EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 129 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse, most frequently naming the transmission, engine and airbags categories. 13 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 68 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 2000 | 1 | 38 |
| Apr 2000 | 1 | 39 |
| Jun 2000 | 1 | 40 |
| Aug 2000 | 2 | 42 |
| Sep 2000 | 2 | 44 |
| Oct 2000 | 2 | 46 |
| Dec 2000 | 1 | 47 |
| Feb 2001 | 3 | 50 |
| Mar 2001 | 2 | 52 |
| Apr 2001 | 1 | 53 |
| May 2001 | 4 | 57 |
| Jun 2001 | 1 | 58 |
| Aug 2001 | 2 | 60 |
| Sep 2001 | 4 | 64 |
| Jan 2002 | 1 | 65 |
| Feb 2002 | 2 | 67 |
| Mar 2002 | 2 | 69 |
| May 2002 | 2 | 71 |
| Jun 2002 | 1 | 72 |
| Jul 2002 | 1 | 73 |
| Aug 2002 | 2 | 75 |
| Sep 2002 | 1 | 76 |
| Oct 2002 | 1 | 77 |
| Nov 2002 | 1 | 78 |
| Jan 2003 | 5 | 83 |
| Feb 2003 | 3 | 86 |
| Mar 2003 | 1 | 87 |
| May 2003 | 1 | 88 |
| Oct 2003 | 2 | 90 |
| Nov 2003 | 1 | 91 |
| Dec 2003 | 2 | 93 |
| Jan 2004 | 2 | 95 |
| Feb 2004 | 1 | 96 |
| Apr 2004 | 1 | 97 |
| Jun 2004 | 1 | 98 |
| Aug 2004 | 2 | 100 |
| Sep 2004 | 1 | 101 |
| Jan 2005 | 1 | 102 |
| Feb 2005 | 4 | 106 |
| Mar 2005 | 1 | 107 |
| Apr 2005 | 1 | 108 |
| May 2005 | 1 | 109 |
| Jun 2005 | 1 | 110 |
| Aug 2005 | 2 | 112 |
| Sep 2005 | 1 | 113 |
| Oct 2005 | 1 | 114 |
| Feb 2006 | 1 | 115 |
| Jun 2006 | 1 | 116 |
| Jul 2006 | 1 | 117 |
| Aug 2006 | 1 | 118 |
| Dec 2006 | 1 | 119 |
| Mar 2007 | 1 | 120 |
| Sep 2007 | 1 | 121 |
| Oct 2007 | 1 | 122 |
| Aug 2010 | 1 | 123 |
| Sep 2010 | 1 | 124 |
| Apr 2011 | 1 | 125 |
| Oct 2014 | 1 | 126 |
| Dec 2015 | 1 | 127 |
| Feb 2016 | 2 | 129 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Transmission2213.6%
- Engine2113.0%
- Airbags1811.1%
- Suspension127.4%
- Interior & seats116.8%
- Brakes116.8%
- Body & structure116.8%
- Tires & wheels116.8%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
13 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govEXTERIOR LIGHTING
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Safety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
TRANSFER CASE LEAKAGE
THE TRANSFER CASE OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD), MITSUBISHI GALANT, ALLEGEDLY LEAKS OIL CAUSING ONE OR MORE WHEELS TO LOCKUP; OR THE INABILITY TO TRANSMIT ENGINE POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS.THE VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME TRANSFER CASE DESIGN AS THE ECLIPSE VEHICLES WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ALLEGED DEFECT.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
"TAKATA RECALL" I HAVE REPLACED MY CONTROL ARMS ABOUT 4 TIMES NOW IN THE PAST 2 YEARS. I HAVE IT FIXED AND THEN THE SQUEAKING ALWAYS COMES BACK LASTS ABOUT 6 MONTHS THEN THE LOWER BALL JOINT BREAKS. LAST TIME IT BROKE I WAS GOING ABOUT 40 MPH, IT WAS VERY SCARY. THE PICTURE I SENT WAS TAKEN ON 7/28/2014. THOUGH THE LAST TIME IT BROKE WAS ON 6/20/2015.
- NHTSA ID
- 10838659
- Incident
- Jun 20, 2015
- Mileage
- 200,000 mi
"TAKATA RECALL" I HAVE REPLACED MY CONTROL ARMS ABOUT 4 TIMES NOW IN THE PAST 2 YEARS. I HAVE IT FIXED AND THEN THE SQUEAKING ALWAYS COMES BACK, LAST ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND THEN LOWER BALL JOINT BREAKS. LAST TIME IT BROKE I WAS GOING ABOUT 40MPH, IT WAS VERY SCARY. THE PICTURE I SENT WAS TAKEN ON 7/28/14. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS ON 6/20/15 AND I HAVE HAD IT REPLACED SINCE.
- NHTSA ID
- 10838656
- Incident
- Jun 20, 2015
- Mileage
- 200,000 mi
BATTERY DISCHARGES OVERNIGHT AND ELECTROAUTOS CANNOT FIND ANY ELECTRICAL LEAKAGE BUT THEY SUSPECT THE STARTER SYSTEM DEVICE (AN OBLONG DEVICE THAT NEEDS TO BE PRESENTED TO A RED LIGHT TO GET THE STARTER TO FUNCTION). THE BATTERY HAS BEEN CHANGED SEVERAL TIMES BUT LEAKAGE CONTINUES. DUE TO AGE, NO SENSORS ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO CHECK IT. VEHICLE IS STATIONARY IN GARAGE.
- NHTSA ID
- 10809185
- Incident
- Oct 12, 2015
RECENTLY, RELOCATED TO FLORIDA WITH IN 18 MONTHS I NOTICE MY PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG IS PROTRUDING OUT FROM THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY IN SW FLORIDA. ORIGINALLY HAD CAR IN NEW YORK AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT EXPLODING WHILE I AM DRIVING. NOTICE ON RECENT RECALL CONCERNING AIR BAGS DIDN'T INCLUDE MY MAKE AND MODEL. THIS 1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GST IS MAKING A TRUE STATEMENT ON THE ABOVE AIR BAG ISSUE AND ALL STATEMENTS ARE TRUE. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE ABOVE MAKE AND MODEL IDENTIFY SAME ISSUES WITH AIR BAG BEING EXPOSED TO HIGH HEAT CLIMATES IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER I BELIEVE THIS MAKE AND MODEL SHOULD BE ON THE RECALL LIST, THANK YOU. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10650912
- Incident
- Oct 28, 2014
- Mileage
- 109,000 mi
1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE, UNIT 1 WAS TRAVELING EAST ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE NEAR THE 54 MILEPOST. UNIT 1 FILLED WITH SMOKE. UNIT 1 PULLED TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND STOPPED. THE DRIVER OF UNIT 1 EXITED AND OPENED THE HOOD AND OBSERVED FIRE. THE DRIVER OF UNIT 1 WAS CHARGED WITH OVI. BF (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0046-89)*JB UPDATED 04/22/11 *BF
- NHTSA ID
- 10395090
- Incident
- Feb 2, 2011
ON 9/6/2010 I GOT IN MY CAR AND PULLED OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE. MY CAR HAD BEEN SITTING ALL THAT DAY AND THE PREVIOUS DAY. AS I PULLED OUT, HEARD A FLOP, FLOP NOISE, STOPPED MY CAR, GOT OUT AND LOOKED AROUND. THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE, A UNIROYAL LONG TOURING A/S, HAD COMPLETELY BLOWN OUT (NOT JUST GONE FLAT). I REPLACED THE TIRE WITH MY SPARE. I LOOKED OVER THE BLOWN TIRE AND FOUND A TEAR APPROX. 1-2 INCHES LONG ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE, JUST BELOW THE TREAD. MY FATHER CONTACTED THE TIRE MANUFACTURER, BECAUSE MY SISTER HAD THE SAME MODEL TIRE AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WEEKS EARLIER. MY FATHER WAS TOLD WE COULD GET REIMBURSED FOR NEW TIRES IF THEY WERE INSPECTED BY THE DEALER AND FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE. TODAY, 9/8/2010, I TOOK MY CAR TO A TIRE DEALERSHIP AND GOT THE ONE TIRE REPLACED. THE BLOWN TIRE WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE. AN INDIVIDUAL FROM THAT DEALERSHIP CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER & WAS TOLD TO FILL OUT A CLAIM FORM SO I COULD BE REIMBURSED 60% OF THE NEW TIRE COST. THE DEALER KEPT MY BLOWN TIRE. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT GETTING ALL NEW TIRES, BECAUSE THE OTHERS WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE WITH CRACKS BEGINNING. THEY SAID THE TIRE I JUST PAID FOR COULD NOT BE COVERED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT AN ACCEPTED BRAND, BUT FOUR NEW TIRES THAT WERE OF AN ACCEPTED BRAND COULD BE COVERED UP TO 60%. THE TIRES HAVE ALL BEEN SAID TO BE DEFECTIVE BY THE DEALERSHIP, HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO COVER THE FULL COST OF REPLACEMENT TIRES. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10354465
- Incident
- Sep 6, 2010
- Mileage
- 103,000 mi
