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1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Recalls, Complaints & Specs

3 safety recalls list the 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse, and owners have filed 136 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

3
safety recalls
136
owner complaints to NHTSA
22 / 6
complaints citing a crash / fire
19–24
MPG combined (EPA)

3 safety recalls for the 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Suspension: lower ball joint

    NHTSA 00V421001 Reported 567,432 vehicles potentially affected MITSUBISHI AMERICA

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water can intrude. Also, mmc has added the potential of leaking moisture, which can cause the ball stud to corrode.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the lower lateral arm ball joint for wear. Ball joints that exhibit wear beyond the established tolerance will be replaced with newly designed lateral arm ball joints. Ball joints that are within…

  2. Automatic transmission (power train)

    NHTSA 98V069001 Reported 24,275 vehicles potentially affected MITSUBISHI AMERICA

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Lockup of the transfer case can occur due to insufficient lubrication.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for adequacy of the transfer case oil volume, transfer case oil leakage, and operational degradation of the transfer case mechanism. If oil volume is insufficient, the appropriate…

  3. Head restraint (seats)

    NHTSA 97V081001 Reported 119 vehicles potentially affected MITSUBISHI AMERICA

    The headrest guide bracket was improperly welded to the seat back frame on the passenger side seat back assemblies only.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger seat back assembly with a new assembly.

136 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse have filed 136 complaints with NHTSA; 22 describe a crash and 6 describe a fire. Reports cite 16 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 95,628 miles. Complaints peaked in 1998 with 19 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“This vehicle has a recall for the lower ball joint. After calling to set up an appointment to fix this issue the vehicle shows up as already serviced, which may have only been as little as an inspecti”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 3, 2017 · Suspension

“I never received a recall alert from the dealer. Right now the dealer was sold to a new owner. I went to the dealer to buy a fender and my VIN number does not appear in the mitsubishi computer system”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 28, 2016 · Suspension

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse (Eclipse Convertible). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined19–24 mpg
City / Highway17–21 / 23–30
FuelPremium, Regular
EPA classMinicompact Cars, Subcompact Cars
Engine4 cyl, 2/2.4 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Mitsubishi Eclipse model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Mitsubishi Eclipse model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1989 Mitsubishi Eclipse02
1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse546
1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse254
1992 Mitsubishi Eclipse149
1993 Mitsubishi Eclipse136
1994 Mitsubishi Eclipse134
1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse5307
1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse4159
1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse3136
1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse4129
1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse2120
2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse7308
2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse7209
2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse273
2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse3124
2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse414
2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse36
2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse499
2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse4107
2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse171
2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse142
2010 Mitsubishi Eclipse01
2011 Mitsubishi Eclipse01
2012 Mitsubishi Eclipse08

Checking a specific 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse

How do I know if my 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Mitsubishi dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 00V421001).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Mitsubishi models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.