← New search

2002 Mitsubishi Diamante

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Diamante years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante are substantially higher than the model-year median of 31.5.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Diamante years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

92 reports with mileage · 31 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Visibility. Review the 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports0 fire reports8 injury reports

What owners actually said

123 reports
143,000 miles · Aug 2, 2017
Air BagsPower TrainUnknown Or Other

I WAS DRIVING MY MITSUBISHI ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY BRIDGE ON 7-28-2017 AND SUDDENLY THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND I WAS STUCK AND HAD NO POWER OF MOVEMENT,MY WIFE AND 3 Y.O.CHILD WERE PASSENGERS IN THE CAR,LUCKILY THE STATE PATROL CAME AND ASSISTED US.THE DEALER TOLD US THAT THIS CAR WAS MECHANICALLY SOUND AND HAD NO PROBLEMS OR …

Read full complaint

I WAS DRIVING MY MITSUBISHI ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY BRIDGE ON 7-28-2017 AND SUDDENLY THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND I WAS STUCK AND HAD NO POWER OF MOVEMENT,MY WIFE AND 3 Y.O.CHILD WERE PASSENGERS IN THE CAR,LUCKILY THE STATE PATROL CAME AND ASSISTED US.THE DEALER TOLD US THAT THIS CAR WAS MECHANICALLY SOUND AND HAD NO PROBLEMS OR ISSUES.THEY LIED TO US AND BY DOING SO THEY PUT OUR LIVES IN DANGER.THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG WAS ALSO MISSING WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI #11012456

Mileage unknown · Apr 8, 2015
Power Train

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WOULD NO LONGER PROPEL THE VEHICLE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY NO RECALL HAS BEEN MADE. THIS IS A VERY HAZARDOUS ISSUE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE. SHE HAD TO COAST…

Read full complaint

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WOULD NO LONGER PROPEL THE VEHICLE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY NO RECALL HAS BEEN MADE. THIS IS A VERY HAZARDOUS ISSUE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE. SHE HAD TO COAST THE CAR OVER AND WAS RAPIDLY LOOSING SPEED, A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE PROBLEM IS A FAULTY PART IN THE TRANSMISSION CALLED A WAVE SPRING. IN EVERY F4A51 MITSUBISHI TRANSMISSION, THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE. THE WAVE SPRING BREAKS, BYPASSES THE FILTER, ENTERS THE PUMP GEARS AND BREAKS THE PUMP, ENDING IN TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IT IS A COSTLY REPAIR, $1800-$2000. IT IS A FAULTY DESIGN, AND A BETTER AFTERMARKET WAVE SPRING WAS EVENTUALLY ENGINEERED. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10704409

65,289 miles · Feb 18, 2015
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V100001 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.) TH…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V100001 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.) THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,289.

NHTSA ODI #10684089

141,000 miles · Jan 11, 2015
Power Train

DRIVING ALONG AT 35MPH ENGINE RPM SUDDENLY ALMOST RED LINED LOST POWER AND LOST ALL FORWARD AND REVERSE GEARS.HAD TO TOW THE VEHICLE! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10671692

60,000 miles · Jul 24, 2013
Power Train

THE CAR JUST STOPPED. THE GEARS WERE NONFUNCTIONAL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10531655

140,000 miles · Oct 1, 2012
Electrical SystemEngineEngine And Engine CoolingCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A PASSENGER VAN. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE THE CHECK ENGINE L…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A PASSENGER VAN. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE MISFIRES, NEEDED SPARK PLUGS, A FUEL PUMP, A FUEL INJECTOR, AN EGR VALVE, AND THE ENGINE SURGED ERRATICALLY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 12/06/12*LJ UPDATED 12/6/2012 *JS

NHTSA ODI #10478125

91,000 miles · Dec 6, 2010
Engine And Engine CoolingVisibilityInjury

THE HEATER CORE IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. THE WINDOWS IN THE CAR FOG UP SO BAD I COULDNT DRIVE THE CAR...HAD TO PULL OVER AND WIPE THE WINDOWS DOWN. BUT THE THING IS...I DIDNT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS WAS...UNTIL I REALIZED THE WINDOWS WERENT JUST BEING FOGGED BY THE COLD, ECT IT WAS A TOXIC MIST FROM A HEATER CORE PROBLE…

