Mitsubishi Eclipse door lock problems

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

2008 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUE WITH LATCH HOOK.

NHTSA complaint #10965569 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

I PURCHASED MY 1998 ECLIPSE GS IN 2003 WITH APPROX. 38,000 MILES ON IT. WITHIN 2 MONTHS, MY DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE BROKE WHEN OPENING THE DOOR. THIS OCCURRED ON A DAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER. NOT THINKING MUCH ABOUT IT, I HAD IT REPLACED AT A COST OF ALMOST $300.00 (PARTS, LABOR, & PAINT) IT HAPPENED AGAIN WITHIN 3 MONTHS. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THIS ONE ALSO AND ONLY CHARGED ME FOR THE PART, A MERE $175.00. ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER, MY GIRLFRIEND AT THE TIME WAS OPENING THE PASSENGER DOOR AND THAT HANDLE BROKE OFF. THIS MAKES 3 BROKEN DOOR HANDLES IN 11 MONTHS. I MIGHT BE A STRONG GUY, I GUESS, BUT MY GIRLFRIEND WAS 5'1" AND ABOUT 90 LBS.. THE KIND OF GIRL WHO HAD TROUBLE TEARING NOTEBOOK PAPER. WELL, WHILE WAITING FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO ORDER A REPLACEMENT HANDLE, MY BROTHER WAS GETTING INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY CAR TO INSTALL A NEW STEREO AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE HANDLE SNAPS OFF IN HIS HAND. I HAD TO LEAVE A WINDOW DOWN FOR A WEEK INORDER TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE SINCE STOPPED ORDERING FROM THE DEALERSHIP AS A FIBERGLASS DOOR HANDLE WAS AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR $35.00 AND CAME BLACK IN COLOR. TO DATE, AS OF 2010, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE 6 TIMES AND THE PASSENGER SIDE TWICE. AFTER SPEAKING WIT QUITE A FEW MITSUBISHI ENTHUSIASTS, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM MITSUBISHI KNOWS ABOUT, ALWAYS KNEW ABOUT, AND HAS SIMPLY REFUSED TO FIX, EVEN AS FAR AS NOT MAKING REPLACEMENT DOOR HANDLES OUT OF STRONGER MATERIAL. I WILL NEVER BUY A MITSUBISHI AGAIN BASED ON THIS SIMPLE DESIGN FLAW WHICH THE COMPANY DEEMS IS BENEATH THEM TO MAKE RIGHT.

NHTSA complaint #10347150 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

AT ABOUT 20,000 MILES THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS THE WARNING INDICATOR THAT THE PASSENGER WAS NOT BUCKLED UP EVEN THOUGH I COULD SEE THEY WERE. ALSO THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM COLUMN WITHOUT THE CAR IN PARK.

NHTSA complaint #10331776 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

MY 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GSX HATCH WILL RELEASE BUT WILL NOT OPEN WHEN RELEASE FROM RELEASING HANDLE ON THE SIDE OF THE DRIVER SEAT FLOOR.

NHTSA complaint #10258509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE OF MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE 1999 GS DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF FROM THE INSIDE AND NOW I HAVE TO OPEN DOOR FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. CAR WAS TAKING BACK TO DEALERSHIP WHO DIRECTED ME TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX THE DOOR LATCH STATING THAT IT WAS UNDER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR CONDITIONS. THERE ARE TOO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE TO BE CONSIDERED NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS ITEM I AM HAVING BACK ISSUES DUE TO OPENING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE.

NHTSA complaint #10212440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

I PURCHASED A 2000 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. SHORTLY AFTER THE PURCHASE I NOTICED THAT I COULD NO LONGER OPEN THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY KIND OF ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10196339 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

I STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE NEW. THE DRIVER DOOR HANDLE WOULD NOT "CATCH" SOMETIMES WHEN I TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY FIXED IT. A FEW WEEKS AFTER THAT I CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. SINCE THE DOOR HANDLE DID NOT ALWAYS DO THIS I JUST DEALT WITH IT AND DID NOT TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER. AFTER THE WARRANTY WAS UP THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE COMPLETELY BROKE OFF AND NOW THE DRIVER SIDE HANDLE DOES NOT "CATCH" SO I CANNOT OPEN EITHER DOOR--I HAD TO CLIMB IN THROUGH THE HATCHBACK!! IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE DOOR HANDLES. ALSO, THE TRUNK/HATCH LOCK IS WEIRD, I HAVE TO TURN THE KEY TWICE EVERY TIME TO OPEN THE TRUNK--THE FIRST TIME THE TRUNK OPENS SLIGHTLY BUT REMAINS LOCKED...

