Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder problems

Owners filed 31 complaints about the 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder with NHTSA between May 2002 and Jun 2022. The most-cited component is wheels (8).

Complaints
31
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Wheels8
  2. Structure5
  3. Air bags4
  4. Engine and engine cooling4
  5. Tires3
  6. Power train2
  7. Fuel system, other2
  8. Visibility2
  9. Steering1
  10. Service brakes1
  11. Seat belts1
  12. Electrical system1
  13. Suspension1
  14. Service brakes, hydraulic1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20023
20033
200410
20056
20061
20071
20082
20090
20102
20112
20120
20130
20140
20150
20160
20170
20180
20190
20200
20210
20221

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Wheels

8 reports1 crash
“UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, TIRE BEGAN LOSING AIR. TOOK TO THE TIRE DEALER AND NO TIRE PROBLEM WAS FOUND. TWO WEEKS LATER TIRE WOULD HOLD NO AIR, RETURNED TO THE TIRE DEALER AND THEY FOUND THAT THE WHEEL WAS CRACKED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW THE TIRE TO HOLD AIR. I HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW WHEEL AND A NEW TIRE SINCE RIDING ON LOW / NO AIR DAMAGED THE TIRE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 28, 2011WheelsODI 10393118

Structure

5 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE DRIVER OBSERVED THAT THE DASHBOARD COVER SUSTAINED EXCESSIVE CRACKS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT; HOWEVER, THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED DUE TO THE UNAVAILABILITY AND UNCERTAINTY OF THE PART. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 26, 2010StructureODI 10302350

Air bags

4 reports4 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION DRIVING 15 MPH WHEN HE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN HIM. BOTH VEHICLES WERE INOPERABLE AND WERE TOWED FROM THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED THREE CRACKED RIBS AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE POLICE WERE ALSO CONTACTED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,500. MITSUBISHI WAS CALLED WITH SAME INFO. UPDATED 11/03/2011 *LN *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 16, 2011Air bags, Seat beltsCrash reportedODI 10425768

Engine and engine cooling

4 reports1 crash1 fire
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER CONVERTIBLE. THE VEHICLE EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND THE DRIVER WAS KILLED AS A RESULT. THE CONTACT WAS NOT GIVEN A DIAGNOSIS AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPLODE. A POLICE REPORT IS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. THE MITSUBISHI MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 1/28/10 *CN THE CONSUMER NOR THE DECEDENT HER HUSBAND OWNED THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HUSBAND DIED TRYING TO HELP THE OTHER OCCUPANT WHO DID OWN THE VEHICLE THAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROADWAY ON THE LEFT INTO THE MEDIAN. THE VEHICLE THEN RE-ENTERED THE ROADWAY AND RAN OFF THE ROADWAY ON THE LEFT A SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE MEDIAN BARRIER CABLE FACE AND A BRIDGE PIER. THE VEHICLE THEN CAME TO REST IN THE MEDIAN FACING NORTH AFTER THE COLLISION. UPDATED 02/03/10”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 12, 2010Engine and engine coolingCrash reportedFire reportedODI 10299083

Tires

3 reports
“MY CAR STARTED SHAKING AT SPEEDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH AND PULLING HARD TO THE RIGHT. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP THEY INFORMED ME THAT I MUST HAVE "HIT SOMETHING AT A FAST SPEED BECAUSE MY RIM WAS SEVERLY BENT. THEN THEY PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS WRONG. THE CAR WAS ALMOST AT 48,000 MILES. I PAID OUT OF POCKET, SIMPLY TAKING THEIR WORD FOR IT. THEN I KEPT LOSING AIR OUT OF ANOTHER TIRE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE. AT THIS TIME I FIGURED IT WAS THE TIRE THAT I PURCHASED A FEW MONTHS EARLIER. I HAD THE TECH. TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND HE SHOWED ME THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL CRACKS IN THE RIM WHICH WERE ALLOWING THE AIR IN THE TIRE TO LEAK. ONCE AGAIN I BOUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD TO SPEND ANOTHER $230 TO GET A NEW RIM. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CARS IN MY LIFE AND NEVER ONCE HAD TO REPLACE ONE RIM LET ALONE 2 AND IN A PERIOD OF 2 MONTHS. I THINK SOMEONE NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS. THIS IS NOT ONLY EXPENSIVE BUT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I THINK THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THESE RIMS AND REFUND THE CUSTOMERS THAT HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2004Tires, WheelsODI 10102423

Power train

2 reports
“The contact owns a 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder. The contact stated while driving 25-30 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power inadvertently. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle instead started reversing unintendedly. The contact stated that he turned off and restarted the vehicle and continued driving. The vehicle was taken to a local Pep Boys, where it was diagnosed that the power train needed to be reprogrammed and other repairs needed to be completed. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the steering wheel was locked and the brake pedal was firm. The traction control and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was not drivable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 9, 2022Steering, Power train, Service brakesODI 11468436
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.