1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE REAR WHEELS SEIZED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 89,200.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE TRANSFER CASE SUDDENLY STALLED AND LOCKED ALL FOUR WHEELS; HE WAS UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE NEEDED TO REPLACE TRANSFER CASE AND THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST WITH REPAIR EXPENSES AS THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 98V069001 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EXHIBIT AN ABNORMAL VIBRATION AND IT MADE AN UNUSUAL NOISE. THE CONTACT DROVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, FOUND THAT THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT HAD FRACTURED FROM THE TRANSFER CASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE DRIVE SHAFT YOKE AND REAR TRANSFER HOUSING WERE REPLACED AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE RECURRED 1,500 MILES AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER HAD POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT INQUIRED ABOUT NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID 98V069001 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) AND WHEN CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER, HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER IN 1998. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000.

I WAS GOING ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR ON THE FREEWAY, WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO MAKE A LOUD REVVING NOISE AND BEGAN TO DOWN SHIFT AT AN ACCELERATED RATE. THE ECLIPSE NOW HAS A SHIFTING PROBLEM TO WHERE THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE THE DRIVE TO MOVE FORWARDS NOR BACKWARDS. I WAS TOLD BY A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST AND CLOSE FRIEND, THAT ALL MY GEARS WERE ALL WIPED OUT ALL AT THE SAME TIME AND THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE WAS EITHER LOOSE OR BROKEN. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE FOUND IN THE TRANSFER CASE, OF THE TRANSMISSION, SHAVINGS OR LITTLE PIECES OF METAL OR ALUMINUM. *TR

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LEAK WITHIN THE TRANSFER CASE. OWNER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED FOR THE RECALL ONCE ALREADY DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER WILL NOT INSPECT AGAIN THE VEHICLE FOR THIS DEFECT. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS THE OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY. *AK

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET TRAVELING 30MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG!!! MY CAR SLAMMED TO A HALT IN THE FRONT YARD OF SOME UNKNOWN HOUSE. ONLY TO SEE THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF MY CAR IS NOW RESTING THE WHEEL WELL ON THE TIRE, THE TIRE ABOUT TO JUST FALL OVER, MY FRAME BY THE DOOR ALL CRUSHED BACK FROM THE TIRE, AND MY AXEL ON THE GROUND. HAD I BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY I COULD HAVE JUST KISSED MYSELF GOODBYE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY MITSUBISHI NEVER INFORMED ME OF THIS. I LOOKED FOR THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND HERE'S WHAT I FOUND - PROBLEM:~>WHEEL BEARINGS LEAKING OIL, CAN ROTATE CASING MORE THAN 3 INCHES, ACCORDING TO DEALER. WHOLE CASING COULD SEPARATE, CAUSING CRASH.

MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE TRAVELING BETWEEN 60 &65 AT 6:30AM MAY 21, 2002 WHEN I NOTICED A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR, INSTANTANEOUSLY THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKED UP AND THE CAR WENT INTO A SPIN. (THE 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION THROUGH A GEAR OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE HOUSING CAUSING THE FRONT WHEELS TO LOCK) I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL, IN AS WELL, HIT A BANK CAUSING MINOR DAMAGES TO THE PASSENGER SIDE FENDER. (EST. $350.00). PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS, COMPLETELY UNAWARE. I SPOKE TO MITSUBISHI ON MAY 24, 2002 TO SEE IF THIS WAS AN ISSUE AND HOW TO SOLVE THIS FROM HAPPINING AGAIN. THEY WERE PROFESSIONAL AND AFTER 15 CONVERSATIONS WITH 15 DIFFERENT PEOPLE, THEY ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR RESPONSABILITY, THAT THE CAR'S WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND THAT THEY HAD NO COMPLAINTS ON THIS TRANSMISSION. I INVESTIGATED THIS FURTHER TO FIND THAT THREE LOCAL MITSUBISHI DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT MANAGERS TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE REPLACED THESE TRANSMISSIONS IN THE ECLIPSE, THAT THE PIN WORKS LOOSE CAUSING FAILURE. I DECIDED TO HAVE MY CAR FIXED AND BUY A NEW TRANSMISSION. I CONTACTED A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP PRIDE & JOY AUTO REPAIR (540-633-0202). THEY EVALUATED THE CONDITION AND CALLED MITSUBISHI TO FIND OUT THAT THESE TRANSMISSIONS WERE ON BACK ORDER UNTIL SEPT. 30, 2002. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT MY CAR FOR 3 MONTHS. NLM