2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Safety ratings, recalls, and consumer complaints from NHTSA
NHTSA Safety Ratings
2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse 2-DR.
- Overall
- Not Rated
- Front Crash
- Not Rated
- Side Crash
- Not Rated
- Rollover
- Not Rated
Recalls(5)
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
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.
Campaign: 03V442000
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
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.
Campaign: 04V428000
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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.
Campaign: 15V338000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Campaign: 06E060000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Campaign: 06E026000
Consumer Complaints(166 total, showing 10)
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The crankshaft sensor is faulty and isn't working properly so my car has been shutting off randomly while I am driving it.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DASHBOARD CRACKS IN MULTIPLES OF AREA'S, WHICH DOES EFFECT THE POSITION OF THE AIRBAG. THE PLASTIC IS VERY BRITTLE TO THE POINT WHEN IT CRACKS IT'S AS SHARP AS A RAZOR. I REVIEWED SEVERAL WEB SITE AND NOTED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL TYPE OF MITSUBISHI'S. I HAVE A 2003 ECLIPSE THAT HAS A CRACKED DASHBOARD SO BAD THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE DASH BOARD IS SLOPING DOWNWARD, THE CRACKING STARTED 8 YEARS AGO AND CONTINUES TO CRACK MORE AND MORE EVERYDAY, CAUSING STRUCTURE SUPPORT ISSUES AND RAZOR SHARP EDGES. I HAVE CUT MYSELF SEVERAL TIMES ON THE SHARP EDGES. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A ISSUE WITH THE TYPE OF PLASTIC THAT WAS USED TO CONSTRUCTED THESE DASHBOARDS ... I WOULD RATE THIS AS A NEED TO REVIEW ASAP ISSUE... IF MY AIR BAG EVER WENT OFF, SHARP PIECES OF PLASTIC WOULD PROBABLY BE FLYING EVERYWHERE LIKE A KNIFE...
AIR BAGS,VISIBILITY/WIPER
PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED CAUSED ME TO VEER OFF TO THE RIGHT FOR SAFETY.PASSENGER VISOR FLEW OFF HIT MY ARM AND FLEW OUT WINDOW. UNABLE TO SEE WITH AIRBAG IN MY FACE I ENDED UP HALF ON AND HALF OFF A CULVERT WITH CEMENT PIPE.CAR STOPPED AND THEN MY DRIVER AIRBAG SHOT FIRE AND CHEMICALS INTO MY FACE.HORRIBLE STILL AFTER A WHOLE YEAR NOONE CARES NOONE HELPS NO THERAPY FOLLOW UP NONE ONLY ER WHEN I CAN NO LONGER TOLERATE THE EXTREME PAIN.2 TITANIUM RODS N 38 SCREWS HOLD IT TOGETHER. SOME SCREWS ARE COMING OFF AND 3 BONES ARE STILL SHATTERED. SOME ARE EVEN MISSING. PLEASE HELP
POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE
TAKATA AIRBAG: MY INCIDENT HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED. I AM ADDING THE POLICE REPORT. I AM STILL REQUIRING SURGERY AND UNABLE TO USE MY LEFT ARM 10 MONTHS LATER.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. WHILE ROLLING DOWN THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM THE WINDOW SWITCH AREA. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT FAULTY WIRING IN THE WINDOW CAUSED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.
AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER
TAKATA RECALL: MY VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 15V338000.ON OCTOBER 29, 2016, I WAS DRIVING TOWARDS MY HOME. AFTER BEING IN THE STOPPED POSITION FOR THE DURATION OF THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL AT THE INTERSECTION OF FM 518 AND FM 1128 IN PEARLAND, TEXAS, THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I PROCEEDED DOWN 1128 TOWARD MY HOME. AFTER PROCEEDING ABOUT1 BLOCK, MY PASSENGER AIRBAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO PASSENGER IN MY VEHICLE AND NOTHING ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, EITHER.THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD. I HAD THE WINDOWS OPEN AND THE TOP DOWN. THE AIRBAG WAS BLOWING IN FRONT OF MY FACE, BLOCKING MY VISION. THE PASSENGER VISOR FLEW OFF, HITTING MY LEFT ARM, AS I WAS TRYING TO KEEP THE AIRBAG OUT OF MY FACE TO GET SAFELY OFF THE ROAD.I PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT, INTO A PARKING LOT. MY VEHICLE STOPPED ON THE EDGE OF A DITCH AT THE SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT, DUE TO MY VISION BEING BLOCKED. MY DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WENT OFF WHEN I HIT THE CULVERT OF THE DITCH. FIRE CAME OUT OF MY STEERING WHEEL AND I SMELLED CHEMICALS. THE FIRE PROMPTLY WENT OUT. MY LEFT ARM WAS ON THE ARMREST OF THE DOOR WITH BOTH FOREARM BONES VISIBLY BROKEN. THE ARM WAS SWOLLEN AND DEFORMED. I ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE 26 DAYS. I WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST TRAUMA UNIT.THE RADIA AND ULNA IN MY FOREARM HAVE BEEN PUT BACK TOGETHER WITH RODS AND SCREWS. MY VEHICLE HAS MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END, RADIATOR, TRANSMISSION, STEERING, AXLE, ETC. 9 MONTHS LATER MY ARMIS NOT HEALED AND I AM STILL WITHOUT A VEHICLE.
