2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder most often describe bent or cracked alloy rims and tires that lose air after ordinary road impacts, usually early in the car's life. Transmission troubles, leaks into the cabin and convertible-top wear also appear, while airbag non-deployment and headlight wiring problems show up mostly on higher-mileage cars.

1. 1
   Wheels

   Bent or cracked alloy rims and tires losing air

   • 32 complaints (40%)
   • median 29,215 mi at 3.0 yrs old (20 state mileage)
   • filed 2001–2009

   Owners describe the 17-inch alloy wheels denting, splitting or cracking after minor potholes, railroad crossings and ordinary road seams, which lets the tire lose its seal and go flat. Many say rims were repaired or replaced more than once, and some report tires losing air gradually between checks. According to the complaints, dealers typically attributed the damage to road impacts and declined to cover the wheels under warranty. Commonly reported under about 30,000 miles, often within the first couple of years of ownership.

   What to check: Have the wheels inspected off the car for dents, cracks or prior repairs on the inner lip, and check tire pressures and sidewall dates. Ask whether any rims have been replaced or straightened, and budget for the cost if they have.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Tires will not hold air. Though my car is a 2001 I only have 34k miles on it. Tonight, while driving, the right front passenger side went flat while driving, and the tire came off the rim. The tires have always lost air, to the point that they have to be checked and filled every few months. Definitely a mfg defect and safety issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #10141840, filed 2005-11, 34,600 miles

   “The aluminum wheels on the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder dent almost everytime a minor pothole or railroad tracks are ridden over. I have had to remold the rims 5 times since purchasing the car less than two years ago. These rims should be recalled from Mitsubishi. From all the remolding of the rims, now I have tire pressure problems. This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10010182, filed 2003-03, 24,816 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission slipping, shuddering or failing

   • 8 complaints (10%)
   • median 47,091 mi at 6.2 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2003–2017

   Complaints describe automatic transmissions that jump, slip or stop driving entirely, sometimes with no warning noise, and manual cars that shudder when pulling away in first gear or resist shifting into first and second when cold. Several owners say the dealer replaced or rebuilt the transmission, while others report the problem recurring or being dismissed as normal for the mileage. One owner also reports a slow fluid leak from the automatic transaxle hose area. Reported from very low mileage up to about 110,000 miles, with several cases between roughly 50,000 and 65,000 miles.

   Recall 01V0110012 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive from cold and note any shudder, slipping or harsh first-to-second shifts, and check automatic transmission fluid level, color and the cooler lines for weeping. Ask whether the PCM reprogramming or clutch release bearing service bulletins were applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Since I purchased my car back in november of 2001, a 2001 Mitsubishi spyder gt, I have had problems with my clutch slipping when starting in 1st gear, with extreme stuttering and shuttering of my vehicle and have informed my dealerships (woburn Mitsubishi woburn, ma and peter fuller-watertown ma) of the problems in writing. They all blow me off telling me that nothing could be wrong this early on, with so few miles on the car. Well the car is still stuttering, even has stalled out, even when giving plenty of gas. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10028564, filed 2003-07, 10,000 miles

   “After 39,000 miles on my 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, the manual transmission is experiencing problems. Specifically, the car has trouble shifting into first and second gears (worst when cold), studders when first accelerating, and makes a continuous rattling noise when the clutch is not engaged. These problems are apparently the result of a defect in the transmission involving the clutch plate/throw-out-bearings/synchronizers. I have learned of hundreds of other people who have the same problem, same symptoms, and same cause. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10051429, filed 2003-12, 37,000 miles
3. 3
   Air bags

   Airbags not deploying in a crash / SRS light on

   • 6 complaints (7%)
   • median 146,500 mi at 12.5 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2015

   Several owners describe front airbags that did not deploy in collisions, including head-on and side impacts where the car was damaged substantially. Another complaint describes the SRS light staying on with the dealer recommending a passenger-side airbag replacement due to wiring resistance, and one reports a cracking dash and vent pieces coming loose. Complaints describe mixed dealer responses, from repairs to no action. Mostly reported on vehicles above about 55,000 miles, often many years into ownership.

   Recall 15V338000Recall 04V428000

   What to check: Ask whether the passenger-side inflator recall (15V338000) was completed and check that the SRS light behaves normally on start-up. A scan for stored airbag codes before purchase is a reasonable ask.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10386569, filed 2011-03, 168,000 miles

   “Srs light comes on/stays on - dealership states right passenger side airbag has to be replaced due to design flaw, not enough resistance on the wiring. Another car (same make/model) in that day had 2 airbags replaced for the same problem”

   NHTSA complaint #756016, filed 2001-12
4. 4
   Exterior lighting

   Headlight connector overheating and melting

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe headlights dimming or going out, with the plastic connector at the back of the lamp found melted or burned, and in some cases smoke or a burning smell noticed from the front of the car. Owners say wiggling the wiring restored light briefly before it failed again. Some also mention cloudy or residue-covered lenses reducing light output. Reported between roughly 50,000 and 65,000 miles.

   What to check: Inspect the headlamp bulb connectors for browning, melted plastic or corrosion, and check both lamps actually work on low and high beam. Ask whether the connectors or headlamp assemblies have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “One afternoon I got into my car and started it up, when suddenly I saw smoke arise from the front of my engine and smelled a sweet smell, but the smoke and smell soon dissipated, however I then noticed that my driver's side headlight was going dim and shortly thereafter I had no headlights! I am currently without headlights making it difficult to go to and from work. We have not tried to repair this ourselves because we did not know what the problem was. We checked the fuses and the bulbs which all seem to be normal. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10202287, filed 2007-09, 51,998 miles

   “On my 2001 Eclipse Spyder, headlights began to go out, but moving wire connection on back of headlamps would correct the problem momentarily. The problem occurred more and more frequently, and one headlamp stopped functioning altogether, and now both went out on me while driving almost getting into a accident. When I checked the problem the headlight boxes that connect to the wires were melted and eventually burned off and broke.”

   NHTSA complaint #10209290, filed 2007-11

Buying note. The 2001 Eclipse Spyder is a car where wheel condition and transmission behavior matter most, so an inspection off the car and a proper test drive in both cold and warm conditions are worth the cost. Confirm recall work, especially the passenger airbag inflator, and check the carpets and headlamp connectors for water or heat damage.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.