I PURCHASED MY 1998 ECLIPSE GS IN 2003 WITH APPROX. 38,000 MILES ON IT. WITHIN 2 MONTHS, MY DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE BROKE WHEN OPENING THE DOOR. THIS OCCURRED ON A DAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER. NOT THINKING MUCH ABOUT IT, I HAD IT REPLACED AT A COST OF ALMOST $300.00 (PARTS, LABOR, & PAINT) IT HAPPENED AGAIN WITHIN 3 MONTHS. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THIS ONE ALSO AND ONLY CHARGED ME FOR THE PART, A MERE $175.00. ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER, MY GIRLFRIEND AT THE TIME WAS OPENING THE PASSENGER DOOR AND THAT HANDLE BROKE OFF. THIS MAKES 3 BROKEN DOOR HANDLES IN 11 MONTHS. I MIGHT BE A STRONG GUY, I GUESS, BUT MY GIRLFRIEND WAS 5'1" AND ABOUT 90 LBS.. THE KIND OF GIRL WHO HAD TROUBLE TEARING NOTEBOOK PAPER. WELL, WHILE WAITING FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO ORDER A REPLACEMENT HANDLE, MY BROTHER WAS GETTING INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY CAR TO INSTALL A NEW STEREO AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE HANDLE SNAPS OFF IN HIS HAND. I HAD TO LEAVE A WINDOW DOWN FOR A WEEK INORDER TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE SINCE STOPPED ORDERING FROM THE DEALERSHIP AS A FIBERGLASS DOOR HANDLE WAS AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR $35.00 AND CAME BLACK IN COLOR. TO DATE, AS OF 2010, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE 6 TIMES AND THE PASSENGER SIDE TWICE. AFTER SPEAKING WIT QUITE A FEW MITSUBISHI ENTHUSIASTS, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM MITSUBISHI KNOWS ABOUT, ALWAYS KNEW ABOUT, AND HAS SIMPLY REFUSED TO FIX, EVEN AS FAR AS NOT MAKING REPLACEMENT DOOR HANDLES OUT OF STRONGER MATERIAL. I WILL NEVER BUY A MITSUBISHI AGAIN BASED ON THIS SIMPLE DESIGN FLAW WHICH THE COMPANY DEEMS IS BENEATH THEM TO MAKE RIGHT. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10347150
- Incident
- Feb 6, 2004
- Mileage
- 44,000 mi
RATTLING/CLACKING WHEN DRIVING SLOWING ON ROUGH ROAD. FOUND RIGHT FRONT LOWER LATERAL ARM HAS A LOT OF PLAY AND ALSO INNER AND OUTER TIRE ROD ENDS HAVE A LOT OF PLAY. THE FRONT LOWER LATERAL ARM TO SUSPENSION AND EVERYTHING DROPPED PRIOR GETTING TO DEALERSHIP TO INSPECT AND FIX IT. MORE DAMAGES INCURRED FOR BROKEN SUSPENSION, TIE RODS AND LATERAL ARM. *JB
- NHTSA ID
- 10206019
- Incident
- Oct 17, 1998
- Mileage
- 137,077 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between normal dew condensation, which is a natural phenomenon, and water penetration caused by improper sealing or a defective/broken part.
EQUIPMENT
This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
EQUIPMENT
This is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes TSB-18-00-003, issued April, 2018, to add updated information for Carrying Capacity Reduced Label.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; EXTERIOR LIGHTING; POWER TRAIN; VISIBILITY; WHEELS
This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
EQUIPMENT
This TSB contains troubleshooting steps for diagnosis of various customer complaints relating to the audio system speakers in Mitsubishi vehicles equipped with original equipment audio components.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 42 | 1 | 0 | 48.0 |
| 2008 | 71 | 1 | 0 | 51.4 |
| 2007 | 107 | 4 | 0 | 58.5 |
| 2006 | 99 | 4 | 0 | 52.5 |
| 2005 | 6 | 4 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 60.0 |
| 2003 | 124 | 5 | 0 | 53.5 |
| 2002 | 73 | 4 | 1 | 57.5 |
| 2001 | 209 | 10 | 4 | 64.0 |
| 2000 | 308 | 10 | 3 | 58.9 |
| 1999 | 120 | 11 | 0 | 53.0 |
| 1998Viewing | 129 | 13 | 1 | 61.6 |
| 1997 | 136 | 12 | 1 | 62.1 |
| 1996 | 159 | 11 | 4 | 65.0 |
| 1995 | 307 | 12 | 4 | 65.3 |
| 1994 | 34 | 4 | 3 | 61.4 |
| 1993 | 36 | 4 | 3 | 57.0 |
| 1992 | 49 | 3 | 3 | 58.4 |
| 1991 | 54 | 4 | 4 | 61.9 |
| 1990 | 46 | 7 | 4 | 60.2 |
| 1989 | 2 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1988 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1971 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.