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, THE VISOR ON THE VEHICLE DETACHED. THE VEHICLE'S TOP WAS DOWN AT THE TIME AND CAUSED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG TO BLOW IN THE WIND, WHICH HINDERED THE CONTACT'S VIEW OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER BUT, DUE TO THE DISTRACTION OF THE AIR BAG BLOWING, THE CONTACT STRUCK A CULVERT, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, IT RELEASED A SMALL SPARK AND THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A AAA TRANSMISSION APPROVED SHOP WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED SEVERAL REPAIRS. THE CONTACT BROKE SEVERAL BONES IN HER LEFT HAND THROUGH THE FOREARM. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NEEDED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. UPDATED 10/26/17*LJ *JS
ENGINE
SEARS AUTO CENTER IN MANASSAS, VA PERFORME AN OIL CHANGE ON MY VEHICLE ON 5/16/2016. THE ENGINE FAILED ON 5/24/2016 DUE TO THE OIL PLUG FALLING OUT OF THE ENGINE AND ALL OF THE OIL DRAINING OUT. SEARS HAS ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. HOWEVER, I HAVE ALSO UNCOVERED A LONG HISTORY OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS REGARDING SEARS AUTO CENTERS DEFRAUDING CONSUMERS OUT OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR UNNECESSARY REPAIRS, CHARGES FOR REPAIRS NOT DONE, AND FAULTY SERVICE OVERALL. SEARS WS SUED BY NJ ON 46 COUNTS OF AUTO CONSUMER FRAUD, AND I HAVE UNCOVERED HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS REGISTERED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERALS' OFFICES IN MANY STATES.
TIRES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR ASSURANCE TRIPLETRED TIRES, SIZE P215/55R16. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE OVER A CURB. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE TIRE AND FOUND THAT THE TIRE TREAD WAS SEPARATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE TIRE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
TIRES,WHEELS
ON NOVEMBER 28, 2015 MY PASSENGER FRONT TIRE EXPLOSIVELY FAILED COMING OUT OF A LEFT TURN AT ABOUT 25 MPH CAUSING MY CAR TO DROP AND SWERVE, CRASHING INTO A TALL STREET CURB AND STORM SEWER DRAIN CAUSING $2000 DAMAGE TO MY CAR. THE OUTER SIDEWALL SEPARATED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY FROM THE TREAD. THIS PREMIUM TIRE WAS ONLY SEVEN MONTHS OLD WITH MINIMAL WEAR. I CHECK MY TIRE PRESSURE AND FLUIDS EVERY TIME I BUY GAS, OVERHAULED THE SUSPENSION THAT SUMMER AND DIDN'T BELIEVE IT WAS MY FAULT. I TOOK THE TIRE STILL ON THE DAMAGED WHEEL TO A TIRE FAILURE EXPERT WHO RULED OUT PRE-EXISTING DAMAGE, UNUSUAL WEAR OR SIGNS OF DRIVING WITH LOW OR HIGH TIRE PRESSURE; HE STATED THERE WAS A ZIPPER FAILURE RESULTING FROM A BAD TIRE. THIS WAS THE SECOND GOODYEAR ASSURANCE TRIPLETRED TO FAIL ON MY CAR. I CONTACTED GOODYEAR AND FILED A CLAIM WITH THEIR PROPERTY CLAIMS TEAM. I HAD REPLACED THE WHEEL AND TIRE AND GOT TWO CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATES. THEY REQUIRED THE TIRE TO BE TAKEN OFF THE WHEEL AND SHIPPED TO THEM FOR INSPECTION. WITHOUT EXPLANATION, IT SAT DELAYED AT THE GOODYEAR TIRE AND SERVICE CENTER FOR WEEKS. THE CLAIM, #492513, WAS QUICKLY DENIED; I RECEIVED A LETTER WHICH I FOLLOWED UP WITH A PHONE CALL TO CLARIFY. GOODRICH CLAIM'S TEAM STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHY THE TIRE BLEW OUT SO THEY REFUSED TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF IT BEING MY FAULT BUT THEY ALSO DIDN'T FIND AN OBVIOUS DEFECT THAT WOULD CAUSE THE BLOWOUT SO THEY CONVENIENTLY DENIED TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR TIRE OR THE DAMAGE FROM THE CRASH THAT RESULTED FROM IT'S FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER OF A CRITICAL COMPONENT LIKE A TIRE CAN'T JUST REFUSE TO BE RESPONSIBLE WHEN IT FAILS AND THEY DON'T TO KNOW WHY. I WAS A LIFETIME LOYAL GOODYEAR CUSTOMER UNTIL THIS. I HAVE THE TIRE AND WHEEL AND PHOTOS AND WON'T GIVE UP UNTIL THEY PAY FOR THE DAMAGES.
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