1997 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER

2 recalls, 23 complaints - 57 TSBs

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Defect Description

CERTAIN AIRTEX FUEL PUMP MODULE ASSEMBLIES, P/N E7081H, SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE WALL OF THE FLARED FITTING OF THE FUEL PUMP IS NOT THICK ENOUGH TO PREVENT THE MATING THREADED FITTINGS FROM BOTTOMING OUT BEFORE AN ADEQUATE SEAL IS ACHIEVED. THIS COND... Read more

Consequence

IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FUEL LEAK COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy

AIRTEX WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AIRTEX AUTOMOTIVE AT 800-880-3056.

222 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: AIRTEX PRODUCTS

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

Defect Description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE. ALSO, MMC HAS ADDED THE POTENTIAL OF LEAKING MOISTURE, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE BALL STUD TO CORRODE.

Consequence

THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. THIS CAMPAIGN SUPERCEDES MMC'S PREVIOUS SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN, SEE 99V-066.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT FOR WEAR. BALL JOINTS THAT EXHIBIT WEAR BEYOND THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY DESIGNED LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS. BALL JOINTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE CLEANED AND A SPECIAL SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED T... Read more

567,432 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: MITSUBISHI AMERICA

Complaint Statistics

23 total complaints

Top Reported Components

Component	Complaints
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS	3
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY	2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE	2
POWER TRAIN	2
WHEELS:RIM	1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE	1
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR	1
TIRES:TREAD/BELT	1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS	1
STRUCTURE:BODY	1

Incident date: Jan 1, 2010

Vehicle displays warning "Shift to park" sometimes when vehicle in placed in park. Vehicle will not lock properly and drains battery if left in this state. Vehicle is unable to turn off while this message is present and the only way to get it to go away is to repeatedly shift the vehicle in and out ... Read more

Incident date: Nov 9, 2011

MY CAR IS A 1997 ECLIPSE SPYDER AUTOMATIC TRANNY 2.4L . THERE WAS ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION IT WAS ON LEAN MODE, LOCKED ON 2ND GEAR AND IT COULD ONLY GO UP TO 40 MILES PER HR OTHER WISE THE RPM WERE VERY HIGH... *TR

Incident date: Apr 22, 2010

TIRE TREAD SEPARATION ON PASSENGER CAR TIRES. BRAND = KUMHO LINE = ECSTA ASX SIZE = 225/40/R18 DOT # = YOMX YC2F WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, MY SON NOTICED RUBBER CHUNKS FLYING FROM THE FRONT END OF HIS CAR. WHEN HE STOPPED TO CHECK THINGS OVER, HE FOUND THAT... Read more

Incident date: Sep 15, 2005

PAINT JOB DEFECTS. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL MITSUBISHIS VEHICLES IN MY FAMILY. ALL RESULTING IN PAINT DEFECTS ON THE CAR. ONLY ONE HAS NOT, DEALERSHIP SAID BECAUSE THERE IS A DEFECT AND THAT ONE VEHICLE NOT AFFECTED WAS MADE AND PAINTED IN JAPAN. COST OF REPAINT OF VEHICLE IS $1500 TO $2500 DEPENDING ON... Read more

Incident date: Jun 18, 2006

COOLANT TANK CRACKED LEADING TO LOSS OF OVERFLOW COOLANT AND POTENTIAL ENGINE FAILURE FROM OVERHEATING. MITSUBISHI NO LONGER MAKES A REPLACEMENT PART. *JB

Incident date: Feb 24, 2006

SPEED CONTROL ISSUE, GAS PEDAL STICKING, CAR CONSISTENTLY IDLES BETWEEN 1500 TO 3000 RPMS ENGINE REVVING UP AND DOWN WHILE AT A STOP AND WHILE IN PARK. MANUAL SHIFT VERY STIFF. *JB

Incident date: Dec 20, 2005

1997 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF CLUTCH. THE LINE THAT RUNS FROM THE SLAVE CYLINDER TO THE MASTER CYLINDER HAS WHAT APPEARS TO BE A CUT IN THE LINE 1MM FROM THE CONNECTION TO THE MASTER CYLINDER. I HAVE NOW REPLACED THIS LINE SIX (6) TIMES IN TWO YEARS. FAILURE USUALLY OCCU... Read more

Incident date: Dec 20, 2005

Incident date: May 5, 2005

CAR FAILS MANDATORY OBD-II SMOG TEST DUE TO NON-CONTINUOUS READINESS MONITORS FAILING TO SET TO COMPLETE DURING NORMAL DRIVING. DEALER MUST USE MUT-II DIAGNOSTIC TOOL TO SET MONITORS TO READY STATE. WHEN DIAGNOSTIC MODE IS EXITED AND IGNITION TURNED OFF MONITORS REVERT TO NOT-READY STATE. PROBLEM CO... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2005

TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING SO I STOP DRIVING IT. WHEN I TESTED IT OUT AGAIN, IT WAS EVEN WORST AND I CAN'T EVEN GO PAST 40 MPH. SO FAR THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY REPAIRS DONE TO THE CAR SINCE I WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT THERE ARE TRANSMISSION RECALLS ON THE AUTOMATIC 97 GS ECLIPSE AND WAS ADVISE NOT T... Read more

Incident date: Mar 9, 2005

CONVERTIBLE TOP WILL NOT OPEN ALL THE WAY. SUPPORT BRACKET IS BENT AND WILL NOT LET TOP LOWER COMPLETELY INTO HOUSING. THERE IS NO COMPLETE FIX FOR THIS. DEALER SAYS, THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT, SUPPORT BRACKETS ARE TO THIN FOR THIS TYPE OF TOP.

