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2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Recalls & Complaints

8

open safety recalls on record

Critical

97 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.49 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical01V069000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly

FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 26, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A BULGE IN THE FUEL TANK CAUSED BY THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS RESULTED IN THINNING OF THE MATERIAL DURING A WELDING OPERATION, INCREASING THE RISK OF FUEL LEAKAGE.

Serious01V005001

Seats

THE REAR ANCHOR BOLTS SECURING THE DRIVER'S SEAT MAY NOT PROPERLY SECURE THE SEAT AND COULD raises the risk of DRIVER INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SEAT MOUNTING BOLTS AND THEN REPLACE THE BOLTS IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 15, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A NUMBER OF INCORRECT DRIVER SIDE SEAT MOUNTING BOLTS WERE INSTALLED INTO VEHICLES.

Serious00V225001

Steering:Gear Box (Other Than Rack And Pinion)

LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL COULD raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES AND REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY IF A LOOSE NUT CONNECTION IS FOUND.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A NUT IN THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY WAS NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED, RESULTING IN SYMPTOMS RANGING FROM STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION TO STIFF STEERING, AND IN THE WORST CASE, NO ABILITY TO TURN LEFT.

Serious04V428000

Equipment:Other:Labels

THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy & full details

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 RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ALERT LABELS FOR THE SUN VISORS. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH OR APRIL 2005. THE NOTIFICATION TO THE NATIVA OWNERS IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL OR MAY 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.

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.

Serious00V299001

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

PROLONGED WIRING HARNESS CONTACT WITH THE HEAT SHIELD WILL CAUSE THE WIRING INSULATION TO WEAR AND EVENTUALLY TO GROUND OUT.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL RE-ROUTE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR HARNESS.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HARNESS FOR THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH A NEW PROTECTIVE SHIELD CAUSING A GROUNDED CIRCUIT.

Serious15V338000

Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module

If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.

Remedy & full details

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 may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-15-005. Chrysler and Dodge owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R30.

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.

Moderate00V320001

Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

THIS HOSE IS CONSIDERED TO BE INADEQUATE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL RETURN HOSE.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE OUTER LAYER ONLY OF THIS 3-LAYER FUEL RETURN HOSE DOES NOT CONTAIN THE DESIRED OZONE PROTECTION DUE TO A PROCESSING ERROR.

Moderate01V011001

Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Cooling Unit And Lines

FLUID LEAKAGE FROM THE COOLER HOSES CAN CAUSE TRANSAXLE DRIVEABILITY PROBLEMS AND SMOKE IF THE OIL CONTACTS THE FRONT EXHAUST PIPE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HOSE ASSEMBLY FOR THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER. OWNER NOTIFICATION MAILING WILL BE PHASED OVER A FIVE-MONTH PERIOD STARTING MARCH 26, THROUGH JULY 23, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. A HOSE WAS MIS-MANUFACTURED AND COULD WEAKEN OVER TIME, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LEAKAGE OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID.

Complaint volume

97 this model-year 7 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

6Crashes
2Fires
5Injuries
1Deaths

Across 97 complaints. Severity Index 0.49.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Wheels · Rim30 · 31%Structure8 · 8%Wheels6 · 6%Air Bags · Frontal4 · 4%Tires4 · 4%Engine And Engine Cooling3 · 3%Exterior Lighting · Headl…3 · 3%Power Train3 · 3%
  1. Wheels:Rim — 30 reports
  2. Structure — 8 reports
  3. Wheels — 6 reports
  4. Air Bags:Frontal — 4 reports
  5. Tires — 4 reports
  6. Engine And Engine Cooling — 3 reports
  7. Exterior Lighting:Headlights — 3 reports
  8. Power Train — 3 reports
  9. Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Rear Window — 2 reports
  10. Air Bags:Side/Window — 2 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (1) · 1996 (1) · 1997 (2) · 1998 (2) · 1999 (2) · 2000 (1) · 2001 · 2002 (2) · 2003 (3) · 2004 (4) · 2005 (2) · 2007 (4) · 2008 (1) · 2009 (1)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.