Illustration40000 OR MORE NEED A NEW HEAD GASTIC AND THATS TAKING THE ENGINE APART, HAD A LEAK WASN'T VALUE GASITIC AND TURNED OUT TO BE HEAD GASITIC, WHEN YOU DRIVE CAR A 100 MILES OR SO IT LOSES OIL, AND LOOSE ABOUT HALF A COURT OF OIL AND BURNING SMELL, IF YOU DON'T REPLACE WILL LOOSE MORE OIL
1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Eclipse years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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
20–25K
625–50K
1050–75K
775–100K
8100–150K
3150K+
36 reports with mileage · 93 unknown
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 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
22 crash reports5 fire reports12 injury reports
What owners actually said
129 reportsWHILE IDLING IN TRAFFIC THE DIFFERENTIAL EXPLODED AND KNOCKED A LARGE CHUNK OF METAL OUT. THIS RESULTED IN TRANSMISSION LOCKING UP AND OIL SPILLING. VEHICLE WILL ONLY ROLL BACKWARD.*AK TOWED VEHICLE TO CONSUMER'S HOME. DEALERSHIP WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK
WHEN DRIVING ANY SPEED, THE CONSUMER WOULD HEAR A CRACKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER OF A WORN LOWER BALL JOINT. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *JB THE CONSUMER CHECKED THE INTERNET AND SAW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON HER MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE FOR FAULTY BALL JOINTS. THE VEH…
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WHEN DRIVING ANY SPEED, THE CONSUMER WOULD HEAR A CRACKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER OF A WORN LOWER BALL JOINT. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *JB THE CONSUMER CHECKED THE INTERNET AND SAW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON HER MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE FOR FAULTY BALL JOINTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE CLOSEST MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS. THE CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS MADE. *BF *NM
I WAS EXITING AN INTERSTATE AND APPROACHING A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. THE REAR WHEELS OF THE VEHICLE LOCKED UP DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE TRANSFER CASE. THIS IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF THE TRANSFER CASE HAVING INADEQUATE DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURING ERROR (REF NHTSA RECALL ID: 98V069001). BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ARE REFUSING TO PER…
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I WAS EXITING AN INTERSTATE AND APPROACHING A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. THE REAR WHEELS OF THE VEHICLE LOCKED UP DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE TRANSFER CASE. THIS IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF THE TRANSFER CASE HAVING INADEQUATE DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURING ERROR (REF NHTSA RECALL ID: 98V069001). BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ARE REFUSING TO PERFORM RECALL WORK AT NO CHARGE CITING THAT THE RECALL SERVICE WAS PERFORMED ONCE BEFORE. DEFECTIVE PARTS WITHIN THE TRANSFER CASE WERE REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL NOTICE ONCE BEFORE HOWEVER MANUFACTURING FLAWS IN THE TRANSFER CASE DESIGN WERE NEVER CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSFER CASE WAS ONLY DELAYED, NOT CORRECTED, THROUGH THE INITIAL RECALL SERVICE. TELEPHONE INQUIRIES MADE TO NHTSA AND THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL?S OFFICE RESULTED IN FEEDBACK SUPPORTING THIS POSITION. *NM
DOOR HANDLE ON OUTSIDE OF CAR BROKE WHILE TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR PARKED IN MY GARAGE. TEMP IN GARAGE AROUND 35 F. CAR STILL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED AND DOOR IS UNUSABLE AS A RESULT. PARTS WILL HAVE TO ORDERED FROM DEALER AND THEN A BODY SHOP WILL HAVE TO PAINT TO MATCH. CAR IS SEVEN YEARS OLD THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING. *NM
