IllustrationTHE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SIDE IMPACT ACCIDENT, AND THE SIDE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.*JB
2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Eclipse Spyder years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 11 of 24 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Wheels. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
24 reportsMY "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON, THERE WAS A "MISS" IN THE ENGINE AND WHEN TESTED BY THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT I HAD A "BAD" SPARK PLUG SO DID A REPLACEMENT. I PICKED IT UP DROVE ABOUT 5 MILES AND THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DETERMINED THE SAME PROB…
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MY "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON, THERE WAS A "MISS" IN THE ENGINE AND WHEN TESTED BY THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT I HAD A "BAD" SPARK PLUG SO DID A REPLACEMENT. I PICKED IT UP DROVE ABOUT 5 MILES AND THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DETERMINED THE SAME PROBLEM AND REPLACED THE SPARK PLUG AGAIN. ALSO INDICATING THAT THE COMPUTER ROM HAD TO BE UPDATED. WHEN THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON YET AGAIN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL APRIL WHEN THE "UPDATE" IS AVAILABLE. IN THE MEAN TIME, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT IS ON, THERE IS A TERRIBLE MISS & MY GAS MILEAGE IS CRUMMY. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT FURTHER DAMAGE TO MY ENGINE AND AM GETTING NOWHERE WITH EITHER THE DEALERSHIP OR MITSUBISHI CORPORATION.
REAR WINDOW BROKE AND FELL OUT WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY.*AK JB
THE BOOT COVER FOR THE CONVERTIBLE TOP BLEW OFF TWO TIMES ONTO THE HIGHWAY BEHIND ME ON A RECENT TRIP TO HOUSTON, TX. AFTER PASSING A U-HAUL AND NOTICING THAT THE BOOT COVER WAS ABOUT TO BLOW OFF AGAIN, I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY, REMOVED THE BOOT COVER AND PLACED IT IN THE TRUNK. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCID…
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THE BOOT COVER FOR THE CONVERTIBLE TOP BLEW OFF TWO TIMES ONTO THE HIGHWAY BEHIND ME ON A RECENT TRIP TO HOUSTON, TX. AFTER PASSING A U-HAUL AND NOTICING THAT THE BOOT COVER WAS ABOUT TO BLOW OFF AGAIN, I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY, REMOVED THE BOOT COVER AND PLACED IT IN THE TRUNK. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT IF THE COVER HAD BLOWN OFF IN THE PATH OF A VEHICLE FOLLOWING ME. I DREAD TO THINK WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IF THE COVER HAD BLOWN OFF IN THE PATH OF THE U-HAUL I WAS PASSING.*AK
Official recalls
215V338000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
Jun 2, 2015
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004, 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000, to March 18, 2005, 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 21, 2005, and 2001-2005 Dodge Stratus vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 22, 2005. In the affected vehicles, the passenger side sun visor may be folded down in such a position that, if the passenger frontal air bag deploys, the passenger side sun visor may detach.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
Remedy: MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-15-005. Chrysler and Dodge owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R30.
04V428000 · Equipment:other:labels
Sep 1, 2004
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Remedy: MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL CURRENT 2000-2004 NATIVA OWNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ALERT LABELS FOR THE SUN VISORS. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH OR APRIL 2005. THE NOTIFICATION TO THE NATIVA OWNERS IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL OR MAY 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA02007 · Aluminum Alloy Wheel Denting
Opened May 31, 2002 · Closed May 1, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Wheels
SEE ATTACHED REPORT.