IllustrationTHE CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE IN THE VEHICLE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE WIPER MOTOR BURNED OUT. *NLM
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
What owners actually said
43 reportsBOTH FRONT TIRES STARTED TO SHAKE, HAD THE TIRES BALANCED, ROTATED, ETC. MECHANIC PUT THEM ON BACK. THEY SHAKE LIKE UNREAL. WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, IT DID NOT DO THIS (BOUGHT USED). IT SEEMED TO HAPPEN OUT OF THE BLUE. DT
PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR FLIES OPEN WHEN DRIVING AFTER IT HAS BEEN SECURLY LOCKED. CONTACTED DEALER.THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM.*AK
CONSUMER NOTICED FUEL LEAKING. DEALER STATED THAT FUEL TANK HAD RUSTED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AKTHE GAS TANK AND THE ENTIRE FUEL LINE IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT UPON INSPECTION SINCE THE FUEL TANK HAD RUSTED, MITSUBISHI DECIDED THE FUEL TANK WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. *JG
CONSUMER STATES BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED. *YH
SINCE THE THIRD DAY OF PURCHASE, I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND INFORMED THE SALESMAN ALL THE PROBLEMS AND HE SAID THAT THE CAR HAS A NEW INVERT SYSTEM AND IT WILL GET USED TO THE WAY I DRIVE THE CAR. BEFORE THE MONTH OF PURCHASED, THE CAR STOPPED WHILE DRIVEN AND IT HAD TO BE TOWERED TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE PEOPLE SAID TH…
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SINCE THE THIRD DAY OF PURCHASE, I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND INFORMED THE SALESMAN ALL THE PROBLEMS AND HE SAID THAT THE CAR HAS A NEW INVERT SYSTEM AND IT WILL GET USED TO THE WAY I DRIVE THE CAR. BEFORE THE MONTH OF PURCHASED, THE CAR STOPPED WHILE DRIVEN AND IT HAD TO BE TOWERED TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE PEOPLE SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE ALARM SYSTEM. THEY CHANGED THE CABLES RELATED TO THE ALARM, BUT AFTER THAT THE CAR I TOOK THE CAR MANY TIMES TO THE SERVICE CENTER. THE CAR SHIFT THE GEARS NO MATTERS THE SPEED. WHILE STOP ON THE RED LIGHT, THE CAR GIVE A BUMP LIKE I HAD BEEN HIT BY THE CAR BEHIND ME. MANY TIMES THE ENGINE STOP WHILE I WAS WAITING THE RED LIGHT TO CHANGE OR DOING A STOP SIGNAL. BESIDES THE CHECK ENGINE LAMP USED TO TURN ON AND ONCE THEY CLEARED THE COMPUTER. THEN WHEN THE CAR WAS ALMOST OUT OF WARRANTY, THEY ADMITTED THAT ALL THE PROBLEMS WERE CAUSED BY THE TRANSMISSION AND PROCEEDED TO FIXED. THIS WAS ON JULY 2001 AND THE CAR STILL GOES WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS.*AK
WHILE 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
MY CAMSHAFT BROKE IN HALF DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS A MAUFACTURERES DEFECT BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD. *AK
[SEE ODI ID: 705306, MY PROBLEM IS IDENTICAL] THE FRONT BRAKE DISCS ARE WOEFULLY INADEQUATE FOR THIS CAR AND I BELIEVE A MANUFACTURING DESIGN DEFECT. WE HAD TO TURN THE ROTORS TWICE AFTER BUYING IT, WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD (36,000 MILES). MITSUBISHI SAYS IT IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I HAVE REPLACED THE ROTORS. THEY WARPED…
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[SEE ODI ID: 705306, MY PROBLEM IS IDENTICAL] THE FRONT BRAKE DISCS ARE WOEFULLY INADEQUATE FOR THIS CAR AND I BELIEVE A MANUFACTURING DESIGN DEFECT. WE HAD TO TURN THE ROTORS TWICE AFTER BUYING IT, WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD (36,000 MILES). MITSUBISHI SAYS IT IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I HAVE REPLACED THE ROTORS. THEY WARPED AGAIN AND THE NEW ROTORS HAVE BEEN TURNED ONCE AND ARE MAKING NOISE AGAIN, AND THE CAR SHAKES DURING BRAKING, INDICATING THEY NEED TO BE TURNED YET AGAIN. DURING HIGH SPEEDS, IF I APPLY BRAKES, THE CAR VIBRATES BADLY, AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN IF I HAD TO BRAKE SUDDENLY. THE DISC ROTORS WEAR OUT VERY FAST, AND ARE TOO THIN AND WARP EASILY.*AK
CONSUMER WAS SELF INSPECTNG TIRES, AND NOTICED THAT TREAT ON TWO FRONT TIRES AND REAR TIRE WAS SEPARATING. GENERAL TIRE, DOT ACP2N71200XP2000. *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.