Read full complaint

THE HEATER CORE IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. THE WINDOWS IN THE CAR FOG UP SO BAD I COULDNT DRIVE THE CAR...HAD TO PULL OVER AND WIPE THE WINDOWS DOWN. BUT THE THING IS...I DIDNT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS WAS...UNTIL I REALIZED THE WINDOWS WERENT JUST BEING FOGGED BY THE COLD, ECT IT WAS A TOXIC MIST FROM A HEATER CORE PROBLEM...I PULLED OVER 2 TIMES BECAUSE I GOT SICK...I NOTICED A MIST COMING OUT OF THE VENTS....SO ALL IN ALL I CALLED MITSUBISHI AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.THIS HEATER CORE PROBLEM CAN LEAD TO ACCIDENTS, SICKNESS, AND OTHE EXPENSIVE PROBLEMS IN THE CAR! THE FUMES ARE EXTREMELY TOXIC!!! THERE ARE 1000'S OF COMPLAINTS AND BLOGS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM...I'M SURE THERE ARE 100,000+ COMPLAINTS ABPOUT THIS PROBLEM. AND MITSUBISHI REFUSES TO HELP OR DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. I TOLD THEM, IS THIS GONNA TAKE A FATAL ACCIDENT FOR THEM TO DO SOMETHING?" THEY REPLIED, "IM NOT ANSWERING THAT!" I TOLD THEM THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THIS PROBLEM. THEY REPLIED, "SORRY BUT YOUR WARRANTY IS UP WE CAN'T DO NOTHING ABOUT IT." THIS HEATER CORE PROBLEMS LEADS TO FAULTY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, HAZERDOUS PROBLEMS, SICKNESS, INTERIOR OF THE CAR CAN BE RUINED BECAUSE ANITFREEZE LEAKS THROUGH THE DASH BOARD...WHERE MITSUBISHI PLACED THE HEATER CORE. MADE NO SENSE TO PLACE A HEATER CORE ABOVE THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. THEY REALLY MESSED UP HERE AND WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. I THINK THAT THE MEDIA SHOULD GET INVOLVED BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY WONT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IF SOMEONE DOESNT SPEAK UP! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10369327

88,000 miles · Aug 25, 2010
Air BagsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AS A RESULT AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS …

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AS A RESULT AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 88,000. UPDATED 12/15/10. *LJ UPDATED 12/27/10

NHTSA ODI #10351758

80,000 miles · Jun 24, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WITH A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE, I HAVE HAD HEATER CORE PROBLEMS. ANTIFREEZE LEAKING/SMELL AND WINDOWS FOGGING UP. COST TO REPAIR EXCEEDS $1000. IF EVERY ONE OF THESE VEHICLES HAS THIS SAME ISSUE, WHY HAS IT NEVER BEEN RECALLED? AND WHY DOES MITSUBISHI GET AWAY WITH ALL CARS HAVING THIS DEFECT? AND W…

Read full complaint

JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WITH A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE, I HAVE HAD HEATER CORE PROBLEMS. ANTIFREEZE LEAKING/SMELL AND WINDOWS FOGGING UP. COST TO REPAIR EXCEEDS $1000. IF EVERY ONE OF THESE VEHICLES HAS THIS SAME ISSUE, WHY HAS IT NEVER BEEN RECALLED? AND WHY DOES MITSUBISHI GET AWAY WITH ALL CARS HAVING THIS DEFECT? AND WHY HAS THIS INVESTIGATION NOT RESULTED IN ACTION? IS THERE ANOTHER AGENCY THAT CAN GET RECALL ACTION FROM MITSUBISHI? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10339881

Mileage unknown · May 6, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE 2002 HAS FAULTY O-RINGS AND IS WIDELY PUBLICIZED TO CAUSE MAJOR HEATER CORE PROBLEMS AND ANTI-FREEZE LEAKAGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10329169

Official recalls

3

04V428000 · Equipment:other:labels

Sep 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 & remedy

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.

04V067000 · Equipment:other:owners/service/other Manual

Feb 11, 2004

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT CONTAIN A STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION FOR HEADREST ADJUSTMENT WHEN INSTALLING A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM (CRS) TETHER STRAP.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE TETHER STRAP IS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED TO THE TETHER ANCHOR, THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT RESTRAINED. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE CHILD COULD BE INJURED.

Remedy: A LETTER OUTLINING THE PROBLEM WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS ALONG WITH A STICKER CONTAINING THE CORRECT INSTRUCTIONS AS WELL AS INSTRUCTIONS ON WHERE TO AFFIX THE STICKER IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 29, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-888-648-7820.

02V100001 · Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood

Apr 7, 2002

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE MAIN UNDER HOOD ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS MAY HAVE INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE ENGINE CONTROL HARNESS AND THE EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD. AS A RESULT, THE HARNESS COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE HEAT SHIELD, WHICH COULD RESULT IN MELTING OF THE HARNESS INSULATION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE MELTING OF THE HARNESS INSULATION COULD RESULT IN GROUNDING OF THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR WIRING, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO RUN ERRATICALLY OR STOP SUDDENLY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HARNESS FOR DAMAGE AND, IF NONE IS EVIDENT, WILL TIE THE HARNESS BACK TO PREVENT THE HARNESS FROM EVER COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE HEAT SHIELD. ANY HARNESS THAT SHOWS EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE WILL BE REPAIRED AS NECESSARY AND THEN TIED BACK TO PREVENT FUTURE DAMAGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 13, 2002. 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 AT 1-800-222-0037.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.