Coolant tank cracked leading to loss of overflow coolant and potential engine failure from overheating. Mitsubishi no longer makes a replacement part. *Jb
Engine & cooling
1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Engine problems
Owners have filed 47 complaints about the 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse's engine & cooling with NHTSA - 29% of all its complaints, most recently on July 11, 2006. They describe 0 crashes, 3 fires and 0 injuries. Stalling, loss of power, oil consumption, overheating, head gaskets, timing chains and engine failure.
- Complaints
- 47
- Recalls
- 0
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 3
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Engine complaints
Squealing belts at startup, inconsistent small leaks of coolant, hesitation at 2k rpm were only pre-cursors. Out of nowhere, while driving on highway, I looked at gauges for no particular reason....Noticed the temperature was rising, eventually going as far as it could above h. So I look for smoke in rear view....Nothing. I turn down the radio to listen for noises......Nothing. Everything seems fine. Hoping that air through the radiator would cool the engine......Not working. I decided I better pull...
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over.....The second I safely stopped, huge puffs of white smoke billowed out the hood edges. I jumped out, opened the hood......Huge clouds of smoke and smell of burning rubber, I thought the car was on fire. Once the smoke settled, oil could be seen splattered all over the engine. Tow truck comes and while putting on flatbed.....Oil drained out like a water faucet. Found out later from the dealer that oil line burst, causing the head gaskets to blow and most likely damaged totaled the engine. New engine quoted at $5000, used 71,000 mile engine in some salvage yard in alabama quoted at $2-3000. Nice chunk of money and the engine still needs to be shipped and installed. What a deal? I actually spoke highly about mitsubishi's in the past, but now I'm having second thoughts. Too bad mitsubishi company has such a bad history of failures, recalls, and poor repair service. I was actually thinking of buying a 2006 eclipse........Not any more. I'll miss my 97 eclipse......It was pretty good to me, but this recent event with no warning, did me in and it is just wrong that I have read similar incidents on the internet and mitsubishi does nothing. Time for an american car...............Too bad we don't have the sense to make oil and gas-free vehicles though.......The technology is there. Oh well......I guess I better start figuring out how I am going to get to work on monday. *Jb
1997 Eclipse caught on fire in the engine compartment. *Ts *jb
Constant over heating and fluid coming out of the radiator cap, also severe shaking in the sterring wheel and 4th gear. What is that all about?
Car fails mandatory obd-ii smog test due to non-continuous readiness monitors failing to set to complete during normal driving. Dealer must use mut-ii diagnostic tool to set monitors to ready state. When diagnostic mode is exited and ignition turned off monitors revert to not-ready state. Problem common to 1997 mitsubishi eclipse gst according to dealer. No remedy available. Car does not meet federal emission requirements.*Jb
Timing belt broke which caused interference with motor, resulting in the whole top half of the engine being replaced. *Jb
Consumer noticed oil in the driveway. Vehicle was taken to a mechanic to detect where the oil was leaking from. Mechanic determined that the head gasket blew out. Head gasket has was revised twice by the manufacturer before they had one that worked. Defective head gasket was replaced with the revised head gasket. However, leak hasn't recurred.*Ak
I have owned my care for 3 years. In that time I have had a leaking sunroof, broken passenger rear view mirror, broken passenger window "wont roll up", numerous tire changes, bad vibration, horrible noises when turning wheel, have replaced 2 transmissions, both tie rod ends, 1 lower ball joint and control arm suspension bar"more info on this below", alternator, both headlights, 4 differant seats of breaks, 2 seats constintly running low on oil, replaced the fuel filter, seat belts don't stop, battery cables keep...
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caroding, replace spark plugs atleast 3 to 4 times a year, vibrates when going down road. Those are just the things off the top of my head that I have done to this car. Now to the accident. After I got off work I was on my way home when I decided to go to my friends so while driving to her house I hear a loud pop and the next thing I know my car is controling itself and I can't steer it. This was all do to my lower ball joint shattering and my wheel almost completly detaching from my car. Now the other side is starting to make that horrible noise. The control arm swung on the bottum of my car after it broke during this and tore out my oil filter, oil pan, and oxygen senseor. Have yet to recieve any information from mitsubishi.*Ak
Mitsubishi eclipse suck! I was driving on the freeway when my engine shut off! Luckly, I was going down hill and was able to coast off to the left, after almost getting hit a couple of times. My mechanic (brother) took a look at it and said it was the crank shaft, so I googled it and guess what???? Im not the only one with this problem... Take a look http://www.Roadraceengineering.Com/walkingcrankshaft.Htm. *Ak
October 20, 2003 I purchased a 1997 eclipse gst from city limit auto in johnston, ri. March 14, 2004 I was driving home when a small click formed in 1st and 2nd gear after reaching 3,500 rpms. With-in minutes the click developed into what sounded like a small hole in the exhaust, probably the cat. Not wanting to risk it I pulled off the next exit to bring the car to my friend's house and have it towed. A street away from his house (doing 10mph in 1st gear), the noise grew into a loud constant electrical buzzing or...
