RoadVitals

1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse Suspension Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Suspension 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.
12
Latest Feb 26, 2016
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.
2
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 suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. 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. 12 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 suspension

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

Suspension
Filed Feb 26, 2016
Crash reported

"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
Suspension
Filed Feb 26, 2016
Crash reported

"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
SteeringSuspension
Filed Oct 17, 2007

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
Suspension
Filed Mar 20, 2007

1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE TURBO CUSTOMER STATES THAT LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR, IT BROKE DOWN IN THE PARKING LOT. THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE CAME OFF CRASHING TO THE GROUND**CC THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THE VEHICLE WAS APART OF A RECALL, HOWEVER SHE WAS TOLD BY CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER WAS ALSO TOLD THAT BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A MITSUBISHI DEALER THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT. *JB

NHTSA ID
10185827
Incident
Feb 17, 2007
Suspension
Filed Dec 26, 2006

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS PULLING OUT OF HIS DRIVEWAY IN HIS 1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE WHEN HIS LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD ONLY REACHED A SPEED OF 7 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
10176959
Incident
Dec 14, 2006
Suspension
Filed Feb 8, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED PRIOR TO PURCHASE THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE LOWER BALL JOINTS, #00V421001. THE RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED, BUT THE VEHICLE HAD THE FAILURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL AGAIN. SINCE PURCHASE, THE STEERING WAS POOR AND THEN THERE WAS A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE LOWER BALL JOINT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
10149712
Incident
Feb 8, 2006
Mileage
92,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Mar 28, 2005

WHEN DRIVING ANY SPEED, THE CONSUMER WOULD HEAR A CRACKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER OF A WORN LOWER BALL JOINT. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *JB THE CONSUMER CHECKED THE INTERNET AND SAW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON HER MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE FOR FAULTY BALL JOINTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE CLOSEST MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS. THE CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS MADE. *BF *NM

NHTSA ID
10107444
Incident
Sep 22, 2004
Mileage
70,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Dec 22, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE MAKING LOUD NOISES. DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10051927
Incident
Dec 22, 2003
Mileage
71,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Feb 28, 2003

THERE WAS A CRACKING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED, CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER REGARDING THE BALL JOINT, HOWEVER THE DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR RECALL, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS REBUILT. *JB

NHTSA ID
10009631
ElectricalEngineSuspension+2 more
Filed Sep 4, 2001

FOUR OF EIGHT RADIO SPEAKERS ARE INOPERATIVE.*JB

NHTSA ID
785511
Suspension
Filed Nov 6, 1999

VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW, BUT WHEN TOOK FOR REALIGNMENT OF FRONT END, FOUND CERTAIN PARTS NEAR THE DAMAGED WHEEL HAD BEEN REPLACED BEFORE CUSTOMER BOUGHT CAR. ALLEGES THAT CAR WAS WRECKED AND RECONDITIONED BEFORE PURCHASE. OWNER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF CRASH AND WAS TOTAL THE CAR WAS NEW.

NHTSA ID
714422
Incident
Nov 5, 1999
BrakesSuspension
Filed Sep 15, 1999

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE SHAKING WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 40 OR MORE MPH. ALSO, ROTORS AND PADS NEEDED REPLACING EVERY TWO TO THREE MONTHS. COULD NHTSA HELP IN THE MATTE.; VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON NINE OCCASIONS OR MORE, AND NOTHING HAD APPEARED TO BR CORRECTED. PLEASE HELP!

NHTSA ID
847836
Incident
Sep 15, 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 .