2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the stock 17-inch alloy wheels bending on ordinary road impacts, often leaving tires flat or losing pressure. Other recurring themes are cracked dashes and failing paint/clear coat, melted headlight harnesses and sockets, and rust-through of the fuel filler tube. Many complaints come in at moderate mileage, with several of the body and lighting items appearing well after the warranty period.

1. 1
   Exterior lighting

   Headlight harness and socket melting, lights fail

   Mentioned in 13 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe headlights dimming or going out, sometimes both at once while driving at night, and inspection finding the bulb socket, connector or wiring harness melted or corroded. Owners also report turn signals that will not cancel or stay on and headlights that stay on after the key is removed. Several note their vehicle was excluded from the switch-related recall, and dealers are described as declining coverage or quoting repairs. Mostly reported between about 50,000 and 115,000 miles, with a few earlier cases; several failures occurred during night driving.

   Recall 99V3050012 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check both headlights, high beams and turn signals with the engine running, and look at the bulb connectors and sockets for discoloration or melted plastic. Ask whether the column switch recall work was ever done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased a 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse gt in 2001 and recently the left head lamp dimmed and I thought the head lamp needed to be replaced. I purchased a new bulb only to discover the head lamp harness had been melted. Shortly there after I driving home after sunset and both head lamps went out. All I could do was turn on my fog lamps to get light to see where I was going. I live in rural area and without any street lamps I could not even see the road. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10145878, filed 2005-12, 76,892 miles

   “The headlights turn on at random times. My auto repair center says it is a known issue, but the recall covers vehicles made up to the month before mine was made. I have the same problem as described in nhsta campaign # 99v305001”

   NHTSA complaint #10125160, filed 2005-06, 80,000 miles
2. 2
   Wheels

   Stock 17-inch alloy wheels bend or crack

   • 115 complaints (37%)
   • median 41,500 mi at 4.3 yrs old (24 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $500 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2000–2008

   Owners describe the factory alloy rims denting, bending or cracking after potholes and, in some accounts, routine driving, which leads to tires losing air, blowing out or wearing unevenly. Several say the dealer offered no help or quoted high per-wheel replacement costs, and some replaced all four wheels with aftermarket units. Others report repeated flats and wheel repairs over a few years of ownership. Reported across a wide mileage span, mostly between roughly 2,000 and 70,000 miles, and often tied to pothole or rough-road impacts.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect each wheel for dents, cracks and curb damage, and check tire pressures and sidewalls for bulges or uneven wear. Ask whether any wheels have been replaced or repaired.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving my 2000 mitsubushi Eclipse gt with stock 17 rims and tires, I hit a relatively mild pothole which bent the rim. The rim was so badly damaged that it required replacement at my expense. The pothole was located in san juan capistrano, ca on the northbound i5 onramp from camino las ramblas. I have a picture of the rim in electronic format.”

   NHTSA complaint #10086952, filed 2004-08, 10,000 miles

   “The 17 inch rims of my 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse were consistantly and severly bent. Because of this my tires wore in an abnormal way. Before I knew this was a common issue with these rims, I replaced two rims and tires. After I found out this was a widespread problem I replaced all four rims with after market product with no further instances.”

   NHTSA complaint #10091334, filed 2004-09, 70,000 miles
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Cracked dashboard and failing paint or clear coat

   • 34 complaints (11%)
   • median 65,000 mi at 5.2 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • filed 2001–2020

   Owners report dashes cracking extensively, often starting near the defroster vents or in sun-exposed areas, with some describing the whole panel splitting over time. A separate but common theme is clear coat peeling, bubbling or oxidizing on the roof, hood and trunk, which dealers are said to have declined to repaint as outside warranty. Replacement dashes are described as expensive and hard to find used. Typically reported several years into ownership, from about 25,000 to 100,000 miles, and often attributed to sun exposure and hot climates.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Look over the dash top and around the vents for cracks or repairs, and check the roof, hood and trunk for peeling clear coat. Ask whether the car has been kept outdoors in strong sun.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse gt. The dash started cracking about a year and a half ago. Almost every part of the dash is cracked now. I got a quote from a Mitsubishi dealer and the cost to replace the dash was $600+. I also checked a salvage yard with no luck at finding a replacement. I am worried that the cracking of the dash will cause an electrical failure or some other failure and I don't have the money to pay for a new one.”

