IllustrationENGINE HAS FAILED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO REPLACE ENGINE ONCE AND REPAIR IT TWICE.CONSUMER IS ADDING 2 -3 QUARTS OF OIL EVERY 500 MILES. PERIODICALLY, VEHICLE RUNS ROUGH AND SLUGGISH. DEALER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM, BUT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HAS BEEN SERVICING THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
1993 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1993 Mitsubishi Eclipse do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 49.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Eclipse 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: 2 of 36 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.
- Power Train. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
8 reportsWHEN DRIVNG AND UPON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE A NORMAL STOP TIMING BELT BROKE OFF FROM ENGINE, CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO ENGINE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER NOTED ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT THE THRUST BEARING HAD FAILED CAUSING THE MOTOR TO SPIN 2 ROD BEARINGS. HE ALSO SIAD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 93-99 CARS KNOWN AS "CRANKWALK" AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT RIGHT IS TO INSTALL A MOTOR FROM A 90-92 CAR. I HAVE RESHEARCHED THE "CRANKWALK" AND FOUND MANY OTHER…
Read full complaint
I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT THE THRUST BEARING HAD FAILED CAUSING THE MOTOR TO SPIN 2 ROD BEARINGS. HE ALSO SIAD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 93-99 CARS KNOWN AS "CRANKWALK" AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT RIGHT IS TO INSTALL A MOTOR FROM A 90-92 CAR. I HAVE RESHEARCHED THE "CRANKWALK" AND FOUND MANY OTHER OWNERS ARE TRYING TO GET MITSUBISHI TO RECALL THE CARS AFFECTED SINCE THIS IS A SAFTETY ISSUE THAT COULD LEAD TO ENGINE LOCKUP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.*AK
CAR SURGES CONTINUALLY...WHILE DRIVING AT SLOWER SPEEDS AND ALSO WHEN IN GEAR. VEHICLE SCAN INDICATED OXYGEN SENSOR. OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED...PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. 3 AUTO REPAIR SHOPS COULD NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. ADDITIONALLY, CAR STALLS WHEN PUT INTO GEAR AND ALSO WHEN DRIVING.
TIMING BELT BROKE AND LOCKED ENGINE, POSSIBLE VALVE BENT
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
ENGINE/OIL PUMP FAILED.
WATER PUMP BYPASS HOSE CLAMP WEAK, CAUSING ANTI-FREEZE TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE.
Official recalls
198V069001 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Mar 26, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. LOCKUP OF THE TRANSFER CASE CAN OCCUR DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR ADEQUACY OF THE TRANSFER CASE OIL VOLUME, TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AND OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION OF THE TRANSFER CASE MECHANISM. IF OIL VOLUME IS INSUFFICIENT, THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF OIL WILL BE ADDED. IF THERE IS TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AFFECTED COMPONENTS WILL BE REPLACED. IF THE TRANSFER CASE SHOWS OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION, THE TRANSFER CASE WILL BE REPLACED.
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
3RQ98007 · Transfer Case Leakage
Opened May 11, 1998 · Closed Aug 28, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission
THE TRANSFER CASE OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD), MITSUBISHI GALANT, ALLEGEDLY LEAKS OIL CAUSING ONE OR MORE WHEELS TO LOCKUP; OR THE INABILITY TO TRANSMIT ENGINE POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS.THE VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME TRANSFER CASE DESIGN AS THE ECLIPSE VEHICLES WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ALLEGED DEFECT.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:automatic Transmission
THE TRANSFER CASE OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD), MITSUBISHI GALANT, ALLEGEDLY LEAKS OIL CAUSING ONE OR MORE WHEELS TO LOCKUP; OR THE INABILITY TO TRANSMIT ENGINE POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS.THE VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME TRANSFER CASE DESIGN AS THE ECLIPSE VEHICLES WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ALLEGED DEFECT.
Power Train:automatic Transmission
THE TRANSFER CASE OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD), MITSUBISHI GALANT, ALLEGEDLY LEAKS OIL CAUSING ONE OR MORE WHEELS TO LOCKUP; OR THE INABILITY TO TRANSMIT ENGINE POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS.THE VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME TRANSFER CASE DESIGN AS THE ECLIPSE VEHICLES WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ALLEGED DEFECT.
EA98002 · Transfer Case Lockup
Opened Jan 30, 1998 · Closed Apr 30, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Wheels
No summary supplied.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Wheels
Wheels
PE97040 · Transfer Case Lockup
Opened Sep 4, 1997 · Closed Jan 30, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Wheels
ALLEGED DRIVETRAIN FAILURE THAT CAN LEAD TO LOCK-UP OF THE REAR OR ALL WHEELS.