Problems · NHTSA complaints

2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse problems

Owners filed 311 complaints about the 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse with NHTSA between Oct 1999 and Aug 2022. The most-cited component is wheels (128).

Complaints
311
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
14
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
13
People reported injured
Deaths
4
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Wheels128
  2. Structure41
  3. Exterior lighting25
  4. Visibility21
  5. Electrical system21
  6. Tires20
  7. Power train17
  8. Suspension11
  9. Steering11
  10. Air bags11
  11. Engine and engine cooling11
  12. Equipment10
  13. Service brakes, hydraulic9
  14. Fuel system, gasoline6

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 28, 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
19992
200026
200152
200267
200333
200439
200521
200621
200711
200815
20094
20102
20114
20121
20130
20141
20153
20163
20170
20181
20190
20203
20211
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

128 reports2 crashes
“MY RIMS ON MY 2000 ECLIPSE ARE ALL BENT. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 3 OR 4 TIRES DUE TO BLOW OUTS IN THE LAST 3 YEARS. I WILL BUY NEW RIMS AND SEND IN ALL MY OLD ONES BECAUSE THIS IS UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF ALL OWNERS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 2, 2008WheelsODI 10232995

Structure

41 reports1 fire
“1) A COMMON ISSUE ACCORDING TO THE FORUMS AND FACEBOOK GROUPS, THE STRUT TOWERS RUST THROUGH WHICH PRESENTS A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN CONSIDERING THAT THE SUSPENSION IS CONNECTED TO THE STEERING WHICH COULD PUT AN INDIVIDUAL OR OTHERS ON THE ROAD AT RISK 2) YET ANOTHER COMMON ISSUE, THE DASH AND ASSOCIATED BEZELS CRACK OVER TIME. THERE HAS BEEN NO SOLUTION OR ALTERNATIVE TO COMPLETE REPLACEMENT FROM ANYONE, INCLUDING (I'M SURE) MITSUBISHI.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 28, 2020Structure, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11319608

Exterior lighting

25 reports2 fires4 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the turn signal and headlights failed. The contact stated that the high beam failed to operate correctly whether the vehicle was turned or not. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 99V305001 (Exterior Lighting, Visibility). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 8, 2022Exterior lighting, VisibilityODI 11478198

Visibility

21 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE RS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH WHEN HE ENGAGED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LEVER IT FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,000. UPDATED 06/07/12”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 25, 2011VisibilityODI 10378621

Electrical system

21 reports1 fire1 related recall
“WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I WOULD HAVE TO MOVE THE CABLE HARNESS AND CLAMP AROUND THE BATTERY POSTS TO GET A GOOD CONNECTION SO THE CAR WOULD START. I COULD NOT TIGHTEN THE NUT AND BOLT ANY FURTHER WITHOUT BREAKING THE BOLT THAT SECURED THE CLAMP AROUND THE BATTERY POST. I COULD NOT GET MY AIR CONDITIONING UNIT TO WORK SINCE AUGUST OF 2019 WHEN PARKING MY VEHICLE, THEN REMOVING MY KEY FROM THE IGNITION, THEN OPENING THE DOOR TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, THE HORN ACTIVATED AND WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL REMOVING THE CLAMPS TO THE BATTERY POSTS. THE FRONT LIGHTS WOULD START TO FLASH IF ALL DOORS WERE LOCKED AND THE CAR WAS IN PARK AND THE TRUNK DOOR WAS OPENED WITH KEY. THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT AT TIMES OPERATE EVEN AFTER THE REGULATOR AND MOTOR WAS REPLACED. THE KEY PHOS WOULD NOT LOCK MY CAR AND THE CAR WOULD NOT FLASH FRONT AND TAIL LIGHTS OR CHIRP TO RECOGNIZE LOCKING SIGNAL FROM THE KEY PHOS. THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATES EXCEPT FOR THE FUEL GAUGE SIDE. THE CLOCK LIGHT DIMS WHEN THE CAR KEY IS PLACED IN THE STARTING POSITION FROM PARK AND WHILE RUNNING THEN BRIGHTENS WHEN THE CAR KEY IS PLACED IN THE OFF…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 29, 2020Electrical system, Unknown or otherODI 11342155

Tires

20 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. THE VEHICLE HAS BRIDGESTONE TIRES, TIRE LINE POTENZA, TIRE SIZE 205/55/R16. DURING ROUTINE INSPECTION, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED CRACKS ON THE SIDEWALL OF ALL FOUR TIRES. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 39,500. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 11/04/09*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED FIRESTONE DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE TIRES. UPDATED 11/05/09.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 5, 2009TiresODI 10286304
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

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