1998 Mitsubishi ECLIPSE: complaints, problems and recalls

ENGINE BURNS OIL AT APPROX. 1 QT PER WEEK, ALSO HAS POSSIBLE LEAKS IN ENGINE WITH ONLY 69,000 MILES ON ENGINE. HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES FOR LIFE OF ENGINE. BRAKE ROTORS WARPED AND NEED REPLACEMENT, UNSURE OF WHEN LAST CHANGED. TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND SHIFTS HARD WITH SLOW OR FAST ACCELERATION.

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000870 at NHTSA ↗

THE CONVERTIBLE TOP STRUT ARM IS BENT NOT ALLOWING THE TOP TO OPEN OR CLOSE PROPERLY. DEALER STATES IT'S A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *JG *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 39,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001476 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. TS THERE WAS AN ODOR IN THE VEHICLE, THE CLUTCH HAD GONE OUT, THE REAR BRAKES SQUEAKED, AND WATER LEAKED INTO THE INTERIOR ON THE VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THE DEALER SOLD HER AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. SCC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002396 at NHTSA ↗

ENGINE BURNS OIL AT APPROX. 1 QT PER WEEK, ALSO HAS POSSIBLE LEAKS IN ENGINE WITH ONLY 69,000 MILES ON ENGINE. THE CAR HAS BEEN RECALLED TWICE FOR SAME PROBLEM AND IT IS STILL HAPPENED AGAIN. HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES FOR LIFE OF ENGINE. TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES STAYS ON LEVEL 2 AND 3 FOR UPTO 20MINUTES AT 60MPH DOES NOT CHANGE AND SHIFTS HARD WITH SLOW OR FAST ACCELERATION. LEAKS TRANSMISSION FLUID, HAS FUEL THROTTLE LEAKAGES AND CONTROL LEAKS FROM 45,000 MILES UP TO NOW THURSADY, JANUARY 30, 2003.

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004959 at NHTSA ↗

FRONT BRAKES ON 1998 MISTUBISHI ECLIPSE VIBRATE WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED THIS BRAKE FAILURE 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 4 YEARS. ROTORS RESURFACED AT 12,000 MILES. ROTORS REPLACED AT 27,000 MILES AND RESURFACED AND REPLACED AGAIN AT 77,000 MILES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES BROKE TWICE. (PLASTIC)

Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005597 at NHTSA ↗

1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. *MR *SCC *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*70808

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006657 at NHTSA ↗

MY 1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE HAS HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS FROM THE TIME IT WAS PURCHASED. AT 50,000 MILES THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED. AND TODAY THE ENGINE HAS A ROD THROWN AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ENGINE. I HAD THE CAR IN SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND OFF AND WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST A SENSOR. AFTER THAT THE LIGHT STILL CAME ON AND OFF AND I WAS TOLD NOT TO WORRY. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. OTHER PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE ENCOUNTERED HAVE …

Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007773 at NHTSA ↗

THERE WAS A CRACKING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED, CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER REGARDING THE BALL JOINT, HOWEVER THE DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR RECALL, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS REBUILT. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009631 at NHTSA ↗

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.

Reported: 2004-09-01 (September 1, 2004)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy: MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL CURRENT 2000-2004 NATIVA OWNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ALERT LABELS FOR THE SUN VISORS. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH OR APRIL 2005. THE NOTIFICATION TO THE NATIVA OWNERS IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL OR MAY 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.

Reported: 1998-03-03 (March 3, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE DASH PANEL PAD CAN SHIFT INTERFERRING WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL.

Consequence: THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL WOULD NOT RETURN TO IDLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE A PORTION OF THE DASH PANEL PAD SO IT CANNOT INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL.

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.