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2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse Recalls, Complaints & Specs

2 safety recalls list the 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse, and owners have filed 73 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

2
safety recalls
73
owner complaints to NHTSA
5 / 4
complaints citing a crash / fire
20–23
MPG combined (EPA)

2 safety recalls for the 2002 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. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 15V338000 Reported 443,442 vehicles potentially affected Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.

    Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004, 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000, to March 18, 2005, 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 21, 2005, and 2001-2005…

    Remedy: MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners…

  2. Labels (equipment)

    NHTSA 04V428000 Reported 100,432 vehicles potentially affected MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN

    Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the bilingual english/spanish removable air bag warning labels affixed to the dash and to the sunvisor do not meet the size requirements of the standard.

    Remedy: Mitsubishi caribbean will mail a customer notification letter containing a written description and a graphic of the bi-lingual dashboard air bag warning label. In addition, all current 2000-2004 nativa owners will also…

73 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse have filed 73 complaints with NHTSA; 5 describe a crash and 4 describe a fire. Reports cite 7 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 62,041 miles. Complaints peaked in 2004 with 12 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mitsubishi eclipse. The contact stated that upon refueling the vehicle, fuel leaked out through the fuel neck due to rust. The contact also stated that the check engine war”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 1, 2015 · Fuel/propulsion system

“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mitsubishi eclipse. While in park, the contact noticed that there were multiple fractures across the dashboard. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 29, 2015 · Structure

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse (Eclipse Spyder). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined20–23 mpg
City / Highway17–20 / 24–28
FuelPremium, Regular
EPA classMinicompact Cars, Subcompact Cars
Engine4/6 cyl, 2.4/3 L
TransmissionAutomatic (S4); Automatic 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 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse

How do I know if my 2002 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. 2 campaigns currently list the 2002 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 04V428000).

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.