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clicking noise, no high oil presue on the dash light or gauge and no overheating according to gauge, with-in 5 seconds the oil pan blew, white billows of smoke puffed out and the engine seized. I tried to turn the car over, but all it did was clink, and when I got out I found a large oil puddle under my car. I went back to the dealer, but he refuses to fix it. I don't know the exact reason the engine blew, for lack of money, but after reading some websites I have concluded it was either the fuel pump, oil pump, or crankwalk. E-mail [email protected] with any info. For full story go to http://www.Vpstreet.Org/index.Php?Page=city thank you.*Ak
On august 8, 2003, my son purchased a 1997 mitsubishi eclipse, 97037 miles, from [[redacted]]-owner, south bay auto-[[redacted]]. We purchased the car for $8,849.21. On august 11, 2003, the engine blow because there was no oil in the car, and the dealer stated that the car had been serviced and it was in good mechanical condition. Just this week the warranty investigator said that the oil leak was there before we purchased the car, and that they will not be replacing the engine, and that the car is the dealers...
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problems. Needless to say, the dealer does not want to do the moral thing and give us back our hard earned money, nor does he wants to replace the engine. This same dealer, loan us an unsafe car that we found out that it has been declared by the state of california as a salvaged. The car is a 1991 honda, vin #[[redacted]]. Last saturday, on the way home from san jose, ca, to vallejo, ca, the brakes were starting to give out on the car. This week, I could not stop the car and ran into a wall to stop it. Thank god, I was not hurt. I then called the dealer and told him what had happen, and the only thing he told me that I will pay for any damages done to the car. He had the car towed and stated that he would charge me for the tow and the repairs. Now he wants me to compensate him for putting my life, and the life of my family at risk while driving his unsafe, salvaged car. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(B)(6). *Tr
Smoke coming from under front tire. After inspection by mitsubishi dealership in lancaster, pa, it was discovered that head gasket is leaking oil.
The consumer vehicle is leaking oil coming from a blown head gasket. Please fill in additional information dealer is aware of the problem. Ts
Engine fails. Happens every 3 or 4 months at various speeds. Engine light comes on and engine quits. Wait 3 or 4 minutes and car starts normally and will run fine for a few months. I think this could could create a potentially dangerous situation. Mr
The thrust washer is welded to the crankshaft in my car. For whatever reason, there is a defect in the thrust washers that cause there to be an increase in the amount of play in the crankshaft. This causes what had been termed the "crankshaft walk". Among other symptoms, common and what happened to my car was that the 5 speed manual transmission started to lock up on me where I could not even get the car in gear. The movement in the crankshaft caused the crankshaft positioning sensor to go out, and when it did, I ...
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was driving on the freeway at 65 mph and the car shut off on me causing me to lose my power brakes and steering. I did not get into an accident, but I could have. I had the thrust washer replaced and now have the same problem. I am not alone. The following is a website that contains post after post of the same problem. Ph *nlm **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut over to artemis**767675
EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM LEAK. *AK
Crankshaft walking is a manufacturer defect in the engine. Please look up crankwalk in search engine. *Ak
When starting there is a constant oil leak under vehicle. Also, a loud knocking noise, mechanic stated there was a malfunction within engine head gasket. *Ak
Driver noticed smoke coming from under vehicle. Driver stopped vehicle/ put vehicle in park/ looked under car and saw oil was leaking. When pressing gas consumer could see a flame of fire. Took vehicle to dealer, and they stated that vehicle needed a head gasket. *Ak
The consumer experienced two engine failures within six months. The consumer was told that the problem was in the thrust bearing which holds the camshaft in the engine. This bearing has a tendency to fail causing the engine to stop running, the engine has stalled while driving. *Yh
The vehicle experienced two engine failures within 6 months, the engine simply stopped functioning without warning, the consumer was told that the thrust bearing failed causing the engine to fail. Nlm the first occasion was when consumer was driving at highway speeds, the second occasion occurred while accelerating from a stop through an intersection. *Slc
Vehcile stalls when driving or changing gears, and looses all power steering, when power steering was lost consumer ran into a curb.*Jb
These cars are not worth the money used to make them!!!!. No safety defect listed. *Ak
ENGINE CRANKSHAFT FAILED. *YH
Lower pully fell apart at 68500 miles. Replaced new pully, two weeks later, new part fell apart on the highway running at 50 mph. Mechanics re mounted lower pully the second time in two weeks.*Ak
Mitsubishi Eclipse engine complaints by year
Eclipse engine problems, every yearSource: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data