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FaultScore report

2003 Mitsubishi Spyder problems

Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 2003 Mitsubishi Spyder with NHTSA between 2003 and 2006. The largest single group is the windows, mirrors & wipers.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Mitsubishi Spyder All 2003 cars
—

Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

10

Complaints

1

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

17,000 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

100%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

How 2003 compares with every other Mitsubishi Spyder

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2003 Mitsubishi Spyder

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Seat Belts 2 20.0%

Median failure at 32,000 miles

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 2 20.0%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 12,600 mi

Equipment & Accessories 1 10.0%
Tires 1 10.0%
Lights 1 10.0%
Body & Structure 1 10.0%

Median failure at 7,000 miles

Transmission & Drivetrain 1 10.0%
Engine & Cooling 1 10.0%

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

1,000 – 9,999 miles 2 40.0%
10,000 – 24,999 miles 1 20.0%
25,000 – 49,999 miles 2 40.0%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Apr 2003 peak 3 Jan 2006

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

at 17,000 miles Baldwinsville, NY Crash

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR

VEHICLE HAS A BLIND SPOT BETWEEN THE MIRROR AND THE BACK WINDOW. AS A RESULT VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. *AK THE OFFICE THAT FILED THE REPORT SUGGESTED THAT THE CONSUMER GET A SMALL MIRROR AND ATTACH IT TO THE EXTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR. THE OFFICER INDICATED THAT A LOT OF TRUCK DRIVER'S USE THEM TO SEE AROUND THEIR TRUCKS. THE CONSUMER FEEL THAT THESE SMALL MIRRORS SHOULD BE STANDARD EQUIPMENT.

NHTSA complaint #10075912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 32,000 miles Boaz, AL

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT OR RELEASE. THE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED BY THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP LAST YEAR. HOWEVER, THE REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10148849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 32,000 miles Boaz, AL

SEAT BELTS:FRONT

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT OR RELEASE. THE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED BY THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP LAST YEAR. HOWEVER, THE REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10148849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Palo, CA

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

CONSUMER LETTER COMPLAINT REGARDING THE WARRANTY ON 2003 MITSUBISHI SPYDER. VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, HEADLIGHT EQUIPMENT, SPEAKERS, TURN SIGNALS AND A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE.*MR CONSUMER FEELS THAT THEY WERE TREATED UNFAIR WITH THIS DEAL AND WANT THEIR MONEY BACK FOR THIS VEHICLE, DUE TO NUMBER OF PROBLEM THEY HAVE HAD. *BF

NHTSA complaint #10119016 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Palo, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH

CONSUMER LETTER COMPLAINT REGARDING THE WARRANTY ON 2003 MITSUBISHI SPYDER. VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, HEADLIGHT EQUIPMENT, SPEAKERS, TURN SIGNALS AND A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE.*MR CONSUMER FEELS THAT THEY WERE TREATED UNFAIR WITH THIS DEAL AND WANT THEIR MONEY BACK FOR THIS VEHICLE, DUE TO NUMBER OF PROBLEM THEY HAVE HAD. *BF

NHTSA complaint #10119016 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Palo, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

CONSUMER LETTER COMPLAINT REGARDING THE WARRANTY ON 2003 MITSUBISHI SPYDER. VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, HEADLIGHT EQUIPMENT, SPEAKERS, TURN SIGNALS AND A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE.*MR CONSUMER FEELS THAT THEY WERE TREATED UNFAIR WITH THIS DEAL AND WANT THEIR MONEY BACK FOR THIS VEHICLE, DUE TO NUMBER OF PROBLEM THEY HAVE HAD. *BF

NHTSA complaint #10119016 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Indio, CA

TIRES:SIDEWALL

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT BOTH FALKEN TIRES, SIZE 225/40CR-18 WERE SPLITTING ON THE SIDEWALL. VEHICLE HAD ONLY 7,000 MILES ON THEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAD NOT YET NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #10094055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Newington, CT

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

WHILE SHIFTING INTO REVERSE THE CLUTCH FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED AFTER HAVING THREE CLUTCHES REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10079650 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 17,000 miles Baldwinsville, NY Crash

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR

VEHICLE HAS A BLIND SPOT BETWEEN THE MIRROR AND THE BACK WINDOW. AS A RESULT VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. *AK THE OFFICE THAT FILED THE REPORT SUGGESTED THAT THE CONSUMER GET A SMALL MIRROR AND ATTACH IT TO THE EXTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR. THE OFFICER INDICATED THAT A LOT OF TRUCK DRIVER'S USE THEM TO SEE AROUND THEIR TRUCKS. THE CONSUMER FEEL THAT THESE SMALL MIRRORS SHOULD BE STANDARD EQUIPMENT.

NHTSA complaint #10075912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 8,200 miles West Hempstead, NY

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

CONSUMER COULD NOT ROLL THE ELECTRICAL WINDOWS UP OR DOWN. CONSUMER INSISTED THAT THE WINDOWS WERE A DESIGN FLAW. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT A WORN PART IN THE REMOTE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA complaint #10053735 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 7,000 miles Mesa, AZ

STRUCTURE

THE PAINT ON MY NEW VEHICLE BEGAN PEELING OFF THE HOOD IN QUARTER-SIZED CHUNKS AS I WAS WASHING IT BY HAND. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER INITIALLY ATTEMPTED TO DENY RESPONSIBILITY, THEY RELUCTANTLY AGREED TO REPAINT HOOD, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE WAS AN "ADHERENCE ISSUE." I DISCOVERED THROUGH A SOURCE IN THE MITSUBISHI FACTORY THAT THERE WAS A "LOT" OF CARS THAT THEY FAILED TO PLACE AN E-SEAL ON PRIOR PAINTING. WHEN MY VIN WAS CHECKED, MY SOURCE DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS ONE OF THE VEHICLES IN THAT "LOT." I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT FURTHER PAINT ISSUES WITH THE DOORS IN THE NEAR FUTURE BY THIS SOURCE. THIS INFORMATION WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO ME PRIOR TO PURCHASE OR WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR. IN FACT, IT WAS ONLY MY PERSISTENCE THAT RESULTED IN MY VEHICLE'S HOOD BEING REPAINTED. THE VEHICLES IN THE LOT SHOULD BE RECALLED ! I PAID OVER $31,000.00 FOR THIS VEHICLE, AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT DEFECTIVE AND/OR SHODDY PAINTING AT THE FACTORY. PLEASE HELP ME FIND THIS INTERNAL MEMORANDA THAT GOVERNS MY VEHICLE SO I CAN FURTHER PURSUE THIS ISSUE WITH THE MANUFACTURER. OR, IF YOU CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE IN RECTIFYING THIS COVER-UP., I WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL. MY DREAM CAR HAS TURNED OUT TO BE A REAL DISAPPOINTMENT. DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS--------770771. *AK *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10006547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.