1997 Mitsubishi ECLIPSE: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
87 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
97,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 23 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 13 of 87 complaints (14.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 6.9% |
| Braking behavior | 4 | 4.6% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 4.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 4.6% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 3.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 2.3% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 13 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 11 |
| Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars | 6 |
| Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint | 6 |
| Suspension | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 4 |
| Wheels | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 3 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 13; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 11; Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars: 6; Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint: 6; Suspension: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling: 4; Wheels: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 7 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 7 |
| 150,000 and above | 4 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 4
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 64 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 19 |
| 2001 | 19 |
| 2002 | 17 |
| 2003 | 5 |
| 2004 | 12 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
2000: 19; 2001: 19; 2002: 17; 2003: 5; 2004: 12; 2005: 4; 2006: 2; 2007: 3; 2008: 2; 2010: 1; 2016: 2; 2017: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 6 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10002607 · 2003-01-13 (January 13, 2003)
CONSUMER STATED WATER WAS LEAKING INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE ROOF.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002607 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005498 · 2003-02-08 (February 8, 2003)
SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER FRONT TIRE. AFTER INSPECTION BY MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP IN LANCASTER, PA, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL.
Owner-reported narrative. 89,875 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005498 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10033868 · 2003-08-13 (August 13, 2003)
STEERING ROD BROKE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING RIGHT FRONT WHEEL TO "POP" OUT, RESULTING IN A COLLISION.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 134,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10033868 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10034212 · 2003-08-19 (August 19, 2003)
TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO VISIBLE WARNINGS AT THIS TIME. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10034212 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10036726 · 2003-08-27 (August 27, 2003)
FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMS BALL JOINT. LOUD KNOCKING SOUND EVIDENT ON DRIVERS SIDE. WHEEL BASE ON DRIVERS SIDE IS 1998" WHILE PASSENGER SIDE IS STILL AT 1999" PREVIOUS RECALL CONCERNS DID NOT STATE WHICH LOWER CONTROL ARM TO BE REPLACED. DEALER REPLACED THE SMALLER STRAIGHT ARM AND NOT THE L-SHAPED ONE. THE LOWER L-SHAPED ARM BALL JOINT CONTROLS THE WHEELBASE WHEN SEPERATED COULD SEND THE VEHICLE AIRBORN BY WHEEL TO FRAME CONTACT.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10036726 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10058781 · 2004-02-23 (February 23, 2004)
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT OF GEAR I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PASSING A LONG LINE OF TRUCKS AND HAD TO PULL OFF INTO THE LEFT SIDE BREAKDOWN LANE AND WAS NEARLY HIT BY NUMEROUS CARS DUE TO SENSORS IN THE CAR SHUTTING THE TRANSMISSION OFF DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I HAVE REPLACED 4 TRANSMISSIONS IN THE LAST 2 YEARS AND AM GETTING RID OF THIS CAR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ITS A VERY RELIABLE CAR EXCEPT FOR THE TRANSMISSIONS, THEY ARE TOTAL JUNK AND MITSUBISHI SHOULD RECALL ALL OF THEM. THEY DEFINATELY ARE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10058781 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10061607 · 2004-04-20 (April 20, 2004)
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A BALL JOINT PROBLEM. THE WHEELS CAN BE HEARD WHEN MAKING A SHARP TURN. CONSUMER CAN HEAR THE RATTLING FROM WITHIN. *AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10061607 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10064888 · 2004-03-25 (March 25, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE VEHICLE'S STEERING MALFUNCTION. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. NO REPORT OF IMPACT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10064888 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
00V421001 · Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint
Reported: 2000-12-18 (December 18, 2000)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE. ALSO, MMC HAS ADDED THE POTENTIAL OF LEAKING MOISTURE, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE BALL STUD TO CORRODE.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. THIS CAMPAIGN SUPERCEDES MMC'S PREVIOUS SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN, SEE 99V-066.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT FOR WEAR. BALL JOINTS THAT EXHIBIT WEAR BEYOND THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY DESIGNED LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS. BALL JOINTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE CLEANED AND A SPECIAL SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED TO PREVENT INTRUSION OF MOISTURE.
NHTSA campaign record ↗97V081001 · Seats:Front Assembly:Head Restraint
Reported: 1997-05-12 (May 12, 1997)
THE HEADREST GUIDE BRACKET WAS IMPROPERLY WELDED TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BACK ASSEMBLIES ONLY.
Consequence: THE HEADREST SUPPORT BRACKET CAN BREAK, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT BACK ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW ASSEMBLY.
NHTSA campaign record ↗98V069001 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission
Reported: 1998-03-26 (March 26, 1998)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. LOCKUP OF THE TRANSFER CASE CAN OCCUR DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR ADEQUACY OF THE TRANSFER CASE OIL VOLUME, TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AND OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION OF THE TRANSFER CASE MECHANISM. IF OIL VOLUME IS INSUFFICIENT, THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF OIL WILL BE ADDED. IF THERE IS TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AFFECTED COMPONENTS WILL BE REPLACED. IF THE TRANSFER CASE SHOWS OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION, THE TRANSFER CASE WILL BE REPLACED.
NHTSA campaign record ↗