1993 Mitsubishi MIRAGE: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
47 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
102,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1993 model year. Data snapshot: . 6 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Seat Belts is the most frequently named component, appearing in 24 of 47 complaints (51.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 4 | 8.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 4.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 4.3% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 2.1% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 24 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 5 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 4 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 2 |
| Seat Belts:Front | 2 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 2 |
Seat Belts: 24; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 5; Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage: 4; Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 2; Seat Belts:Front: 2; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 1
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 41 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 |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 6 |
| 1996 | 5 |
| 2000 | 16 |
| 2001 | 10 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
1995: 6; 1996: 5; 2000: 16; 2001: 10; 2002: 2; 2003: 3; 2004: 3; 2005: 1; 2006: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 4 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 2 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 10017102 · 2003-05-06 (May 6, 2003)
MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER CAR LATE ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND IT STALLED OUT IN A RURAL AREA. WE HAD IT TOWED TO OUR MECHANICAL AND THINKING IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE CAM SHAFT HAD SPLIT. HE SAID THAT THIS IS VERY UNUSUAL. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH I HAVE LEARNED THAT MITSUBISHI HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE FACT THAT WITH THE MIRAGE THERE CAN BE A PROBLEM WITH STALLING DUE TO AN ENGINE SHAFT DEFECT. WHEN I CALLED MITSUBISHI ALL THEY SAID WAS THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THAT AND BECAUSE THE CAR IS A 1993 WITH 103,000 MILES THER…
Owner-reported narrative. 103,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017102 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10030618 · 2003-08-02 (August 2, 2003)
I HAVE HAD LEFT FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT RETRACTOR FAIL 3 TIMES ONCE IN 1998,2000 &2003. THE CAR HAS THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELTS SO WHEN YOU CLOSE THE DOOR THE SEATBELT IS SUPPOSE TO RETRACT BACK BEHIND THE SEAT OR ALONG THE DOOR JAM IN EACH OF MY INCIDENCES I CLOSED THE DOOR AND THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR CABLE COMES OUT OF THE RAIL THAT RUNS ALONG THE TOP OF THE DOOR JAM AND GETS STUCK HALF WAY TO OR NOT AT ALL. IT IS A RECALL I BELIEVE AND I HAD IT REPLACED FOR THE RECALL 2 TIMES AND NOW IM GOING TO A 3RD TIME. IT IS VERY FRIGHTENING TO ME BECAUS…
Owner-reported narrative. 73,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030618 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10040411 · 2003-09-23 (September 23, 2003)
SEAT BELTS MALFUNCTIONED. PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED; HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10040411 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10057994 · 2004-03-23 (March 23, 2004)
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE CAME OFF THE HINGES, CAUSING THE DRIVER NOT TO BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED. THE SEAT BELT MOTOR WAS REPLACED LAST YEAR FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10057994 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10076142 · 2004-06-14 (June 14, 2004)
RECALL REPAIRS FOR DRIVER'S SIDE GUIDE RAIL 97V073001 FAILED, AND THE DEFECT RECURRED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 101,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10076142 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10089271 · 2004-11-17 (November 17, 2004)
THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT CABLE CAME OF IT'S TRACK. THIS RESULTED IN THE SEAT BELT FAILING TO RETRACT. ALSO, THE PLASTIC COATING OVER THE CABLE CAME OFF. THIS OCCURRED AFTER THE DRIVER'S SIDE GUIDE RAIL RECALL 97V073001 WAS PERFORMED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *JB *SC
Owner-reported narrative. 152,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10089271 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10123702 · 2005-05-31 (May 31, 2005)
MOVING SEATBELT WOULD STICK IN CORNER AT BACK OF DOOR WOULD NOT MOVE COMPLETLY TO BACK OF DOOR. COULD OPEN DOOR AND CLOSE AND SEAT BELT WOULD WORK PROPERLY, NOW SEAT BELT IS STUCK IN THE CORNER OF DOOR AND THERE IS A GRAY CABLE STICKING OUT AND BELT WONT MOVE AT ALL FORWARD OR BACKWARD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10123702 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10167908 · 2006-09-11 (September 11, 2006)
1993 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE, NHTSA RECALL 97V073001 MITSUBISHI RELUCTANTLY PERFORMED RECALL. MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT STILL WOULD NOT WORK. WAS TOLD TO MANUALLY LATCH AND UNLATCH SHOULDER BELT TO ANCHOR (EMERGENCY PROCEDURE). SHOULDER BELT BECAME FRAYED BECAUSE OF RUBBING ON A GUIDE WHILE MANUALLY USING THE SHOULDER BELT. DEALER SAID VEHICLE IS "UNSAFE". REQUESTED REPLACEMENT OF SHOULDER BELT AND OFFERED TO PAY LABOR. MITSUBISHI REFUSED. APPROXIMATE COST OF REPAIR IS $300- $400. DEALER PAPERWORK AND MITSUBISHI CORRESPONDENCE AVAILABLE UPON R…
Owner-reported narrative. 138,484 miles reported. Look up ODI 10167908 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
97V063001 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch
Reported: 1997-04-18 (April 18, 1997)
EXCESS LUBRICATION CAN CAUSE THE RUBBER DOOR LATCH SWITCH COVER TO DEFORM, AND THE DOOR LATCH SWITCH TO MALFUNCTION, SO THAT THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE WOULD REMAIN AT THE A-PILLAR WHEN THE DOOR WAS CLOSED.
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DOOR LATCH SWITCH.
NHTSA campaign record ↗97V073001 · Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage
Reported: 1997-04-18 (April 18, 1997)
THE GUIDE RAIL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CONTAINS A COVERED CABLE AND ALSO AN ANGLED BELT GUIDE AT THE TOP END OF THE WEBBING. THE COMBINATION OF THESE FACTORS CAN LEAD, OVER TIME, TO THE CABLE'S MOVEMENT EXERTING ABRADING FORCE TO THE LOWER EDGES OF THE CABLE'S CHAMBER, SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE THE CABLE TO DROP OUT OF THE CHAMBER WITH THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE BECOMING STUCK.
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW REPLACEMENT GUIDE RAIL.
NHTSA campaign record ↗