Open safety recalls, the components owners report failing most often, crash-test results and running costs for the 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse, assembled from NHTSA and EPA records.
Everything on this page applies to the model as a whole. Run its VIN to decode that exact car, its engine, trim, assembly plant and factory equipment, alongside these records.
Open a VIN recordRecalls and complaints are filed against a specific model year, so figures differ from one year to the next even within a single generation. See every Mitsubishi Eclipse year.
Over 5 years this costs $4,500 more in fuel than an average new vehicle.
NHTSA lists 4 recalls for this make, model and year. Recalls apply to the model, so some may already be fixed on this specific car. A dealer can confirm from the VIN.
Issue: 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.
Risk: If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
Remedy: 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.
Campaign 15V338000
Issue: 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."
Risk: LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH
Remedy: 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.
Campaign 06E060000
Issue: 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.
Risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: 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.
Campaign 06E026000
Issue: 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.
Risk: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Remedy: 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.
Campaign 04V428000
NHTSA frontal crash test
Rated configuration: 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse 2-DR.
The parts named most often across 104 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this make, model and year.
1 crash
1 fire · 1 injured
1 crash · 1 fire · 1 injured · 1 death
5 crashes · 6 injured
1 crash · 1 injured
2 fires
1 crash · 1 injured
Complaints are self-reported and skew toward problems people find alarming, so read this as where to look rather than as a defect rate.
1 complaint-reported fatality on this model.
The contact owns a 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder. The contact stated while driving 25-30 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power inadvertently. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle instead started reversing unintendedly. The contact stated that he turned off and restarted the vehicle and continued driving. The vehicle was taken to a local Pep Boys, where it was diagnosed that the power train needed to be reprogrammed and other repairs needed to be completed. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the steering wheel was locked and the brake pedal was firm. The traction control and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was not drivable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON REFUELING THE VEHICLE, FUEL LEAKED OUT THROUGH THE FUEL NECK DUE TO RUST. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. WHILE IN PARK, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WERE MULTIPLE FRACTURES ACROSS THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
CAUGHT FIRE OVER NIGHT WHILE PARKED IN MY DRIVE WAY. WOKE UP THE FOLLOWING MORNING TO FIND THE DASH BOARD MELTED, WINDOWS SMOKED OUT, FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND DRIVER SIDE DOOR BURNT. *TR
THE DASHBOARD ON MY 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE CRACKED SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AS I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAD ASSUMED THAT IT POSSIBLY GOT TOO HOT FROM THE SUN ONE DAY. I WAS APPALLED TO HEAR THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. PARTS OF A CAR SHOULD NOT BREAK IN TWO OR THREE PIECES. MITSUBISHI SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ISSUES. I HAVE TO TAKE A BITE IN THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE, THE FUNDS SHOULD COME OUT OF MITSUBISHI'S POCKET, NOT MINE! I ALSO AM HAVING ISSUES WITH THE PAINT ON THE SPOILER. THE PAINT HAS STRANGELY DISAPPEARED AND THE PART HAS TURNED WHITE. IT'S WEIRD! AGAIN, I FEEL THAT IF MITSUBISHI HAD A PROBLEM WITH THEIR PAINT JOBS, THEY SHOULD FIX THEM! *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A BABY TREND CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT, MODEL NUMBER: TJ94128 (NA), AND MANUFACTURED JULY 7, 2012. THE CHILD SEAT WAS BEING USED IN A 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHILD SEAT LOWER LATCH CONNECTOR FAILED TO LOCK DURING THE INSTALLATION OF THE BASE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHILD SEAT WOULD BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE INFORMATION WAS UNAVAILABLE.
MY LEFT TURNING SIGNAL WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE OFF POSITION AFTER TURNING AND THEN OUT OF THE SUDDEN MY HEADLIGHTS ON HIGH BEAM WOULD STAY ON PERMANENTLY, LOW BEAMS WOULD NOT START . MY TURNING SIGNAL STOP WORKING AND NOW MY CAR WONT START. *TR
TRANSMISSION STOPS FUNCTIONING DUE TO WAVE/CUSHION SPRING FAILURE. *TR
WE WERE DRIVING AND CAR JUST DIED. BUT IT STILL WANTED TO START JUST ACTED LIKE DIDN'T HAVE GAS. TO BUT WE JUST FILLED UP. SO WE FIGURED FUEL PUMP. REPLACED IT AND NOTHING STILL SO THEN WE CALL A DEALER AND HE SAYS MOST COMMON THING THAT HAPPENS IN THESE CARS IS COMPUTER GETS FRIED. *JS
WHILE DRIVING NORTHBOUND ON 95 IN VIRGINIA (ABOUT 20 MINS OUTSIDE OF RICHMOND) MY 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE'S ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK. THE CAR ENDED UP OVERHEATING AND THE BRAKES FAILED (THE FRONT DRIVER ROTOR ACTUALLY RIPPED APART) BEFORE I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION DRIVING 15 MPH WHEN HE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN HIM. BOTH VEHICLES WERE INOPERABLE AND WERE TOWED FROM THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED THREE CRACKED RIBS AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE POLICE WERE ALSO CONTACTED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,500. MITSUBISHI WAS CALLED WITH SAME INFO. UPDATED 11/03/2011 *LN *TR
AFTER CHECKING OUT SERVICE ENGINE CODES P0456 AND P0457 (EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM LEAK DETECTED) I FOUND THE FUEL FILLER NECK TUBE AND ALL VENT LINES TOTALLY CORRODED THROUGH. THE VEHICLE IS A 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE AND THIS ASSEMBLY IS LOCATED IN THE REAR RIGHT SIDE WHEEL WELL. DRIVING AREA IS THE NORTHEAST AND FOUND SAND AND DEBRIS PACKED ALL AROUND ASSEMBLY WHERE TUBES MAKE A 90 DEGREE TURN THROUGH A SUPPORT/PROTECTIVE BRACKET. I REPAIRED WITH A NEW FUEL NECK ASSEMBLY (PART NO. MR73836) PURCHASED FROM A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AT A COST OF $200 FOR PARTS ONLY. NO FUEL HAD YET LEAKED OUT BUT WOULD HAVE IN A SHORT TIME IF THIS PART WAS NOT REPLACED. DEALER STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT OTHER MITSUBISHI MODELS AROUND THIS SAME YEAR HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS SAME CONDITION. *TR
Showing 12 of 104 complaints.