IllustrationWAS DRIVING AND AS I WAS TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. *TR
2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Eclipse Spyder 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
120–25K
1325–50K
1050–75K
375–100K
7100–150K
2150K+
47 reports with mileage · 34 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.
- Wheels. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports
Wheels complaints
37 reportsRIMS ON 2001 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE WEAK, VERY CAREFULLY DROVE, HAD TO REPLACE ONE RIM AND OTHERS ARE ALL BENT. *TR
WENT OFF ROAD, BACK LEFT WHEEL CRACKED. *JB
ALL CHROME WHEELS HAVE BENT DUE TO INFERIOR MANUFACTURING. *JB
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 100,000. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF VEHICLE HIT THE SMALLEST OF POT HOLES, AT ANY SPEED THE RIM WILL BEND, BOTH ON THE INSIDE AND OUT SIDE. THE CONTACT HAD 2 OF THE RIMS REPLACED AND TWO OF THE TIRES AS WELL. ON FIVE OCCASIONS THE RIMS WERE …
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TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 100,000. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF VEHICLE HIT THE SMALLEST OF POT HOLES, AT ANY SPEED THE RIM WILL BEND, BOTH ON THE INSIDE AND OUT SIDE. THE CONTACT HAD 2 OF THE RIMS REPLACED AND TWO OF THE TIRES AS WELL. ON FIVE OCCASIONS THE RIMS WERE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAS REPAIR ORDERS, AND WILL HAVE PICTURES OF THE LATEST FAILURE.*AK
I PURCHASED A 2001 MITSIBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER. ALL FOUR OF THE WHEELS HAVE BEEN BENT FROM NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING. I HAVE HAD TWO TIRES BLOW OUT DUE TO THEIR LOOSING AIR AND HEATING UP. IT APPEARS THAT THE ALUMINUM WHEELS ARE TOO SOFT AND BEND TOO EASILY. *NM
TIRES WILL NOT HOLD AIR. THOUGH MY CAR IS A 2001 I ONLY HAVE 34K MILES ON IT. TONIGHT, WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WENT FLAT WHILE DRIVING, AND THE TIRE CAME OFF THE RIM. THE TIRES HAVE ALWAYS LOST AIR, TO THE POINT THAT THEY HAVE TO BE CHECKED AND FILLED EVERY FEW MONTHS. DEFINITELY A MFG DEFECT AND SAFETY ISS…
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TIRES WILL NOT HOLD AIR. THOUGH MY CAR IS A 2001 I ONLY HAVE 34K MILES ON IT. TONIGHT, WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WENT FLAT WHILE DRIVING, AND THE TIRE CAME OFF THE RIM. THE TIRES HAVE ALWAYS LOST AIR, TO THE POINT THAT THEY HAVE TO BE CHECKED AND FILLED EVERY FEW MONTHS. DEFINITELY A MFG DEFECT AND SAFETY ISSUE. *JB
I HAVE REPLACED ONE FRONT WHEEL AT MY COST DUE TO THE EDGE BENDING ENOUGHT THAT IT WOULD NOT HOLD AIR. I HAVE ALSO HAD 2 MORE RIMS REPAIRED, AGAIN AT MY COST, FOR SIMILAR REASON. THE FRONT SUSPENSION ON THE SPYDER DOES NOT TOLERATE NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR FOR AVERAGE ROADS. MITSUBISHI HAS REFUSED TO ADMIT THAT THE DESIGN OF THE …
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I HAVE REPLACED ONE FRONT WHEEL AT MY COST DUE TO THE EDGE BENDING ENOUGHT THAT IT WOULD NOT HOLD AIR. I HAVE ALSO HAD 2 MORE RIMS REPAIRED, AGAIN AT MY COST, FOR SIMILAR REASON. THE FRONT SUSPENSION ON THE SPYDER DOES NOT TOLERATE NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR FOR AVERAGE ROADS. MITSUBISHI HAS REFUSED TO ADMIT THAT THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE OR THE WHEEL COULD BE AT FAULT FOR REPEATED FAILURE.
