Mitsubishi / Eclipse / 1997
1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse problems
Owners have filed 185 complaints about the 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse with NHTSA. Engine and engine cooling accounts for 25.4% of them — the clear leader, ahead of power train at 13%.
Complaints185
Crashes30
Fires7
Injuries21
Deaths1
What owners report breaking
Engine and engine cooling 25.4% · 47
Power train 13.0% · 24
Suspension 10.3% · 19
Air bags 8.1% · 15
Service brakes, hydraulic 5.4% · 10
Structure 5.4% · 10
Visibility 4.9% · 9
Wheels 4.9% · 9
Severity
Of those complaints, 30 describe a crash, 7 describe a fire, 21 report an injury and 1 report a death.
Reading the numbers
Across the 10 model years of the Mitsubishi Eclipse in this data, 1997 sits 5th by complaint volume. 1995 draws the most.
Filings have fallen off, 4 in the last three years against 8 in the three before. That is normal as a generation leaves the road.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 103,000 miles.
In owners' own words
Vechile repeatedly fails to start. It has the sensation that it's not getting any fuel. On two separate occasions, the vehicle has died while driving around 25/35mph, again feeling as if it had ran out of gas. On both occasions I had over half a tank of gas. I have taken the car to the dealer 3 times, once it was towed, and they kept it for two or three days saying they cannot find anything wrong. 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 the first occasion was when consumer was driving at highway speeds, the second occasion occurred while accelerating from a stop through an intersection. *Slc 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. Engine and engine cooling · reported at 57,000 miles
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…