IllustrationELECTRONIC CONTROL MODUAL WHILE DRIVING ALL POWER TO CAR JUST LOST. *TR
1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Eclipse years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse are substantially higher than 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: 21 of 159 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.
- Suspension. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
25 crash reports5 fire reports8 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
9 reportsI BOUGHT A 1996 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE AND ON THE WAY HOME IT BROKE DOWN COMPLETELY. I RESEARCHED THE CAR AND FOUND EVIDENCE THAT THE ODOMETER HAS EITHER BEEN DISCONNECTED OR ROLLED BACK. THE REASON THAT I SAY THIS IS BECAUSE ON WWW.CARFAX.COM IT REPORTS THAT IN 2001 WHEN THIS PERSON PURCHASED THIS CAR IT HAD 51,717 MILES ON IT. TH…
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I BOUGHT A 1996 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE AND ON THE WAY HOME IT BROKE DOWN COMPLETELY. I RESEARCHED THE CAR AND FOUND EVIDENCE THAT THE ODOMETER HAS EITHER BEEN DISCONNECTED OR ROLLED BACK. THE REASON THAT I SAY THIS IS BECAUSE ON WWW.CARFAX.COM IT REPORTS THAT IN 2001 WHEN THIS PERSON PURCHASED THIS CAR IT HAD 51,717 MILES ON IT. THEN IT SAYS THAT OVER A YEAR LATER IN 2002 THAT THE CAR REPORTED 51,719 MILES ON IT. WHAT ARE SOME OTHER THINGS I CAN DO TO MAKE MORE PROOF OF THIS HAPPENING. WHAT CAN I GET OUT OF THE SELLER IF THIS IS THE CASE... ALL MY MONEY BACK? MORE THAN MY MONEY BACK? THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP, I ALSO COPIED AND PASTED THE CARFAX PAGE WITH THE ODOMETER READINGS. GET BACK TO ME ASAP. THANK YOU GOOD NEWS! CARFAX SEARCH RESULTS ON THIS 1996 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GST ([XXX]) DID NOT UNCOVER A POTENTIAL ODOMETER ROLLBACK. CARFAX ANALYZED THIS VEHICLE'S REPORTED ODOMETER READINGS TO DETERMINE IF ANY READING IS LESS THAN A PREVIOUSLY REPORTED READING. DATE REPORTED: ODOMETER READING: 06/10/1996 475 REPORTED ON 05/08/1996 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 07/09/1998 16,989 REPORTED ON 06/25/1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 08/10/1999 32,576 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10/16/2000 33,596 REPORTED ON 10/26/1999 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11/14/2001 51,717 REPORTED ON 07/23/2001 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12/04/2002 51,719 REPORTED ON 12/04/2002 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
PRIOR TO EXPIRATION OF WARRANTY, DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WAS DETERMINED BY DEALERSHIP THAT AIRBAG WAS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE HORN WOULD NOT WORK. IN JANUARY 2001 I HAD THE CAR IN FOR A HEAD GASKET AND SKED FOR THE HORN TO BE CHECKED AGAIN AND IT WAS DETERMINED ONCE AGAIN THAT THE AIRBAG WAS DEFECTIVE. I SAW IN THE PAPER THAT MITSUBISHI WA…
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PRIOR TO EXPIRATION OF WARRANTY, DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WAS DETERMINED BY DEALERSHIP THAT AIRBAG WAS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE HORN WOULD NOT WORK. IN JANUARY 2001 I HAD THE CAR IN FOR A HEAD GASKET AND SKED FOR THE HORN TO BE CHECKED AGAIN AND IT WAS DETERMINED ONCE AGAIN THAT THE AIRBAG WAS DEFECTIVE. I SAW IN THE PAPER THAT MITSUBISHI WAS RECALLING CALLS DUE TO FAULTY AIRBAGS (2/01). I REFUSE TO PAY $600 FOR SOMETHING THAT IS DEFECTIVE A 2ND TIME AND I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING THE CAR.
NO SUMMARY
CLUTCH LINE HAS BLOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. DEALER REPLACED THE SHORT BLOCK WHICH ONLY TEMPORARILY REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
VEHICLE CONTINUALLY HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH SHORT IN SYSTEM CAUSING BATTERY FAILURES ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
LEFT MAIN WIRING HARNESS AND WIRING TO UPPER REAR BRAKE LIGHT FAILED, STARTING FIRE.
DRIVING THE CAR AND THE CAR LOST ITS POWER(STALLED) AND THEN STARTED TO SMOKE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. PLEASE EXPLAIN. *AK
LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING AND CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AREA. PLEASE EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL. *AK
Official recalls
400V421001 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
Dec 18, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE. ALSO, MMC HAS ADDED THE POTENTIAL OF LEAKING MOISTURE, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE BALL STUD TO CORRODE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. THIS CAMPAIGN SUPERCEDES MMC'S PREVIOUS SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN, SEE 99V-066.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT FOR WEAR. BALL JOINTS THAT EXHIBIT WEAR BEYOND THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY DESIGNED LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS. BALL JOINTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE CLEANED AND A SPECIAL SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED TO PREVENT INTRUSION OF MOISTURE.
99V066001 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
Apr 5, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE RUBBER BOOTS, AND IF THE BOOT IS DAMAGED, THEY WILL REPLACE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM AND BALL JOINT ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.
98V069001 · 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.
96V158001 · Fuel System, Gasoline
Aug 27, 1996
THE FUEL TANK GASKETS FOR THE FUEL PUMP AND/OR GAUGE UNIT GASKET COULD HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY INSTALLED ALLOWING FUEL OR FUMES TO ESCAPE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WERE PRESENT, THE FUEL LEAKAGE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL TANK AND IF THE GASKETS ARE FOUND TO BE LEAKING, REPLACE THE FUEL TANK, CAPS AND GASKETS.
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
4RQ00015 · Lower Contrtol Arm Ball Joint
Opened Aug 2, 2000 · Closed Apr 20, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (3)
Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Suspension
There is no summary currently available
RQ98007 · 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.