IllustrationWHEEL RIMS ON 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GT HAVE BENT ON TWO OCCASIONS AND HAD TO REPLACE THEM. THE RIMS BENT UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *NLM
2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse do not stand out strongly from 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
90–25K
1125–50K
850–75K
575–100K
3100–150K
3150K+
39 reports with mileage · 34 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.
- Wheels. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports4 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
73 reportsRIMS BENT AT SPEED OF 50 MPH CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. *PH *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**770826
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE GAS TANK HAS A HOLE IN IT. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
WHEELS ARE SUSEPTABLE TO DAMAGE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITONS EVEN THE SLIGHTEST OBSTICLE ,SUCH AS SPEED BUMP, ROAD WORK ,ECT.. NEVER SEEN SUCH A WEAK WHEEL , WELL BEING AND ALL THE UNSIGHTLY NOISE (FROM OL WARPY) JUST NOT SOMETHING YOU WOULD NOT EXPECT FROM A CAR THATS ONLY AROUND SIX MONTHS OLD AFTER THREE YEARS OF MANUFAC…
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WHEELS ARE SUSEPTABLE TO DAMAGE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITONS EVEN THE SLIGHTEST OBSTICLE ,SUCH AS SPEED BUMP, ROAD WORK ,ECT.. NEVER SEEN SUCH A WEAK WHEEL , WELL BEING AND ALL THE UNSIGHTLY NOISE (FROM OL WARPY) JUST NOT SOMETHING YOU WOULD NOT EXPECT FROM A CAR THATS ONLY AROUND SIX MONTHS OLD AFTER THREE YEARS OF MANUFACTORING THESE WHEELS THEY WOULD RELIZE ALL THE PROBLEMS, OR DID THEY(NEW WHEELS FOR 2003, GOOD IDEA! ) NOW WHAT ABOUT US? NLM
MY 2002 ECLIPSE STARTED TO SOUND VERY LOUD. ITOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER.THEY BLEW ME OFF . THEY NEVER CHECKED THE CAR IN THE SHOP BUT THEY SAID THE CAR WAS OK.ONE WEEK LATER THE ENGINE CEASED DUE TO LACK OF OIL. THEY REFUSED TO FIX THE CAR BECAUSE OF "CUSTOMER NEGLIGENCE".THEY STATE THAT AS A RESULT OF THIER INVESTIGATION THE DI…
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MY 2002 ECLIPSE STARTED TO SOUND VERY LOUD. ITOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER.THEY BLEW ME OFF . THEY NEVER CHECKED THE CAR IN THE SHOP BUT THEY SAID THE CAR WAS OK.ONE WEEK LATER THE ENGINE CEASED DUE TO LACK OF OIL. THEY REFUSED TO FIX THE CAR BECAUSE OF "CUSTOMER NEGLIGENCE".THEY STATE THAT AS A RESULT OF THIER INVESTIGATION THE DID NOT LEAK OR BURN THE 3 QUARTS OF "MISSING OIL". THREFORE WHERE COULD IT BE.THIS OBVIOSLY THE OIL WAS NEVER THERE .MITSUBISHI DOES NOT WANT TO ADMIT THIS EVEN THOGH IT IS THE ONLY POSSIBLE THING THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED.PLEASE HELP . ISPENT 30000 DOLLARS ON THIS CAR AND CANT AFFORD TO FIX IT. NLM
ECLIPSE GT, LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT FROM RIM AND RIM BENT. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THESE RIMS SHOULD NOT BEND FROM A BLOWOUT.*AK *JB
RON MARHOFER MITSUBISHI'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM TWICE AND REFUSES TO ATTEMPT ANOTHER REPAIR. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY AREA BODY SHOPS THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE FROM A BROKEN SUPPORT IN THE FRAME.*AK
AT 65MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO CATCH ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR WHEN THE RIM BENT AND EXPELLED ALL AIR OUT OF THE TIRE, BUT AT 35 MPH I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, THIS CAN BE A SERIOUS HAZARD, AND IF INJURY OR EVEN DEATH OCCURS TO ANY ONE, LAWSUITS WILL MOST LIKELY BE IN ORDER. *TS *NLM ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS*7615…
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I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR WHEN THE RIM BENT AND EXPELLED ALL AIR OUT OF THE TIRE, BUT AT 35 MPH I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, THIS CAN BE A SERIOUS HAZARD, AND IF INJURY OR EVEN DEATH OCCURS TO ANY ONE, LAWSUITS WILL MOST LIKELY BE IN ORDER. *TS *NLM ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS*761599
ABS SYSTEM FAILED DURING EMERGENCY MANUVERS, TURNED ONTO WRONG SIDE OF ROAD TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. FOUND MYSELF ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ISLAND. I NOTICED A SHARP TURN AND SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND TRIED TO TURN INTO THE TURN. THE CAR REMAINED GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE WITH TIRES TURNED AND BRAKED APPLIED. I THEN PROCEEDED TO HIT …
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ABS SYSTEM FAILED DURING EMERGENCY MANUVERS, TURNED ONTO WRONG SIDE OF ROAD TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. FOUND MYSELF ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ISLAND. I NOTICED A SHARP TURN AND SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND TRIED TO TURN INTO THE TURN. THE CAR REMAINED GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE WITH TIRES TURNED AND BRAKED APPLIED. I THEN PROCEEDED TO HIT THE CURB STRAIGHT ON AND THEN THE FRONT OF MY CAR WAS ON THE GRASS. THE CAR SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS RIM AND TIRE. ON LOOKER SAW FRONT TIRES LOCKED UP AND THE REAR TIRES ROTATING FREELY. LUCKILY THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN WITH A PERSON INFRONT OF ME. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE SKID MARKS NOTING THE ABS FAILURE.*AK
Official recalls
215V338000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
Jun 2, 2015
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004, 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000, to March 18, 2005, 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 21, 2005, and 2001-2005 Dodge Stratus vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 22, 2005. In the affected vehicles, the passenger side sun visor may be folded down in such a position that, if the passenger frontal air bag deploys, the passenger side sun visor may detach.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
Remedy: MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-15-005. Chrysler and Dodge owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R30.
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.
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
1EA02007 · Aluminum Alloy Wheel Denting
Opened May 31, 2002 · Closed May 1, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Wheels
SEE ATTACHED REPORT.