2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Transmission Problems

AFTER MY PURCHASE OF A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GTS, AT IRA NISSAN IN TEWKSBURY MASS. I TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH IT INCLUDING A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I POSSESSED THE CAR FOR A DAY AND A HALF AND IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP NOW EVER SINCE. IT HAS BEEN ABOUT TWELVE DAYS NOW. I HAVE BEEN GOING BACK AND FOURTH BETWEEN IRA AND A MITSUBISHI DEALER WHICH THEY ARE AFFILIATED WITH. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR IS WHERE THE TRANSMISSION IS. THE NOISE WHICH SOUNDS LIKE ROCKS FLYING AROUND IN THE FRONT. THE DEALER SAID THIS NOISE IS NORMAL. THE IRA GENERAL MANAGER ALSO TOLD ME THAT IT IS NORMAL FOR MY CAR TO GO UP TO THE H ON THE HOT AND COLD GAUGE. HE SAID HIS DOES IT ALL THE TIME. IRA SAID THAT THIS ISSUE WAS FIXED. I HAVE NOT SEEN NOR DRIVEN THE CAR YET SINCE I BROUGHT IT BACK SO I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS FIXED AND WHAT IS NOT FIXED. I CALLED THE MITSUBISHI MOTORS HEADQUARTERS IN TEXAS, AND GAVE THEN MY VIN NUMBER AND THEY SAID THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION OF THIS SPECIFIC CAR, NOR SHOULD THIS NOISE BE OCCURRING. I ALSO WENT ON SAFERCAR.GOV AND THEY TOO SAID THE ONLY RECALL ON THIS CAR IS ABOUT LIGHTS. I ALSO CALLED IRA 3 DAYS AGO AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY LOST MY TITLE AND I CAN'T REGISTER MY CAR EITHER. NOW I NEED SOME INFORMATION ON MY OPTIONS AND WHERE TO GO FROM HERE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10159623

Incident

May 31, 2006

AT APPROXIMATELY 36,500 MILES OR SO NOTICED THE CAR NOT WANTING TO "GRIP" ON TAKE OFF. SEEMED TO WANT TO REV HIGHER RANDOMLY.. OVER A PERIOD OF 2 DAYS WENT FROM NO BIG DEAL TO NOT BEING ABLE TO DRIVE. I HAVE HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS (2 OTHER PERSONAL VEHICLES ). I CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND WARRANTY PROVIDER TO FIND OUT THIS IS NORMAL AND CONSIDERED WEAR AND TEAR. HAVE BEEN PRICED UPWARDS OF 1000 USD IF NOT MORE TO REPLACE THIS CLUTCH. AND I JUST GOT THIS CAR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10155931

Incident

Apr 22, 2006

Mileage

36,800 mi

I BOUGHT MY CAR IN OCTOBER OF 2003 AND IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED A GRINDING COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK IT INTO LANCASTER MITSUBISHI IN PENNSYLVANIA AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A COMMON TRANS NOISE. A COUPLE OF WEEKS PASSED BY AND THE NOISE KEPT GETTING LOUDER AND NOW MY CLUTCH IS SLIPPING. I HAVE NEVER BEAT OR RACED MY CAR. IT IS ONE OF THE BEST CARS I HAVE EVER OWNED AND THE ONE OF THE MOST RELIABLE. I DON'T HAVE MUCH CHOICE TO KEEP DRIVING IT THE WAY IT IS AND IT IS GETTING WORSE. PRETTY SOON I WILL BE OUT OF A CAR. *NM

NHTSA ID

10144119

Incident

May 24, 2004

Mileage

19,000 mi

I HAVE A 2003 MITUBISHI ECLIPSE WITH 23,000 MILES ON IT AND THE CLUTCH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ALREADY, IN THE MORNING THE FRONT WHEELS JUMP AND SHIFTING INTO 1ST AND 2ND GEAR IS A NIGHTMARE ! *NM

NHTSA ID

10143022

Incident

Nov 17, 2005

Mileage

23,000 mi

DT: THE CALLER SAID THAT HIS VEHICLE IS MAKING A NOISE. WHEN ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE CHANGES GEARS HARD AND HE DID NOT KNOW IF IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION OR THE MOTOR MOUNTS. THE PROBLEM OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35 TO 40 MPH. RIGHT AFTER HAVING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED. HE HAD THE MOTOR MOUNTS CHANGED 8 TIMES. THE DEALER DID NOT REMOVE THE BATTERY TO GET TO THE MOTOR MOUNT, BUT THEY SAID THAT THEY DID. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE THE TRANSMISSION. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. *AK *MR

NHTSA ID

10135549

Incident

Jul 15, 2003

Mileage

5,000 mi

DT: THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE THEN ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER., THEY CONFIRMED THAT CLUTCH COLLAPSED THAT CONTROLS THE CLUTCH HYDRAULICS. THIS HAPPENED ON AUGUST 11, 2005. THIS IS BASED ON A POLICE REPORT BECAUSE SHE ACTUALLY SAW THAT THE CLUTCH WAS DOWN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10132916

