1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/31/1998· AIR BAGSCrash

  WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXMATLY 50-60 MPH HIT GUARDRAIL, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY,CAUSING INJURIES EVEN WITH SEATBELTS ON. *AK

• 12/30/2005· SUSPENSION,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN

  CONSTANT OVER HEATING AND FLUID COMING OUT OF THE RADIATOR CAP, ALSO SEVERE SHAKING IN THE STERRING WHEEL AND 4TH GEAR. WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT?

• 12/24/2008· POWER TRAIN

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 1997 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN 1997, THE VEHICLE'S SPEED HAS NOT EXCEEDED 35MPH. ON THREE OCCASIONS, A MECHANIC ADJUSTED THE TRANSMISSION TIMING; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT IT WAS BEST TO CRASH THE VEHICLE SINCE THE COST FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS EQUIVALENT TO A NEW VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

• 12/23/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  AT HIGH VELOCITY ROCK WENT THROUGH THE AIR OPENING, HIT THE RADIATOR,BROKE IT, CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK AND MAKING THE VEHICLE TO STALL OUT.THERE WAS NO WARNING OF THIS DEFECT. *AK

• 12/21/2005· POWER TRAIN,EQUIPMENT

  1997 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF CLUTCH. THE LINE THAT RUNS FROM THE SLAVE CYLINDER TO THE MASTER CYLINDER HAS WHAT APPEARS TO BE A CUT IN THE LINE 1MM FROM THE CONNECTION TO THE MASTER CYLINDER. I HAVE NOW REPLACED THIS LINE SIX (6) TIMES IN TWO YEARS. FAILURE USUALLY OCCURS AFTER DRIVING THE CAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FOR 2 OR MORE HOURS. CLUTCH GOES TO THE FLOOR DUE TO LOSS OF FLUID. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER TWICE & THE SLAVE CYLINDER THREE TIMES, THE LAST TIME WAS 2 WEEKS AGO. *NM

• 12/19/1997· SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,SEATSCrash

  EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT IN DRIVER SEAT. CLUTCH MALFUNCTION. VEHICLE HAS SURGED CAUSING CRASH. EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR. NO NOTICE OF RECALL 97V08100 OR 97V081001.

• 12/17/1997· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  THREE INSTANCES OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION; VEHICLE'S RPMS WOULD JUMP TO 3500 AND BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD. HAD TO THROW THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL TO AVOID A COLLISION. *AK

• 12/15/1999· VISIBILITY

  THE WINDOW AND DOOR LOCK CONTROLS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE HAS BROKEN AWAY FROM THE DOOR AND FALLEN INSIDE THE DOOR

• 12/05/2002· WHEELS

  WHEEL RIM BENT AND CRACKED WHEN DRIVEN OVER PAVEMENT IRREGULARITY AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. REPORTED THIS DEFECT TO MITSUBISHI. THEY REFERRED ME TO LOCAL DEALER WHO EXAMINED RIM. NO ACTION TAKEN BY MANUFACTURER. DT

• 12/05/1997· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT FAILED.

• 12/03/2005· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  CAR FAILS MANDATORY OBD-II SMOG TEST DUE TO NON-CONTINUOUS READINESS MONITORS FAILING TO SET TO COMPLETE DURING NORMAL DRIVING. DEALER MUST USE MUT-II DIAGNOSTIC TOOL TO SET MONITORS TO READY STATE. WHEN DIAGNOSTIC MODE IS EXITED AND IGNITION TURNED OFF MONITORS REVERT TO NOT-READY STATE. PROBLEM COMMON TO 1997 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GST ACCORDING TO DEALER. NO REMEDY AVAILABLE. CAR DOES NOT MEET FEDERAL EMISSION REQUIREMENTS.*JB

• 12/02/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE CONSUMER VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL COMING FROM A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS

• 11/28/2016· SUSPENSION

  I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL ALERT FROM THE DEALER. RIGHT NOW THE DEALER WAS SOLD TO A NEW OWNER. I WENT TO THE DEALER TO BUY A FENDER AND MY VIN NUMBER DOES NOT APPEAR IN THE MITSUBISHI COMPUTER SYSTEM HERE IN PUERTO RICO EITHER IN USA. SO I WOULD LIKE AN ADVISE. WHAT I HAVE TO DO. I HAVE ALL THE PURCHASING PAPER FROM THE DEALER AND THE BANK. A LONG TIME AGO I HAVE PROBLEM WITH THE ARM BALL JOINTS BUT I PAID FOR THE REPAIR IN A MECHANIC WORKSHOP. *TR

