Problems · NHTSA complaints

2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse problems

Owners filed 166 complaints about the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse with NHTSA between Jul 2002 and Feb 2025. The most-cited component is structure (40).

Complaints
166
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
22
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
15
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure40
  2. Power train25
  3. Air bags15
  4. Tires15
  5. Engine and engine cooling14
  6. Visibility14
  7. Fuel system, gasoline10
  8. Electrical system9
  9. Wheels7
  10. Equipment7
  11. Steering6
  12. Exterior lighting5
  13. Vehicle speed control5
  14. Service brakes, hydraulic5

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
20026
200327
200422
200521
200616
200713
200817
20098
20106
20116
20121
20134
20140
20158
20164
20174
20181
20191
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20251

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

Structure

40 reports1 crash1 fire
“TAKATA AIRBAG: MY INCIDENT HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED. I AM ADDING THE POLICE REPORT. I AM STILL REQUIRING SURGERY AND UNABLE TO USE MY LEFT ARM 10 MONTHS LATER.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 18, 2017Power train, Air bags, StructureCrash reportedFire reportedODI 11024118

Power train

25 reports3 crashes1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD IDLE LOW, CAUSING IT TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WS 95,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,450.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 13, 2012Power trainODI 10447784

Air bags

15 reports13 crashes3 fires1 related recall
“PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED CAUSED ME TO VEER OFF TO THE RIGHT FOR SAFETY.PASSENGER VISOR FLEW OFF HIT MY ARM AND FLEW OUT WINDOW. UNABLE TO SEE WITH AIRBAG IN MY FACE I ENDED UP HALF ON AND HALF OFF A CULVERT WITH CEMENT PIPE.CAR STOPPED AND THEN MY DRIVER AIRBAG SHOT FIRE AND CHEMICALS INTO MY FACE.HORRIBLE STILL AFTER A WHOLE YEAR NOONE CARES NOONE HELPS NO THERAPY FOLLOW UP NONE ONLY ER WHEN I CAN NO LONGER TOLERATE THE EXTREME PAIN.2 TITANIUM RODS N 38 SCREWS HOLD IT TOGETHER. SOME SCREWS ARE COMING OFF AND 3 BONES ARE STILL SHATTERED. SOME ARE EVEN MISSING. PLEASE HELP”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 11, 2018Air bags, Visibility/wiperCrash reportedFire reportedODI 11062091

Tires

15 reports2 crashes1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR ASSURANCE TRIPLETRED TIRES, SIZE P215/55R16. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE OVER A CURB. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE TIRE AND FOUND THAT THE TIRE TREAD WAS SEPARATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE TIRE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 22, 2016TiresODI 10851044

Engine and engine cooling

14 reports1 fire
“THIS VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED STALLING WHETHER IDLING, ACCELORATING, OR COASTING. IT WOULD THEN HAVE TROUBLE STARTING AND RUN FINE AGAIN. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE MITSUBSHI DEALERSHIP ON WESTERN BLVD IN JACKSONVILLE, NC, THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE IT BUT FOUND IN THEIR DATA BASE THAT THERE IS A TINY PART IN THE CRANK SHAFT THAT COULD CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. AFTER WAITING A WEEK FOR PARTS THEY REALIZED THEY HAD THE WRONG TOOL. ANOTHER WEEK WAITING FOR THE TOOL AND THE NEW PART DDID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. ANOTHER WEEK OF KEEPING MY CAR THEY REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTION REGULATOR WITH A USED PART, THIS DID NOT FIX IT. ANOTHER WEEK WITH A NEW FUEL INJECTOR. NOW IT DOES NOT STALL BUT I CANT GET GAS IN THE GAS TANK, THE CAR SMELLS LIKE GAS, THERE IS STILL OCCASIONAL STALLING, AND THE NEW TIMING BELT THEY PUT ON SCREECHES WITH THE FIRST START OF THE DAY EVERYDAY. THE GAS TANK PROBLEM IS FOUND TO BE THAT THE VALVE IS STUCK IN THE FULL AND CLOSED POSITION AND WHOLE NEW GAS TANKIS RECOMMENDED. ANOTHER TWO WEEKS AND STILL WAITING ON THE GAS TANK. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE AUGUST 22ND AND IT IS NOW OCTOBER FIRST AND MY CAR IS STILL UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND WAITING FOR PARTS. HOW IS…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 2, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline, Unknown or otherODI 10428608

Visibility

14 reports
“IN RESEARCHING WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG WITH MY MITSUBISHI GALANT HEATER, I FIND IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM DESCRIBED TO THE TEE. NOT HAVING HEAT IN MY CAR AND LIVING IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COULD PROVE TO BE DANGEROUS FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS AS VISIBILITY AND FREEZING WILL OCCUR AS I HAVE TO RUN THE COLD AIR ON MY WINDSHIELD TO SEE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2007VisibilityODI 10206477
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.