NHTSA complaint #10171584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

I BOUGHT MY 98 ECLIPSE, STANDARD, IN 2003, NOT EVEN A YEAR AFTER I HAD IT IT DIED ON ME ON THE FREEWAY ONE DAY. TURNED OUT IT WAS THE SPEED SENSOR THAT GOT ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE. ABOUT ANOTHER 6 MONTHS LATER THE FOUND AN OIL LEAK ON THE HEAD GASKET THAT WAS MAKING ME MISFIRE, THAT WAS FIXED. THE CAR WAS FINE UNTIL ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO WHEN THE ENGINE WENT OUT ON ME BECAUSE APPARENTLY THE ENGINE OIL AND COOLANT WERE SOMEHOW MIXING, MY HOSES WERE OUT, SO WAS MY WATER PUMP, O2 SENSOR AND FUEL PUMP SENSOR, ALL AT THE SAME TIME. WELL I HAD MAJOR WORK DONE EVERYTHING WAS PUT IN NEW, ABOUT A MONTH LATER MY DRIVER DOOR HANDLE FALLS OFF, THAT COST ME 150 DOLLARS! ONE MONTH AFTER THAT, NOW, MY SPEEDOMETER STOPS WORKING ALL OF A SUDDEN AND 2 WEEKS LATER MY TRANSMISSION GOES OUT. ALSO MY CLUTCH IS GOING OUT. SO NOW I CANT DRIVE THE CAR ANY HIGHER THAN 5TH GEAR BECAUSE IT THROWS MY GEAR OUT!!! SINCE I STILL OWE 6K ON THE CAR I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO FIX IT. WHICH IS GOING TO END UP COSTING ME, IN ALL I'VE SPENT AND AM ABOUT TO SPEND, AS MUCH AS I STILL OWE ON THE CAR!

NHTSA complaint #10159663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

SERVICE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO POP HOOD FOR SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE. APPARENTLY THE HOOD RELEASE CABLE BROKE OR CAME LOOSE FROM THE HOOD LATCH RELEASE MECHANISM. TECHNICIAN SUGGESTED TO TAKE TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY MAY BE MORE FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE HOOD AND STATED THAT FRONT BUMPER PROBABLY WOULD NEED TO BE REMOVED BY CUTTING IT OFF TO ACCESS THE STUCK HOOD LATCH. THIS WOULD BE A $400 MINIMUM REPAIR, NOT INCLUDING THE OIL CHANGE, WHICH THE OWNER WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR.

NHTSA complaint #10158879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE OF 98 MITSUBISHI SNAPS OFF WHILE OPENING AND OCCUPANT ALMOST FEEL TO THE GROUND.

NHTSA complaint #10134677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

DOOR HANDLE ON OUTSIDE OF CAR BROKE WHILE TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR PARKED IN MY GARAGE. TEMP IN GARAGE AROUND 35 F. CAR STILL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED AND DOOR IS UNUSABLE AS A RESULT. PARTS WILL HAVE TO ORDERED FROM DEALER AND THEN A BODY SHOP WILL HAVE TO PAINT TO MATCH. CAR IS SEVEN YEARS OLD THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING.

NHTSA complaint #10112090 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

MY WIFE AND I ARE THE CURRENT AND CONTINUOUS OWNERS OF A 1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. WITHIN THE SPACE OF APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS, BOTH DOOR HANDLES HAVE FALLEN OFF UNDER NORMAL USE. UPON REQUESTING THAT THE LOCAL MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP (SOUTH COAST, COSTA MESA, CA) REPLACE THE DOOR HANDLES, WE WERE TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE REPLACEMENT COST FOR EACH DOOR HANDLE WOULD BE $275.00 U.S. DOLLARS. WE CONSIDER THIS TO BE PREDATORY PRICING FOR REPLACEMENT OF A DESIGN FLAW AND KNOWN DEFECT.

NHTSA complaint #10106344 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

MY VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS. I NOTICED THAT IF I CLOSE THE DOOR, LOCK THE DOOR, AND THEN TRY TO START THE CAR... IT WON'T. I HAVE TO UNLOCK THE DOORS BEFORE IT WILL START. *AK ON MY WAY TO WORK THIS MORNING, IN STOPPED, RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC, I STALLED MY VEHICLE. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, THE STARTER WOULD NOT ENGAGE. KNOWING THAT THERE IS AN IGNITION IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM, I FIGURED THAT I WAS FIGHTING THAT. ALSO, I FIGURED I THAT I MAY NEED TO UNLOCK THE DOORS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD START. SO... I UNLOCKED THE DOORS... NO START... REMOVED AND RE-INSERTED THE KEY... NO START... I OPENED AND CLOSED THE DOOR, REMOVED & RE-INSERTED THE KEY... NO START... I FIDDLED AROUND WITH VARIOUS SEQUENCES OF KEY, LOCKS, AND DOORS, AND FINALLY THE VEHICLE STARTED. MEANWHILE, I WAS HOLDING UP TRAFFIC. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT SEQUENCE FINALLY ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO START. NOT BEING ABLE TO RESTART A STALLED VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. IF I HAD STALLED IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC, I WOULD BE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE. THIS NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.

