Total Complaints
37 filings
EAGLE TALON · model year
37 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997EAGLETALON carries 37 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1997 TALON is power train:transfer case (4-wheel drive) with 4 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (4) and suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint (4). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 1997 TALON. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
37 filings
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE) | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 4 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM | 1 |
THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE TRANSFER CASE. I HAVE ALL THE SYMPTOMS TRANSFER CASE FAILURE. THERE IS OIL LEAKING AND THE TRANSFER CASE LOCKS UP, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THE CAR, THE WHEELS WILL NOT BUDGE. I HAVE TALKED TO TWO DEALERSHIPS. NEITHER WILL HONOR THE RECALL BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN PERFORMED BEFORE. I HAVE TALKED TO CHRYSLER AND THEY WILL NOT ALLOW THE RECALL TO BE PERFORMED. THE PERSON I SPOKE TO SAID IT COULD NOT BE DONE BECAUSE IT IS NOT A FAULTY PART.EVEN THOUGH WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR IS EXACTLY WHAT IS STATED IN THE RECALL. THIS IS A SAFETY RECALL. IF THE TRANSFER CASE WOULD HAVE LOCKED UP WHEN I WAS GOING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, IT COULD BECOME A VERY SERIOUS MEDICAL EMERGENCY AND EVEN CAUSE A TOTALED CAR. I AM NOT SURE WHAT WAS REPLACED WHEN THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED BEFORE, BUT THE SYMPTOMS OF THE CAR MAKE IT SEEM LIKE IT WAS NOT DONE CORRECTLY BEFORE. *TR
Mileage: 123,300
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 EAGLE TALON. ON JUNE 14, 2005 CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT WHILE GOING 20-25 MPH. UPON IMPACT, FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BUT CONTACT SUSTAINED AIRBAG BURNS. HE SUSTAINED INJURIES, STRAIN IN NECK, BURNS ON ARM, AND ON RIGHTS HAND TWO FINGER BECAME NUMB. THE HOSPITAL DID TAKE X-RAYS, AND STATED THAT CONTACT HAD A PINCHED NERVE FROM THE STRAIN IN HIS NECK WHICH CAUSED THE NUMB FINGERS. ALSO ANOTHER SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE PASSENGER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY BURNS FROM THE AIRBAG, BUT HAS BEEN OFF FROM WORK SINCE THE ACCIDENT, AND WAS UNDER PHYSICIAN'S CARE. . THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE WET. BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYMENT VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE COST OF FIXING THE AIRBAGS WOULD BE MORE THAN THE COST OF THE CAR.*AK
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 EAGLE TALON. ON JUNE 14, 2005 CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT WHILE GOING 20-25 MPH. UPON IMPACT, FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BUT CONTACT SUSTAINED AIRBAG BURNS. HE SUSTAINED INJURIES, STRAIN IN NECK, BURNS ON ARM, AND ON RIGHTS HAND TWO FINGER BECAME NUMB. THE HOSPITAL DID TAKE X-RAYS, AND STATED THAT CONTACT HAD A PINCHED NERVE FROM THE STRAIN IN HIS NECK WHICH CAUSED THE NUMB FINGERS. ALSO ANOTHER SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE PASSENGER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY BURNS FROM THE AIRBAG, BUT HAS BEEN OFF FROM WORK SINCE THE ACCIDENT, AND WAS UNDER PHYSICIAN'S CARE. . THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE WET. BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYMENT VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE COST OF FIXING THE AIRBAGS WOULD BE MORE THAN THE COST OF THE CAR.*AK
DAIMLER CHYSLER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGNE HTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 98V069002. PLEASE HELP ME. *AK
Mileage: 111,000
A RECALL FOR THE TRANSFER CASE WAS ISSUED. THE CONSUMER VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS INCLUDED, HOWEVER THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
Mileage: 45,000
1997 EAGLE TALON TSI FWD (IDENTICAL TO MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GS-T OF THE SAME YEAR) HAS A PROBLEM WITH FAILING CRANKSHAFT BEARINGS, CAUSING THE CRANK TO BE ABLE TO MOVE AROUND. IT IS PHYSICALLY MOVABLE BY HAND LEFT AND RIGHT AND UP AND DOWN INSTEAD OF BEING STATIONARY. CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, AS THIS "WALKING CRANK" COULD CRACK THE SHORT BLOCK AT ANY TIME RENDERING THE CAR IMMOBILE. MITSUBISHI/CHRYSLER REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS A DEFECT AND WILL NOT FIX IT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS IS A DEFECT IN ABOUT HALF OF THEIR 95-99 ECLIPSE/TALONS WITH THE 2.0L DOCK TURBO ENGINE, AND THEY REFUSE TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE IT EXISTS. THESE CARS ARE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND MITSUBISHI HAS AND REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.*AK
Mileage: 90,000
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH A LOUD BANGING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR. THE DRIVER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE REAR LOWER BALL JOINTS DUE TO WORN PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
CONSUMER STATED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID IS LEAKING FROM THE TRANSFER CASE. MR
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, CONSUMER BELIEVES HER LOSING CONTROL OF VEHICLE WAS A RESULT OF A RECALL ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS, 99V066.*JB
CONSUMER STATED ABS LIGHT WAS ON, DEALER REPLACED FAULTY FRONT WHEEL SENSOR.*JB
CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A LOUD RATTLING NOISE UNDERNEATH VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, DEALER FOUND LOOSE EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD BENT UP.*JB
THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE IN REAR COMPARTMENT AREA, DELAER FOUND SPARE TIRE LOOSE IN TRUNK AREA.*JB
CONSUMER STATED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON.*JB
THE SUNROOF TRIM MOLDING WAS COMING LOOSE.*JB
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, CONSUMER BELIEVES HER LOSING CONTROL OF VEHICLE WAS A RESULT OF A RECALL ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS, 99V066.*JB
BRAKES LOCKED UP, RESULTING IN A FRONTAL ACCIDENT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY
BRAKES LOCKED UP, RESULTING IN A FRONTAL ACCIDENT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY
RECALL 00V421002 REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2001. ON OCTOBER 31, 2001 WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THERE WAS A "RUBBING" AND "HUMMING" NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE. A MECHANIC EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT FRONT/RIGHT BALL JOINT HAD FAILED, AND FRONT/ LEFT BALL JOINT WAS LOOSE. UPON CONTACTING DEALER , CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE BALL JOINTS HAD NEVER BEEN SEALED WHEN THEY SERVICED VEHICLE FOR RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS. *AK
EGR VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
CONSUMER CONTATCED DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS CONCERNING NHTSA RECALL 00V421002/ MANUFACTURER'S RECAL 967 FOR LOWER BALL JOINTS. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE WORK BECAUSE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.