1999 Mitsubishi MIRAGE: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
51 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
59,430 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 12 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Structure:Body:Door:Hinge And Attachments is the most frequently named component, appearing in 9 of 51 complaints (17.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 16 | 31.4% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 9.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 7.8% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 5.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 2.0% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Structure:Body:Door:Hinge And Attachments | 9 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 6 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 6 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 4 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 3 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | 3 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads | 3 |
Structure:Body:Door:Hinge And Attachments: 9; Air Bags:Frontal: 6; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 4; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 3; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc: 3; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads: 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 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 4 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 1
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 39 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 | 17 |
| 2001 | 9 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 9 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2008 | 1 |
2000: 17; 2001: 9; 2002: 4; 2003: 9; 2004: 9; 2005: 2; 2008: 1
Pattern summary
Structure:Body:Door:Hinge And Attachments leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting 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 10008265 · 2003-02-28 (February 28, 2003)
FAULTY BRAKES-IN DEC,2002, HAD TO HIT BRAKES WHEN VEHICLE PULLED IN FRONT OF ME. I IMMEDIATELY LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE-NO STEERING- AND CAR SPUN SEVERAL TIMES. APPEARED BRAKES LOCKED UP EVEN THOUGH I HAVE ABS SYSTEM. *JB 2/2003-SAME THING. WAS COUPLE LENGTHS BEHIND VEHICLE WHEN CAR IN FRONT SUDDENLY PULLED TO LEFT LANE BECAUSE A VEH HAD ALMOST STOPPED IN ROAD. WHEN I PUSHED ON BRAKES, THEY AGAIN LOCKED UP WITH NO STEERING CONTROL CAUSING ME TO HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME EVEN THOUGH I WAS TRYING TO STEER VEHICLE OFF INTO EMER LANE. WAS GOING A…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008265 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10018447 · 2003-05-09 (May 9, 2003)
1999 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HINGE CRACKED. OPENING DOOR DROPS DOWN AND WILL NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. INTERIOR LIGHT AND DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYS ON. DEALER SAYS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. ONLY HAVE 37,800 MILES ON CAR. DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HINGE NOT CRACKED YET. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 37,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018447 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10024398 · 2003-06-19 (June 19, 2003)
REAR SPRING WERE CUT IMPROPERLY,CAUSING THE TIRES TO TURN INWARD. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 64,859 miles reported. Look up ODI 10024398 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10026448 · 2003-07-02 (July 2, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING DRIVER SUDDENLY LOST ALL STEERING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER STATED PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10026448 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10028677 · 2003-07-20 (July 20, 2003)
PURCHASED 1999 MIRAGE FROM THOMPSON FORD AND WAS NOT NOTIFIED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON A RECALL. AUTOMOBILE WAS PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 2000. SUBSEQUENTLY , PULLEY BOLT COMPLETELY BROKE AND THE ENTIRE PULLEY AND BELT FELL OUT. THIS WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT, EXACT DAYS UNKNOWN, HOWEVER MONTH AND YEAR ARE ACCURATE. IN APRIL 2003, VEHICLE STOPPED. WAS INFORMED BY THOMPSON FORD THAT THE VEHICLE WSA NOT UNDER WARRANTY ONLY TO FIND OUT APPROXIMATELY 10 DAYS LATER THAT IT WAS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THOMPSON FORD AFTER ANOTHER MECHANIC HAD SERVICED THE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10028677 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10029567 · 2003-07-10 (July 10, 2003)
REAR WHEELS WERE TILTED AT THE TOP SO THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE STRUTS AND SPRINGS WITH USED PARTS. THIS DIDN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO PERFORMED A FRONT END REPAIR, ALIGNMENT, AND TIRES. THE SECOND DEALER STATED THE LEFT AND RIGHT TIRES WERE WORN BADLY ON THE INSIDE AND THE VEHICLE NEEDED A REAR END ALIGNMENT. CONSUMER HAS THE OLD PARTS. *PH *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 65,863 miles reported. Look up ODI 10029567 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10040095 · 2003-09-16 (September 16, 2003)
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE LAMINATION IN BETWEEN THE WINDOW IS DETERIORATING BECAUSE IT STARTED TO BULB IT UP, AND IT GIVES HER A HEADACHE WHEN DRIVING. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10040095 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10042579 · 2003-10-08 (October 8, 2003)
ENGINE PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10042579 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.
00V311001 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
Reported: 2000-10-02 (October 2, 2000)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES: MIRAGE MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.5L ENGINES; MONTERO SPORT MODELS EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L ENGINES; AND MONTERO MODELS EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L ENGINES. THE BOLT SECURING THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY CAN BECOME LOOSE AND THE PULLEY COULD FALL OFF THE VEHICLE.
Consequence: THE CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: ON THE MIRAGE VEHICLES, THE DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW, IMPROVED CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT ON THE OLDER ENGINES. ON NEW ENGINES WHICH ALREADY HAVE THE IMPROVED BOLT, THE DEALER WILL TIGHTEN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT TO THE CORRECT TORQUE SPECIFICATION. ON THE MONTERO MODELS, DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT TO THE CORRECT TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS. IF THE BOLT IS DAMAGED, IT WILL BE REPLACED.
NHTSA campaign record ↗01V340001 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
Reported: 2001-11-05 (November 5, 2001)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE BOLT SECURING THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY CAN BECOME LOOSE AND THE PULLEY COULD FALL OFF THE VEHICLE.
Consequence: THE CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES TO INSURE THAT THE BOLT IS TIGHTENED. FOR THOSE BOLTS NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED, THE BOLT AND PULLEY WILL BE REMOVED AND INSPECTED FOR ANY INDICATION OF DAMAGE. COMPONENTS SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF DAMAGE WILL BE REPLACED AND THE BOLT TIGHTENED TO THE PROPER TORQUE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 26, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AMERICA AT 1-888-648-7820.
NHTSA campaign record ↗04V428000 · Equipment:Other:Labels
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