RoadVitals

1991 Mitsubishi Mirage

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
38
Latest Jun 28, 2012
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest May 24, 1995
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
3
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
7
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 38 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1991 Mitsubishi Mirage, most frequently naming the seat belts, electrical and engine categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 3 NHTSA investigations name it; and 6 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.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Seat belts1431.8%
  • Electrical920.5%
  • Engine511.4%
  • Brakes49.1%
  • Transmission36.8%
  • Interior & seats24.5%
  • Tires & wheels24.5%
  • Exterior lighting12.3%

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

1 campaign 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.gov
95V103004

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

May 24, 1995
658,000 units potentially affected
The defect: THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.
The risk: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUGGING ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, AND THEN PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS A SIGN OF BREAKING OR CRACKING OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CONTACT THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.
MITSUBISHI AMERICAView on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA96015ClosedEngineering Analysis

AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT FAILURE

Opened Jun 28, 1996
Closed Jun 12, 1997

THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ALLEGEDLY MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILS

SEAT BELTSLed to recall 97V063001
PE96006ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

AUTO SHOULDER BELT FAILURE

Opened Jan 19, 1996
Closed Jun 28, 1996

There is no summary currently available

SEAT BELTSLed to recall 97V063001
EA95004ClosedEngineering Analysis

TAKATA SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE

Opened Mar 10, 1995
Closed Aug 1, 1995

There is no summary currently available

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLYLed to recall 95V103004

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 38
Engine
Filed Jun 28, 2012

CPSC#X11C0565A. CYLINDER HEAD. 1991 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE. CONSUMER STATED HE PURCHASED THE PART FROM D&S LIGHT TRUCK AND AUTO PARTS, INC. HE STATED THE CYLINDER WAS BAD AND THEY HAVE REFUSED TO REFUND HIS MONEY OR REPLACE THE PART. *LN

NHTSA ID
10463770
Incident
Oct 19, 2011
Engine
Filed Jan 6, 2012

CPSC#X11C0561A & XX11C0565A. 1991 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE CONSUMER STATED AFTER INSTALLING CYLINDER HEAD, HE NOTICED THE VEHICLE RAN ROUGH. *LN THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VALVES NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE LEARNED THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS BAD. *JB

NHTSA ID
10443068
Incident
Oct 19, 2011
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 18, 2008

I HAD 4 BRANDNEW GOODYEAR TIRES PUT ON MY CAR 1MONTH AGO AND THE TIRES AREN'T A BIT OF GOOD. ONE TIRE ON THE FRONT STARTED SEPARATING ON THE INNER WALL WHICH WE WERE UNAWARE OF UNTIL I WAS ON THE HWY ONE DAY AND LIKED TO GOT KILLED!! I NOTICED THE CAR WAS NOT RIDING AS IT SHOULD IT WAS LIKE DRIVING DOWN A REALLY BUMPY ROAD. MY CAR SWERVED INTO THE OTHER LANE WHERE A 18WHEELER WAS ABOUT 4 SEC OFF FROM HITTING ME. I PULLED OFF TO FIND A BIG HOLE THE SIZE OF MY PINKY WAS VISIBLE THEN IN THE INNER WALL. TOOK THE CAR TO THE SHOP THEY FIXED THE TIRE WITH A REPLACEMENT. THE VERY NEXT DAY I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND REALIZED THE CAR WAS NOT RIDING RIGHT AGAIN AND NOTICED BLACK CHUNKS OF TIRE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR AND PULLED OVER TO NOTICE CRACKS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE OTHER FRONT TIRE. I ONLY GOT 1500 MILES ON THESE TIRES!!!!! TIRE BRAND P175/80R13. *TR

NHTSA ID
10242765
Incident
Aug 15, 2008
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jun 4, 2004
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER SMELLED PLASTIC/RUBBER BURNING AND SUDDENLY VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK THE CONSUMER NOTICED A LEAKAGE. THE CONSUMERS DAUGHTER WAS USING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THE COMBO SWITCH ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10068607
Incident
Feb 15, 2004
Mileage
620,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jan 22, 2004
Crash reported

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED 4 BRAKE FAILURES WHILE DRIVING. AS A RESULT, ON TIME THE VEHICLE WENT INTO A DITCH. BRAKE PAD SEPARATED FROM THE CALIPER AND FELL OFF. THIS WAS DUE TO THE CASTING FOR THE BRAKE PAD HARDLY GOING INTO THE FLAT. ANOTHER TIME THE PROBLEM WAS WORSE WHEN THE PADS WERE NEW.*AK

NHTSA ID
10055627
Mileage
6,500 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Mar 26, 2001

TIRES HAD 30 THOUSAND MILES ON THEM. TIRE SIZE WAS 155R13. TIRES MOUNTED ON A MITSUBISHI, MIRAGE, 1991. WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR OVER THREE HOURS, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT. ALSO, THERE WERE SOME CRACKS AROUND RIM. TIRES WERE REPLACED.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
884109
Incident
Mar 1, 2001
Engine
Filed Aug 25, 2000

I READ WITH INTEREST THE REPORTS OF PROBLEMS WITH MITSUBISHI AUTOMOBILES, AS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS REPORTED - A LOOSE CRANKSHAFT - IS EXACTLY THE PROBLEM WE HAD WITH OUR CAR. I AM REPORTING THIS TO YOU AS THE NEWS ACCOUNTS I'VE READ TALK ONLY ABOUT CARS IMPORTED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS AS POSSIBLY BE SUBJECT OF RECALL. I WONDER IF THE RECALL SHOULDN'T COVER CARS, LIKE OURS, A GOOD DEAL OLDER THAN THAT. OUR SPECIFIC PROBLEM OCCURRED IN 1996 WHEN THE CAR HAS ABOUT 70,000 MILES ON IT. THE CRANKSHAFT PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED BY PHIL LONG MITSUBISHI IN COLORADO SPRINGS. CO.

NHTSA ID
728976
Interior & seats
Filed Nov 5, 1999

THE ENGINE STOPS UNPREDICTABLY. I HEAR A CLICK THAT SEEMS TO COME FROM UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT, THEN THE ENGINE STARTS AND WILL NOT RESTART IMMEDIATELY. USUALLY, AFTER SOME MINUTES, IT WILL RESTART. IT WILL EVEN STOP AT HIGH SPEEDS, AS IT DID WHEN I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE ON A LONG BRIDGE, AND COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE WAY OF ON-COMING SEMI-TRUCKS. AS THE DEALER ADVISED, I REPLACED BOTH THE COMPUTER AND THE RELAYS, YET THE PROBLEM PERSISTS.

NHTSA ID
714393

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

TT253

EQUIPMENT

This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.

TSB-19-00-008

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.

TT237

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.

TSB-13-42A-002

STRUCTURE

This Technical Service Bulletin updates the door adjustment procedure in the Body Section of the applicable service manuals.

TSB9723015

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)

INFORMATION ABOUT IMPROVED AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE END CLUTCH. *TT

TSB9711002

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

NEW VALVE LASH ADJUSTER NOISE CHECKING AND TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURES. *JD

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

Mitsubishi Mirage by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2024300—
2023000—
2022200—
2021100—
2020100—
2019500—
2018101053.6
2017152053.2
2016110—
2015392056.7
2014443059.3
2013000—
2002540—
2001315059.0
2000355057.6
1999576057.3
1998435060.6
1997744055.4
1996281054.0
1995701055.3
1994601363.6
1993733254.5
1992151239.8
1991Viewing381355.0
1990331351.6
1989613—
1988813—
1987313—
1986113—
1985002—
1984001—

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.