NHTSA complaint #10098138 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

AS I WAS DRIVING HOME IN MY BRAND NEW 2005 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE, THE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS SUDDENLY UNLOCKED. THINKING I MUST HAVE RESTED MY ARM ON THE DOOR LOCK BUTTON, I SIMPLY RELOCKED THE DOORS. FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, THE DOORS UNLOCKED AGAIN. THAT EVENING, I READ ABOUT THE CAR'S FEATURE THAT WILL UNLOCK THE DOORS IF IT THINKS YOU MAY HAVE LOCKED THE KEYS INSIDE. SO, THE NEXT DAY, WHEN I GOT INTO THE CAR, I WAS CAREFUL TO LOCK THE DOORS AFTER THE DOORS WERE CLOSED. THEN, I INSERTED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION. BUT, AFTER ABOUT 10 OR 15 MINUTES, THE DOORS UNLOCKED AS I DROVE ON THE FREEWAY. THE NEXT DAY, I TOOK THE NEW (1 WEEK OLD) CAR TO THE DEALER. FIRST, THEY LOOKED THIS PROBLEM UP ON THE COMPUTER AND DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING. THEY TRIED TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, BUT COULDN'T. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY CLEANED SOME CONNECTIONS, BUT DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM. AFTER 3 HOURS, I DROVE THE CAR HOME. I DON'T HAVE A WARM & FUZZY FEELING ABOUT THIS. WHAT IF MY DOORS DECIDE TO UNLOCK WHILE MY CAR IS PARKED? NOT GOOD.

NHTSA complaint #10098068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

BOTH DOOR HANDLES ON MY CAR ARE BROKEN AND I CAN NO LONGER USE THEM TO ENTER MY 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. I HAVE CALLED LOCAL JUNK YARDS TO FIND IF THEY HAVE THE CAR THEY HAVE ALREADY STRIPPED THE DOOR HANDLES, B/C THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH OTHER ECLIPSE CAR OWNERS.

NHTSA complaint #10090754 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

WHILE OPENING UP THE DOOR ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE, THE DOOR HANDLE UNEXPECTEDLY SHEARED OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE PART WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THE CONSUMER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIX. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #10089339 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

I OWN A 1995 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE AND MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF WHEN I WAS OPENING THE DOOR. I OPENED IT GENTLY AND NOT ROUGH AND I ALSO KNOW OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE THE CONSUMERS SHOULD HAVE TO PAY OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNTS FOR THE REPAIRS CONSIDERING THAT THERE IS SO MANY OF US OUT THERE THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO, IF ANYTHING WERE TO HAPPEN AND WE NEEDED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CAR, WE COULDN'T AND THAT PUTS OUR LIVES IN DANGER.

NHTSA complaint #10088112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

AUTO WAS PURCHASED NEW AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED 100% BY DEALERSHIP. HOOD LATCH FAILURE SO AS NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN HOOD TO SERVICE ENGINE OR ANYTHING UNDER HOOD. HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT BUMPER HAS TO BE CUT OFF TO REACH HOOD LATCH FOR REPLACEMENT AT OWNERS EXPENSE. NOTHING HAS CURRENTLY BEEN DONE TO FIX PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10086480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

WHILE TRYING TO OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR ON MY SON'S 1999 ECLIPSE THE DOOR HANDLE JUST BROKE OFF IN MY HAND CAUSING MY SON TO HAVE TO ENTER THE CAR FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. I QUESTIONED OTHER PEOPLE WITH ECLIPSES AND FOUND THAT 3 OF 5 EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM! I WENT TO THE DEALER FOR A NEW HANDLE AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST ME $80 PLUS PAINT AND INSTALLATION. EVEN THE PARTS SHOP WAS OUT OF DOOR HANDLES DUE TO THE CURRENT DEMAND FOR THEM. THE EMPLOYEE BEHIND THE COUNTER SAYS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. IF HE CAN SEE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM, THEN WHY CANT MITSUBISHI SEE THIS TOO? THE ANSWER IS, THEY KNOW BUT ARE NOT INTENDING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNTIL OUR GREAT GOVERNMENT(?) STEPS IN AND FORCES THEM TO! THEN I STARTED LOOKING AT OTHER CARS ON THE STREET AND WAS AMAZED TO SEE HOW MANY ECLIPSES HAD BLACK ( THATS THE COLOR THE REPLACEMENTS ARE ) DOOR HANDLES ON THEM. THIS IS UNDOUBTEDLY A MASSIVE PROBLEM AND MITSUBISHI NEEDS TO STEP UP AND START TREATING THEIR CUSTOMERS FAIRLY AND REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE DOOR HANDLES, AT LEAST AS THEY BREAK. MITSUBISHI DOESNT SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM PROMISING THEIR CUSTOMERS VALUE FOR THEIR MONEY UNTIL THERE IS A PROBLEM SUCH AS THIS THEN THEY JUST TURN THEIR BACK ON THE VERY PEOPLE THAT KEEP THEM IN BUSINESS! THEIR CUSTOMERS!

NHTSA complaint #10083194 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.