1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Engine Problems

SQUEALING BELTS AT STARTUP, INCONSISTENT SMALL LEAKS OF COOLANT, HESITATION AT 2K RPM WERE ONLY PRE-CURSORS. OUT OF NOWHERE, WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, I LOOKED AT GAUGES FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON....NOTICED THE TEMPERATURE WAS RISING, EVENTUALLY GOING AS FAR AS IT COULD ABOVE H. SO I LOOK FOR SMOKE IN REAR VIEW....NOTHING. I TURN DOWN THE RADIO TO LISTEN FOR NOISES......NOTHING. EVERYTHING SEEMS FINE. HOPING THAT AIR THROUGH THE RADIATOR WOULD COOL THE ENGINE......NOT WORKING. I DECIDED I BETTER PULL OVER.....THE SECOND I SAFELY STOPPED, HUGE PUFFS OF WHITE SMOKE BILLOWED OUT THE HOOD EDGES. I JUMPED OUT, OPENED THE HOOD......HUGE CLOUDS OF SMOKE AND SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER, I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. ONCE THE SMOKE SETTLED, OIL COULD BE SEEN SPLATTERED ALL OVER THE ENGINE. TOW TRUCK COMES AND WHILE PUTTING ON FLATBED.....OIL DRAINED OUT LIKE A WATER FAUCET. FOUND OUT LATER FROM THE DEALER THAT OIL LINE BURST, CAUSING THE HEAD GASKETS TO BLOW AND MOST LIKELY DAMAGED TOTALED THE ENGINE. NEW ENGINE QUOTED AT $5000, USED 71,000 MILE ENGINE IN SOME SALVAGE YARD IN ALABAMA QUOTED AT $2-3000. NICE CHUNK OF MONEY AND THE ENGINE STILL NEEDS TO BE SHIPPED AND INSTALLED. WHAT A DEAL? I ACTUALLY SPOKE HIGHLY ABOUT MITSUBISHI'S IN THE PAST, BUT NOW I'M HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS. TOO BAD MITSUBISHI COMPANY HAS SUCH A BAD HISTORY OF FAILURES, RECALLS, AND POOR REPAIR SERVICE. I WAS ACTUALLY THINKING OF BUYING A 2006 ECLIPSE........NOT ANY MORE. I'LL MISS MY 97 ECLIPSE......IT WAS PRETTY GOOD TO ME, BUT THIS RECENT EVENT WITH NO WARNING, DID ME IN AND IT IS JUST WRONG THAT I HAVE READ SIMILAR INCIDENTS ON THE INTERNET AND MITSUBISHI DOES NOTHING. TIME FOR AN AMERICAN CAR...............TOO BAD WE DON'T HAVE THE SENSE TO MAKE OIL AND GAS-FREE VEHICLES THOUGH.......THE TECHNOLOGY IS THERE. OH WELL......I GUESS I BETTER START FIGURING OUT HOW I AM GOING TO GET TO WORK ON MONDAY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10160636

Incident

Jun 23, 2006

Mileage

125,000 mi

1997 ECLIPSE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TS *JB

NHTSA ID

10159473

Incident

Apr 15, 2006

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?