CAR HAS ABOUT 30000 MILES, OWNER WENT OUT TO LOOK AT CAR THIS MORNING AND FOUND THAT FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE IS COMPLETELY FLAT AND RIM IS SEVERELY DENTED. OWNER DOES NOT RECALL HITTING ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE DENTED RIM. FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE RIM WAS MINORLY DENTED ON POTHOLE ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO, SUSPECTED TO HAVE CAUSED S…
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CAR HAS ABOUT 30000 MILES, OWNER WENT OUT TO LOOK AT CAR THIS MORNING AND FOUND THAT FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE IS COMPLETELY FLAT AND RIM IS SEVERELY DENTED. OWNER DOES NOT RECALL HITTING ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE DENTED RIM. FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE RIM WAS MINORLY DENTED ON POTHOLE ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO, SUSPECTED TO HAVE CAUSED SLOW LEAK IN TIRE, BUT OWNER WAS NOT GOING TO REPORT UNTIL SECOND RIM DENTED WITHOUT APPARENT CAUSE. TWO RIMS NOW NEED REPLACED; NEITHER FRONT TIRE HOLDS AIR SECURELY. BOTH RIMS VISIBLY DAMAGED, INCURRING FINANCIAL EXPENSE AND CAUSING DISTRESS TO OWNER BECAUSE INCIDENT HAPPENED OUT OF TOWN ON CHRISTMAS MORNING THE DAY BEFORE SHE WAS SCHEDULED TO MAKE EIGHT-HOUR RETURN TRIP TO COLUMBUS FROM PHILADELPHIA, RENDERING THE CAR UNDRIVABLE. TIRES MIGHT ALSO NEED REPLACED IF DAMAGE TO THEM HAS OCCURED. RIMS AND TIRES HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED OR REPLACED YET BECAUSE OWNER FILED COMPLAINT IMMEDIATELY AFTER DISCOVERING DAMAGE.*AK
WHILEDRIVING ON HIGHWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, DOING 40 MPH. HIT POT HOLE, AND FELT SOMETHING NOT RIGHT. FOUND THAT THE RIM WAS BENT, AND THE TIRE HAD IMMEDIATELY DEFLATED. LEFT ON SIDE OF ROAD, HAD TO DRIVE 90 MILES HOME ON A DONUT. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN A YEAR. *AK
Official recalls
815V338000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
Jun 2, 2015
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004, 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000, to March 18, 2005, 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 21, 2005, and 2001-2005 Dodge Stratus vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 22, 2005. In the affected vehicles, the passenger side sun visor may be folded down in such a position that, if the passenger frontal air bag deploys, the passenger side sun visor may detach.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
Remedy: MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-15-005. Chrysler and Dodge owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R30.
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.
01V069000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Mar 8, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A BULGE IN THE FUEL TANK CAUSED BY THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS RESULTED IN THINNING OF THE MATERIAL DURING A WELDING OPERATION, INCREASING THE RISK OF FUEL LEAKAGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 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 AT 1-800-222-0037.
01V011001 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines
Jan 16, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. A HOSE WAS MIS-MANUFACTURED AND COULD WEAKEN OVER TIME, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LEAKAGE OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FLUID LEAKAGE FROM THE COOLER HOSES CAN CAUSE TRANSAXLE DRIVEABILITY PROBLEMS AND SMOKE IF THE OIL CONTACTS THE FRONT EXHAUST PIPE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HOSE ASSEMBLY FOR THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER. OWNER NOTIFICATION MAILING WILL BE PHASED OVER A FIVE-MONTH PERIOD STARTING MARCH 26, THROUGH JULY 23, 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 AT 1-800-222-0037.
01V005001 · Seats
Jan 8, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A NUMBER OF INCORRECT DRIVER SIDE SEAT MOUNTING BOLTS WERE INSTALLED INTO VEHICLES.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE REAR ANCHOR BOLTS SECURING THE DRIVER'S SEAT MAY NOT PROPERLY SECURE THE SEAT AND COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF DRIVER INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SEAT MOUNTING BOLTS AND THEN REPLACE THE BOLTS IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 15, 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 AT 1-800-222-0037.
00V320001 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Oct 27, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE OUTER LAYER ONLY OF THIS 3-LAYER FUEL RETURN HOSE DOES NOT CONTAIN THE DESIRED OZONE PROTECTION DUE TO A PROCESSING ERROR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS HOSE IS CONSIDERED TO BE INADEQUATE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL RETURN HOSE.
00V299001 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
Oct 2, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HARNESS FOR THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH A NEW PROTECTIVE SHIELD CAUSING A GROUNDED CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: PROLONGED WIRING HARNESS CONTACT WITH THE HEAT SHIELD WILL CAUSE THE WIRING INSULATION TO WEAR AND EVENTUALLY TO GROUND OUT. THIS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO DIE-OUT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL RE-ROUTE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR HARNESS.
00V225001 · Steering:gear Box (other Than Rack And Pinion)
Aug 10, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A NUT IN THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY WAS NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED, RESULTING IN SYMPTOMS RANGING FROM STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION TO STIFF STEERING, AND IN THE WORST CASE, NO ABILITY TO TURN LEFT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES AND REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY IF A LOOSE NUT CONNECTION IS FOUND.
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
2EA02007 · Aluminum Alloy Wheel Denting
Opened May 31, 2002 · Closed May 1, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Wheels
SEE ATTACHED REPORT.
PE01044 · Alloy Wheel Denting And Fracturing
Opened Dec 18, 2001 · Closed May 31, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Wheels
No summary supplied.