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1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 49.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

Limited mileage data: 7 of 54 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Power Train. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 8 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 reports2 fire reports4 injury reports

What owners actually said

54 reports
Mileage unknown · Oct 18, 1999
Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicSuspension

WHEN FIRST STARTING OUT AT 20MPH TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER. THEN WOULD SLOW DOWN & PICK UP SPEED. GAS PEDAL WOULD STICK. HAPPENED AFTER TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED DUE TO HIGH IDLING. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY WOULD PULSATE. INTERFERING WITH BRAKING ABILITY DUE TO RUST & WARPING. VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE AT…

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WHEN FIRST STARTING OUT AT 20MPH TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER. THEN WOULD SLOW DOWN & PICK UP SPEED. GAS PEDAL WOULD STICK. HAPPENED AFTER TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED DUE TO HIGH IDLING. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY WOULD PULSATE. INTERFERING WITH BRAKING ABILITY DUE TO RUST & WARPING. VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE AT 55MPH. VEHICLE WAS UNBALANCED.

NHTSA ODI #850963

Mileage unknown · Oct 12, 1999
Power Train

THIS FAILURE IS LISTED IN DATA BASE AS AFFECTING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WHICH IS INCORRECT, THE FAILURE IS APPLICABLE ONLY TO ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES

NHTSA ODI #713206

Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

COMPUTER FAILS CAUSING CAR TO SURGE AND STOP, USUALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. BRAKE ROTORS WARP AND CAUSE STEERWHEEL VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING

NHTSA ODI #712365

Mileage unknown · Jun 23, 1999
Vehicle Speed Control

WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY THE THROTTLE GETS STUCK AT 2500RPM. I HAD TO USE MY E BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR SO I CAN GET UNDER THE HOOD TO TURN THE THROTTLE CABLE BACK BY HAND. *AK

NHTSA ODI #707835

Mileage unknown · May 27, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE HARMONIC BALANCER FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ODI #782378

Mileage unknown · Feb 16, 1999
Power Train

THESE PROBLEM(S) MAY BE CONNECTED OR A RESULT OF THE MAIN FAILURE; DIFFERENTIAL LEAK, A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE REAR (CV JOINT?), AWD SEEMS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, AND SO DOES THE SHIFTING LINKAGE (SHIFTER?). *AK

NHTSA ODI #703340

Mileage unknown · Aug 25, 1998
Power Train

REAR WHEEL DRIVE ASSEMBLY IS BAD, CAUSUNG A GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #827187

Mileage unknown · Jul 26, 1998
Vehicle Speed Control

ACCELERATOR FAILS TO COME BACK TO IDLE.

NHTSA ODI #538828

Mileage unknown · Apr 21, 1998
Seat Belts

THE DRIVER'S SHOULDER SEAT BELT BUCKLE MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO BE INOPERATIVE, AND WON'T PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #822664

Mileage unknown · Apr 14, 1998
Power Train

TRANSFER CASE LEAKS, IT IS LUBRICATING FUEL DUE TO POOR DESIGN.

NHTSA ODI #534285

Official recalls

2

98V069001 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Mar 26, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. LOCKUP OF THE TRANSFER CASE CAN OCCUR DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION.

Consequence & remedy

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.

95V103004 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

May 24, 1995

THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUGGING ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, AND THEN PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS A SIGN OF BREAKING OR CRACKING OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CONTACT THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.

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

4

RQ98007 · Transfer Case Leakage

Opened May 11, 1998 · Closed Aug 28, 1998

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission

THE TRANSFER CASE OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD), MITSUBISHI GALANT, ALLEGEDLY LEAKS OIL CAUSING ONE OR MORE WHEELS TO LOCKUP; OR THE INABILITY TO TRANSMIT ENGINE POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS.THE VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME TRANSFER CASE DESIGN AS THE ECLIPSE VEHICLES WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ALLEGED DEFECT.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:automatic Transmission

THE TRANSFER CASE OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD), MITSUBISHI GALANT, ALLEGEDLY LEAKS OIL CAUSING ONE OR MORE WHEELS TO LOCKUP; OR THE INABILITY TO TRANSMIT ENGINE POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS.THE VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME TRANSFER CASE DESIGN AS THE ECLIPSE VEHICLES WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ALLEGED DEFECT.

Power Train:automatic Transmission

THE TRANSFER CASE OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD), MITSUBISHI GALANT, ALLEGEDLY LEAKS OIL CAUSING ONE OR MORE WHEELS TO LOCKUP; OR THE INABILITY TO TRANSMIT ENGINE POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS.THE VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME TRANSFER CASE DESIGN AS THE ECLIPSE VEHICLES WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ALLEGED DEFECT.

EA98002 · Transfer Case Lockup

Opened Jan 30, 1998 · Closed Apr 30, 1998

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Wheels

No summary supplied.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Wheels

Wheels

PE97040 · Transfer Case Lockup

Opened Sep 4, 1997 · Closed Jan 30, 1998

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Wheels

ALLEGED DRIVETRAIN FAILURE THAT CAN LEAD TO LOCK-UP OF THE REAR OR ALL WHEELS.

EA95004 · Takata Seat Belt Buckle Failure

Opened Mar 10, 1995 · Closed Aug 1, 1995

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

There is no summary currently available