Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse problems

Owners filed 300 complaints about the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse with NHTSA between Apr 2000 and Nov 2022. The most-cited component is wheels (112).

Complaints
300
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
32
Reported by owners
Fires
8
Reported by owners
Injuries
19
People reported injured
Deaths
3
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Wheels112
  2. Power train31
  3. Structure29
  4. Air bags28
  5. Electrical system21
  6. Exterior lighting21
  7. Visibility18
  8. Engine and engine cooling16
  9. Tires14
  10. Suspension11
  11. Steering10
  12. Fuel system, gasoline8
  13. Service brakes, hydraulic6
  14. Equipment5

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 30, 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
20004
200138
200250
200342
200450
200533
200619
200721
200812
20095
20105
20113
20120
20130
20145
20154
20164
20172
20180
20191
20201
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

112 reports2 crashes1 fire
“TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 100,000. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF VEHICLE HIT THE SMALLEST OF POT HOLES, AT ANY SPEED THE RIM WILL BEND, BOTH ON THE INSIDE AND OUT SIDE. THE CONTACT HAD 2 OF THE RIMS REPLACED AND TWO OF THE TIRES AS WELL. ON FIVE OCCASIONS THE RIMS WERE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAS REPAIR ORDERS, AND WILL HAVE PICTURES OF THE LATEST FAILURE.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 14, 2007WheelsODI 10182696

Power train

31 reports5 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“I almost got into a accident because it's late sobits really hard to see because the headlights u cnt see any at all at night I can use a flash light out the window and see better like that but on top of that my car just decides to up and stall on me and not wanna start back and it had melted my crankshaft sensor wires and I guess it just decided to also mess up the wiring on my camshaft sensor I literally had to wire up the wires straight around the plug on both just to make it home it was cold out and all I really love my car but I'm spending more money than I've got just tryna keep it running and between that and the lights that's gonna get sum1 hurt or killed if not fixed I was on a backroad had no service to call anybody for help and I was right between 2 blind turns”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 16, 2022Power train, Electrical system, EngineODI 11493803

Structure

29 reports
“1. EVERY TIME IT RAINS THERE IS A LARGE ACCUMULATION OF WATER LEAKING FROM FRONT WINDOW/FRONT VENTS EVERY RAINFALL ON FRONT FLOOR BOARDS; 2. EVERY RAINFALL, SOAKS CARPET FLOOR BOARDS THROUGH TO BOTTOM FRAME OF CAR; 3. MANY, MANY THICK TOWELS ON FRONT FLOOR BOARDS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 14, 2008StructureODI 10245382

Air bags

28 reports16 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM FAULT. SRS LIGHT ELLUMINATES ON DASHBOARD WHENEVER DRIVER OR PASSENGER SEATS ARE MOVED, INDICATING THAT THE SIDE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS DEACTIVATING THE ENTIRE SRS SYSTEM INCLUDING THE FRONT AIRBAGS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 20, 2016Air bagsODI 10837299

Electrical system

21 reports4 fires
“2001 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO EXTERIOR LIGHTING RECALL, ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM REPLACEMENT RECALL, POWER TRAIN, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COOLING UNIT AND LINES RECALL ISSUES. *SMD THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THEY ONLY HAD ONE RECALL APPLICABLE TO HIS VEHICLE, WHICH WAS FOR THE SUN VISOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER STATED THE GAS TANK IS LEAKING AND HAS MANY WELDING ISSUES. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 20, 2016Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10917134

Exterior lighting

21 reports2 fires3 related recalls
“I HAVE A 2001 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE RS 2.4 ENGINE I BOUGHT IT OFF MY HUSBAND'S UNCLE FOUR MONTHS AGO AND EVER SINCE I GOT THE CAR I NOTICED THE LIGHT ADJUSTERS DON'T WORK AT ALL AND AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIM THAT SOMETIMES I CAN'T EVEN SEE THE ROAD AT ALL THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 1, 2020Exterior lightingODI 11337053
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

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