IllustrationCONSUMER STATES BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED. *YH
1998 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: 7 of 43 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports2 fire reports7 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
9 reportsWHILE AT A STANDSTILL, ANOTHER VEHICLE REARENDED MIRAGE. IMPACT PUSHED VEHICLE INTO A VAN. AFTER IMPACTING VAN, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES, HAD EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT.*AK *TT
IT POTHOLE CAUSING ME TO RUN UP ON THE CURB. THERE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT IMPACT FOR MY BODY TO BE THROWN FORWARD, BUT THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ANYWAY. DAMAGE TO THE CAR IS LIMITED TO TO A CRACK ON THE LOWER LEFT FRONT GROUND EFFECT AND A CRACKED TRANSMISSION PAN.*AK
CONSUUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN TRAILER TRUCK VEERED INTO HER LANE. THERE WAS A CONSTRUCTION ZONE LANE. SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND WAS FORCED INTO THE GUARDRAIL. DUAL AIRBAGS AND SEATBELT DIDN'T WORK AT ALL. *AK
WHILE STOPPING DURING RAIN CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO REAR END A VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS DURING VEHICLE COLLISION RESULTED IN INJURY TO DRIVERS NECK, BACK, LEG AND ARM FROM CONSUMER HITTING STEERING WHEEL. NLM
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN, HITTING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HEAD-ON, AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD, AND VEHICLE DIDN'T STOP. VEHICLE SKIDED ABOUT 60 FEET AND COLLIDED WITH VEHICLE IN FRONT. IT CAME TO A STOP, AND THE AIR BAGS ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
Official recalls
200V311001 · 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.
97V179000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Oct 14, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A POORLY MANUFACTURED VACUUM CHECK VALVE IN THE VACUUM HOSE BETWEEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, THE VACUUM BOOSTER CHECK VALVE CAN STICK TO THE VALVE BODY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN REDUCTION OR LOSS OF VACUUM BOOST, REDUCING BRAKE EFFICIENCY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE VACUUM HOSE.
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.