2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Steering Problems
- Complaints
- 6about this part
- Share
- 5%of 124 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 37,946miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 6 complaints about the steering of the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse, 5% of the 124 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 37,946 miles. 2 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I am filing a complaint regarding the steering mechanism in my 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse gt - on monday, december 27, 2004 - I was going home from work and my steering suddenly became stiff and I was almost unable to steer the car enough to get to my home. The problem seems to be intermittent. The car is still under the factory warranty and I called Mitsubishi who had the vehicle towed to dealership for repair. I have not gotten my car back and it is still in the shop; however, I find this issue to be a huge safety issue in terms of consumers of this product. …”
NHTSA complaint #10104689, filed 2004-12, 34,530 miles“I was driving the car and went to make a right hand turn but the steering wheel locked up. The steering wheel was very tight and hard to turn. Was able to make turn. Brought car back to dealer that day. They could not find anything wrong with it but decided to replace the power steering power.”
NHTSA complaint #10155260, filed 2006-04, 37,946 miles“I would like to file a complaint regarding my Mitsubishi Eclipse gts 2003. The product has not performed well because during the six months that I have had my brand new car, I had to bring it for several repairs. First, the car went to the shop at Mitsubishi bosak chicago for a loose bolt, second the car had a leak on the coolant system, third the wheel was no longer aligned, and fourth the rear defroster does not defrost properly. …”
NHTSA complaint #10091344, filed 2004-09“The contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse. While veering to the left at approximately 25 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver without warning. As a result, another vehicle crashed into the rear of the contact's vehicle. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10795060, filed 2015-11, 170,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10170096Mar 5, 2013This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
- 10170100Feb 6, 2013This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
Steering: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 1 | 1% |
| 2006 | 1 | 1% |
| 2004 | 2 | 14% |
| 2003 | 6 | 5% |
| 2001 | 9 | 4% |
| 2000 | 11 | 4% |
| 1999 | 13 | 11% |
| 1998 | 4 | 3% |
| 1997 | 7 | 5% |
| 1996 | 9 | 6% |
| 1995 | 10 | 3% |
| 1994 | 2 | 6% |
| 1991 | 1 | 2% |
| 1990 | 3 | 7% |
Other parts of the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
31 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
20 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
13 complaintsEngine cooling
12 complaintsAir bags
10 complaintsFuel system
10 complaintsTires
9 complaintsOther or unknown
8 complaintsElectrical system
7 complaintsExterior lighting
5 complaintsBrakes
4 complaintsEquipment
4 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology