Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 59 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Suspension. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

44 crash reports9 fire reports15 injury reports

What owners actually said

307 reports

Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2003

Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL IMPACT. NEITHER DUAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FROM IMPACT OF CRASH. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10033781

87,000 miles · Jun 5, 2003

Fuel System, Gasoline

THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF GAS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10022494

Mileage unknown · Jun 4, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED AND IT BECAME HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10022265

Mileage unknown · Apr 8, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED, WHICH CAUSED FLUID TO LEAK. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10015371

35,700 miles · Mar 28, 2003

Exterior Lighting

DRIVERS' SIDE HEADLIGHT IS TOTALLY FOGGED. JUST LOOK AT ANYONE WHO BOUGHT AN ECLIPSE FROM THIS YEAR AND THE PROBLEM IS THERE. ALTHOUGH IT MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED A HIGH LEVEL SAFETY ISSUE, I FEEL THAT MITSUBISHI IN ITS' UNWILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE A PROPER REPLACEMENT, EVEN WHEN ASKED BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRATION IS UNACCEPTABLE! *J…

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NHTSA ODI #10013610

93,500 miles · Mar 28, 2003

Fuel System, Gasoline

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MANY VEHICLES OF THIS SAME MODEL YEAR WERE RECALLED FOR A GAS SMELL/ FIRE HAZARD CAUSED BY AN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED FUEL TANK GASKET. MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE A MATCHING VIN SO THE DEALER SAYS I AM NOT COVERED. IF IT WERE A DEFECTIVE PART I COULD UNDERSTAND THEM BEING ABLE TO CLASSIFY MY CAR AS HAVING PASSED. HOWEVER, SINCE THIS WAS A PROCEDURE, I DO NOT THINK THAT WITH THE # OF COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE THAT THEY HAVE COVERED ALL THE CARS THEY SHOULD HAVE. IS MITSUBISHI NOT NOTORIOUS FOR LETTING THE VOLUME OF COMPLAINTS ESCALATE TO UNREASONABLE AMOUNTS PRIOR TO ACTING?? *JB

NHTSA ODI #10013608

83,000 miles · Mar 24, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

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CRANKSHAFT WALK. 1995 MITS. ECLIPSE 2WD TURBO. MY SON BOUGHT THIS CAR DIRECTLY FROM HAVING THE BOTTOM END REBUILT. WITHIN 200 MILES OF DRIVE TIME THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR WENT OUT. THE MECHANIC THAT DID THE REBUILD SAID HE DID NOT REPLACE THE SENSOR SO NO WARRANTY. AFTER SPENDING ANOTHER 160.00 ON A NEW CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND INTERRUPTER PLATE. IT LASTED FOR APPROXIMATELY. ANOTHER 200 MILES AND DIED AT 60 MILES AN HOUR ON THE FREEWAY. IT WENT BACK TO THE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE CRANK BEARINGS PLATE AND SENSOR. IT ONLY TOOK HIM 8 WEEKS. WE PICKED UP THE CAR ON THURSDAY THE 20TH OF MARCH. THIS TIME IT LASTED 30 MILES AND THE PLATE IS AGAIN HITTING THE SENSOR. WE HAVE NOW PAID ALMOST 3000.00 AND THE CAR IS BACK IN THE SHOP. I HAVE READ COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER CONSUMERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS NO REASON THAT THE CRANKSHAFT SHOULD BE ABLE TO WALK. AND IT IS NOT FAIR THAT WE HAVE TO PAY FOR A PROBLEM THAT IS OBVIOUSLY IN THE DESIGN. NOT EVEN THE SHOP THAT WAS WORKING ON IT WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THIS CAR IS BACK IN HIS SHOP FOR THE THIRD TIME. HE IS LOSING MONEY AS ARE WE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10010959

104,000 miles · Feb 18, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

CAR STOPS RUNNING UNEXPECTEDLY. WON'T RESTART RIGHT AWAY / MUST WAY ABOUT AN HOUR. UNEXPECTED ENGINE HALTING CAUSES LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES MAKING STEERING AND STOPPING OF VEHICLE DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS. THE UNEXPECTED ENGINE HALTING OCCURS WEEKLY MAKING THE VEHICLE NOT DEPENDABLE TRANSPORTATION.

NHTSA ODI #10007737

Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2003

Air BagsCrash

THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN A HEAD ON COLLISION.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10007226

90,000 miles · Jan 27, 2003

Electrical System

CAR DIES WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS AND THE DEALERSHIPS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. HAVE HAD NUMEROUS THINGS REPLACED AND IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THEN FOUR TIMES FOR THIS SAME REASON. I KNOW THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER BY NAME. IT'S A SHAME THAT THIS HASNT BEEN A RE…

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NHTSA ODI #10003475

Official recalls

00V421001 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint

Dec 18, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE. ALSO, MMC HAS ADDED THE POTENTIAL OF LEAKING MOISTURE, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE BALL STUD TO CORRODE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. THIS CAMPAIGN SUPERCEDES MMC'S PREVIOUS SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN, SEE 99V-066.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT FOR WEAR. BALL JOINTS THAT EXHIBIT WEAR BEYOND THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY DESIGNED LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS. BALL JOINTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE CLEANED AND A SPECIAL SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED TO PREVENT INTRUSION OF MOISTURE.

99V066001 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint

Apr 5, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE RUBBER BOOTS, AND IF THE BOOT IS DAMAGED, THEY WILL REPLACE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM AND BALL JOINT ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.

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.

96V158001 · Fuel System, Gasoline

Aug 27, 1996

THE FUEL TANK GASKETS FOR THE FUEL PUMP AND/OR GAUGE UNIT GASKET COULD HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY INSTALLED ALLOWING FUEL OR FUMES TO ESCAPE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WERE PRESENT, THE FUEL LEAKAGE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL TANK AND IF THE GASKETS ARE FOUND TO BE LEAKING, REPLACE THE FUEL TANK, CAPS AND GASKETS.

94V149002 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip

Aug 8, 1994

THE HEADLAMP SUPPORT PANEL CAN DEVELOP A FATIGUE CRACK WHERE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) HYDRAULIC UNIT IS ATTACHED, ALLOWING THE HYDRAULIC UNIT TO FALL DOWN.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: LOSS OF BRAKING CAN RESULT IF THE ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT FALLS. THIS CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL CONNECT THE ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT ATTACHMENT POINT AT A RIGID PORTION OF THE HEADLAMP SUPPORT PANEL WITH A BRACKET AND REINFORCE THE HEADLAMP SUPPORT PANEL BY ADDING A BACK PLATE.

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

RQ00015 · Lower Contrtol Arm Ball Joint

Opened Aug 2, 2000 · Closed Apr 20, 2001

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension

There is no summary currently available

Additional source detail variants (3)

Suspension

There is no summary currently available

Suspension

There is no summary currently available

Suspension

There is no summary currently available

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

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

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.