Power Train. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

22 crash reports5 fire reports12 injury reports

What owners actually said

129 reports

55,000 miles · Oct 1, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY INDICATED THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD A OIL LEAK AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. COMMON PROBLEM.*AK IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE WRONG OIL FILTER WAS PLACED ON THE VEHICLE

NHTSA ODI #10031819

Mileage unknown · May 26, 2003

Structure

THERE APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT IN THE BODY OF ALL MITSUBISHI ECLIPSES THAT HAVE THE SAME BODY STYLE OF 1998. THERE IS A PIECE ON THE UNDERSIDE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT CATCHES ON PARKING SPACE MARKERS AND CAUSES THE WHOLE FRONT PIECE OF THE CAR TO EITHER TEAR, HANG, OR IN SOME CASES FALL OFF. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10019287

54,000 miles · Mar 5, 2003

Power TrainStructure

THE VEHICLE LEAKED TRANSMISSION FLUID, AND THE RAG TOP ROOF LEAKED WATER WHEN IT RAINED. DEALER REPAIRED BOTH PROBLEMS SIX TIMES. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10009907

Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 2003

Suspension

THERE WAS A CRACKING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED, CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER REGARDING THE BALL JOINT, HOWEVER THE DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR RECALL, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS REBUILT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10009631

100,000 miles · Feb 19, 2003

Unknown Or Other

Read full complaint

MY 1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE HAS HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS FROM THE TIME IT WAS PURCHASED. AT 50,000 MILES THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED. AND TODAY THE ENGINE HAS A ROD THROWN AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ENGINE. I HAD THE CAR IN SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND OFF AND WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST A SENSOR. AFTER THAT THE LIGHT STILL CAME ON AND OFF AND I WAS TOLD NOT TO WORRY. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. OTHER PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE ENCOUNTERED HAVE BEEN WITH THE BRAKES. FREQUENT BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENT AND ROTORS TURNED AND REPLACED AFTER ONLY SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES. THAT WAS BLAMED ON MY DRIVING HABITS. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT ALL ECLIPSE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. WHY ISN'T SOMETHING BEING DONE? ALSO OIL LEAKS AND ENGINE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH I HAVE DONE. WHAT DOES THE MANUFACTUERS WARRANTY COVER IF IT DOES NOT COVER THE ENGINE. IN MY OPINION, AFTER 50,000 MILES A CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE TO HAVE A HEAD GASKET REPLACED IF THE MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN DONE AS REQUESTED BY THE MANUFACTER. ON JULY 31, 2002 TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE OIL LEAK CHECKED AND SERVICE DEPT. UNABLE TO LOCATE OIL LEAK. ADVISED TO HAVE TRANSMISSION CHECKED. TRANSMISSION SERVICED BY DEALERSHIP. STILL HAD PROBLEMS WITH OIL LIGHT COMING ON AND OFF. COULD THIS DEFECT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHY MY ENGINE THREW A ROD THROUGH IT AND HAS MADE MY CAR WORTHLESS? THIS CAR IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD? AND STILL BEING PAID ON.

NHTSA ODI #10007773

87,000 miles · Feb 10, 2003

Latches/locks/linkagesSeatsService Brakes, Air

FRONT BRAKES ON 1998 MISTUBISHI ECLIPSE VIBRATE WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED THIS BRAKE FAILURE 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 4 YEARS. ROTORS RESURFACED AT 12,000 MILES. ROTORS REPLACED AT 27,000 MILES AND RESURFACED AND REPLACED AGAIN AT 77,000 MILES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES BROKE TWICE. (PLASTIC)

NHTSA ODI #10005597

65,000 miles · Jan 30, 2003

Power Train

Read full complaint

ENGINE BURNS OIL AT APPROX. 1 QT PER WEEK, ALSO HAS POSSIBLE LEAKS IN ENGINE WITH ONLY 69,000 MILES ON ENGINE. THE CAR HAS BEEN RECALLED TWICE FOR SAME PROBLEM AND IT IS STILL HAPPENED AGAIN. HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES FOR LIFE OF ENGINE. TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES STAYS ON LEVEL 2 AND 3 FOR UPTO 20MINUTES AT 60MPH DOES NOT CHANGE AND SHIFTS HARD WITH SLOW OR FAST ACCELERATION. LEAKS TRANSMISSION FLUID, HAS FUEL THROTTLE LEAKAGES AND CONTROL LEAKS FROM 45,000 MILES UP TO NOW THURSADY, JANUARY 30, 2003.

NHTSA ODI #10004959

50,000 miles · Jan 9, 2003

Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

ENGINE BURNS OIL AT APPROX. 1 QT PER WEEK, ALSO HAS POSSIBLE LEAKS IN ENGINE WITH ONLY 69,000 MILES ON ENGINE. HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES FOR LIFE OF ENGINE. BRAKE ROTORS WARPED AND NEED REPLACEMENT, UNSURE OF WHEN LAST CHANGED. TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND SHIFTS HARD WITH SLOW OR FAST ACCELERATION.

NHTSA ODI #10000870

Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2003

Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. TS THERE WAS AN ODOR IN THE VEHICLE, THE CLUTCH HAD GONE OUT, THE REAR BRAKES SQUEAKED, AND WATER LEAKED INTO THE INTERIOR ON THE VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THE DEALER SOLD HER AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. SCC

NHTSA ODI #10002396

39,000 miles · Jan 8, 2003

Structure

THE CONVERTIBLE TOP STRUT ARM IS BENT NOT ALLOWING THE TOP TO OPEN OR CLOSE PROPERLY. DEALER STATES IT'S A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *JG *JB

NHTSA ODI #10001476

Official recalls

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.

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.

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.

98V045001 · Vehicle Speed Control

Mar 3, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE DASH PANEL PAD CAN SHIFT INTERFERRING WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL WOULD NOT RETURN TO IDLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE A PORTION OF THE DASH PANEL PAD SO IT CANNOT INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL.

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

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