• 11/24/2000· STRUCTURE

  WHENEVER IT RAINED WATER POURED IN WHERE CONVERTIBLE CLIPS WERE LOCATED. DRIVER/PASSENGER SIDE WOULD GET VERY WET. POUCH OF WATER WOULD DEVELOP BETWEEN THE BACK SEAT & THE TRUNK. SPEAKERS IN THE REAR WOULD GET WET. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 11 TIMES & EACH TIME THE MECHANIC WAS SUPPOSE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, BUT IT WAS NEVER RESOLVED.*AK

• 11/22/2011· POWER TRAIN

  MY CAR IS A 1997 ECLIPSE SPYDER AUTOMATIC TRANNY 2.4L . THERE WAS ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION IT WAS ON LEAN MODE, LOCKED ON 2ND GEAR AND IT COULD ONLY GO UP TO 40 MILES PER HR OTHER WISE THE RPM WERE VERY HIGH... *TR

• 11/22/1996· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ENGINE HAS HIGH PITCH RAVE NOISE WHEN STARTING IN THE MORNING, ENGINE IDLES INTERMENTENTLY WHEN IN NEUTRAL, REPLACE TIMING BELT.

• 11/15/2004· AIR BAGSCrash

  THE CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. SHE HIT A PARKED POLICE CAR AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *JB NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *SC

• 11/15/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 2 HRS AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. ONLY OTHER PROB WAS AT TIME OF PURCHASE WHEN IT LEAKED BECAUSE IT WAS A CONVERT. DID TAKE IT TO DEALER AND IT WAS NOT FIXED. FIRED CAUSED EXTERIOR DAMAGE TO MY DAUGHTERS HOME. CAUSE IS STILL UNKOWN.. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS CAR TO ANYONE. *AK

• 11/12/2004· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  TIMING BELT BROKE WHICH CAUSED INTERFERENCE WITH MOTOR, RESULTING IN THE WHOLE TOP HALF OF THE ENGINE BEING REPLACED. *JB

• 11/12/2004· STRUCTURE

  CONVERTIBLE TOP LEAKS, HINGES HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPLACED AND BENT ONCE AGAIN AFTER THE TOP WAS PUT DOWN ONCE. THE WATER POOLS UP TOP AND THEN POURS ALL OVER THE DRIVER. CAUSED EXTENSIVE WATER DAMAGE, CAR IS HORRIBLE. *JB

• 11/12/1999· POWER TRAIN

  IN JUNE OF 1998 I BEGAN EXPERIENCING THE CLUTCH INTERMITTENTLY STICKING (SOMETIMES TO THE GROUND AND I WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY PULL THE CLUTCH UP WHILE DRIVING) AT SPEEDS OF ANYWHERE FROM 5 TO 65 MILES AN HOUR. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO FIX MY CAR IN A PERIOD OF FOUR MONTHS THE DEALER I HAVE BEEN HAVING MY CAR SERVICED AT (TODEY MITSUBIHI IN VENTURA, CA) HAS FINALLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY ENGINE, APPARENTLY THE ENGINE IS ACTUALLY SHIFTING AND THIS WAS CAUSING MY CLUTCH PROBLEMS. I AM AWARE THAT TODEY MITSUBISHI HAS SEEN AT LEAST ONE OTHER VEHICLE WITH THIS SAME ENGINE FLAW (SHIFTING) MANIFESTING ITSELF IN A FLUID LEAK.

• 11/09/2000· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,POWER TRAINCrash

  WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30MP RIGHT FRONT AXLE BROKE DUE TO POOR METAL, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND GAS TANK TO RUPTURE. *AK

• 11/09/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,VISIBILITY

  THE CAR IS MISSING AND MAKES A KNOCKING SOUND, HARD VIBRATION WHEN IDLE AND CAR JERKS, DOES NOT SEEM TO SHIFT UP TO NEXT GEAR, ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. HAVE TAKEN CARE INTO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR FOR SAME PROBLEM AT LEAST 7 TIMES. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS I REPORT TO THEM. WINDOWS ARE LOOSE, RATTLE, AND LEAK. I HAVE HAD THEM TIGHTENED SEVERAL TIMES. I SENT A LETTER TO DAVE MCKENZIE (VP OF SERVICE AND ENGINEERING AT MITSUBISHI) IN 10/98. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE.

• 11/07/2005· VISIBILITY

  WHILE DRIVING MY CAR AT MORNING 9:00 AM ON 11/7/2005, ALL SUDDEN MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW GLASS BROKEN INTO PIECES. I HAVE STOPPED MY CAR AND CHECKED. THERE IS NO ONE AROUND ALSO. BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN IT IS BROKEN INTO PIECES COMPLETELY. *JB

• 11/06/1999· STEERING,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN

  1 AND 1/2 YEARS AFTER I BOUGHT MY "BRAND NEW" CAR, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. I WAS TOLD THAT MY WATER PUMP AND GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ONE WEEK LATER I EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING, I WAS TOLD THE POWER STEERING PULLY, BRACKET AND BELT HAD GONE AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD THE BRAKE PADS AND THE ROTERS RESURFACED MORE TIMES THEN I CARE TO REMEMBER. ON JULY 26, 1999, I HAD NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH MY TRANSMISSION. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TRANS WAS "OPERATING TO MANUFACTURE'S SPECS". ON NOVEMBER 3, 1999 THE DEARLERSHIP ADVISES ME I NEED A NEW TRANS.

• 11/05/2004· WHEELS

  RIMS BEND TO EASILY. ALL FOUR RIMS BENT. ALL FOUR TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUBBING, BECAUSE WHEELS COULDN'T BE BALANCED DUE TO THE BENDING OF THE RIMS.*AK

• 11/05/1997· AIR BAGSCrash

  DRIVING 40MPH, WHEN A SEMI TURNED IN FRONT OF ECLIPSE; VEHICLE HIT SEMI'S GAS TANK W/FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE; UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK

• 11/03/1997· STEERING

  WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ABOUT TO TURN THE POWER STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, HAD TO MANUALLY TURN WHEEL. OPENED HOOD/FOUND OUT BELT WAS HANGING OUT OF PLACE. *AK

• 11/02/2007· STRUCTURE

  PAINT JOB DEFECTS. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL MITSUBISHIS VEHICLES IN MY FAMILY. ALL RESULTING IN PAINT DEFECTS ON THE CAR. ONLY ONE HAS NOT, DEALERSHIP SAID BECAUSE THERE IS A DEFECT AND THAT ONE VEHICLE NOT AFFECTED WAS MADE AND PAINTED IN JAPAN. COST OF REPAINT OF VEHICLE IS $1500 TO $2500 DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU GO. *TR

• 10/31/2000· POWER TRAIN

  WHILE DRIVING AXLE BROKE, CAUSING A FUEL LEAK WHICH COUILD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

• 10/27/1998· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  WAS DRIVING ABOUT 10 MPH WHEN THE ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK, AND THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBAORD, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO JUMP OUT OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

• 10/25/2007· SEATS

  UNABLE TO FIND A SUITABLE BOOSTER SEAT FOR MY 5Y/O SON WEIGHING 45LBS THAT WILL REST IN THE DEEP SEATED CONTOURS OF THE REAR BUCKET SEATS FOR 1997 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE . *JB

• 10/21/1997· SUSPENSION

  COIL SPRINGS MAKE NOISE.

• 10/16/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,POWER TRAIN

  CONSUMER'S SON WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT. HE WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO THE INTERSECTION, AND A CAR WAS SITTING IN TRAFFIC AND HIS FRONT WHEEL DRIVE DID NOT WORK. ALSO, ANTI LOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP AND HE COULDN'T STOP. *AK

• 10/16/1998· TIRES

  TWO GOOD YEAR EAGLE TIRES P205/55R16, BLEW OUT DUE TO FAILURE OF THE SIDE WALL.

• 10/11/2002· STRUCTURE

  CONSUMER STATES THAT THE 2 METAL PIECES IN THE MOVING PART OF HIS COVERTIBLE TOP IS BENT. HE ALSO STATES THAT THE MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT THE METAL WAS TOO SOFT FOR THAT KIND OF TOP. HE STATES THAT THE MANUFACTURER TOLD HIM THAT THEY RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM BUT DO NOT OFFER ANY KIND OF QUICK FIX OR RECALL. MR

• 10/09/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ENGINE FAILS. HAPPENS EVERY 3 OR 4 MONTHS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND ENGINE QUITS. WAIT 3 OR 4 MINUTES AND CAR STARTS NORMALLY AND WILL RUN FINE FOR A FEW MONTHS. I THINK THIS COULD COULD CREATE A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. MR

• 10/07/1998· AIR BAGSCrash

  DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH, COMING TO A STOP LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE RAN INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, BURNING THE DRIVER'S ARM. ALSO THE PASSANGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND BURNED THE SUNVISOR. *AK

• 10/04/1997· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED AND DRIVER DEPRESSES FOUR WAY FLASHING BUTTON, THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGES AND VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN. THIS IS COMMON ON THIS VEHICLE.

