Consumer Safety Complaints

Search 2,215,138 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 138,663 crashes, 56,255 fires, and 8,561 deaths.

2,215,138 Total Complaints

138,663 Reported Crashes

56,255 Reported Fires

8,561 Reported Deaths

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim — NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.

The database below contains over 2,215,138 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports — when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.

How to interpret what you read

A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:

One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report — that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.

If you've experienced a defect

File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints — specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened — feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.

Read more from our blog

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›

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Showing 14,402 complaints for MITSUBISHI

Incident date: Jan 9, 2004

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED, AND IT HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES AND FACIAL CUTS, AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Aug 3, 2003

I TOO HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH RIMS AND TIRES. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 2 TIRES AND 1 RIM ALREADY. WHILE DRIVING MY CAR NOW OVER 65 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE. I AM OFTEN SCARED TO GO OVER 50 DUE TO THAT FACT THAT I FEAR MY TIRES WILL BLOW.*AK

Incident date: Aug 3, 2003

Incident date: Dec 16, 2003

AT 1000 MILES THE CLUTCH IN MY 03 LANCER EVO BEGAN TO SLIP OCCASIONALLY. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE MITSUBISHI SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP ME UNLESS THE PROBLEM COULD BE RECREATED. AT 3000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO GRIND INTO 5TH GEAR OCCASIONALLY. AGAIN I WAS TOLD NOT TO BRING IT IN UNTIL IT COULD BE RECREATED. AT 4000 MILES I WAS ABLE TO RECRE... Read more

Incident date: Dec 16, 2003

HEATER CORE FAILED, CAUSING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD TO FOG UP. ALSO, CONSUMER COULD SMELL ANTI FREEZE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

Incident date: Dec 16, 2003

HEATER CORE FAILED, CAUSING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD TO FOG UP. ALSO, CONSUMER COULD SMELL ANTI FREEZE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

Incident date: Jan 8, 2004

BRAKES. *LA

Incident date: Jan 2, 2004

CRANKSHAFT HAS REPOSITIONED ITSELF CAUSING THE CLUTCH TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. *AK

Incident date: Jan 2, 2004

CRANKSHAFT HAS REPOSITIONED ITSELF CAUSING THE CLUTCH TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. *AK

Incident date: May 30, 2003

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*MR . WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE CONSUMERS DAUGHTER LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND HIT A CEMENT GUARDRAIL HEAD ON. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT MITSUBISHI SO THEY COULD CHECK OUT THE AIR BAG DEFECT BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, THE CONSUMER EVEN FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THEM AND WAS GIVEN A FILE# AND WAS SENT ... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Jan 5, 2004

BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH 2001 MITSUBISHI GALANT SE. VEHICLE IN FOR WARRANTY REPAIRS TWO TIMES FOR STRONG STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION AND SHIMMY WHEN BRAKING. BOTH TIMES, EXCESSIVE WARPING AND UNEVEN WEAR FOUND ON ROTARS AND BRAKE PADS. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 32000 MILES, AND IS NOT DRIVEN IN STOP/GO TRAFFIC. REPAIR SHOP MACHINED ROTARS, BUT UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF CONSTANT UNEVEN WEAR ON R... Read more

Incident date: Jan 5, 2004

AFTER RECALL 98V069001 REPAIRS FOR TRANSFER CASE WAS PERFORMED THE DEFECT RECURRED, AND TRANSFER CASE WAS LEAKING. THERE WAS A METAL PIECE IN THE OIL. *AK

Incident date: Jan 6, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

Crash

Incident date: Mar 20, 2003

MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE 2000GT- I HAVE GONE THROUGH 5 RIMS AND TIRES IN LESS THEN ONE YEAR. DOING RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH THIS ISSUSE. MY FIRST INCIDENT WAS AT THE END OF MARCH AND THEN I HAVE HAD ANOTHER IN DEC 2003. THE RIMS ON THIS CAR ARE WEAK AND THEY BEND, CRACK AND BREAK TIRES. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO HAVE ON THE ROAD. YOUNEVER KNOW WHEN YOUR RIM WIL... Read more

Incident date: Jan 2, 2004

WHILE DRIVING REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *AK

Incident date: Jan 2, 2004

CAR SMELLS LIKE COOLANT. WINDOWS WON'T CLEAR UP WHILE IM DRIVING. VERY FOGGY. DEALER SAID I NEED A NEW HEATER CORE AT 43,000 MILES. *LA

Incident date: Jan 2, 2004

CAR SMELLS LIKE COOLANT. WINDOWS WON'T CLEAR UP WHILE IM DRIVING. VERY FOGGY. DEALER SAID I NEED A NEW HEATER CORE AT 43,000 MILES. *LA

Incident date: Dec 30, 2003

RIM BENT EASILY AFTER HITTING POTHOLE. *AK

Incident date: Dec 12, 2003

WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, THEY FAILED TO RESPOND WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HIT A GUARDRAIL. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED IN AUG OF 2003 AND THE CONSUMER WA TOLD THE ROTORS WERE BAD. THREE MONTHS LATER THE ROTORS WENT BAD AGAIN AND THE DEALER MACHINED THEM AND TWO DAYS LATER THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB

Crash

Incident date: Dec 12, 2003

Crash

Incident date: Jan 2, 2004

BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED EVERY 3,000-4,000 MILES. DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS DRIVER'S ABUSE THAT CAUSED PREMATURE WEAR OF BRAKE ROTORS/PADS. CONSUMER WAS FURIOUS. CURRENTLY, AFTER 4,000 MILES. BRAKES WERE SHOT.*AK

Incident date: Jan 2, 2004

Incident date: Dec 31, 2003

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO REAR END THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER DRIVER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. AS A RESULT THE DRIVER IMPACTED THE STEERING WHEEL.*AK

Crash

VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING A SPONTANEOUS A LACK OF ACCELERATION WHILE INADVERTENTLY LOSING POWER. THERE WAS A SERIOUS CLUTCH PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER DENIED THAT THERE WAS ANY PROBLEM. *AK

Incident date: Dec 3, 2003

WHEN THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE, IT WAS HARD TO SEE OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW. THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED WITH THE BACK SETTING TO HIGH UP. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *JB *MR

Incident date: Sep 1, 2003

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 PLA... Read more

Incident date: Dec 30, 2003

I'VE OWNED MY 2001 ECLIPSE GT SPYDER FOR A YESR AND A HALF NOW AND I'VE BEEN HAVING ONGOING TROUBLE WITH THE RIMS BENDING. IN FACT WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THERE WAS A BEND IN THE FRONT RIM THAT I MADE THE DEALER AWARE OF AND THEY SENT THE CAR OUT TO HAVE IT FIXED. I WISH I HAD TAKEN THAT AS AN OMEN AND STEERED CLEAR OF BUYING THE CAR. I'VE BEEN DRIVING THESE NEW ENGLAND ROADS AND HIGHWAYS FOR 15 YEA... Read more

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE TRUCK FAILED TO RESPOND. THE DEALER SERVICED THE TRANSFER CASE BOX. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

Incident date: Dec 20, 2003

MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION CLUTCH HAS BEEN MAKING LOUD SQUEELING NOISES SINCE 4000 MILES. IT NOW HAS 8300 MILES ON IT AND IS GETTING WORSE. THE OTHER DAY I WENT TO START THE VEHICLE, (CLUTCH FULLY DEPRESSED AND IN 1ST GEAR) AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD ABOUT 6 INCHES BEFORE THE CLUTCH DISENGAGED!

Incident date: Oct 15, 2003

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK.*MR THE CONSUMER HOPES MITSUBISHI BECOMES AWARE OF THE PROBLEM OCCURRING WITH THEIR CARS. *CB *JB

Crash

Incident date: Aug 1, 2003

IN AUGUST, 2003, MY 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION VIII CLUTCH FAILED WITH ONLY 5000 MILES ON IT. DEALER DENIED WARRANTY COVERAGE AS "WEAR ITEM". ARBITRATION FAILED TO PRODUCE A FAVORABLE RESULT, ALTHOUGH SERVICE WRITER STATED "IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE ABUSE" AND AFADAVIT FROM ASE MASTER MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE NO ABUSE INVOLVED.*AK

Incident date: Dec 22, 2003

I READ THE NEWS STORY ON THE WEBSITE FOR 7 ON YOUR SIDE ABOUT THE DEFECTIVENESS OF THE METAL ALLOY RIMS FOR THE '1997 THROUGH 2001 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE RIMS AND WANTED TO GO ON RECORD WITH YOU AS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME RIMS ON MY ECLIPSE. NOT ONLY ARE THEY A CAUSE OF MUCH HEADACHE AND FINANCIAL DRAIN ION THIER OWNERS BUT ALSO THEY ARE A SAFETY HAZARD AND THIS SHOULD BE RECTIFIED.*AK

Incident date: Jun 19, 2003

I BOUGHT MY USED 1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE IN MARCH OF 2003. IN JUNE OF 2003, MY DRIVERS DOOR HANDLE BROKE. MY WARRANTY WOULDN'T COVER IT AND THE DEALERSHIP WANTED TO CHARGE ME $137 TO FIX IT. I SAID NO WAY AND JUST STARTED CRAWLING THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE. IN NOVEMBER 2003, MY PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE BROKE LEAVING ME WITH NO WAY TO GET INTO MY CAR. STILL YET, MY WARRENTY WOULDN'T COVER THIS. ... Read more

Incident date: Nov 10, 2003

THE OUTLANDER HAS THE TENDENCY TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT. A QUICK CHECK ON THE WEBSITE REVEALED MANY CAR OWNERS FACED THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS IDENTIFIED TO THE ACTUATOR LATCH MECHANISM OF THE STEERING MECHANISM. THIS PROBLEM US WELL KNOWN TO JAPAN & ASIA. I AM EXTREMELY SURPRISED THAT IT IS NOT KNOWN TO US AT ALL. ALL THE TIME, I HAVE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT TO KEEP THE SUV STR... Read more

Incident date: Dec 22, 2003

THE TRANSMISSION OUTPUT SHAFT IN THE 1992 3000GT VR4 IS DEFECTIVE AND MITSUBISHI IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT OR CORRECT IT.THERE IS CURRENTLY A RECALL(02V143001) ON THE TRANSFER CASE ON THIS VEHICLE AND ALTHOUGH THIS SHAFT TIES INTO THE TRANSFER CASE IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.IF THIS SHAFT IS TO FAIL WHILE DRIVING SERIOUS INJURY COULD OCCUR DUE TO LOSS OF DRIVE.MI... Read more

Incident date: Oct 5, 2003

CAR STARTED STALLING AT LOW SPEEDS, HAD TRANSMISSION FILTER CHANGED, FOUND A LOT OF METAL IN FLUID. DROVE CAR 500 MORE MILES BEFORE LOSING REVERSE AND OVERDRIVE. TRANSMISSION UNABLE TO RUN AT 71,000 MILES. *LA

Incident date: Dec 15, 2003

I HAD PURCHASED A NEW MITSUBISHI GALLANT 2003 TWO WEEKS BEFORE BEING INVOLVED IN A HIT AND RUN FROM THE REAR ON THE HIGHWAY. BECAUSE I WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR, MY SEAT MUST HAVE JOLTED AND ULTIMATELY BROKE SO THAT I WAS IN THE LAY DOWN POSITION. IF I HAD SOMEONE IN MY BACKSEAT, I WOULD'VE CRUSHED THEIR LEGS. IF I WERE ON A CITY STREET WITH ONLY ONE HAND ON THE WHEEL (AS MOST PEOPLE DRIVE THESE DA... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: May 1, 2003

TWO OUT OF FOUR TIRES HAD BULGES COMING OUT OF THE SIDEWALLS AFTER LESS THAN 14,000 MILES. TOOK THEM TO GOODYEAR AND THEY BLAMED IT ON ME. THEY SAID THE PLYS DELAMINATED BECAUSE I WAS RUNNING INTO TOO MANY POTHOLES (WHICH I WASN'T). I'VE NEVER HAD A TIRE DO THIS BEFORE. I THINK THE RSA'S ARE AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN AND A SERIOUS INVESTIGATION NEEDS TO BE INITIATED ON THESE TIRES, ESPECIA... Read more

THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS WENT OUT. THE BULBS WERE GOOD THEREFORE IT'S PROBABLE THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A RELAY DEFECT. THE HORN WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE. THE HORN WOULD BLOW BUT WOULDN'T STOP. THE DRIVER HAD TO PULL THE FUSE IN ORDER TO GET THE HORN TO STOP BLOWING. PROVIDE FURTHER ANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM

