Mitsubishi

Eclipse (3rd)

2000-2005 · Compact Sedan · 3 engines
Best Engine ⚠️ Caution (2.0)
892 NHTSA Complaints
17 Recalls
29 Fire Reports
85 Crash Reports
View all 2 generations of the Mitsubishi Eclipse → 📋 Inspection checklist

Engine Reliability Ratings

3.0-V6-Gas

3.0L 6-cyl
⚠️ Caution (2.0)
218 complaints 36.3 per year Gasoline
4 fire reports
View details

Complaint Breakdown

wheels tires
80
body
34
transmission
28
other
24
safety systems
19

Known Issues

Wheels & Tires Issues (80 complaints)
Body/Trim Issues (34 complaints)
Transmission Issues (28 complaints)

Same engine used in

+91 more
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2.4-I4-Gas

2.4L 4-cyl
Avoid (1.8)
76 complaints 15.2 per year Gasoline
5 fire reports 2 fatalities
View details

Complaint Breakdown

body
13
other
12
exterior
9
electrical
8
engine
8

Known Issues

Body/Trim Issues (13 complaints)
Exterior Issues (9 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (8 complaints)

Mitsubishi Eclipse Unidentified Engine

Avoid (1.0)
590 complaints 98.3 per year
20 fire reports 6 fatalities
View details

Complaint Breakdown

wheels tires
225
body
92
other
52
transmission
45
electrical
43

Known Issues

Wheels & Tires Issues (225 complaints)
Body/Trim Issues (92 complaints)
Transmission Issues (45 complaints)

3 additional engine variants with fewer than 10 complaints not shown.

Vehicle-Level Issues

These issues affect the Mitsubishi Eclipse regardless of engine variant.

Wheels & Tires Issues (305 complaints)
wheels_tires critical
Body/Trim Issues (141 complaints)
body critical
Transmission Issues (73 complaints)
transmission critical
Electrical System Issues (51 complaints)
electrical critical
Exterior Issues (47 complaints)
exterior critical

Recalls (17)

15V338000Feb 5, 2015serious
Air Bags

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.

08V454000Sep 8, 2008serious
Fuel System

MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING 45,988 MY 2005-2007 ENDEAVOR, GALANT, ECLIPSE COUPE, AND MY 2007 ECLIPSE SPYDER VEHICLES. THE BRACKET THAT IS THE ATTACHMENT POINT FOR THE LEFT REAR FUEL TANK MOUNTING STRAP MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY FORMED DURING A METAL STAMPING PROCESS. THE PROCESS MAY HAVE CAUSED THE METAL TO HAVE A SPLIT IN THE AREA WHERE THE BOLT THAT HOLDS ONE OF THE TWO FUEL TANK STRAPS TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE IS LOCATED. IN THE EVENT THE FUEL TANK IS FULL AND THE VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO A SEVERE COLLISION, THE BRACKET MAY BREAK AND ALLOW THE FUEL TANK TO DROP DOWN, POSSIBLY CAUSING A FUEL LEAK.

06E060000Jun 28, 2006serious
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."

06E049000May 23, 2006serious
Exterior Lighting

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.

06E026000Mar 22, 2006serious
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.

04V312000Jun 28, 2004serious
Fuel System

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL RETURN LINE HOSE FITTING ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP MAY BE IMPROPERLY MOLDED.

04V428000Jan 8, 2004cosmetic
Equipment

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.

03V442000Apr 10, 2003serious
Fuel System

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.

01V295001Sep 24, 2001serious
Steering

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT WITH V6 ENGINES TO FEDERAL EMISSION STANDARDS. THE POWER STEERING FLUID FEED TUBE CAN COME IN CONTACT WITH AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD MOUNTED HEAT SHIELD CAUSING A HOLE TO BE WORN THROUGH THE POWER STEERING PIPE ALLOWING FLUID LEAKAGE.

01V011001Jan 15, 2001cosmetic
Powertrain

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.

01V069000Aug 2, 2001serious
Fuel System

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.

01V005001Jul 31, 2001serious
Seats

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A NUMBER OF INCORRECT DRIVER SIDE SEAT MOUNTING BOLTS WERE INSTALLED INTO VEHICLES.

00V320001Oct 26, 2000cosmetic
Fuel System

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.

00V225001Oct 7, 2000serious
Steering

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A NUT IN THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY WAS NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED, RESULTING IN SYMPTOMS RANGING FROM STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION TO STIFF STEERING, AND IN THE WORST CASE, NO ABILITY TO TURN LEFT.

00V299001Feb 9, 2000serious
Engine & Cooling

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HARNESS FOR THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH A NEW PROTECTIVE SHIELD CAUSING A GROUNDED CIRCUIT.

99V333001Nov 22, 1999cosmetic
Electrical System

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINES AND FEDERAL EMISSION EQUIPMENT. THE BATTERY CABLE HARNESS CAN BECOME HEAT DAMAGED BY THE FRONT EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH COULD CAUSE GROUNDED CIRCUITS.

99V305001Jan 10, 1999cosmetic
Exterior Lighting

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE COLUMN SWITCH LEVERS CAN BECOME LOOSE OR BREAK OVER TIME.

Alternatives in Compact Sedan

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common 2000-2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse problems?

The 2000-2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse has accumulated 892 NHTSA complaints. The most frequently reported problem areas are Wheels & Tires, Body/Trim, Transmission. As with any used vehicle, a pre-purchase inspection and vehicle history report are recommended.

Which Mitsubishi Eclipse engine is most reliable?

The 2000-2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse was offered with 6 engine options. Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 3.5L 6-cyl has the lowest complaint density and is considered the most reliable choice for buyers.

Is the 2000-2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse a good used car?

The 2000-2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse can be a solid used car purchase depending on trim, mileage, and maintenance history. With 892 total NHTSA complaints on record, prospective buyers should review the known problem areas and check for open recalls before buying.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2000-2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse have?

The 2000-2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse has 892 complaints filed with NHTSA as of our latest data pull. Complaint counts reflect owner-reported issues and do not necessarily indicate defects or safety risks on their own.

What recalls affect the 2000-2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse?

There are 17 NHTSA recalls affecting some 2000-2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse vehicles. Recall status varies by VIN — check the NHTSA recall database at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov with your specific VIN to confirm which campaigns apply.

What should I check before buying a used Mitsubishi Eclipse?

Before buying a used Mitsubishi Eclipse, verify all open recalls are completed via the NHTSA VIN lookup tool. Pay particular attention to Wheels & Tires, Body/Trim, Transmission, which are the most commonly reported problem areas. Request maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle, and run a vehicle history report to check for prior accidents or title issues.

Does the Eclipse have NHTSA crash test ratings?

NHTSA has not published crash test ratings for the 2000-2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse. Not all vehicles are tested each year. For the latest NHTSA safety information, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 892 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-05-20.

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