Problems · NHTSA complaints
1998 Mitsubishi Mirage problems
Owners filed 43 complaints about the 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage with NHTSA between Jul 1998 and Apr 2018. The most-cited component is air bags (9).
Complaints
43
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
11
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags9
- Service brakes, hydraulic8
- Engine and engine cooling5
- Power train5
- Structure3
- Latches/locks/linkages3
- Visibility3
- Tires2
- Wheels2
- Fuel system, gasoline2
- Seats2
- Engine1
- Vehicle speed control1
- Seat belts1
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
3
8
7
7
7
3
2
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 3 |
| 1999 | 8 |
| 2000 | 7 |
| 2001 | 7 |
| 2002 | 7 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 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
9 reports9 crashes
“WHILE AT A STANDSTILL, ANOTHER VEHICLE REARENDED MIRAGE. IMPACT PUSHED VEHICLE INTO A VAN. AFTER IMPACTING VAN, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES, HAD EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT.*AK *TT”
Service brakes, hydraulic
8 reports2 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES FAILED. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PRESSED THERE WAS A DELAY BEFORE THE BRAKES ENGAGED. THIS CONDITION CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *NM AS A RESULT OF THE BRAKE FAILURE THE DRIVER HIT A PILLAR. THE DRIVER AND TWO PASSENGER'S WERE INJURED. *NM”
Engine and engine cooling
5 reports1 related recall
“WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BOLT RECALL 00 V 311 001 DEFECT OCCURRED. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THE DEALERSHIP HAD CHECK THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY AND INDICATED THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE, AND DIDN'T NEED REPLACEMENT.”
Power train
5 reports1 crash
“SINCE THE THIRD DAY OF PURCHASE, I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND INFORMED THE SALESMAN ALL THE PROBLEMS AND HE SAID THAT THE CAR HAS A NEW INVERT SYSTEM AND IT WILL GET USED TO THE WAY I DRIVE THE CAR. BEFORE THE MONTH OF PURCHASED, THE CAR STOPPED WHILE DRIVEN AND IT HAD TO BE TOWERED TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE PEOPLE SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE ALARM SYSTEM. THEY CHANGED THE CABLES RELATED TO THE ALARM, BUT AFTER THAT THE CAR I TOOK THE CAR MANY TIMES TO THE SERVICE CENTER. THE CAR SHIFT THE GEARS NO MATTERS THE SPEED. WHILE STOP ON THE RED LIGHT, THE CAR GIVE A BUMP LIKE I HAD BEEN HIT BY THE CAR BEHIND ME. MANY TIMES THE ENGINE STOP WHILE I WAS WAITING THE RED LIGHT TO CHANGE OR DOING A STOP SIGNAL. BESIDES THE CHECK ENGINE LAMP USED TO TURN ON AND ONCE THEY CLEARED THE COMPUTER. THEN WHEN THE CAR WAS ALMOST OUT OF WARRANTY, THEY ADMITTED THAT ALL THE PROBLEMS WERE CAUSED BY THE TRANSMISSION AND PROCEEDED TO FIXED. THIS WAS ON JULY 2001 AND THE CAR STILL GOES WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS.*AK”
Structure
3 reports1 crash
“PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HINGE PROBLEM. DOOR WAS INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO OPEN OR CLOSE FOR ONE MONTH, THE DOOR WOULDN'T CLOSE ENOUGH TO TURN OFF THE DOOR AJAR INDICATOR. AFTER TAKING IT TO A BODY SHOP, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE HINGE WAS THE PROBLEM. *JB”
Latches/locks/linkages
3 reports
“I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK ON THE JUNE 5 AROUND 6:25 IN THE MORNING DRIVING ABOUT 65 MHP WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE HOOD OF MY CAR (MITSUBISHI MIRAGE 98') FLEW UP INTO THE WINDSHIELD COMPLETLY SMASHING IT AND BLOCKING MY VIEW.AS GLASS WAS SHATTERING INTO MY FACE I MANAGE TO PULL OFF FROM THE CROWDED FREEWAY AND CALL 911 AND THEY ADVISED ME TO STAY IN THE CAR AND WAIT FOR THE POLICE TO ARRIVE, ONLY WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVED AND MY FEAR SUBSIDED WAS THAT I REALIZED HOW MUCH IT HAD DAMAGED MY CAR AND HOW LUCKY I WAS TO WALK AWAY FROM THIS EVENT. THE POLICE OFFICER ON THE SCENE STARTED TO DO A REPORT ON THE ACCIDENT AND TOLD ME THE HOOD LATCH APPEARED TO HAVE BROKEN FROM THE CROSSMEMBER THAT IT WAS ATTACHED TO, THEN WE PROCCIDED TO GET MY CAR TOWED AWAY AND FILE A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE. LOOKING BACK ON TH EVENTS ON THAT MORNING IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT COULD HAVE TURNED TRAGIC AND WANT TO MAKE OTHER OWNERS AWARE THAT THIS VERY WELL COULD HAPPEN TO THEM TOO, I ALSO WANT MITSUBISHI TO LOOK INTO THIS THAT BASED ON WHAT I THINK IS A MANUFACTURES FAILURE THAT COULD COST MANY PEOPLES LIVES. I CAN'T SEEM TO IMAGINE THAT A CAR THAT IS 7 YEARS OLD IS COMING…”
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.