2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE Complaints

THE MAIN ISSUE SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE WAVE/CUSHION SPRING LOCATED IN THE TRANSMISSION. MITSUBISHI HAS DESIGNED THE WAVE SPRING AS A FRAGILE TWO COIL PIECE WHICH HAS BEEN KNOWN TO REPEATEDLY BREAK CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IN TURN POSES A THREAT ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. WHEN THIS WAVE SPRING BREAKS, ACTUAL PIECES OF THE WAVE SPRING MAKE IT THROUGH MITSUBISHI'S ALSO FAULTY TRANSMISSION FILTER AND LODGE THEMSELVES IN THE PUMP GEAR, CAUSING THE GEAR TO ACTUALLY BREAK. AFTER THE PUMP GEAR HAS BEEN BROKEN INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION, ALL FORWARD AND REVERSE GEARS IMMEDIATELY STOP FUNCTION AND IN MOST INSTANCES THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. THIS COULD RESULT IN POTENTIAL HARM OR EVEN DEATH OF THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER AS THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL MOVING POWER WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WITH OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. MITSUBISHI HAS RECENTLY CREATED AN UPDATED VERSION OF THE WAVE SPRING WITHOUT ISSUING A RECALL, WHICH NOW IS A ONE PIECE INSTEAD OF THE COIL SETUP AND HAS A LESS CHANCE OF BREAKING. TO MANY MITSUBISHI/DODGE OWNERS THIS UPDATE WAS DISCOVERED AFTER THEY HAVE HAD THEIR VEHICLE IN A TRANSMISSION SHOP WITH A HEFTY BILL TO PAY EVEN THOUGH IT WAS MITSUBISHI'S FAULT FOR ENGINEERING A FAULTY PART IN THEIR TRANSMISSION. ALL ONE PERSON WOULD NEED TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS ISSUE IS SEARCH THE INTERNET WITH THE TRANSMISSION CODE (F4A51) AND THIS ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED, EVEN RESEARCHED BY TRANSMISSION DIGEST (A SPECIALTY MAGAZINE). NOT ONLY IS THIS A LARGE INCONVENIENCE TO MOST, IT IS ALSO A HAZARD TO ONES LIFE. MITSUBISHI SHOULD RECALL ALL VEHICLES WHICH CONTAIN THE F4A51 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO PERFORM THE WAVE SPRING AND FILTER UPDATE OR REIMBURSE THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD IT DONE AT THEIR COST. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS IF YOU OWN A VEHICLE WITH THE F4A51

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. WHILE VEERING TO THE LEFT AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS AN ODOR OF FUEL PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT WATER HAD LEAKED FROM THE FLOOR BOARD CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BECOME SLIPPERY. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. WHILE CHECKING THE BATTERY CONNECTION THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE BATTERY CABLE WAS SMOKING AND HAD MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING HOSE THAT FAILED CAUSED THE WATER LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN THE CONTACT REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT BODY SHOP FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUFFER ANY INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,845.

RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL FROM MITSUBISHI ON THE PASSENGER SUN VISOR REQUIRING A TETHER STRAP. I CALLED THEIR TOLL FREE NUMBER TO LOCATE A DEALER TO INSTALL THE TETHER STRAP AS DIRECTED BY THE NOTICE. MITSUBISHI DOES NOT HAVE A DEALER IN TUCSON AND INFORMED ME WE NEEDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A PHOENIX DEALER, OVER A 100 MILES AWAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE COST OF GAS AND THE TRAVEL TIME (OFF WORK OR MISSING SCHOOL) IS HIGHER THAN THE PARTS AND LABOR FOR .5 OF AN HOUR LABOR. THEY HAVE NOT MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH A LOCAL TUCSON CAR REPAIR FACILITY TO PERFORM THIS RECALL, NOR DID THEY OFFER TO SEND ME THE PARTS FOR SELF INSTALLATION. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY POOR RESPONSE TO A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE. CAN YOU ASSIST AS I KNOW THERE ARE MORE OF THE SAME VEHICLE IN TUCSON.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER. WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

MY VEHICLE HAS A BAD PAINT JOB, NEEDS TO BE REPAINTED. THE HEATER COIL IS LEAKING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED HAD ESTIMATE OF $1030.44 WITH NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE DASH WILL COME OUT IN ONE PIECE AND CAN BE PUT BACK INTO THE CAR WITHOUT BREAKING INTO SEVERAL PIECES. I FEEL THAT MITSUBISH PUT BAD PAINT JOBS ON THE CARS AND THEY SHOULD BE THE ONES TO REPAINT THE CAR, AND REPLACE THE HEATER COIL SO THE I WILL HAVE WORKING DEFROSTERS. MA 10/29/2015 UPDATED 12/06/2017*CN

FUEL MILEAGE IS BAD AND WHEN FILLING UP IF YOU CAN IT KEEPS CLICKING AND SMELLING LIKE FUEL INSIDE CAR. NO LIGHTING IN CAR AT ALL. HAD TO REPLACE SUSPENSION AS THE BOLTS WERE WORN. PAINT CHIPPING ALL OVER CAR. COOLING SYSTEM KEEPS FAILING AND SOMEHOW I HAVE WATER KEEPS COMING IN ON FLOOR BOARDS AND THE FLOOR IS SOAKED AND STINKS.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HATCH BACK AND SUN ROOF HAD WATER LEAKAGE. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

I BOUGHT AN USED 2003 ECLIPSE AND AT THE TIME I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW BADLY CRACKED THE DASHBOARD WAS. TO MY SURPRISE, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND AN USED DASHBOARD IN GOOD CONDITION...EVERY SINGLE 2003 ECLIPSE I'VE FOUND AND SEEN HAS THE SAME ISSUE AND AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE ONLY SOLUTION MITSUBISHI OFFERS IS TO REPLACE IT WITH A BRAND NEW (YET SAME POOR QUALITY) PART. HOW CAN WE (ECLIPSE OWNERS) GET A FULL OR PARTIAL CREDIT FROM MITSUBISHI, EVEN IF THE TEMPORARY SOLUTION IS TO INSTALL A SIMILAR PART? *TR