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1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Eclipse years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse are substantially higher than 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

35 reports with mileage · 85 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.

10 crash reports3 fire reports4 injury reports

Power Train complaints

25 reports
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Mileage unknown · Apr 30, 2002
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND TRYING TO CHANGE GEARS TRANSMISSION BECAME STUCK IN THIRD GEAR. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8008826

Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 2002
Power Train

ON 2/6/02 I TOOK MY CAR TO ANAHEIM MITSUBISHI WITH POSSIBILITY THAT TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND ALMOST DIES WHEN I COME TO A STOP. MITSUBISHI STATES "HOOKED UP THE MULTIPLE UNIT TESTER AND FOUND NO CODES STORED, TEST DROVE AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE COMPLAINT. ADVISE CUSTOMER. NO OTHER W…

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ON 2/6/02 I TOOK MY CAR TO ANAHEIM MITSUBISHI WITH POSSIBILITY THAT TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND ALMOST DIES WHEN I COME TO A STOP. MITSUBISHI STATES "HOOKED UP THE MULTIPLE UNIT TESTER AND FOUND NO CODES STORED, TEST DROVE AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE COMPLAINT. ADVISE CUSTOMER. NO OTHER WORK DONE." ON THIS DATE MITSUBISHI DID THE 18 MONTH / 22500 SERVICE, WHICH CONSIST OF BRAKE INSPECTION/TIRE ROTATION, MAINTENANCE SERVICE, CHANGE OIL AND FILTER AND INSPECT ALL FLUID LEVELS. ON 2/20/02 I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO ANAHEIM MITSUBISHI FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, VEHICLE HAS A ROUGH IDLE AFTER COMING TO A STOP IN GEAR, IDLES UNDER 750 RPM, DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. MITSUBISHI STATES "TEST DROVE AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CONDITION AT THIS TIME. NO OTHER WORK DONE." ON 3/29/02 I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO ANAHEIM MITSUBISHI FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, VEHICLE ALMOST DIES OUT AT IDLE, HESITATES AND RUNS ROUGH. IDLE FLUCTUATES FROM 750 RPMS TO ALMOST 0 RPMS AT STOP WHEN INCIDENT OCCURS. FUEL FILTER/INJECTORS? MITSUBISHI STATES THERE IS 3 TO 4 POSSIBLE REASONS THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WILL OCCUR AND NOT SHOW UP ON THE COMPUTER, ONE BEING THE THROTTLE NEEDS TO BE CLEANED. MITSUBISHI CLEANED THROTTLE AND TOLD ME IF THAT DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM TO BRING THE CAR BACK AND THEY WOULD ELIMINATE THE 3 OTHER POSSIBILITIES. ON 4/4/02 I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO ANAHEIM MITSUBISHI FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, I TOLD THEM WHILE THE THROTTLE CLEANING HELPED AT FIRST IT DID NOT SOLVE MY PROBLEM AND I ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. I EXPLAINED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER (GEORGE) THAT I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR BACK 4 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT STILL WASN'T FIXED AND THAT I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GOING TO SHOW UP ON THEIR COMPUTER, SINCE IT HASN'T BEFORE AND IT DOESN'T DO IT ALL THE TIME. I THEN ASKED GEORGE WHY NOBODY INFORMED ME, ON 2/6/02 WHEN THE CAR WAS FIRST BROUGHT IN FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THEY CHANGED THE OIL, THAT MY TOP RADIATOR HOSE HAD BEEN LEAKING OR WHY NO. *AK

NHTSA ODI #760515

Mileage unknown · Jan 25, 2002
Power Train

GEARS ON CAR WEREN'T SHIFTING ON ACCELERATION;STAYED IN LOW GEAR. TURNED OUT TO BE A BAD INPUT SENSOR WITH PIECES OF METAL AROUND IT. DURING A TRANSMISSION MAINTENANCE THE SAME DAY, THERE WERE METAL SHAVINGS FOUND ON THE PANEL. DURING FURTHER INSPECTION, IT TURNED OUT THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED AND THE CLUTCHES WERE BUR…

