THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED, IT APPEARS THAT THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE DASH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHERE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG IS LOCATED. NLM
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
Compare all Eclipse years →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.
What owners actually said
120 reportsCAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN A SHORT DISTANCE. THE DRIVER GOT OUT OF THE CAR WHEN IT SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHTON FIRE. TRUE CAUSE AND ORIGIN OF THE FIRE IS UNKNOW AS MITSUBISHI DOES NOT WISH TO SPEAK WITH US, OR EXAMINE THE CAR.*AK
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
HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE INTO DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES TO REAPIR LEAKS..STILL LEAKING...FRONT SEATS BOTH PASSANGER AND DRIVER ARE REPEATEDLY SOAKED AND CAR NOW HAS MILDEW & MOLD PROBLEMS
WHEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT FULLY DEPLOY, AND HAD HOLES 1" TO 3" DIAMETER BURNED IN THEM. CONSUMER TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN A VEHICLE CROSSED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HER. DRIVER INJURED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENDLY LOST POWER, AND WAS BARELY RUNNING AT 400-500 RPMS, AND THEN IT WILL WORK AS NORMAL. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES WHEN THE VEHICLE STALL THE THIRD TIME BUT IT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *YH
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
THE STEERING RACK AND AND GEAR FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HANDLE POORLY AROUND CURVES, DEALER HAS REPLACED, HOWEVER CONSUMER STATES THIS ONE IS BROKE TOO, THERE IS A LOUD PINGING NOISE COMING FROM STEERING GEAR. NLM
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. VEHICLE HAS DIED A COUPLE OF TIMES. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SHAKES. *AK
TOP HAS BEEN FIXED 6 TIMES WITHIN 14 MONTHS. STILL LEAKS, STANDING WATER IN PASSENGER SEAT FLOORBOARDS. REAR AND FRONT SEATS SOAKED WHENEVER IT RAINS. CAR SMELLS MOLDY, POSSIBLE RUST OR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS.*AK
Official recalls
204V428000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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