   NHTSA complaint #10171018, filed 2006-10, 65,000 miles

   “The car makes a sound in the rear when I make a turn.the turning radius is very bad.I wouldn't do a u turn with it.the other issue is that the A/C stopped working on a very hot day.when I turned on the A/C the car turned off this almost caused a accident due to the sudden stop.the dashboard is all cracked.other than that the car seems good.everything else about the car I do like.the paint is peeling off and there seems to be some rust.”

   NHTSA complaint #10778312, filed 2015-09, 171,021 miles
4. 4
   Other or unknown

   Fuel filler tube and lines rust through

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe fuel leaking, usually only while filling the tank, traced to a rusted-through filler tube or rusted fuel lines. Owners report the dealer confirming the rust and quoting replacement at their expense, and some describe a puddle of fuel under the car at the pump. One owner also reports a burnt connector at the fuel pump housing with a gasoline smell. Reported from roughly 49,000 to 141,000 miles, generally on cars around eight years old or more in rust-prone areas.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect the filler neck and tube behind the rear wheel arch for rust, and check for a fuel smell or staining after filling the tank. Ask whether the filler tube or fuel lines have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “1. I was filling my gas tank the other day when I spotted a hue leak under the car. 2. The filler tube on my Mitsubishi Eclipse 2000 is totally rusted (dealer report) after not even 8 years since manufacturer. The gas filler is cracked. This is a high risk to both myself and other traffic participants since a leak in the gas system due to the inappropriate manufacturing (totally rust in less than 8 years) could result into something very tragic. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10235057, filed 2008-07, 121,875 miles

   “The fuel filler has rusted through, resulting in a leak which causes a puddle of gasoline under the car when adding fuel. There are no gas leaks other than when filling, so I assume the leak is limited to the filler portion of the system.”

   NHTSA complaint #10272620, filed 2009-06, 141,000 miles
5. 5
   Body and structure

   Strut tower and suspension rust

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report corrosion of the strut towers and shock covers, with some describing the metal rusting through or the shock pushing up and denting the hood. Dealers are said to have called it surface rust or declined to remedy it once the car was out of warranty. Some owners connect the corrosion to steering and suspension concerns. Mostly reported between about 80,000 and 130,000 miles, often on older cars in damp or salted-road climates.

   What to check: Open the hood and inspect the strut towers and inner fenders for bubbling paint, flaking metal or holes, and look at the shock bodies and mounts for heavy rust.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have experienced multiple problems with my 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse. I assumed they were all just normal wear and tear until my most recent incident - the cover to my shock, passenger side, completely rusted exposing my shocks and allowing them to pop up, denting my hood and remaining exposed while I drive. Since this is such an unusual problem, I began investigating the other issues and they are all related to multiple recalls issued on my vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10224120, filed 2008-04, 89,000 miles

   “1) a common issue according to the forums and facebook groups, the strut towers rust through which presents a safety issue when considering that the suspension is connected to the steering which could put an individual or others on the road at risk 2) yet another common issue, the dash and associated bezels crack over time. There has been no solution or alternative to complete replacement from anyone, including (I'm sure) Mitsubishi.”

   NHTSA complaint #11319608, filed 2020-03, 130,000 miles

Buying note. Check the wheels, headlight wiring and sockets, dash and paint, and the underside for rust before committing, since these are the areas owners mention most. Service records showing recall work completed and any wheel or fuel-tube replacement are worth asking for.

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.