2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about bent or cracked alloy wheels after ordinary road hazards such as potholes, with the wheel lip bending back and the tire losing air. A second frequent theme is a cracked dashboard, and paint peeling from the roof, hood and spoiler also appears repeatedly. Issues mostly surface at low to moderate mileage for the wheels, while the dashboard and paint complaints tend to come later in the car's life.

1. 1
   Wheels

   Alloy wheels bend or crack on potholes, tire loses air

   • 30 complaints (41%)
   • median 32,147 mi at 2.4 yrs old (19 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2011

   Complaints describe the alloy rims bending or cracking when the car goes over a pothole, a rough patch, a speed bump or a railroad crossing at ordinary city or highway speeds. Owners say the bent lip lets air escape, so the tire deflates slowly or rapidly, and in some cases they report a shake or pull in the steering afterward. Many describe replacing or straightening wheels more than once, and several say the dealer or manufacturer told them there was no problem or declined to cover the cost. Some complaints also tie a tire blowout to a damaged rim. Mostly reported under about 65,000 miles, and several owners mention it happening within the first couple of years of ownership.

   What to check: Inspect the wheels closely for bent lips, cracks or curb damage and ask whether any rim has been replaced or straightened. A test drive at highway speed can reveal vibration that points to a damaged or out-of-round wheel.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This is the second time that I've had to replace my rim due to the lip bending back causing the tire to deflate. Both times it was on the front tire. Looking at all the other complaints this is a common defect with the Mitsubishi rims which results in decreased steering control and needs to be address before someone gets seriously injured.”

   NHTSA complaint #10233707, filed 2008-07, 94,090 miles

   “I almost lost control of the car when the rim bent and expelled all air out of the tire, but at 35 MPH I was able to maintain control, this can be a serious hazard, and if injury or even death occurs to any one, lawsuits will most likely be in order. ***dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12-12-02 cut over to artemis*761599”

   NHTSA complaint #10009204, filed 2002-05, 10,800 miles
2. 2
   Body and structure

   Cracked dashboard

   • 6 complaints (8%)
   • median 70,000 mi at 6.7 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2006–2015

   Owners describe the top of the dashboard developing multiple cracks, sometimes splitting in two or more pieces, without any accident involved. Some attribute it to heat and sun exposure or to the material expanding and shrinking with temperature changes, and a few report pieces coming loose or falling into the vents. Several say a replacement dash cracked again, and owners generally report that the dealer or manufacturer did not treat it as a covered problem. Often reported on cars with roughly 45,000 to 90,000 miles, sometimes noted after several years in hot climates.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Look across the top of the dash and around the defroster vents for cracks, and check whether a replacement dash or dash cover has been fitted.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The failure is my dashboard. The care is a 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse gs. The dash started cracking all over the top back in september. At least 4 other people I know with the same car have the same issue. Forums that I am a member of also have many third generation Eclipse owners complaining about the same thing. The manufacturer does not recognize this issue as a defect and will do nothing to resolve the issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #10177830, filed 2007-01

   “There is a major defect in the dashboards of Mitsubishi Eclipse's (years 2000-05). The dashboard will crack as the car hits uneven road such ash pot holes. In the heat and cold although covered and protected fro direct sunlight the dash will expand and retract in size creating small fractures that can crack. Once the cracks become large enough pieces will either fly out towards the driver or fall into the heating and cooling ducts causing damage to the cars blower motor. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10288599, filed 2009-10, 85,000 miles
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Paint peeling and clear coat loss

   Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the clear coat coming off and the paint flaking or fading on the roof, hood, trunk and spoiler, sometimes with rust spots appearing underneath. Owners say the damage spread over the upper surfaces within a year or two and that other cars of the same model showed the same appearance. Several report contacting a dealer, who either photographed the car for review or told them nothing would be done, often citing warranty age or ownership history. Reported from roughly 40,000 to 70,000 miles, generally on cars that were several years old at the time.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check the roof, hood and spoiler edges in daylight for dull or flaking clear coat, and look for rust starting where paint has lifted.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I own a 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse gt with a paint-peeling problem. The vehicle has a horrible paint-peeling problem all over the top areas of the car. I bought the car with about 48,000 miles, and the paint problem started about two thousand miles later. I have seen many, many vehicles with the same problem as my car. I took my vehicle to a Mitsubishi dealership so that they could take pictures and send them in. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10231913, filed 2008-06, 50,000 miles

   “After having my car washed and detailed in late may of 2008, I noticed a white deterioration of paint on the hood. Over the past few months the damage has spread over the hood and the trunk of the vehicle like a fungus. I recently went online to research the problem and discovered hundreds of Mitsubishi owners are experiencing the same problems. Most have stated that Mitsubishi has been notified of the problem and will not take responsibility for the defect as the car is no longer under the 36 month warranty period . …”

   NHTSA complaint #10238488, filed 2008-08, 67,000 miles

Buying note. Check the wheels and dashboard carefully, since those are the two things owners of this model year mention most, and look over the upper body panels for paint loss. Ask for service records on any wheel, dash or fuel filler neck repairs, and confirm open recalls by VIN before purchase.

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.