Total Complaints
5 filings
MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER · model year
1996 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER
5 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996MITSUBISHIECLIPSE SPYDER carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 1 fire, 2 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 1996 ECLIPSE SPYDER is air bags:frontal with 1 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash (1) and wheels:rim (1). 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 1 investigation file overlapping the 1996 ECLIPSE SPYDER. 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.
5
Complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| WHEELS:RIM | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20090529SEATS
PASSENGER SEAT ONLY LOCKS IN ONE POSITION. IF YOU THINK THE SEAT IS LOCKED AND IT'S NOT, THE SEAT DOES MOVE/SLIDE BACKWARD AND FORWARD AS YOU ARE DRIVING. YOU MUST HEAR THE "LOCKED IN PLACE NOISE" OR IT IS NOT LOCKED!!!! THIS IS IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A PASSENGER RIDING IN THIS SEAT. *TR
20040414CrashSUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED RIGHT BALL JOINT BROKE. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. *AK
Mileage: 100,000
20020523WHEELS:RIM
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM SCHOOL ON A MAJOR HIG WAY WHEN I HEARD AN AWEFUL NOISE COMING FROM UNDER MY CAR, IT SOUNDED AS IF I WAS DRAGGING SOMETHING. I GOT OFF AT THE NEXT EXIT AND LOOKEDF UNDER MY CAR BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THERE SO I CONTINUED HOME. WHEN I WAS BACK ON THE HIGHWAY THE NOISE STARTED UP AGAIN BUT THIS TIME MY STEERING STARTED TO GO. I IMMEDIATLY BROUGHT IT TO THE SHOP WHERE THEY PUT IT ON A LIFT. THE MECHANICS STARTED TO CHECK SHAKE EACH TIRE, WHEN HE GOT TO THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE THE TIRE WAS VERY LOOSE. ACCORDING TO THE THE THREADING ON THE BULTS THAT HOLD THE RIM ON WERE STRIPPED AND THE DAMAGE WOULD RUN ME ABOUT 200 PER TIRE. ONE TOP OF THE NEW BULTS I NEEDED NEW RIMS. THEY SAID MY RIMS WERE TO BENT UP. I HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR 3 YEARS AND HAVE HAD MY RIMS BANGED BACK INTO SHAPE SEVERAL TIMES ALREADY. THE SHOP SAYS THEY ARE VERY WEAK RIMS AND I NEED NEW ONES, BUT THAT COSTS OVER A THOUSAND. THERE WAS ANOTHER INCIDENT WITH MY RIMS AS WELL. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I WAS LOSING S
20010716FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
I HAD PARKED THIS AUTO AND WENT INSIDE TO SLEEP- WAS AWAKEN BY HORN GOING OFF IN AUTO- WENT OUT TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WHEN I OPEN THE DOOR ALL I SAW WAS A BLAST OF SMOKE THAT HIT ME IN THE FACE. FIRE CHIEF SAID IT WAS A ELECTRICAL FIRE THAT STARTED BEHIND THE DASH WHERE THE INSTRUMENTS ARE. THE INSURANCE TOTAL THIS CAR OUT EVERYTHING WAS MELTED IN THE AUTO- I BOUGHT THIS AUTO 15 DAYS AGO USED
20000219CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THE ACCIDENT WAS A NEAR HEAD ON COLLISION WITH OTHER VEHICLE (CHEVROLET BLAZER) TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40-50 MPH. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED ALTHOUGH ENTIRE FRONT OF CAR WAS DESTROYED. CAR WAS CONSIDERED TOTALLED BY INSURANCE COMPANY. MITSUBISHI CONTACTED AND DENIED THERE WAS A PROBLEM. CLAIMED AIR BAG SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED IN THIS SITUATION. *AK
Compare 1996MITSUBISHIECLIPSE SPYDER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER have?▼
The 1996 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER has 5 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH and WHEELS:RIM.
Is the 1996 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
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.