2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse wheel problems

WHEELS

2002 ECLIPSE COUPE, OK THIS IS A MAJOR PROMBLEM, HOPE SOMEONE WILL LISTEN THE WHEELS (RIMS) CRACK ON THESE CARS "CHEAP" BOTH FRONT WHEELS AND DRIVERS SIDE BACK WHEEL. IF YOU HIT A POTHOLE YOUR GONNA PURCHASE NEW WHEELS. I AM A SINGLE MOM MY KIDS RIDE IN THIS CAR. MANY OTHERS HAVE "COMPLAINED" DO SOMETHING BEFORE YOU ARE SCRAPPING CHILDREN OFF THE EXPRESSWAY.....THESE WHEELS ON THE 2002 ECLIPSE ARE DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE TO KEEP REPLACING I CAN NOT AFFORD IT,,

NHTSA complaint #10398457 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RIMS WERE BENDING ABNORMALLY AND CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE EXCESSIVELY. THE RIMS WERE REPLACED FOUR TIMES TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE MANUFACTURER BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 05/03/11

NHTSA complaint #10386868 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RIMS WERE BENDING ABNORMALLY AND CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE EXCESSIVELY. THE RIMS WERE REPLACED FOUR TIMES TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE MANUFACTURER BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 05/03/11

NHTSA complaint #10386868 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS

FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WAS CRACKED. MY TIRE WOULD SLOWLY DEFLATE SO I PURCHASED A NEW TIRE THINKING THIS WAS THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, MY TIRE CONTINUED TO LOOSE AIR. SO I WENT BACK TO TIRE COMPANY AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IS WAS NOT THE TIRE BUT A CRACK IN THE RIM. SO I PURCHASED A NEW WHEEL AND NOW AFTER A FEW MONTHS I HAVE A BENT RIM. THESE WHEELS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO CONTINUE PURCHASING NEW WHEELS IF THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. I WOULD JUST PURCHASED A WHOLE NEW DIFFERENT SET OF WHEELS IF I HAD THE FUNDS AVAILABLE, WHICH I DO NOT.

NHTSA complaint #10257739 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS

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.

WHEELS

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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

THIRD TIME WHEELS HAVE FAILED CAUSING RAPID DEFLATION OF TIRE AND SUBSEQUENT CONTROL OF THE CAR. TIRE SUSTAINS NO DAMAGE, BUT LIP ON RIM GETS BENT BACK RELEASING AIR. RIMS ARE TOO SOFT, OR THE CAR NEEDS A HIGHER PROFILE RIM AND TIRE. DAMAGE ALWAYS OCCURS ON FRONT WHEELS DUE TO EXTRA WEIGHT OF ENGINE, ETC. ON FRONT END. AT AGE 62, I'VE OWNED A NUMBER OF CARS WITH ALLOY WHEELS AND CAUGHT A POTHOLE OR TWO, BUT NEVER HAD A WHEEL FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #10182197 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS

THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL GETS BENT WHILE GOING OVER POTHOLES OR RAIL ROAD CROSSING AT NORMAL SPEEDS. IN THE 1.5 YEARS I'VE HAD THIS (2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GT) CAR I HAVE HAD TO GET THE WHEEL STRAIGHTENED 3 TIMES ALREADY. THE TIRE LOOSES PRESSURE OVER A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER GOING OVER THE BUMP BECOMING COMPLETELY FLAT.