Incident date: Jan 10, 2005

ROOF LEAKED & WOULD NOT FULLY RETRACT DUE TO DEFORMATION OF STRUCTURAL ROOF MEMBERS (ROOF PILLARS). REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF 3 MAJOR ROOF MEMBERS PLUS INSTALLATION OF STRAPS (AS DEFINED IN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN). THIS WAS A STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE ROOF DESIGN KNOWN TO MITSUBISHI, BUT NO RECALL... Read more

Incident date: Jan 25, 2005

I PURCHASED MY 97 ECLIPSE SYPDER CONVERTIBLE IN JUNE 04. AFTER 3 MONTHS THE CHECK ENGINE CAME ON. DIAGONOSED AS SMALL EVAP LEAK CODE 0442. TOOK TO DEALER. THE FUEL CUT OFF VALVE IS CRACKED AND THE VAPOR HOSE IS SEPARATED (HAS A LEAK) PARTS ARE ON ORDER AND TOTAL COST $475.00. HOW CAN A VALVE CR... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2003

CONVERTIBLE LEAKING BY DRIVER AND PASSENGER AREA WHICH DRIPS ON POWER WINDOW /DOOR LOCK/WINDOW LOCK SWITCH. *JB

Incident date: Aug 26, 2004

FRONT LEFT TIRE CONTINUOUSLY DEFLATING, LEADING TO RAPID DEFLATION BECAUSE OF A SEVEN INCH CUT ALONG THE SEAM OF THE TIRE. FORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED AT A VERY LOW SPEED AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD SAFELY. I HAD JUST LEFT THE HIGHWAY AND WAS DRIVING 70 MPH. REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES.*AK

Incident date: Jul 18, 2004

97 SPYDER CONVERTIBLE - I AM THE OWNER SINCE 08/03. REAR WINDOW WAS LEAKING A BIT AND LAST WEEK LITERALLY FELL OUT. HAD TO REPLACE TOP, WINDOW COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. CORNERS OF DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES ARE LEAKING SERIOUSLY DESPITE TOP REPLACEMENT. SEALS MAY HAVE TO BE REPLACED. COST SO FAR -... Read more

Incident date: Jun 11, 1997

MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SUCK! I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY ENGINE SHUT OFF! LUCKLY, I WAS GOING DOWN HILL AND WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF TO THE LEFT, AFTER ALMOST GETTING HIT A COUPLE OF TIMES. MY MECHANIC (BROTHER) TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND SAID IT WAS THE CRANK SHAFT, SO I GOOGLED IT AND GUESS WHAT???... Read more

Incident date: Jun 11, 1997

Incident date: Apr 3, 2004

1997 MITSIBISHI CONVERTIBLE. BRACKETS ON BOTH SIDES OF CONVERTIBLE TOP HAVE BENT PREVENTING TOP FROM OPENING COMPLETELY. IT HAPPENS ON ALL CONVETIBLES OF THIS TYPE AND HAS ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED BY MANUFACTURER, HOWEVER, THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.*AK

Incident date: Jul 8, 2002

THE THRUST WASHER IS WELDED TO THE CRANKSHAFT IN MY CAR. FOR WHATEVER REASON, THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE THRUST WASHERS THAT CAUSE THERE TO BE AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF PLAY IN THE CRANKSHAFT. THIS CAUSES WHAT HAD BEEN TERMED THE "CRANKSHAFT WALK". AMONG OTHER SYMPTOMS, COMMON AND WHAT HAPPENED TO ... Read more

Incident date: Dec 1, 2001

THE LEFT FRONT RIGHT FRONT TIRES BLEWOUT ON HIGHWAY DUE TO THE RIMS CUTTING INTO THE TIRES, CAUSING TREAD SEPARATION. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK *JB

Incident date: Jan 2, 2000

THE MANUAL GEAR SHIFTER LOCKED UP IN THE POSITION OF THIRD GEAR, SHIFTER HAS BEEN A CHRONIC PROBLEM SINCE OWNERSHIP, DEALER CLAIMS FAILURE RESULTED IN THE NEED FOR A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REBUILD AS THE BOTTOM SECTION BROKE OFF AND FELL INTO THE GEAR WORKS. RECALL (97V-069 AND 97V-069001) ARE SIMILA... Read more

Technical Service Bulletins, 1997 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER

57 manufacturer communications from 32 unique bulletins. TSBs describe known problems and recommended fixes from the manufacturer.

Most Affected Components

Component	Bulletins
100000 POWER TRAIN	5
070000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE	4
350000 EQUIPMENT	4
200000 WHEELS	3
020000 SUSPENSION	3
110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	3
060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	3
162000 STRUCTURE:BODY	2

980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER

This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between normal dew condensation, which is a natural phenomenon, and water penetration caused by improper sealing or a defective/broken part.

120000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING

350000 EQUIPMENT