• 09/28/2000· TIRES

  TIRES SPLITTING AND CRACKING AT SEAM ON 3 OF 4 TIRES. *AK (DOT NUMBER: ACOF3F1299 TIRESIZE: P20555R16)

• 09/27/2001· TIRES

  ON JUNE 18,2001 FIRST TIRE PEELED OFF.CONTINENTAL TIRE ,CHARLOTTE,NC 28273, MRS KIMBERLY SOMERVILLE, 704-588-4164WOULD NOT PAY FOR DAMANGED, STATED SOME ROAD HAZARD PUNCTURED THE TIRE. AGAIN, ON JUNE 13, 2001 A SECOND TIRE PEELED OFF AND CAUSE DAMANGE.MY ATTORNEY WROTE THEM ABOUT THE DAMAGE ON JULY 30,2001. THEY REFUSED TO ANSWER HER LETTER.I STILL HAVE THE TWO PEELED OFF TIRES IN MY FATHER'S GARAGE.FIRST TIRE CLAIM NUMBER WITH CONTINENTAL WAS C-10-343. THEY REFUSED TO ANSWER MY ATTORNEY ON THE SECOND PEELED OFF TIRE.I REQUESTED ALL CONTINENTAL TIRES BE REMOVED FROM THE CAR FOR SAFETY REASON AND TO PAY FOR MY DAMAGES.*AK (TIRESIZE: P205-55R16)

• 09/24/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE THRUST WASHER IS WELDED TO THE CRANKSHAFT IN MY CAR. FOR WHATEVER REASON, THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE THRUST WASHERS THAT CAUSE THERE TO BE AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF PLAY IN THE CRANKSHAFT. THIS CAUSES WHAT HAD BEEN TERMED THE "CRANKSHAFT WALK". AMONG OTHER SYMPTOMS, COMMON AND WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR WAS THAT THE 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION STARTED TO LOCK UP ON ME WHERE I COULD NOT EVEN GET THE CAR IN GEAR. THE MOVEMENT IN THE CRANKSHAFT CAUSED THE CRANKSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR TO GO OUT, AND WHEN IT DID, I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH AND THE CAR SHUT OFF ON ME CAUSING ME TO LOSE MY POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. I DID NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT, BUT I COULD HAVE. I HAD THE THRUST WASHER REPLACED AND NOW HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM NOT ALONE. THE FOLLOWING IS A WEBSITE THAT CONTAINS POST AFTER POST OF THE SAME PROBLEM. PH *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**767675

• 09/23/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

  FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARP EVERY 12000 TO 15000 MILES.

• 09/18/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THERE WAS NO INDICATION PRIOR TO THE ENGINE BLOWING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS PLENTY OF OIL IN IT. ONLY A USED ENGINE WITH 63,000 MILES ON IT COULD BE LOCATED TO REPAIR THE CAR AT A COST OF $3474.17. MITSIBUSHI WAS CALLED AND THEIR ONLY RESPONSE WAS THERE WERE NO RECALLS INVOLVING THIS PARTICULAR CAR. A LETTER WAS MAILED TO THEM WITH THE AUTO SHOP BILL ON AUGUST 30, 2000. THERE HAS BEEN NO RESPONSE FROM THEM.

• 09/16/2001· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  WHILE DRIVING CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL CAR AND BRING IT TO A STOP BY SHIFTING TRANSMISSION INTO LOW GEAR AND APPLYING BOTH THE PRIMARY BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE. THEREAFTER, WHEN CAR WAS RE-STARTED THE THROTTLE WAS STUCK OPEN (THE ENGINE RACED).*AK

• 09/15/1998· POWER TRAIN

  CV BOOT WAS LIFTED OUT OF PLACEFLYING BACKWARD INTO TRAFFIC DUE TO BEING WRONGLY INSTALLED.

• 09/12/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TWO ENGINE FAILURES WITHIN 6 MONTHS, THE ENGINE SIMPLY STOPPED FUNCTIONING WITHOUT WARNING, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE THRUST BEARING FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO FAIL. NLM

• 09/10/2004· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  CONSUMER NOTICED OIL IN THE DRIVEWAY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC TO DETECT WHERE THE OIL WAS LEAKING FROM. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. HEAD GASKET HAS WAS REVISED TWICE BY THE MANUFACTURER BEFORE THEY HAD ONE THAT WORKED. DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED WITH THE REVISED HEAD GASKET. HOWEVER, LEAK HASN'T RECURRED.*AK

• 09/09/1999· AIR BAGSCrash

  WHEN TRAVELING THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHED ON THE DASH, AND BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT A CAUSE, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

• 09/09/1998· TIRES

  GOODYEAR RSA TIRES; THE TIRE RIPPED AND SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE. THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER TIRE IS DEFECTIVE. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. GOODYEAR WAS CONTACTED AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK