- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
- The fix
- MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-15-005. Chrysler and Dodge owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R30.
Vehicle safety record
2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 300 complaints about the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse with NHTSA, most often about the wheels & tires (116) and the transmission & drivetrain (32). Those complaints describe 32 crashes, 8 fires, 19 injuries and 3 deaths. It is covered by 10 recalls, the latest in June 2015 for the inflator module. For comparison, the 2000 has 308 and the 2002 has 104.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical Eclipse year, for its age
#29 most complained-about 2001 vehicle
- Complaints
- 300
- Recalls
- 10
- Crashes
- 32
- Fires
- 8
- Injuries
- 19
- Deaths
- 3
Most common 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse problems
Share of all 300 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse recalls 10
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- 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."
- The risk
- Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash
- The fix
- Aai motorsports will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall began on august 1, 2006. Owners may contact aai motorsports at 909-923-9188.
- The problem
- Certain ck motorsports combination headlights, clear corner, bumper, and side marker lights sold as replacement lamps for use on the 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.
- The risk
- Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
- The fix
- Ck motorsport will notify owners and replace the noncompliant lamps free of charge. The recall began on july 1, 2006. Owners may contact ck motorsport at 1-909-610-7211.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
- The fix
- Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. The recall began on april 3, 2006. Owners may contact pro-a motors at 323-838-2988.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
- The fix
- Mitsubishi caribbean will mail a customer notification letter containing a written description and a graphic of the bi-lingual dashboard air bag warning label. In addition, all current 2000-2004 nativa owners will also receive replacement air bag alert labels for the sun visors. This recall is expected to begin during march or april 2005. The notification to the nativa owners is expected to begin during april or may 2005. Owners should contact mitsubishi caribbean at 1-787-251-8715.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A bulge in the fuel tank caused by the manufacturing process resulted in thinning of the material during a welding operation, increasing the risk of fuel leakage.
- The risk
- Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the fuel tank assembly. Owner notification began march 26, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. A hose was mis-manufactured and could weaken over time, which could result in leakage of the automatic transmission fluid.
- The risk
- Fluid leakage from the cooler hoses can cause transaxle driveability problems and smoke if the oil contacts the front exhaust pipe.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the hose assembly for the automatic transmission oil cooler. Owner notification mailing will be phased over a five-month period starting march 26, through july 23, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A number of incorrect driver side seat mounting bolts were installed into vehicles.
- The risk
- The rear anchor bolts securing the driver's seat may not properly secure the seat and could increase the risk of driver injury in an accident.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect the seat mounting bolts and then replace the bolts if necessary. Owner notification began february 15, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The outer layer only of this 3-layer fuel return hose does not contain the desired ozone protection due to a processing error.
- The risk
- THIS HOSE IS CONSIDERED TO BE INADEQUATE.
- The fix
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL RETURN HOSE.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The harness for the crankshaft position sensor could come in contact with a new protective shield causing a grounded circuit.
- The risk
- Prolonged wiring harness contact with the heat shield will cause the wiring insulation to wear and eventually to ground out. This could cause the engine to die-out, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will re-route the crankshaft position sensor harness.
What owners say
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300 complaints about the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 12.
I almost got into a accident because it's late sobits really hard to see because the headlights u cnt see any at all at night I can use a flash light out the window and see better like that but on top of that my car just decides to up and stall on me and not wanna start back and it had melted my crankshaft sensor wires and I guess it just decided to also mess up the wiring on my camshaft sensor I literally had to wire up the wires straight around the plug on both just to make it home it was cold out and all I...
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really love my car but I'm spending more money than I've got just tryna keep it running and between that and the lights that's gonna get sum1 hurt or killed if not fixed I was on a backroad had no service to call anybody for help and I was right between 2 blind turns
I have a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse rs 2.4 Engine I bought it off my husband's uncle four months ago and ever since I got the car I noticed the light adjusters don't work at all and at night the headlights are so dim that sometimes I can't even see the road at all this is a safety concern that needs to be taken care of
Was driving home from work and came to a stop. Tried to shift into 1st and could not do so. Had to turn off my car to shift into gear to avoid grinding. Had a hard time going from 1st to 2nd as well. Once arriving home could not shift into reverse. Seems like the gears were trying to strip and a horrible grinding was occurring. I have been driving a stick shift for almost 30 years and this is the first time I have ever had this problem. Had to turn off my car to shift into reverse to get into my driveway to...
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park. Tried the next day to drive my car...Did the warm up due to cold weather, and again could not shift into any gears while my car was running. As soon as I turn the ignition off I could shift just fine. I've researched to try and figure out the problem and each solution equates to paying a lot for repairs. I'm upset because I cannot afford a new car at this time and I need a reliable vehicle for my job. Seems this is a problem with this particular year the eclipse was manufactored, and nothing is being done. A definite recall is needed for this well-known problem.
