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2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Eclipse years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse are substantially higher than the model-year median of 49.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

75 reports with mileage · 49 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.

  • Structure. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

15 crash reports4 fire reports7 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

4 reports
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100,000 miles · Jul 21, 2009
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, HydraulicFire

I HAVE A MITISUBISHI ECLIPSE 2003 100000 MILES ( MAJORITY HIGHWAY). IN THE SPRING OF 08-THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE WAS CHANGING GEARS HARD AND WAS ADVISE IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION/MOTOR MOUNDS. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AS MUCH AS 40MPH. TOOK IT BACK TO MITISUBISHI DEALER F…

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I HAVE A MITISUBISHI ECLIPSE 2003 100000 MILES ( MAJORITY HIGHWAY). IN THE SPRING OF 08-THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE WAS CHANGING GEARS HARD AND WAS ADVISE IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION/MOTOR MOUNDS. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AS MUCH AS 40MPH. TOOK IT BACK TO MITISUBISHI DEALER FOR SERVICE/DIAGNOSIS-TOLD POSSIBLE EVENTUALLY TRANS, TIMING BELT AND POSSIBLY RADIATOR, WHICH WAS ONE OF ANOTHER CONSUMERS RESOLVE. WELL, THEY FLUSH THE RADIATOR AND IT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM OF DRIVING BUT NOT THE NOISE. ALSO JUNE 2009-AFTER DRIVING 5 MPH I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER ( CALL FOR TOW AND LATER OPENED THE HOOD TO SEE ALL THE INSULATION SMOLDER). AFTER BEING STRANDED FOR OVER AN HOUR I WAS TOWED TO MY DESTINATION. THE CAR WAS LATER TOWED TO CONTRACTOR ADVISE POSSIBLE DISTRIBUTOR, REALIZED IT WAS NOT THE DISTRIBUTOR AND SUGGEST CAR IS TOWED TO MITSUBISH FOR OFFICIAL COMPUTER SERVICE DIAGNOSIS ( DUE TO CAR STARTING BUT NOT TURNING OVER). ADVISE, BY THE MITISUBISHI SERVICE TECH ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRES WERE MELTED... COMPUTER FAILURE/EXTREME ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DAMAGE, HARNESS MELTED ETC; I ASK THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER @ THE DEALERSHIP, WHAT WOULD CAUSE THIS AND HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE? HE STATED ?NOT SURE OF CAUSE?AND WAS REALLY SHOCKED TO THE DAMAGE "POSSIBLE FUSE, IGNITION WIRES SOMETHING" NOT SURE. DIAGNOSTIC TESTING COST $112.00 REPAIR ESTIMATE $5400. HELP!!!I THE MANUFACTURE NEEDS TO BE MADE AWARE OF THIS HAZARD OF A PROBLEM; IF NOT ALREADY. WITH RECALL/REPLACEMENT AND/OR REIMBURSE GOOD FAITH AND LOYAL MITSUBISHI CONSUMERS. I WON'T BEGAN TO EXPLAIN THE NUMEROUS BRAKE/ROTORS & TIRES REPLACED/REPAIRED WITHIN 5 YEARS OF PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 2002. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10277592

36,500 miles · Jan 7, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

FRONT RIGHT BRAKE ROTOR KEEPS WARPING. REPLACED WITH NEW ONE ONCE WHILE CAR STILL UNDER WARRANTY; SAME ONE (AREA) WARPED AGAIN WITH IN 1 YR OF 1ST TIME, HAD RESURFACED, NOW WITHIN LESS THAN THREE MONTHS IT IS WARPED AGAIN. IT IS NOT THE WAY I DRIVE, I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 25 YEARS & I HAVE NEVER HAD A WARPED ROTOR ON ANY CAR I …

