IllustrationTRANSMISSION IS LEAKING FLUID. DEALER SAID THAT VEHICLE HAS THE WRONG TRANSMISSION FLUID. *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 reportsPAINT CHIPS.
VEHICLE SLID ON MUD NO COLLISION WITH OTHER VEHICLE OR OBSTACLE, FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG.
HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & INFORMED BY MECHANIC NO DEFECTS OR PROBLEMS W/BRAKES. LATER, HAD AN ACCIDENT & FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE FOUND TO BE WORN UNEVENLY ON ONE SIDE, BUT NOT ON OTHER SIDE. BACK BRAKES WERE FOUND TOTALLY OUT OF ADJUSTMENT. *AK
TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY BROKE DOWN ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.
TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS VERY VIOLENTLY WITH (VIBRATIONS).
ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS UPON APPROACHING TO MAKE A GRADUAL STOP, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD, RESULTING IN THE CONSUMER HAVING AN ACCIDENT ON TWO DIFFERENT INCIDENTS. CONSUMER BELIEVES THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED DUE TO THE FUEL INJECTIONS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS NOT REPLACED ANY PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE AN…
Read full complaint
ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS UPON APPROACHING TO MAKE A GRADUAL STOP, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD, RESULTING IN THE CONSUMER HAVING AN ACCIDENT ON TWO DIFFERENT INCIDENTS. CONSUMER BELIEVES THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED DUE TO THE FUEL INJECTIONS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS NOT REPLACED ANY PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE ENGINE STARTED TO RACE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO MOVE FORWARD, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE BY KEEPING HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
CONSUMER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER WINDOWS ON THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE, CONSUMER STATES WHEN CLOSING THE WINDOW AND AFTER RELEASING FINGER OFF THE WINDOW, THE WINDOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE. *AK
DRIVING AT 30MPH, WENT TO ACCELERATE & VEHICLE WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED; THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS ALL THE TIME; TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM, EVEN AFTER USING COMPUTER. *AK
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.