Worst 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Structural Problems
Body Structure
Power Train:Clutch Assembly
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structural Problems | 14 | — | — | 30,756 mi | |
| Body Structure | 14 | — | — | 68,750 mi | |
| Power Train:Clutch Assembly | 8 | 1 | — | 21,530 mi | |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 6 | 5 | — | 7,885 mi | |
| Manual Transmission | 6 | 1 | — | 12,152 mi | |
| Tire Defects | 6 | 1 | 1 | 52,502 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 5 | — | 3 | 106,492 mi | |
| Airbags | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | |
| Engine & Cooling | 4 | — | 1 | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline Fuel System | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 4 | 1 | — | — | |
| Sunroof/Moonroof | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel Pump | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Wipers & Visibility | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Wheels:Rim | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Exterior Lighting:Fog Lights | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Structure:Body:Door | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Tires:Sidewall | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery:Cables | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Engine Problems | 1 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting ~443,442 vehicles.
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
2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse reliable?
What are common problems with the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
How safe is the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
Does the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
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.
Check Your Specific 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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