"Takaya recall" 2001 mitsubishi eclipse gt, 3.0Lv6 automatic transmission. 16 Years old, but only 157621 miles driving as usual when without any notice or warning, no longer having any power to wheels from transmission (engine still running normal as usual). Automatic transmission had complete total catastrophic failure due to a manufacturing defect of an internal part called wave cushion spring
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse spyder. The contact stated that the transmission failed due to an internal spring fracturing. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who rebuilt the transmission. The vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 01v011001 (power train). The dealer and manufacturer had been notified of the failure and indicated that there was no service campaign and recall to provide a solution. The failure mileage was not available.
2001 Mitsubishi eclipse. Consumer writes in regards to exterior lighting recall, entire fuel system replacement recall, power train, automatic transmission cooling unit and lines recall issues. *Smd the dealer informed the consumer, they only had one recall applicable to his vehicle, which was for the sun visor on the passenger side. However, the consumer stated the gas tank is leaking and has many welding issues. *Jb
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse. While driving at 25 mph, the vehicle lost power and the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle failed to accelerate. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000. Updated 05/11/16*lj the consumer stated repair was made on 04/13/2016. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse. While driving at 65 mph, the transmission failed and all the warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
Srs airbag system fault. Srs light elluminates on dashboard whenever driver or passenger seats are moved, indicating that the side airbag system is deactivating the entire srs system including the front airbags.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse spyder. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a tune up and the failure codes for p0301, p0401, and the egr appeared. The codes were cleared, but the p0301 failure code reappeared. The vehicle was repaired; however, the vehicle was later taken in for smog inspection and failed. The vehicle was diagnosed for egr failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician repaired the problem, however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to a dealer but the failure was unable to be duplicated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 315,000.
Prolonged wiring harness contact with the heat shield causes the wiring insulation to wear & ground out causing the engine to die-out. Had an iccident few days ago where the engine died out and I was in the middle of an intersection and almost got hit by oncoming traffic . This is seriously not okay and a major safety concern. Please help me.
Tl*the contact owns a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse. The contact stated while driving 25 mph making a sharp turn, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree. The contact's air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was engulfed in flames within moments. Lucky, the front passenger was able to free the contact in time. The contact sustained fractures on the left clavicular bone, left ulna bone and bruising on chest and face which required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse spyder. While driving approximately 30 mph, the drivers side sun visor opened independently and struck the contact on the bridge of her nose, breaking her glasses. The contact pulled over and repositioned the sun visor back on the clips. The contact sustained injuries that required medical attention. The failure recurred on several occasions on the driver and passenger side sun visors. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that nhtsa campaign number: 15v338000 (air bags) did not include the driver side sun visor. The approximate failure mileage was 125,000.
Was driving and as I was turning the steering wheel locked up. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse. The contact stated that the srs and air bag warning light illuminated continuously. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician diagnosed that the air bags system needed to be replaced. The failure recurred and the air bags system was replaced again. However, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure was 7,000.
Sitting in garage over winter, car developed leak/crack in the fuel tank that allowed fumes from tank to fill garage. Car not being driven at the time. Fuel did not leak onto floor of garage. Recalls had previously been done on fuel system for this model. Apparently cracks in the fuel tank of this model are a common occurrence. Definite safety hazard especially if car is or would be around or near to any spark source or open flame. I am currently trying to get car repaired at my own cost. *Js
While driving from the highway on an off ramp at 50 mph, engine (rpm) started bogging down, then both front tires locked up to a screeching halt. I almost slide off the ramp and almost got rear ended by a semi truck behind me. Front tires were locked up, would not move out of the road and would not come out of gear. Had it towed to repair shop and was quoted $3,000 just to pull the transmission for diagnostics. Was told transmission failed and vehicle would not be worth the money to fix because front strut towers both were rusted. Had vehicle towed home and I will try to perform the repair myself. *Tr
The fuel filler neck rusts severely around the passenger rear tire causing large amounts of fuel to leak on the ground and gasoline vapors to escape. The filler neck assembly is constructed out of metal and includes a large tube/pipe for the fuel to enter the gas tank, as well as several other smaller metal pipes. The filler neck assembly extends from the filler door, which is situated in the rear passenger quarter panel, down and across to the fuel tank which is situated in the undercarriage. There is a particular...
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point where the pipes in the assembly make an approximately 45 degree bend, moving from a downward angle to an angle that is more parallel with the ground. At this bend or elbow, the manufacturer placed a thick metal shield, presumably to protect a weak point. The shield bolts to the body of the car in four places and cups the fuel pipes in a semi-circle around the bend leaving an approximately one-half inch gap between the pipes and the shield. This shield and pipe assembly is situated directly behind and slightly inboard of the rear passenger tire, however, it remains exposed. Because of the gap between the pipes and the shield, and because of the way the shield is angled upwards, and because there is no cover or other protective device to seal this gap, the shield collects dirt, debris, grease, and moisture. Presumably, the rear tire throws this foreign material around which then collects in the shield, builds up, and contacts the pipes, causing them to rust. Eventually the pipes rust completely through causing fuel to leak on the ground whenever the vehicle is refueled. The holes in the pipes also allow gasoline vapors to escape and impairs the evap system. Despite the buildup and continual contact of foreign material in the shield, the shield itself did not rust at all creating a perfect collector to gather foreign material and cause the rust to form. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse spyder. The contact stated that the vehicle was hesitant to start and exhibited an overpowering gasoline odor. When the vehicle was able to be started, it would sputter and stall sporadically. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the dealer could not determine what caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 127,000.