NHTSA complaint #10175697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

I JUST PURCHASED A 2002 ECLIPSE FROM A SMALL DEALER. BEFORE I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR, THEY PUT 2 BRAND NEW TIRES ON THE FRONT. THE NIGHT I PICKED UP THE CAR, I HAD TO TRAVEL ON A FEW HIGHWAYS TO GET HOME. AS I WAS GETTING BACK ON THE HIGHWAY, I TRAVELED OVER A ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD, BUT I ONLY FELT THE LEFT SIDE GOING OVER IT. A LITTLE WHILE WENT BY AND AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS PULLING TO ONE SIDE. I KNEW SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT BECAUSE I SPECIFICALLY REMEMBERED HOW STRAIGHT THE STEERING WAS WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR 25 MIN EARLIER. THE WHEEL STARTED VIBRATING AND I SLOWED UP, AND LOOKED FOR A SERVICE AREA , WHEN I PULLED OFF I LOOKED AT THE DRIVERS SIDE TIRE AND SAW IT WAS FLAT.... THEN I WENT TO CHECK THE OTHER FRONT AND IT WAS FLAT TOO!!!THESE WERE DEFINITELY BRAND NEW. I COULD UNDERSTAND THE LEFT TIRE GOING FLAT BECAUSE I WENT DOWN IN THE DIP, BUT NOT THE PASSENGER SIDE.. HOW COULD 2 BRAND NEW TIRES GO FLAT AT THE SAME TIME?? I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO SO I CALLED 911, A POLICE MAN CAME OUT AND HE HAD A TOW TRUCK COME OUT AND FILL UP THE TIRES. I THEN FOLLOWED HIM TO THEIR GARAGE. THE TIRES HELD THE AIR, BUT I WAS NOT CONVINCED THEY WOULD HOLD. SO THE DEALER TOWED THE CAR BACK TO THEIR SHOP THE NEXT MORNING AND THOROUGHLY CHECKED IT OVER. THEY DROVE 50 MILES ON THE HIGHWAY. THE TIRES WERE FINE... THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE FLAT TIRES. AND STILL DON'T! SO AFTER READING THE OTHER MITSUBISHI REPORTS WITH SIMILAR INCIDENTS AND EVEN BLOWOUTS I'M CONVINCED THAT THIS CAR HAS DEFECTIVE RIMS AND THAT THEY MUST BEND CAUSING THEM TO DEFLATE THE TIRES. TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, I AM PURCHASING AFTER MARKET RIMS TO BE SURE I AM SAFE! THE RIMS ARE STOCK RIMS MADE BY MITSUBISHI! DOESN'T MITSUBISHI CARE ABOUT SAFETY??? SOMEONE NEEDS TO RESEARCH THESE REPORTS, RECALL THESE RIMS OR REPLACE THEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED!!!!

NHTSA complaint #10152971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS

HIT SMALL POTHOLE AND RIGHT FRONT ALLOY WHEEL DEFORMED ON MY 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GT. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ONE OF THESE ALLOY WHEELS BECAUSE OF NORMAL POTHOLES.

NHTSA complaint #10149882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

FRONT DRIVERS SIDE ALUMINUIM ALLOY RIM CRACKED

NHTSA complaint #10133844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, I HIT A SMALL POTHOLE WHILE CHANGING LANES WHILE HEADING TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP (WHERE I USED TO WORK) AND LOST CONTROL OF MY 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GT. UPON CHANGING MY TIRE, MY RIM WAS BENT SO SEVERELY THAT I HAD A HARD TIME GETTING THE LUG NUTS OFF OF THE VEHICLE. OVER 2 INCHES THE RIM DENTED IN. NOW, 2 WEEKS LATER, I NOTICED A PROBLEM IN THE FRONT LEFT END, THAT RIM IS DENTED SEVERLY IN TWO PLACES, NOT JUST ONE. I AM GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE THAT RIM AS WELL. TO TOP EVERTHING OFF, I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRE BECAUSE THE FIRST TIME I BLEW OUT THE SIDEWALL. THIS IS OVER $1,000 IN JUST WHEEL AND TIRE DAMAGE. ALSO, DURING EMPLOYMENT AT THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP, I REPORTED DEFECT'S WITH MY WHEELS AND IT WAS NOT BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER, BOB DESIMONE. I REQUESTED THAT THEY BE REPLACED DUE TO PEELING PAINT AND SMALL RUST MARKS ON ALL 4 RIMS. I WILL BE FILING A REPORT WITH MITSUBISHI MOTORS OF NORTH AMERICA TODAY. I AM 28 AND HAVE BOUGHT 3 NEW MITSUBISHI'S. AT THIS POINT, NEVER AGAIN.

NHTSA complaint #10120263 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE RIM BENT, CAUSING THE TIRE TO LOSE AIR AND DEFLATE RAPIDLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ,AND COASTED IT TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE RIM METAL WAS FLIMSY AND BEND VERY EASILY. A STRONGER METAL WAS NEEDED.*AK BOTH RIMS WERE POUNDED OUT USING HOMEMADE TOOL. CONSUMER DID NOT REPLACE RIMS BECAUSE MITSUBISHI HAS NOT CHANGED TO A HARDER MATERIAL.

