16 of the 84 complaints about the 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse are about the body and structure — 19% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 67,000 miles.
16
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. WHILE IN PARK, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WERE MULTIPLE FRACTURES ACROSS THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
NHTSA complaint #10744796 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
THE DASHBOARD ON MY 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE CRACKED SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AS I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAD ASSUMED THAT IT POSSIBLY GOT TOO HOT FROM THE SUN ONE DAY. I WAS APPALLED TO HEAR THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. PARTS OF A CAR SHOULD NOT BREAK IN TWO OR THREE PIECES. MITSUBISHI SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ISSUES. I HAVE TO TAKE A BITE IN THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE, THE FUNDS SHOULD COME OUT OF MITSUBISHI'S POCKET, NOT MINE! I ALSO AM HAVING ISSUES WITH THE PAINT ON THE SPOILER. THE PAINT HAS STRANGELY DISAPPEARED AND THE PART HAS TURNED WHITE. IT'S WEIRD! AGAIN, I FEEL THAT IF MITSUBISHI HAD A PROBLEM WITH THEIR PAINT JOBS, THEY SHOULD FIX THEM!
NHTSA complaint #10617355 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
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. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE FOR PIECES OF THE DASHBOARD TO SHATTER AROUND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DURING A COLLISION CAUSING FATAL DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGERS OR DRIVER. THIS IS NOT A CASE BY CASE BASIS BUT ON EVERY 2000-05 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE I HAVE COME ACROSS.
NHTSA complaint #10288599 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE THE LIFTBACK DOOR SUDDENLY FELL. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE LIFTBACK DETACHED FROM THE LEFT PISTON AND VIOLENTLY SLAMMED SHUT. THE PISTON ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE WELDED BACK INTO PLACE.
NHTSA complaint #10283170 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE THE LIFTBACK DOOR SUDDENLY FELL. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE LIFTBACK DETACHED FROM THE LEFT PISTON AND VIOLENTLY SLAMMED SHUT. THE PISTON ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE WELDED BACK INTO PLACE.
NHTSA complaint #10283170 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
I BOUGHT A BLACK 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE IN 2004. THE PAINT JOB SEEMED FINE BUT SOON I REALIZED THAT MY PAINT IS DISSOLVING OFF MY CAR! THE CLEAR COAT IS ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE AND I AM AFRAID MY CAR WILL SOON START TO RUST. I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER BLACK ECLIPSES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THAT THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT APPLY THE BLACK PAINT OR THE CLEAR COAT CORRECTLY ON THE BLACK 2002 ECLIPSES. I FEEL LIKE THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY DID NOT MAKE THEIR PRODUCT TO LAST.
NHTSA complaint #10279415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
I HAVE A BLACK I GUESS YOU CAN CALL IT BLACK AND WHITE 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. THE CLEAR COAT IT COMPLETELY OFF AND THE BLACK PAINT IS JUST ABOUT GONE. I HAVE RUST SPOTS COMING THROUGH NOW. IT FIRST STARTED ON THE HOOD ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND NOW IT IS EVERYWHERE. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE TWO OF MY RIMS BECAUSE THEY WERE BENT. NOW I HAVE A SHIMMY IN MY STEERING WHEEL WHEN I GET UP TO 65MPH THIS STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO ALSO. I HAVE GOTTEN NEW TIRES AND RIMS ON IT HOPING THAT WOULD HELP THE PROBLEM BUT IT IS JUST AS BAD AS IT WAS LAST YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #10241359 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
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". MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS HAVE NOTED THE COST OF REPAIR AS HIGH AS $3,500 - 9,000 TO REPAINT THE CAR. TO REPAIR THE CAR COULD BE MORE THAN THE KELLEY BLUE BOOK VALUE FOR SOME OWNERS. I HAVE FOUND NO INFORMATION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT HAS BEEN FILED, HOWEVER, A GENTLEMAN IN PA IS ORGANIZING CONSUMERS TO INITIATE A CASE. THERE ARE SEVERAL WEBSITES THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED (IE: DEADECLIPSE.COM; MITSUBISHISUCKS.COM) AS A FORUM FOR HUNDREDS OF DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS TO VOICE THEIR DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE COMPANY/PRODUCT. IT SEEMS UNUSUAL THAT WITH HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS CIRCULATING ABOUT THE MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT (CLEAR COAT PAINT) ON MANY OF ITS MODELS, THE NHTSA HAS NO RECORD OF INVESTIGATION OR RECALLS. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS A FORMAL COMPLAINT AND INITIATE A FORMAL INVESTIGATION. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU. PLEASE CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU.