On the morning of march 3, 2011 I was involved in a wreck, slamming into a chevrolet cobalt which was later cited for failure to yield. I was driving a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse gt convertible at the posted speed of 45 mph. I slid approximately 8 feet before hitting the passenger side door of the cobalt. My airbags did not deploy at the time of the crash, or even afterward for that matter. The frame in the front is bent significantly higher than its previous arrangement, and is being found as a total loss. I plan on pursuing legal action because of the faulty making of this vehicle. *Tr
The service engine light was on and the codes show an evaporative emissions leak. Several service visits did not resolve the problem. Finally it was found that the fuel filler tube was totally rusted out and close to falling off. Apparently this is a fairly common problem with the 2001 eclipse and was causing fule leakage as well as vapor leakage. This could have caused a fire or resulted in the vehicle being disabled. The mechanic said he had never seen a fuel filler tube in such bad shape. Mitsubishi dealer stated they didnt want to deal with the issue due to the high repair cost. *Tr
The headlight plug burned the connection. This resulted in a substantial loss of light output/ no headlights. The plastic plug is also melted, causing a concern for fire and appearing that a small fire may have happened. *Tr
I had to replace a rotted gas filler neck on my 2001 mitsubishi eclipse gt. The mechanic told me it was a poorly designed part and should not have rotted. I have had many cars and never heard of anything like this before. Mitsubishi should be made to have a recall for this defective part. *Tr
On 2/21/10 early sunday morning I was driving on the freeway at approx. 55Mi/hr when my mitsubishi eclipse just stopped. It would not go forwards or backwards. There was no noise or sound of any kind to indicate something was wrong. I had to coast to the side of the freeway and sat there for 3 1/2 hrs for a tow truck. Car was taken to south park mitsubishi in bethel park. It was diagnosed as a total transmission failure and needed to be replaced. My car had only 57183 miles and I wanted the transmission...
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rebuilt. They would not do that. I had the car towed to aamco. I read on line complaints about the transmission used in my car and also certain chrysler models with a defective "wave spring" that breaks suddenly and caused catastrophic failure in the transmission. I asked aamco to save all broken parts. The wave spring broke, went through the pump, and broke the gears just as described in the article "mitsubishi f4a51 automatic transmission hazard problem". This problem was well known by mitsubishi because the wave spring was redesigned but took no action to notify owners of the hazard that existed. By swapping out a rebuilt transmission, the mitsubishi dealer does not make the customer aware of the problem and just assumes the transmission went bad and needed replaced therefore not making the actual problem well known. I should have been notified of the problem and had the part replaced with the new designed wave spring. This action would have saved me a lot of money and not put myself and others in danger of harm or death. Mitsubishi knew of the problem and did nothing, they need to take responsibility for their error and make other owners aware so that the problem can be resolved before someone gets killed. They can not stand behind their claim that the car is out of warranty because this is not a just wear and tear case. It is a defect and I want other owners of cars with this defective part notified and my expenses reimbursed. *Tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse spyder. The contact stated that while driving at speeds of 50 mph, the transmission failed. He was able to move the vehicle off of the road and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer stated that the transmission was contaminated and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired when the complaint was filed. The failure and current mileages were approximately 106,000.
Mitsubishi Eclipse: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 6 | 4 | A |
| 2004 | 14 | 5 | B |
| 2003 | 166 | 5 | F |
| 2002 | 104 | 4 | D |
| 2001 | 300 | 10 | F |
| 2000 | 308 | 10 | F |
| 1999 | 135 | 11 | D |
| 1998 | 151 | 13 | F |
| 1997 | 164 | 12 | F |
2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse | 300 | 10 | F | |
| 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport | 242 | 1 | F | Compare |
| 2001 Mitsubishi Galant | 161 | 8 | F | Compare |
| 2001 Mitsubishi Diamante | 78 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 2001 Mitsubishi Mirage | 31 | 5 | D | Compare |
| 2001 Mitsubishi Spyder | 13 | 0 | D | Compare |
| 2001 Mitsubishi Canter GE | 3 | 0 | F | Compare |
| 2001 Mitsubishi 3000GT | 1 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 2001 Mitsubishi RVR | 1 | 0 | - | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Does the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 10 recalls for the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse: inflator module (June 2015); exterior lighting (June 2006); exterior lighting (May 2006); exterior lighting (March 2006) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the wheels & tires (116), transmission & drivetrain (32), body, doors & structure (30).
How many complaints has the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse had?
300 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on April 21, 2000 and the latest on November 16, 2022. Of these, 32 describe a crash and 8 a fire, and together they report 19 injuries and 3 deaths.
Is the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 9 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Mitsubishi Eclipse year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Mitsubishi Eclipse years have the most complaints?
1995 (314), 2000 (308), 2001 (300). See every Mitsubishi Eclipse year compared.
What should I do if my 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: 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