2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Problems

High Complaint Volume

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse.

20002002
Complaints
287
Crashes
33
Fires
10
Injuries
17
Fatalities
3
Recalls
1

Worst 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#162 complaints

Wheels:Rim

Avg mileage:27,021 mi
#214 complaints

Exterior Lighting:Headlights

Avg mileage:47,080 mi
Fires:1
#313 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:119,000 mi
Crash-related:4
Fires:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse.

Wheels:Rim
62
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
27,021
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
47,080
Airbags
13
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
1
Avg Miles
119,000
Wheel Issues
13
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
30,100
Electrical Faults
12
complaints
Crashes
Fires
3
Avg Miles
74,958
Body Structure
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
41,017
Air Bags:Frontal
8
complaints
Crashes
7
Fires
Avg Miles
28,000
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
8
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
76,000
Tire Defects
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
6,020
Gasoline Fuel System
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
73,800
Transmission / Drivetrain
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
111,636
Manual Transmission
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
71,000
Suspension:Front
5
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
65,738
Electrical System:Wiring
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Automatic Transmission
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components
4
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Sunroof/Moonroof
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Headlight/Taillight Failures
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
3
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine Problems
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel System
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Cooling Unit And Lines
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Power Train:Axle Assembly
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Power Train:Clutch Assembly
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse

1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting ~443,442 vehicles.

15V338000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~443,442 affected

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 Dodge Stratus vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 22, 2005. In the affected vehicles, the passenger side sun visor may be folded down in such a position that, if the passenger frontal air bag deploys, the passenger side sun visor may detach.

Other Mitsubishi Eclipse Years

2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse has 287 NHTSA complaints, 33 crash-related, and 1 recall campaign. The most common issue is Wheels:Rim with 62 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
Top reported problems: Wheels:Rim (62 complaints, avg 27,021 mi); Exterior Lighting:Headlights (14 complaints, avg 47,080 mi); Airbags (13 complaints, avg 119,000 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 48,338 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
NHTSA complaints for the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse include 33 crash-related reports, 10 fire reports, 17 injuries, and 3 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse have any recalls?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 443,442 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (wheels:rim) and verify open recalls have been addressed.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Mitsubishi Eclipse reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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