NHTSA complaint #10115788 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

DURING COLD WEATHER THE RIMS ARE CAUSING THE FRONT/REAR TIRES TO LOSE AIR. INVESTIGATION EA02A007. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10109176 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE REAR RIGHT AND FRONT RIGHT RIMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FRONT RIGHT RIM WAS CRACKED AND BENT AND THE REAR RIGHT WAS BENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #10108892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

HIT A SMALL POT HOLE IN MAY OF 2003, RIM DENTED IMMEDIATELY. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 48 MPH WHEN I HIT IT. HIT A SMALL INDENTURE IN THE ROAD IN MAY OF 2004 AND IT BENT ANOTHER RIM. TRAVELING AT ABOUT 32 MPH. RIMS ARE TOO SOFT!!! HAD BOTH RIMS REPLACED-- OUT OF MY OWN POCKET.

NHTSA complaint #10093771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

WHILE DRIVING ON NORMAL CONDITION AT CITY SPEED FRONT RIGHT TIRE BLEWOUT. SIX MONTHS PREVIOUS TO THIS INCIDENT, DEALERSHIP INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER THE RIM WAS BENT BUT WOULD NOT CAUSE THE TIRE TO BLOWOUT. SUBSEQUENTLY, ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS TWO MORE RIMS BENT. EACH RIM WILL COST $300.00 AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE ANY OF THE RIMS AT THEIR EXPENSE.

NHTSA complaint #10089860 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS

I HIT A SMALL HOLE IN THE ROAD WHICH CAUSED MY WHEEL TO BEND AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS WILL BE THE 3RD WHEEL I AM REPLACING FOR THE SAME REASON. I WAS NOT DRIVING ERRATICALLY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I FEEL THE CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUSTAIN THIS ORDINARY ROAD HAZARD. ALSO, THE CAR/STEERING WHEEL VIBRATE AT CERTAIN SPEEDS. I HAVE HAD THE ALIGNMENT DONE, TIRES REPLACED/BALANCED. NOTHING HELPS THIS CONDITION.

NHTSA complaint #10072943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

DROVE OVER POTHOLE IN ROAD. THIS DENTED AND CREATED CRACK IN RIM, WHICH LED TO A SLOW LEAK FROM WHEEL. NEED A NEW WHEEL RIM FOR REPLACEMENT. A RIM SHOULD NOT CRACK THIS EASILY. A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DURABILITY SHOULD BE EXPECTED FROM PARTS OF THE CAR AND THIS IS PLAINLY NOT ACCEPTABLE.

NHTSA complaint #10068456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH CONSUMER DROVE INTO A POT HOLE WHICH CAUSED ALL FOUR RIMS TO BEND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK WHEN THE RIMS BENT THE TIRES DEFLATED.

NHTSA complaint #10067246 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

WHEN DRIVING OVER AN IMPERFECTION IN THE ROAD (ABOUT 1 1/2 INCHES IN DEPTH) THE RIGHT RIM BENT. *AK

NHTSA complaint #10059575 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

REPEATED RIM DAMAGE THAT RESULTS IN FLAT TIRES DUE THE INFERIOR RIMS ON THE 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE I HAVE ASKED MITSUBISHI ABOUT THE RIMS AND THEY SAY THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM. I HAVE SEEN READ OF A CLASS ACTION SUIT SPECIFICALLY AS A RESULT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE RIMS.

NHTSA complaint #10056780 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

CRACKED RIM.

NHTSA complaint #10049488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE RIM CRACKED. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE WHEEL WOULD COME OFF WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #10049905 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS

WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL CAME COMPLETELY OFF THE RIM.

NHTSA complaint #10044716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

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. *TS *NLM ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS*761599

NHTSA complaint #10009204 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

WHEEL RIMS ON 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GT HAVE BENT ON TWO OCCASIONS AND HAD TO REPLACE THEM. THE RIMS BENT UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10016903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS

WHEELS ARE SUSEPTABLE TO DAMAGE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITONS EVEN THE SLIGHTEST OBSTICLE ,SUCH AS SPEED BUMP, ROAD WORK ,ECT.. NEVER SEEN SUCH A WEAK WHEEL , WELL BEING AND ALL THE UNSIGHTLY NOISE (FROM OL WARPY) JUST NOT SOMETHING YOU WOULD NOT EXPECT FROM A CAR THATS ONLY AROUND SIX MONTHS OLD AFTER THREE YEARS OF MANUFACTORING THESE WHEELS THEY WOULD RELIZE ALL THE PROBLEMS, OR DID THEY(NEW WHEELS FOR 2003, GOOD IDEA! ) NOW WHAT ABOUT US? NLM

NHTSA complaint #767645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:RIM

ECLIPSE GT, LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT FROM RIM AND RIM BENT. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THESE RIMS SHOULD NOT BEND FROM A BLOWOUT.*AK

NHTSA complaint #8017888 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.