RoadVitals

1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Aug 3, 2010
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
9%
of 129 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming body or structure

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed Aug 3, 2010

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
Body & structure
Filed Feb 17, 2005

BOTH OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES BROKE COMPLETELY OFF. *JB

NHTSA ID
10110694
Incident
Jul 1, 2004
Mileage
63,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 1, 2003

DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLES SNAPPED AND BROKE OFF WITHOUT EXCESSIVE FORCE. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
10038158
Incident
Aug 1, 2002
Mileage
22,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed May 26, 2003

THERE APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT IN THE BODY OF ALL MITSUBISHI ECLIPSES THAT HAVE THE SAME BODY STYLE OF 1998. THERE IS A PIECE ON THE UNDERSIDE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT CATCHES ON PARKING SPACE MARKERS AND CAUSES THE WHOLE FRONT PIECE OF THE CAR TO EITHER TEAR, HANG, OR IN SOME CASES FALL OFF. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10019287
Incident
May 1, 2002
Body & structureTransmission
Filed Mar 5, 2003

THE VEHICLE LEAKED TRANSMISSION FLUID, AND THE RAG TOP ROOF LEAKED WATER WHEN IT RAINED. DEALER REPAIRED BOTH PROBLEMS SIX TIMES. *JB

NHTSA ID
10009907
Incident
Mar 2, 2003
Mileage
54,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jan 8, 2003

THE CONVERTIBLE TOP STRUT ARM IS BENT NOT ALLOWING THE TOP TO OPEN OR CLOSE PROPERLY. DEALER STATES IT'S A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *JG *JB

NHTSA ID
10001476
Incident
Apr 1, 2002
Mileage
39,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Sep 22, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
767554
Incident
Apr 30, 2002
Body & structure
Filed Jun 25, 2002

CONVERTIBLE TOP WOULD NOT CLOSE DURING A RAIN STORM. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID
8012521
Incident
Jun 17, 2002
Body & structure
Filed Sep 11, 2000

CONSUMER IS CONCERNED AT THIS POINT EVERY TIMES IT RAINS CONVERTIBLE ROOF LEAKS. INTERIOR SEATS ARE DETROYED. SHE WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT THE ROOF WILL LEAK AS LONG AS SHE HAS THE VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID
870196
Incident
Nov 1, 1999
Body & structureBrakesExterior lighting
Filed Jul 15, 1999

THE BRAKE ROTORS ON THE VEHICLE HAVE FAILED AND ARE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT AGAIN. *SLC

NHTSA ID
782532
Incident
Aug 1, 1998
Body & structure
Filed Feb 1, 1999

HATCH COVER CLIP FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
607408
Incident
Jun 1, 1998

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .