Problems · NHTSA complaints
1996 Mitsubishi Mirage problems
Owners filed 31 complaints about the 1996 Mitsubishi Mirage with NHTSA between Jan 1996 and Jan 2011. The most-cited component is air bags (12).
Complaints
31
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
11
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags12
- Power train5
- Service brakes, hydraulic4
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Wheels2
- Latches/locks/linkages2
- Seat belts2
- Structure2
- Suspension2
- Visibility1
- Equipment1
- Electrical system1
- Seats1
- Other / unknown1
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 Nov 5, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
8
11
3
1
3
2
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 8 |
| 1997 | 11 |
| 1998 | 3 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 3 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 0 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
12 reports9 crashes
“I'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR FROM DAY ONE. IT HAS ALWAYS USED OIL, HAVING TO ADD MORE OIL ALL THE TIME EVEN THOUGH I DUE AN OIL CHANGE ON REGULAR BASIS. THIS HAS CAUSED ME TO RUN LOW ON OIL, AND THE OIL DOES NOT COME ON UNTIL AS THE MECHANICS SAY "ITS BONE DRY". THE AIR CONDITION BELT SQUEAKED FROM DAY ONE, THEN JUST QUIT WORKING. THE WATER PUMP HAS NOW WENT OUT TWICE!!! THE FIRST TIME THE THERMOSTAT ALSO WAS NOT WORKING, WHICH CAUSED ME TO HAVE A MAJOR MECHANICAL BILL...NO WARNING WHILE OUT OF STATE!!! THE WINDSHIELD HAS ALWAYS FOGGED UP NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO TO ELIMINATE IT, WHICH HAS CAUSED ME NEAR COLLISIONS NUMEROUS TIMES. THE WINDOWS SOON BECAME OFF TRACK FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND NOW LEAK WATER. BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THIS CAR BASICALLY WAS A LEMON. I PURCHASED THIS CAR BRAND NEW, MY FIRST NEW CAR AND MY LAST FROM MITSUBISHI.”
Power train
5 reports
“MY MITSUBISHI MAGNA 1996 HAD VERY LITTLE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS BEFORE LAST YEAR WHEN I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND NOTICED AND OVERREV AND SUDDEN BUMP INTO 3RD GEAR AND OVER TIME IT FADED OUT TO NOTHING AND THEN I WAS DRIVING IT AND THEN LOST 3RD GEAR COMPLETELY...IT TRYS TO GO INTO THE 3RD GEAR BUT WON'T GO IN AND FALLS INTO NEUTRAL I'VE ASKED MANY AUTO TRANSMISSION PLACES AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA BUT WERE GOING TO CHARGE ME 1000 BUCKS TO LOOK AT IT SO I HAVEN'T HAD IT FIXED AND AM NOW GETTING ANOTHER CAR BUT I STILL WANT CLOSURE. *LN”
Service brakes, hydraulic
4 reports1 crash
“WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED THEY WENT TO FLOOR. BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER REPAIRED. *AK”
Engine and engine cooling
2 reports1 fire
“WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE.”
Wheels
2 reports
“WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE PULLED TO LEFT AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS WHEELS LOCKED UP/WHEEL DISCONNECTED FROM AXLE/STRUT BROKE OFF, JUST HUNG THERE DICONNECTED. LEMON LAW SAID IT IS NOT COVERED, DEALER IS HAVING SOMEONE COME TO LOOK AT CAR. *AK”
Latches/locks/linkages
2 reports
“WHILE DRIVING AT 30MPH THE HOOD FLEW OPEN AND SMASHED THE WINDSHIELD. DEALER SAYS THE LATCH BROKE. *AK”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 5, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.