MY 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GSX HATCH WILL RELEASE BUT WILL NOT OPEN WHEN RELEASE FROM RELEASING HANDLE ON THE SIDE OF THE DRIVER SEAT FLOOR. *TR
1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Eclipse years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
35 reports with mileage · 85 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 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.
Latches/locks/linkages complaints
7 reportsTWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE OF MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE 1999 GS DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF FROM THE INSIDE AND NOW I HAVE TO OPEN DOOR FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. CAR WAS TAKING BACK TO DEALERSHIP WHO DIRECTED ME TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX THE DOOR LATCH STATING THAT IT WAS UNDER NORMAL WEAR AND T…
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TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE OF MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE 1999 GS DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF FROM THE INSIDE AND NOW I HAVE TO OPEN DOOR FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. CAR WAS TAKING BACK TO DEALERSHIP WHO DIRECTED ME TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX THE DOOR LATCH STATING THAT IT WAS UNDER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR CONDITIONS. THERE ARE TOO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE TO BE CONSIDERED NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS ITEM I AM HAVING BACK ISSUES DUE TO OPENING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. *TR
I STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE NEW. THE DRIVER DOOR HANDLE WOULD NOT "CATCH" SOMETIMES WHEN I TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY FIXED IT. A FEW WEEKS AFTER THAT I CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. SINCE THE DOOR HANDLE DID …
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I STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE NEW. THE DRIVER DOOR HANDLE WOULD NOT "CATCH" SOMETIMES WHEN I TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY FIXED IT. A FEW WEEKS AFTER THAT I CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. SINCE THE DOOR HANDLE DID NOT ALWAYS DO THIS I JUST DEALT WITH IT AND DID NOT TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER. AFTER THE WARRANTY WAS UP THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE COMPLETELY BROKE OFF AND NOW THE DRIVER SIDE HANDLE DOES NOT "CATCH" SO I CANNOT OPEN EITHER DOOR--I HAD TO CLIMB IN THROUGH THE HATCHBACK!! IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE DOOR HANDLES. ALSO, THE TRUNK/HATCH LOCK IS WEIRD, I HAVE TO TURN THE KEY TWICE EVERY TIME TO OPEN THE TRUNK--THE FIRST TIME THE TRUNK OPENS SLIGHTLY BUT REMAINS LOCKED...*NM
BOTH DOOR HANDLES ON MY CAR ARE BROKEN AND I CAN NO LONGER USE THEM TO ENTER MY 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. I HAVE CALLED LOCAL JUNK YARDS TO FIND IF THEY HAVE THE CAR THEY HAVE ALREADY STRIPPED THE DOOR HANDLES, B/C THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH OTHER ECLIPSE CAR OWNERS.*AK
WHILE TRYING TO OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR ON MY SON'S 1999 ECLIPSE THE DOOR HANDLE JUST BROKE OFF IN MY HAND CAUSING MY SON TO HAVE TO ENTER THE CAR FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. I QUESTIONED OTHER PEOPLE WITH ECLIPSES AND FOUND THAT 3 OF 5 EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM! I WENT TO THE DEALER FOR A NEW HANDLE AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST ME …
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WHILE TRYING TO OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR ON MY SON'S 1999 ECLIPSE THE DOOR HANDLE JUST BROKE OFF IN MY HAND CAUSING MY SON TO HAVE TO ENTER THE CAR FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. I QUESTIONED OTHER PEOPLE WITH ECLIPSES AND FOUND THAT 3 OF 5 EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM! I WENT TO THE DEALER FOR A NEW HANDLE AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST ME $80 PLUS PAINT AND INSTALLATION. EVEN THE PARTS SHOP WAS OUT OF DOOR HANDLES DUE TO THE CURRENT DEMAND FOR THEM. THE EMPLOYEE BEHIND THE COUNTER SAYS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. IF HE CAN SEE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM, THEN WHY CANT MITSUBISHI SEE THIS TOO? THE ANSWER IS, THEY KNOW BUT ARE NOT INTENDING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNTIL OUR GREAT GOVERNMENT(?) STEPS IN AND FORCES THEM TO! THEN I STARTED LOOKING AT OTHER CARS ON THE STREET AND WAS AMAZED TO SEE HOW MANY ECLIPSES HAD BLACK ( THATS THE COLOR THE REPLACEMENTS ARE ) DOOR HANDLES ON THEM. THIS IS UNDOUBTEDLY A MASSIVE PROBLEM AND MITSUBISHI NEEDS TO STEP UP AND START TREATING THEIR CUSTOMERS FAIRLY AND REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE DOOR HANDLES, AT LEAST AS THEY BREAK. MITSUBISHI DOESNT SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM PROMISING THEIR CUSTOMERS VALUE FOR THEIR MONEY UNTIL THERE IS A PROBLEM SUCH AS THIS THEN THEY JUST TURN THEIR BACK ON THE VERY PEOPLE THAT KEEP THEM IN BUSINESS! THEIR CUSTOMERS!*AK
AS I WAS GETTING INTO MY CAR, MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF INTO MY HAND. I AM NOW HAVING TO OPEN THE DOOR BY GETTING IN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND OPENING MY DOOR THROUGH THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET AN ESTIMATE AND THEY SAID THAT LABOR ALONE WILL BE $90.00. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON …
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AS I WAS GETTING INTO MY CAR, MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF INTO MY HAND. I AM NOW HAVING TO OPEN THE DOOR BY GETTING IN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND OPENING MY DOOR THROUGH THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET AN ESTIMATE AND THEY SAID THAT LABOR ALONE WILL BE $90.00. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE ECLIPSE. *LA
MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. STICK SHIFT WOULD POP OUT OF 5TH GEAR ON OCCASSION AND THEN STARTED TO POP OUT OF GEAR IN 4TH THEN COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. CAR HAS LESS THAN 43000 MILES ON IT. I'VE HEARD OF SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. ALSO DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF, AGAIN HEARD SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WI…
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MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. STICK SHIFT WOULD POP OUT OF 5TH GEAR ON OCCASSION AND THEN STARTED TO POP OUT OF GEAR IN 4TH THEN COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. CAR HAS LESS THAN 43000 MILES ON IT. I'VE HEARD OF SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. ALSO DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF, AGAIN HEARD SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH SAME PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT. *AK
Official recalls
204V428000 · 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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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