1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 150 complaints
150
Total Complaints
72,000mi
Median Mileage
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Top Issue
10
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

54,750 25th Percentile
72,000 Median Mileage
128,500 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
14
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
14
STEERING
9
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
8
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
7
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
5
WHEELS:RIM
5
SUSPENSION
5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
4

Severity Assessment

10
Crashes
3
Fires
5
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"I HAD CHANGED THE OIL IN MY MITSUBISHI ON 12/20/98 AND ON 1/7/99 WHILE DRIVING, WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, MY CAR SOUNDED A KNOCK AND COMPLETELY STOPPED. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO FREEHOLD MITSUBISHI, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER HAS TOLD ME THAT HE VISUALLY DETECTED THAT I HAD USED AN OIL FILTER THAT WAS FOR..."
"WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AT 60MPH WHEN IT DOWNSHIFTED INTO ANOTHER GEAR ON ITS OWN, TO A LOWER SPEED. IT LOCKED IN ON LOWER SPEED. HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER 4 TIMES FOR PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENED TWICE (2) TO THIS NEW VEHICLE. HAPPENED TO ANOTHER VEHICLE PREVIOUSLY. *AK"
"CLUTCH FAILED AT THREE MONTHS."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28