEATED REPAIR ATTEMPTS. *SKD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 486998 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10013608 · 2003-03-28 (March 28, 2003)

MANY VEHICLES OF THIS SAME MODEL YEAR WERE RECALLED FOR A GAS SMELL/ FIRE HAZARD CAUSED BY AN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED FUEL TANK GASKET. MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE A MATCHING VIN SO THE DEALER SAYS I AM NOT COVERED. IF IT WERE A DEFECTIVE PART I COULD UNDERSTAND THEM BEING ABLE TO CLASSIFY MY CAR AS HAVING PASSED. HOWEVER, SINCE THIS WAS A PROCEDURE, I DO NOT THINK THAT WITH THE # OF COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE THAT THEY HAVE COVERED ALL THE CARS THEY SHOULD HAVE. IS MITSUBISHI NOT NOTORIOUS FOR LETTING THE VOLUME OF COMPLAINTS ESCALATE TO UNREASONABL…

Owner-reported narrative. 93,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013608 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 550631 · 2000-02-01 (February 1, 2000)

WHILE FUELING VEHICLE FLAMES SHOT OUT OF THE GAS TANK RESULTING IN COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF VEHICLE FROM FIRE, POSSIBLE RECALL COMPONENT FAILURE OF THE FUEL GASKETS (RECALL IN 1996). *MJS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 550631 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

From yearThrough year

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

1996

1997

1998

1999