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FRONT RIGHT BRAKE ROTOR KEEPS WARPING. REPLACED WITH NEW ONE ONCE WHILE CAR STILL UNDER WARRANTY; SAME ONE (AREA) WARPED AGAIN WITH IN 1 YR OF 1ST TIME, HAD RESURFACED, NOW WITHIN LESS THAN THREE MONTHS IT IS WARPED AGAIN. IT IS NOT THE WAY I DRIVE, I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 25 YEARS & I HAVE NEVER HAD A WARPED ROTOR ON ANY CAR I HAVE OWNED & I HAD A CAMARO FOR 6 YEARS & HAD 140,000, & NO WARPED ROTOR! WHY IS IT THE SAME ONE EVERY TIME? I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER & EVEN THEY CAN'T FIND OUT WHY THE SAME ONE GETS WARPED. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED BY A VERY EXPERIENCED BRAKE SPECIALIST THAT THE ROTOR WAS DEFECTIVE IN MANUFACTURING, WHICH THE METAL WAS CAST WITH IMPUTRITIES CAUSING THIN & THINK PLACES THAT WITH ANY HEAT WEAR UNEVENLY, CAUSING WARPAGE. MAKES SENSE. MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY NOR BUT I ONLY HAVE 41,000 ON IT, AND I ONLY GO TO AND FROM WORK WHICH IS ONLY 8 MILES FROM HOME WITH ONLY TWO STOPS SIGNS. THERE IS NOT MUCH USEAGE OF MY BRAKES, NOT ENOUGH TO CONTINUE TO REPLACE THE SAME ROTOR! THERE ARE NUMEROUS WEBSITES ABOUT MITSUBISHI CARS & PROBLEMS THAT SOUND EXACTLY LIKE MINE, SO I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE, BUT MITSUBISHI WANTS TO BLAME THE DRIVERS FOR MAKING BAD OR SUDDEN STOPS OR RIDING BREAKS, INSTEAD OF ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM. IF I HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THE 8 CARS I HAVE OWNED IN MY LIEFTIME, THEN YES MAYBE IT MIGHT BE MY DRIVING, BUT NEVER TILL THIS CAR HAVE I HAD A ROTOR ISSUE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10178003

Mileage unknown · Sep 15, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING A 2003 MITSUBISHI ESCLIPSE GS, I NOTICED RUST APPEARING ON THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS. THE DEALERSHIP SPRAYED SOMETHING ON THEM WHEN WE HAD IT IN FOR WARRANTY SERVICE. THIS RUST HAS GOTTEN INCREASINGLY WORSE. THERE ARE ONLY 40,000 MILES ON THIS CAR. I AM WORRIED THAT THIS RUST WILL LEAD TO A FAILURE IN…

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3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING A 2003 MITSUBISHI ESCLIPSE GS, I NOTICED RUST APPEARING ON THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS. THE DEALERSHIP SPRAYED SOMETHING ON THEM WHEN WE HAD IT IN FOR WARRANTY SERVICE. THIS RUST HAS GOTTEN INCREASINGLY WORSE. THERE ARE ONLY 40,000 MILES ON THIS CAR. I AM WORRIED THAT THIS RUST WILL LEAD TO A FAILURE IN THESE PARTS IN THE FUTURE AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #10168412

54 miles · Aug 6, 2003
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

THE DAY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED DRIVER APPLIED PRESSURE TO BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE FISHTAILED ACROSS THE ROAD. VEHICLE WENT AIRBORNE, AND FLIPPED OVER INTO A DITCH. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE AIR BAGS ALSO DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10032189

Official recalls

3

15V338000 · 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.

03V442000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Nov 4, 2003

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL RETURN LINE HOSE FITTING ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP MAY BE RESTRICTED, CAUSING EXCESSIVE FUEL PRESSURE TO BUILD UP IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. EXCESSIVE FUEL PRESSURE MAY RESULT IN A LEAK IN THE FUEL RETURN HOSE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL PUMP PRESSURE. THOSE VEHICLES EXHIBITING HIGHER THAN NORMAL FUEL PUMP PRESSURE WILL RECEIVE FUEL PUMP MODIFICATIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN DECEMBER 3, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037 OR MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-800-981-0452.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.