NHTSA ID

10146542

Incident

Dec 22, 2005

Mileage

103,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10091759

Incident

Jul 7, 2003

Mileage

57,000 mi

I HAVE OWNED MY CARE FOR 3 YEARS. IN THAT TIME I HAVE HAD A LEAKING SUNROOF, BROKEN PASSENGER REAR VIEW MIRROR, BROKEN PASSENGER WINDOW "WONT ROLL UP", NUMEROUS TIRE CHANGES, BAD VIBRATION, HORRIBLE NOISES WHEN TURNING WHEEL, HAVE REPLACED 2 TRANSMISSIONS, BOTH TIE ROD ENDS, 1 LOWER BALL JOINT AND CONTROL ARM SUSPENSION BAR"MORE INFO ON THIS BELOW", ALTERNATOR, BOTH HEADLIGHTS, 4 DIFFERANT SEATS OF BREAKS, 2 SEATS CONSTINTLY RUNNING LOW ON OIL, REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER, SEAT BELTS DON'T STOP, BATTERY CABLES KEEP CARODING, REPLACE SPARK PLUGS ATLEAST 3 TO 4 TIMES A YEAR, VIBRATES WHEN GOING DOWN ROAD. THOSE ARE JUST THE THINGS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THAT I HAVE DONE TO THIS CAR. NOW TO THE ACCIDENT. AFTER I GOT OFF WORK I WAS ON MY WAY HOME WHEN I DECIDED TO GO TO MY FRIENDS SO WHILE DRIVING TO HER HOUSE I HEAR A LOUD POP AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW MY CAR IS CONTROLING ITSELF AND I CAN'T STEER IT. THIS WAS ALL DO TO MY LOWER BALL JOINT SHATTERING AND MY WHEEL ALMOST COMPLETLY DETACHING FROM MY CAR. NOW THE OTHER SIDE IS STARTING TO MAKE THAT HORRIBLE NOISE. THE CONTROL ARM SWUNG ON THE BOTTUM OF MY CAR AFTER IT BROKE DURING THIS AND TORE OUT MY OIL FILTER, OIL PAN, AND OXYGEN SENSEOR. HAVE YET TO RECIEVE ANY INFORMATION FROM MITSUBISHI.*AK

NHTSA ID

10090522

Incident

Aug 30, 2004

Mileage

158,065 mi

OCTOBER 20, 2003 I PURCHASED A 1997 ECLIPSE GST FROM CITY LIMIT AUTO IN JOHNSTON, RI. MARCH 14, 2004 I WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN A SMALL CLICK FORMED IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR AFTER REACHING 3,500 RPMS. WITH-IN MINUTES THE CLICK DEVELOPED INTO WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A SMALL HOLE IN THE EXHAUST, PROBABLY THE CAT. NOT WANTING TO RISK IT I PULLED OFF THE NEXT EXIT TO BRING THE CAR TO MY FRIEND'S HOUSE AND HAVE IT TOWED. A STREET AWAY FROM HIS HOUSE (DOING 10MPH IN 1ST GEAR), THE NOISE GREW INTO A LOUD CONSTANT ELECTRICAL BUZZING OR CLICKING NOISE, NO HIGH OIL PRESUE ON THE DASH LIGHT OR GAUGE AND NO OVERHEATING ACCORDING TO GAUGE, WITH-IN 5 SECONDS THE OIL PAN BLEW, WHITE BILLOWS OF SMOKE PUFFED OUT AND THE ENGINE SEIZED. I TRIED TO TURN THE CAR OVER, BUT ALL IT DID WAS CLINK, AND WHEN I GOT OUT I FOUND A LARGE OIL PUDDLE UNDER MY CAR. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT HE REFUSES TO FIX IT. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT REASON THE ENGINE BLEW, FOR LACK OF MONEY, BUT AFTER READING SOME WEBSITES I HAVE CONCLUDED IT WAS EITHER THE FUEL PUMP, OIL PUMP, OR CRANKWALK. E-MAIL [email protected] WITH ANY INFO. FOR FULL STORY GO TO HTTP://WWW.VPSTREET.ORG/INDEX.PHP?PAGE=CITY THANK YOU.*AK

NHTSA ID

10072842

Incident

Mar 14, 2004

Mileage

83,000 mi

ON AUGUST 8, 2003, MY SON PURCHASED A 1997 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE, 97037 MILES, FROM [XXX]-OWNER, SOUTH BAY AUTO-[XXX]. WE PURCHASED THE CAR FOR $8,849.21. ON AUGUST 11, 2003, THE ENGINE BLOW BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE CAR, AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED AND IT WAS IN GOOD MECHANICAL CONDITION. JUST THIS WEEK THE WARRANTY INVESTIGATOR SAID THAT THE OIL LEAK WAS THERE BEFORE WE PURCHASED THE CAR, AND THAT THEY WILL NOT BE REPLACING THE ENGINE, AND THAT THE CAR IS THE DEALERS PROBLEMS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO DO THE MORAL THING AND GIVE US BACK OUR HARD EARNED MONEY, NOR DOES HE WANTS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THIS SAME DEALER, LOAN US AN UNSAFE CAR THAT WE FOUND OUT THAT IT HAS BEEN DECLARED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AS A SALVAGED. THE CAR IS A 1991 HONDA, VIN #[XXX]. LAST SATURDAY, ON THE WAY HOME FROM SAN JOSE, CA, TO VALLEJO, CA, THE BRAKES WERE STARTING TO GIVE OUT ON THE CAR. THIS WEEK, I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR AND RAN INTO A WALL TO STOP IT. THANK GOD, I WAS NOT HURT. I THEN CALLED THE DEALER AND TOLD HIM WHAT HAD HAPPEN, AND THE ONLY THING HE TOLD ME THAT I WILL PAY FOR ANY DAMAGES DONE TO THE CAR. HE HAD THE CAR TOWED AND STATED THAT HE WOULD CHARGE ME FOR THE TOW AND THE REPAIRS. NOW HE WANTS ME TO COMPENSATE HIM FOR PUTTING MY LIFE, AND THE LIFE OF MY FAMILY AT RISK WHILE DRIVING HIS UNSAFE, SALVAGED CAR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10070747