Incident

Aug 11, 2005

Mileage

40,000 mi

2003 ECLIPSE EMITS RATTLE FROM THE CLUTCH/TRANSAXLE SINCE ABOUT 30000 MILES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10132033

Incident

Aug 9, 2005

Mileage

32,000 mi

I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY LOVED THE CAR BESIDES HAVING TO TAKE IT IN WITHIN LIKE 3 MONTHS TO REPLACE A DEFFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE AM A PERSON THAT HAVE BEEN IN MANY CLOSE ACCIDENT CALLS THROUGHOUT MY LIFE SO I AM NOT A PERSON WHO TAKES THE CAR TO THE LIMIT WHATSOEVER. I HAVE HAD DEFECTIVE CARS ALL MY LIFE. MY FIRST CAR I WAS IN A NEAR DEATH CALL IN MY FIRST ACCIDENT WHEN A MAN IN A RUSH DECIDED TO TRY TO PASS ME WHILE I WAS DOING A U-TURN. MY SECOND I BOUGHT FOR $4000 AND PUT OVER 2K IN IT TRYING TO GET IT FIXED AND RUNNING. MY THIRD CAR I BOUGHT WAS A TOYOTA CAMRY. IT WAS A GREAT CAR BUT ALSO HAD TO PUT $1,500 INTO A CAR I BOUGHT FOR ONLY LIK 5K, WHEN THE MANUFACTURER TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDNT FIX THE PROBLEM AND I HAD WASTED EVERY DIME I HAD ON THIS CAR. MY LAST AND PRESENT CAR IS MY 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GT. MY MOTHER DIDN'T LIKE ALL THE PROBLEMS I WAS HAVING WITH ALL OF MY PREVIOUS CARS, SO WHEN I RECEIVED AN ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP TO ANY SCHOOL IN FLORIDA SHE WENT OUT AND BOUGHT ME THE ECLIPSE. TO GET BACK TO THE PROBLEM AT HAND, AT 10,000 MILES I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY CLUTCH. THE CAR WILL SEVERELY JERK WHEN SWITCHING GEARS EVERY TIME I START THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR INTO MY LOCAL MITSUBISHI DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY WHICH DIDN'T MAKE SENSE. THE CAR WAS UNDER 12K MILES AND I THOUGHT THERE WAS A WARRANTY UP TILL THEN. ANYWAYS, I AM NOT THE PERSON TO ARGUE SO I SAID "OK" AND WENT ON MY WAY. WELL, IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND I BELIEVE COULD HAVE PLAYED A LARGE PART IN MY ONLY OTHER ACCIDENT. BUT THE BAD THING IS THAT NOW I AM AT 14, 438 MILES, WHICH EITHER WAY IS OVER THE 12K MILE WARRANTY IF THERE WAS ONE. I HAVE ALL ORIGINAL RECEIPTS TO PROVE THAT I STARTED HAVING CLUTCH PROBLEMS BEFORE I HIT 12K MILES AND I AM NOT SURE IF I CAN DO ANYTHING. I GOT A QUOTE OF OVER $1,000 TO BUY THE CLUTCH AND INSTALL IT. WHAT CAN I DO?*AK

NHTSA ID

10090444

Incident

Jun 12, 2004

Mileage

11,940 mi

MY 2003 ECLIPSE GTS HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR ABOUT 10 DIFFERENT THINGS IN A MATTER OF 8 MONTHS. 4 SEPERATE TIMES I HAD BROUGHT IT IN FOR A JERKING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES THEY TOLD ME NOTHING WAS THE MATTER AND IT WAS FINE. FINALLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEY THEN INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISION NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. IT WORKED FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS. ALSO 20 DAYS AFTER BUYING THE CAR MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE FUEL PUMP AND SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. 4 TIMES I HAVE ALSO BROUGHT THE CAR IN BECUASE WHEN THE SUNROOF OPENS IT JERKS REALLY BAD. EVERY TIME I WENT THERE ALL THEY DID WAS GREASE IT AND IT STILL DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. AT 17,000 THE POWER MIRROR ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND THAT WAS REPLACED. TODAY 8/23/04 AT 20,000 I JUST DROPPED IT OFF FOR THE SUNROOF (AGAIN) AND INFORMED THEM MY WHEEL SHOOK WHILE BRAKING AND WAS JUST NOTIFIED THAT MY ROTORS WERE BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE COST TO ME WAS $200.00 FOR A CAR WITH 20,000 MILES AND 1 YEAR OLD. MITSUBISHI STATES THEY HAVE THE BEST BACKED CARS BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT THEY DO NOT BACK THIER CARS UP WHEN IT MATTERS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10088460

Incident

Aug 23, 2004

Mileage

2,000 mi

I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR AND YESTERDAY I NOTICED A GRINDING SOUND WHEN I LET OUT THE CLUTCH TO START THE CAR. I TOOK IT INTO THE SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE CLUTCH DISK THAT WAS GONE AND THEFORE PROBABLY MY FLYWHEEL TOO. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THIS WASN'T COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AS IT WAS CONSIDERED NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