NHTSA complaint #10238488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
I HAVE A BLACK, 2002 MITSUBISHI, ECLIPSE GT AND THE PAINT IS COMING OFF. THE ROOF AND THE HOOD PAINT IS ALMOST DOWN TO THE BASE METAL. I HAVE ALSO SEEN OTHER ECLIPSE WITH THE SAME ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10234118 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
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. I RECEIVED A RESPONSE ABOUT THREE WEEKS LATER SAYING THAT THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO THE CAR BECAUSE I WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FACT THAT I WASN'T THE ORIGINAL OWNER HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PAINT BEING A PROBLEM ON OTHER PEOPLE'S CARS. THEY REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT THE DEFECT IS ON THEIR BEHALF AND REFUSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE IS BEGINNING TO RUST AND I AM NOT ABLE TO AFFORD THE REPAINTING OF MY CAR. THE VEHICLE WILL JUST CONTINUE TO RUST AND BECOME A ROAD HAZARD THAT IS OUT OF MY CONTROL. I TAKE WELL-ABOVE DECENT CARE OF MY VEHICLES, BUT THERE IS NOTHING I COULD DO ABOUT THE PAINT. WHILE IT MAY NOT BE A ROAD HAZARD OR CAUSE IN DEATHS OR INJURIES, IT DOES CAUSE EXCESSIVE, AND UNNECESSARY, RUST WHICH WOULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO HAZARDOUS VEHICLES, WHICH PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL PAYING FOR THE VEHICLE. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS. CHAD
NHTSA complaint #10231913 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
MY DOOR HANDLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GT BROKE OFF INTO MY HAND WHEN I WAS OPENING THE DOOR. THE DOOR HANDLE APPEARS TO HAVE LITERALLY SNAPPED IN HALF FROM INSIDE THE DOOR CAVITY WHERE IT WAS CONNECTED. CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE PART. MY CAR IS IN GREAT SHAPE--I AM VERY SURPRISED THIS HAPPENED. AFTER TALKING TO A MITSUBISHI DEALER, THE HANDLE ITSELF COSTS ABOUT $45; TO PAINT IT COSTS $110; AND IT'S ANOTHER $150 FOR LABOR, FOR A TOTAL OF $305 PLUS TAX. NOT A COST ONE WOULD EXPECT TO INCUR ON A 2002 VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10186921 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED IN TWO. THIS IS THE SECOND DASHBOARD THAT HAS BEEN REPLACED IN THIS CAR, DODGE AND MITSUBISHI WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10175113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED WITH A SEVERLY CRACKED DASH. APPARENTLY AN OCCURING PROBLEM IN THE 2000-2006 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSES.
NHTSA complaint #10171054 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
2002 MITSHABISHI ECLIPSE REAR BUMPER STARTED TO BURN AND I HAD JUST PARKED AT WORK I WAS FOUND SLUMPED OVER BEHIND THE WHEEL APPARENTLY FROM THE FUMES OF THE BURNING PLASTIC. I HOPE MY REPORTING THIS REMOVES PLASTIC IN AREAS THAT MAY BE IGNITED.
NHTSA complaint #10066505 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
RON MARHOFER MITSUBISHI'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM TWICE AND REFUSES TO ATTEMPT ANOTHER REPAIR. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY AREA BODY SHOPS THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE FROM A BROKEN SUPPORT IN THE FRAME.
NHTSA complaint #765933 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.