IllustrationHAD A SIDE IMPACT NEAR THE GAS TANK. WHILE DRIVER WAS COMING OUT OF THE VEHICLE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING INJURIES TO THE DRIVER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
1997 Mitsubishi Mirage
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Mirage 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: 6 of 74 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
13 crash reports1 fire reports9 injury reports
What owners actually said
74 reports(AT AROUND 57, 000 MILES, WE HAD THE CAR SERVICED 11/30/99. INCLUDED WAS A 60,000 MILE TRANSMISSION CHECK AND SERVICE. ) ON APRIL 10, 2000, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WENT OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL SO MY HUSBAND HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR. HE WAS DRIVING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, SO LUCKILY HE DIDN'T GET INTO AN A…
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(AT AROUND 57, 000 MILES, WE HAD THE CAR SERVICED 11/30/99. INCLUDED WAS A 60,000 MILE TRANSMISSION CHECK AND SERVICE. ) ON APRIL 10, 2000, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WENT OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL SO MY HUSBAND HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR. HE WAS DRIVING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, SO LUCKILY HE DIDN'T GET INTO AN ACCIDENT OR GET HURT. NOTE: SOME OF THE AUTO INFORMATION AND DEALER INFO IS INCOMPLETE--THE PAPERWORK IS IN THE CAR AT THE MECHANICS, I CAN GET THAT INFO IF YOU NEED. THANK YOU. *AK
DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FAIL TO RETRACT PROPERLY, IT STARTED WHEN SRS LIGHT STAYED ON, DEALER REPLACED SPRING TO CORRECT SRS PROBLEM. *ET
DRIVER HIT A DEER WITH A 65 MPH IMPACT , DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING NECK/ LOWER BACK, AND FACE INJURIES TO DRIVER, EVEN WITH SEATBELT WORN. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT THE SPEEDS OF 60-65MPH VEHICLE STRUCK A 180 POUND DEER, CAUSING SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE BACK AND NECK. ALSO, DRIVER'S FACE STRUCK STEERING WHEEL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY, FIFTH GEAR FAILURE TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP WHO ORDER THE PARTS THEN SAID LATER THAT THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT THEN SAID THE FOLLOWING INCORRECT LUBRICANT WAS PRESENT IN TRANSMISSION AT INSPECTION ?? HOW WHO DID THIS WHICH DEALERSHIP VEHICLE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, THE TRANMISSION IS UNDER W…
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TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY, FIFTH GEAR FAILURE TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP WHO ORDER THE PARTS THEN SAID LATER THAT THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT THEN SAID THE FOLLOWING INCORRECT LUBRICANT WAS PRESENT IN TRANSMISSION AT INSPECTION ?? HOW WHO DID THIS WHICH DEALERSHIP VEHICLE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, THE TRANMISSION IS UNDER WARRANTY BUT DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX TRANSMISSION
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE, AND THE BRAKES GO STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD. *AK
VEHICLE STALLS WHEN STARTED UP. VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
BAD THROTTLE BODY CONNECTION CAUSED VEHICLE TO STALL WHEN CLUTCH DEPRESSED RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. NLM
PROBLEM #1) IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR, I BECAME AWARE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE CAR STALLS WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED. IT WILL OCCUR A DOZEN TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND THEN NOT HAPPEN FOR ANOTHER 6-8 MONTHS. IT HAPPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AFTER THE PURCHASE. I REPORTED IT …
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PROBLEM #1) IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR, I BECAME AWARE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE CAR STALLS WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED. IT WILL OCCUR A DOZEN TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND THEN NOT HAPPEN FOR ANOTHER 6-8 MONTHS. IT HAPPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AFTER THE PURCHASE. I REPORTED IT TO COLONIAL AUTO CENTER AND NOTHING WAS FOUND WRONG. IT HAPPENED AGAIN IN JANUARY 1998 WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING. AGAIN, I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK AND NOTHING WAS FOUND. IT HAPPENED IN THE SUMMER OF 1998, AND AGAIN IN APRIL OF 1999. PROBLEM #2) ON THE MORNING OF APRIL 25, 1999, I WENT TO START MY CAR AND GO TO WORK. THE HORN WAS STUCK ON! THE ONLY WAY I COULD STOP THE PROBLEM WAS TO PULL THE FUSE. THE DEALER SAID THE HORN BUTTON WAS PUSHED IN, EVEN THOUGH WHEN I GOT HOME THE DAY BEFORE, THE HORN WAS NOT BLOWING. THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPALCE THE ENTIRE AIR-BAG SYSTEM FOR $656.23.
Official recalls
100V311001 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
Oct 2, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES: MIRAGE MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.5L ENGINES; MONTERO SPORT MODELS EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L ENGINES; AND MONTERO MODELS EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L ENGINES. THE BOLT SECURING THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY CAN BECOME LOOSE AND THE PULLEY COULD FALL OFF THE VEHICLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: ON THE MIRAGE VEHICLES, THE DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW, IMPROVED CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT ON THE OLDER ENGINES. ON NEW ENGINES WHICH ALREADY HAVE THE IMPROVED BOLT, THE DEALER WILL TIGHTEN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT TO THE CORRECT TORQUE SPECIFICATION. ON THE MONTERO MODELS, DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT TO THE CORRECT TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS. IF THE BOLT IS DAMAGED, IT 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.