10074604

Incident

May 31, 2004

Mileage

5,800 mi

THE CLUTCH FAILED AFTER ONLY 12,000 MILES. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HOT RODDED BUT THE DRIVER STATED THAT SHE WAS AN EXPERIENCED MANUAL TRANSMISSION DRIVER. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THE CLUTCH WAS SLIPPING. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10074254

Incident

May 20, 2004

Mileage

12,000 mi

MY CLUTCH ON MY 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER STARTED TO SHOW SIGNS OF SLIPPING AT AROUND 11,000 MILES. I THOUGHT IT WAS COVERED UNDER THE BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WARRANTY AND DID NOT GET IT FIXED RIGHT AWAY AS MY DEALERSHIP IS ABOUT AN HOUR AWAY. IT FINALLY BECAME SO BAD THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT 19500 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH AND WOULD NOT COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE DRIVEN STICK SHIFTS ALL MY LIFE AND NEVER HAD ONE FAIL, EVEN AFTER 85,000 MILES. THE CAR WAS NEVER RACED OR DRIVEN ABUSIVELY. NOW, THE SECOND CLUTCH IS AT 11,000 MILES AND THE PROBLEM IS BEGINNING AGAIN. I HAVE READ ON AN INTERNET FORUM FOR ECLIPSE OWNERS, REPORTS OF MANY OTHERS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCHES ON THE 2003 ECLIPSE GTS MODELS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A FACTORY DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECTIFIED. I CANNOT SPEND $1000 EVERY 6 - 12 MONTHS TO KEEP REPLACING CLUTCHES IN THIS CAR. *LA

NHTSA ID

10047641

Incident

Nov 23, 2003

Mileage

19,500 mi

SELECTING THE SECOND GEAR OF MY CAR OFTEN CAUSES UNDESIRABLE "GRINDING" AND UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES CAN THAT GEAR BY USED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE POWER ON DEMAND AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF THE GEAR DOES NOT GO IN PROPERLY. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043465

Incident

Oct 1, 2003

Mileage

6,800 mi

MANUAL TRANSMISSION - CAR SEIZE WHEN SHIFTING INTO 5TH GEAR. DEALER STATED THAT SOMEONE THAT SERVICED THE CAR MUST HAVE DRAINED THE GEAR LUBE OIL DOWN TO 1 PINT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. THEY DISCOVERED THAT IS WAS NOT THE GEAR LUBE OIL BUT THE ROD THAT PUSHES OUT WHEN SHIFTING FROM TO GEAR WAS TO LONG AND HAD BEEN CHIPPING AWAY AT THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER 2 MONTHS OF FIGHTING WITH THE DEALER AND MITSUBISHI DIRECTLY - THEY STILL REFUSE TO PAY. THIS WAS A FACTORY DEFECT. WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE. IF I HAD LET THE DEALER REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION I WOULD NEVER HAD KNOWN THE REAL CAUSE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10041520

Incident

Aug 6, 2003

Mileage

32,311 mi

MY CLUTCH HAD TO BE REPLACED AT ONLY 14,500 MILES. PROBLEMS WERE EVIDENT AT AROUND 10,000 MILES AND BECAME CONSIDERABLY WORSE IN TIME. I HAVE DRIVEN A MANUAL TRANSMISSION FOR 15 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER RACED AND DID NOT RIDE THE CLUTCH. MY LAST CAR'S CLUTCH LASTED IN EXCESS OF 100,000 MILES WITHOUT FAULT. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MY DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT IT APPEARS TO BE A FACTORY DEFECT. HOWEVER, SINCE THE WARRANTY ON THE CLUTCH EXPIRES AT 12,000 MILES, I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE PART. THE PROBLEM BECAME OBVIOUS WHEN MY TRANSMISSION SPUN AS I TRIED TO GO FROM A STOP UP A HILL. MY CAR BASICALLY BECAME STUCK IN TRAFFIC ON A DANGEROUS SECTION OF ROADWAY AND IT WAS LUCK THAT I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A SIDE-IMPACT COLLISION. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A RAILROAD TRACK OR A DRAWBRIDGE, I SEE THIS PROBLEM AS POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO MITSUBISHI MOTORS AND THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON A POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT CLUTCH. THEIR EFFORTS ARE TOO LATE FOR ME. I URGE THE NHTSA TO REQUIRE THAT MITSUBISHI MOTORS REPLACE DEFECTIVE CLUTCHES FREE OF CHARGE OR REIMBURSE THOSE (SUCH AS MYSELF) WHO HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO REPAIR WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A FACTORY DEFECT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10028522

Incident

Jul 14, 2003

Mileage

10,000 mi

MY 2003 ECLIPSE GT IS HARD TO DOWN SHIFT INTO 2ND AND 1ST. THE DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL FOR THESE CARS. MY CAR ALSO GRINDS GOING INTO 3RD GEAR SOMETIMES.

NHTSA ID

10014021

Incident

Feb 16, 2003

Mileage

20 mi