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GEARS ON CAR WEREN'T SHIFTING ON ACCELERATION;STAYED IN LOW GEAR. TURNED OUT TO BE A BAD INPUT SENSOR WITH PIECES OF METAL AROUND IT. DURING A TRANSMISSION MAINTENANCE THE SAME DAY, THERE WERE METAL SHAVINGS FOUND ON THE PANEL. DURING FURTHER INSPECTION, IT TURNED OUT THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED AND THE CLUTCHES WERE BURNT. ALSO, THERE WAS AN OUTDATED DRUM HOUSING DESIGN ON THE CAR THAT HAS BEEN UPDATED IN NEWER MODELS BECAUSE FAILURES WERE FOUND IN THE OLD DESIGN (WHICH WAS IN MY CARE). I HAVE A LETTER OF FINDINGS FROM THE TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT INSPECTED THE CAR AND THEY INDICATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IN MY ECLIPSE FAILED QUICKER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE. MITSUBISHI SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL ON THE OLD DRUM HOUSING DESIGNS THAT ARE PART OF THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THIS MAY BE ONE OF THE REASONS WHY MY TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #757335

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2001
Power Train

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETLY DISINTEGRATED, CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION.

NHTSA ODI #9004708

Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2001
Power Train

TRANSMISSION BLEW UP AT 43,000 MILES. 2ND TRANSMISSION KEEPS HAVING PROBLEMS. JERKS INTO GEAR AND SOMETIMES GETS STUCK IN GEAR. OIL PAN HAS A LEAK HAS BEEN FIXED TWO TIMES NOW.*AK

NHTSA ODI #742921

Mileage unknown · Jan 31, 2001
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

THE SPEED SENSORS ARE BAD ON THE CAR CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO BE STUCK IN SECOND GEAR. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED. BOTH INCIDENTS WERE REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE FIRST TIME THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. NOW THIS TIME THEY SAID THAT IT'S NOT COVERED ON THE WARRANTY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #740234

Mileage unknown · Dec 6, 2000
Power Train

ALL DSM AWD MODELS FROM 1990 TO 1998 HAVE HAD THIS TRANSFER CASE PROBLEM AND SUBSEQUENT RECALL. UPON INSPECTION BY A LOCAL AAMCO SHOP, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE, IF ANY, LUBRICANT IN THE TRANSFER CASE (ASSUMABLY A LEAK). THIS SEVERELY DAMAGED THE TRANSMISSION, AND THEY'RE ASKING ~$2600 TO REBUILT TRANSMISSION…

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ALL DSM AWD MODELS FROM 1990 TO 1998 HAVE HAD THIS TRANSFER CASE PROBLEM AND SUBSEQUENT RECALL. UPON INSPECTION BY A LOCAL AAMCO SHOP, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE, IF ANY, LUBRICANT IN THE TRANSFER CASE (ASSUMABLY A LEAK). THIS SEVERELY DAMAGED THE TRANSMISSION, AND THEY'RE ASKING ~$2600 TO REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #737372

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 2000
Power Train

DETENT BALL/SPRING AND INSERT KEY (DOG) JUMPED OUT OF 3RD/4TH GEAR INNER SYNCHRO HUB CAUSING GEARBOX FAILURE, WARRANTY DENIED BY MANUFACTURER/DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #734276

Mileage unknown · Dec 9, 1999
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING IN FOURTH GEAR VEHICLE WILL JUMP OUT OF FOURTH INTO NEUTRAL ON ITS OWN. THE DEALER BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #853944

Mileage unknown · Oct 29, 1999
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN FOR A STOP, TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT & THEN JERK FORWARD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & INFORMED CONSUMER THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED & NEEDED TO BE TURNED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #852236

Official recalls

2

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.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.