Incident

Aug 15, 2003

Mileage

97,000 mi

SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER FRONT TIRE. AFTER INSPECTION BY MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP IN LANCASTER, PA, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL.

NHTSA ID

10005498

Incident

Jan 2, 2003

Mileage

89,875 mi

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

NHTSA ID

8023535

Incident

Nov 1, 2002

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

NHTSA ID

768266

EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM LEAK. *AK

NHTSA ID

765966

Incident

Aug 7, 2002

CRANKSHAFT WALKING IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN THE ENGINE. PLEASE LOOK UP CRANKWALK IN SEARCH ENGINE. *AK

NHTSA ID

762311

Incident

Dec 31, 2001

WHEN STARTING THERE IS A CONSTANT OIL LEAK UNDER VEHICLE. ALSO, A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE, MECHANIC STATED THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION WITHIN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK

NHTSA ID

8003942

DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE. DRIVER STOPPED VEHICLE/ PUT VEHICLE IN PARK/ LOOKED UNDER CAR AND SAW OIL WAS LEAKING. WHEN PRESSING GAS CONSUMER COULD SEE A FLAME OF FIRE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT VEHICLE NEEDED A HEAD GASKET. *AK

NHTSA ID

8003685

Incident

Jan 6, 2002

THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TWO ENGINE FAILURES WITHIN SIX MONTHS. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE THRUST BEARING WHICH HOLDS THE CAMSHAFT IN THE ENGINE. THIS BEARING HAS A TENDENCY TO FAIL CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING, THE ENGINE HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING. *YH

NHTSA ID

564116

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

NHTSA ID

563034

VEHCILE STALLS WHEN DRIVING OR CHANGING GEARS, AND LOOSES ALL POWER STEERING, WHEN POWER STEERING WAS LOST CONSUMER RAN INTO A CURB.*JB

NHTSA ID

562956

THESE CARS ARE NOT WORTH THE MONEY USED TO MAKE THEM!!!!. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

751748

Incident

Sep 3, 2001

ENGINE CRANKSHAFT FAILED. *YH

NHTSA ID

785465

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

LOWER PULLY FELL APART AT 68500 MILES. REPLACED NEW PULLY, TWO WEEKS LATER, NEW PART FELL APART ON THE HIGHWAY RUNNING AT 50 MPH. MECHANICS RE MOUNTED LOWER PULLY THE SECOND TIME IN TWO WEEKS.*AK

NHTSA ID

747157

Incident

Jun 15, 2001

VEHICLE WILL STALL WHILE DRIVING REGARDLESS OF SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS REPLACED FUELPUMP/ IGNITION SWITCH AND COMPUTER, BUT DEFECT STILL OCCURS.*AK

NHTSA ID

885963

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS COMING ON AND VEHICLE WAS LOSING GAS. CHECK VALVE HAD GONE BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, DEALER SAID THAT IF IN AN ACCIDENT IT WOULD'T ROLLOVER, IT COULD CATCH ON FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID

884360

Incident

Jul 1, 2000

THERE IS A SCREECHING NOISE IN ONE OF BELTS INSIDE ENGINE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER HAS REPLACED ALL BELTS, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.*AK

NHTSA ID

884276

Incident

Mar 1, 2001

VEHICLE IS OVERHEATING. DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT OIL GASKET AND WATER PUMP ARE LEAKING, AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

884084

Incident

Mar 12, 2001

THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN 1995 TO 1998 ECLIPSES AND TALONS. THRUST BEARING WEARS OUT. REPLACING THE THRUST BEARING DOESN'T HELP! YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE.*AK

NHTSA ID

741545