Complaints
105
Crashes
18
Fires
1
Injuries
13
Fatalities
—
Recalls
0
Worst 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
#110 complaints
Air Bags:Frontal
Crash-related:8
#29 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
#39 complaints
Automatic Transmission
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags:Frontal | 10 | 8 | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 9 | — | — | — | |
| Automatic Transmission | 9 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 6 | — | — | — | |
| Manual Transmission | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension:Front | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 5 | 1 | — | — | |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 4 | 1 | — | — | |
| Tire Defects | 4 | 1 | — | — | |
| Airbags | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Engine & Cooling | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Air:Antilock | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Tires:Tread/Belt | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Child Seat | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| Electrical System:Horn | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Other Equipment | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment:Electrical:Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc. | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Torque Converter | 1 | — | — | — |
Air Bags:Frontal
10
complaints
Crashes
8
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
9
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Automatic Transmission
9
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
6
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Manual Transmission
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Suspension:Front
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Unintended Acceleration
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Tire Defects
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Airbags
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine & Cooling
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat Belt Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Service Brakes, Air:Antilock
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Tires:Tread/Belt
2
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Air Bags:Side/Window
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Child Seat
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical Faults
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Horn
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Other Equipment
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Equipment:Electrical:Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc.
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Fuel System, Other
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Interior Lighting
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Transmission / Drivetrain
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Torque Converter
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Other Mitsubishi Mirage Years
1997 Mitsubishi Mirage — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage reliable?
Verdict: Severe Issues. The 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage has 105 NHTSA complaints, 18 crash-related, and 0 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Air Bags:Frontal with 10 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage?
Top reported problems: Air Bags:Frontal (10 complaints); Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine (9 complaints); Automatic Transmission (9 complaints). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
How safe is the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage?
NHTSA complaints for the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage include 18 crash-related reports, 1 fire reports, 13 injuries, and 0 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 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage as of the latest data sync. Verify by VIN for the most current status — new recalls can be issued years after a model year ships.
Should I buy a 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage?
Proceed with extreme caution. The 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage shows significantly more complaints than average for its class. If you're buying one, a pre-purchase inspection and a VIN history check are essential — skip them and you're gambling.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Mitsubishi Mirage reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage
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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