Incident date: Oct 25, 2003

I HAVE A 1993 MITSUBISHI 300 GT VR4. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE POWER TRAIN. THE TRANSFER CASE LOCKS UP AND BREAKS. ON MY CAR IT LOCKED UP AND BROKE BOTH THE TRANSFER CASE AND THE SPINE ON THE TRANSMISSION. THERE IS NOTHING YET WRITTEN ON WHAT MITSUBISHI SHOULD DO ABOUT THE RECA.. MY DEALER TELLS ME THEY WILL DO NOTHING AND I NEED TO BUY ALL PARTS. HERE IS THE RECALL NUMBER. WHAT SHOULD I DO? NHT... Read more

Incident date: Dec 22, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE MAKING LOUD NOISES. DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. *AK

Incident date: Nov 15, 2003

MITSU HQ HAS CIRCULATED A SERVICE ADVISORY TO DEALERS TO CONSIDER "ANY MODIFICATION TO VEHICLE FOR POSSIBLE PERIPHERAL RELATIONSHIP TO ANY FAILURE." VERBALLY, SERVICE DEPARTMENTS ARE SAYING THAT THE TOTAL CAR WARRANTY IS VOIDED BY ADDITION OF ANY AFTERMARKET MODIFICATION. ADDITION OF A-M STEREO IS CONSIDERED GOOD CAUSE TO VOID ENGINE WARRANTY -- COMPLETE CAR WARRANTY. AND THAT THIS ADVISORY IS ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 10, 2003

MY VEHICLE IS LEAKING RAW FUEL IN MY DRIVEWAY.*AK

Incident date: Dec 19, 2003

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT TRANSFER CASE WAS LEAKING. DEALER INDICATED THERE WAS NO RECALL. *AK

Incident date: Dec 15, 2003

WASHER FLUID HOSE FAILED (BROKE) AT HOOD ATTACHMENT POINT, MAKING WINDSHIELD WASHERS INOPERATIVE. UNABLE TO CLEAN WINDOW DURING INCLEMENT WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS (SALT, SAND), CAUSING REDUCED VISIBILITY UNTIL CAN BE MANUALLY CLEANED AFTER STOPPING.*AK POSSIBLE CAUSE INCORRECT/POOR ROUTING OF HOSE IN AND THROUGH BODY PANELING, CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR AND/OR STRAIN ON HOSE WHEN HOOD OPENED, LEAD... Read more

Incident date: Dec 17, 2003

2001 MONTER SPORT XLS 2WD 46,000 MILES. WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT ANY RATE OF SPEED THE STEERING FEELS LOOSE AND IS ALSO RATTLING. CAUSES EXTRA EFFORT IN STABILIZING VEHICLE IN A SINGLE DIRECTION. WAS TAKEN TO TWO SAN ANTONIO BASED DEALERS GILLMAN MITSUBISHI SAN ANTONIO AND NORTHPOINT MITSUBISHI. NORTHPOINT MITSUBISHI DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ALTHOUGH MITSUB... Read more

Incident date: Mar 6, 2002

I HAD THE CAR, ABOUT FOR 5 TO 6 MONTHS, AND ONE DAY I WAS HEADING OUT TO A FRIENDS WHEN I REALIZED THAT MY FOG LIGHT WAS BUSTED. I KNEW I NEVER HIT ANYTHING OF THAT SORT OR HAD ANYTHING HIT IT. I TOOK IT TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID A ROCK MIGHT HAVE HIT IT. I WENT ONLINE TO WWW.NEWECLIPSE.ORG, THAT IS THE CAR CLUB FOR ECLIPSE OWNERS AND YOU GO UNDER PROMBLEM REPORTS AND YOU SEE T... Read more

Incident date: Dec 1, 2003

THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT BROKE ON THE 94 MONTERO SR AND I LOST POWER STEERING ASSIST. THUS, THE CAR WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER AND A LIFE THREATENING CONDITION WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE RECALL SR-01-002 DOES NOT COVER THIS MODEL ENGINE EVEN THOUGH THE PART USED IS THE SAME THROUGHOUT THOSE YEARS.*AK

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Consumer Safety Complaints

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

How to interpret what you read

If you've experienced a defect

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