BOTH OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES BROKE COMPLETELY OFF. *JB
WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING NOISE FORM THE TRANSFER CASE. THE REAR TIRE LOCKED UP, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB
MY WIFE AND I ARE THE CURRENT AND CONTINUOUS OWNERS OF A 1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. WITHIN THE SPACE OF APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS, BOTH DOOR HANDLES HAVE FALLEN OFF UNDER NORMAL USE. UPON REQUESTING THAT THE LOCAL MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP (SOUTH COAST, COSTA MESA, CA) REPLACE THE DOOR HANDLES, WE WERE TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TH…
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MY WIFE AND I ARE THE CURRENT AND CONTINUOUS OWNERS OF A 1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. WITHIN THE SPACE OF APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS, BOTH DOOR HANDLES HAVE FALLEN OFF UNDER NORMAL USE. UPON REQUESTING THAT THE LOCAL MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP (SOUTH COAST, COSTA MESA, CA) REPLACE THE DOOR HANDLES, WE WERE TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE REPLACEMENT COST FOR EACH DOOR HANDLE WOULD BE $275.00 U.S. DOLLARS. WE CONSIDER THIS TO BE PREDATORY PRICING FOR REPLACEMENT OF A DESIGN FLAW AND KNOWN DEFECT. *JB
I OWN A MITS.ECLIPSE GSX AND NOTICE THAT THEY RIMS WOULD GET LOOK BANGED UP WITH OUT BEING ABLE TO TELL HOW THEY WERE DAMAGE. ONE TIME A POT HOLE WAS TO BLAME. NOT A HUGE POTHOLE BUT A SMALL NORMAL POTHOLE. I ENDED UP WITH SEVERAL FLAT TIRES IN IL WHEN I LIVED THERE AND THE TIRE GUYS TOLD ME THAT EVENTUALLY I WOULD NEED TO R…
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I OWN A MITS.ECLIPSE GSX AND NOTICE THAT THEY RIMS WOULD GET LOOK BANGED UP WITH OUT BEING ABLE TO TELL HOW THEY WERE DAMAGE. ONE TIME A POT HOLE WAS TO BLAME. NOT A HUGE POTHOLE BUT A SMALL NORMAL POTHOLE. I ENDED UP WITH SEVERAL FLAT TIRES IN IL WHEN I LIVED THERE AND THE TIRE GUYS TOLD ME THAT EVENTUALLY I WOULD NEED TO RIMS. WHEN I MOVED TO TX, I WAS FORCED TO GET NEW RIMS BECAUSE THE RIMS AS THEY WERE WOULD NOT PASS THEIR STATE'S SAFETY INSPECTION. THE COST WAS $250 EACH TO FIX, BUT THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THEY WON'T GET DAMAGED AGAIN. I WAS TOLD BY THE SHOP THAT FIXED THEM THAT THEY HAD DONE A LOT OF THIS MODEL'S TIRES AND THAT A BLOWOUT WAS POSSIBLE DUE TO THEM. *AK
1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GSX WHEELS. THESE WHEELS BENT ON ME ABOUT 3 TIMES. I BLEW OUT A TIRE BECAUSE OF THEM ONCE, AND THE REST JUST BENT IF I HIT A SPEED BUMP OR SOMETHING REALLY SMALL. THESE ARE VERY DANGEROUS WHEELS. EVERYTIME I WENT TO MITSUBISHI AND THE SERVICE TECH'S TOLD ME THE WHEELS WERE VERY VERY WEAK AS WELL. THE…
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1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GSX WHEELS. THESE WHEELS BENT ON ME ABOUT 3 TIMES. I BLEW OUT A TIRE BECAUSE OF THEM ONCE, AND THE REST JUST BENT IF I HIT A SPEED BUMP OR SOMETHING REALLY SMALL. THESE ARE VERY DANGEROUS WHEELS. EVERYTIME I WENT TO MITSUBISHI AND THE SERVICE TECH'S TOLD ME THE WHEELS WERE VERY VERY WEAK AS WELL. THERE WAS NO HELP AT ALL. THESE WHEELS ARE HORRIBLE AND COULD HAVE CAUSED ME A FEW ACCIDENTS. *JB
Official recalls
404V428000 · 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.
00V421001 · 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.
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.
98V045001 · Vehicle Speed Control
Mar 3, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE DASH PANEL PAD CAN SHIFT INTERFERRING WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL WOULD NOT RETURN TO IDLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE A PORTION OF THE DASH PANEL PAD SO IT CANNOT INTERFERE WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTROL.
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
1RQ98007 · 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.