MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER · model year

1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER

11 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999MITSUBISHIECLIPSE SPYDER carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 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 1999 ECLIPSE SPYDER is power train:automatic transmission with 4 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (3) and power train:clutch assembly (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 1999 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.

11
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

11 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE3
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY1
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY1
WHEELS1
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT1

Recent Complaints

20090402POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION STICKING BETWEEN 40-60 MILES PER HOUR AT 3000 RPMS AND HAS A PROBLEM SHIFTING DOWN CAUSING THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT TO COME ON. THE PROBLEM HAPPENS ON THE SAME 2 ROADS IN THE SAME EXACT SPOT. I HAD THE PULSE GENERATORS IN THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND ONE WEEK LATER IT WAS DOING IT AGAIN. I AM TRYING TO DETERMINE IF IT IS AIR INTAKE RELATED SINCE IT HAPPENS ONLY AT THOSE 2 SPOTS ON THE ROAD. TRANSMISSION WAS DIAGNOSED OK (ON COMPUTER UNHOOKED TO THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IN THE CAR) I AM TAKING IT BACK IN TODAY TO HAVE THE CODE READ AGAIN, HOWEVER IT RESETS ITSELF IF IT DOES NOT STICK FOR WHILE WHEN DRIVING. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT STARTING AROUND AUGUST OF 2008 AND THE PROBLEM HAD BECOME MORE PERSISTENT UNTIL LAST WEEK 3/25/09 WHEN I HAD THE PULSE GENERATOR REPLACED. IT DID THE SAME THING 4/1/09 ONE WEEK LATER IN THE SAME 2 SPOTS ON THE ROAD. I THINK THE PROBLEM IS ELECTRICAL AND AIR TAKE RELATED BUT THE CODES GIVEN AT THE TIME IT IS DIAGNOSED IS NOT SPECI

Mileage: 107,000

20080620POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I PURCHASED A 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER CONVERTIBLE 6-15-06. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR 3 MONTHS THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS OUT OF TOWN SO TOOK TO NEAREST CAR REPAIR STATION. THEY RESET LIGHT & RCVD CODE P1750. WHEN I RTND HOME I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE & TO RESET THE CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT. AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS I WAS REFERRED TO AN AUTHORIZED TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE THEY REBUILT THE TRANNY. I DROVE 200 MILES AND THE TRANNY BURNED UP. I WAS STRANDED AT NIGHT ON HWY 5...THE CAR WAS TOWED TO NEAREST AUTHORIZED TRANSMISSION STATION IN BAKERSFIELD, CA. LONG STORY SHORT THE TRANNY HAS BEEN REBUILT 8 TIMES SINCE DATE OF PURCHASE, I HAVE SPENT OVER $20,000 IN RENTAL CARS, CABS, HOTELS. ETC. I ONCE AGAIN WAS GIVEN DEC 2007. THE TRANNY BEGAN TO SLIP WITHIN 3 MONTHS. I TRIED TO CONTACT THE ORIGINAL TRANNY SHOP AND THE PLACE WAS GONE, NO NOTICE WAS GIVEN & NOW I NEED TO PUT CAR IN SHOP. THE CAR ORIGINATED OUT OF STATE & HAD 3 OWNERS, EACH OWNER BEING FROM ANOTHER STATE. M

20071106POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I PURCHASED A USED 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER IN AUG 2006. THE FIRST TIME I DROVE IT THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK TO A SHOP, THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG & RESET THE BUTTON. WHEN I RETURNED HOME THE SES LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN & I TOOK TO TRANSMISSION SHOP TO SEE WHY?THEY FOUND NOTHING....I THEN DROVE IT & THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY BURNED UP & STRANDED ME @ NIGHT, ALONE, ON A WEEKEND IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE..ON MONDAY I CALLED THE ORIG TRANS. SHOP & THEY CAME & TOWED IT BACK..REBUILT IT WHICH COST ME CLOSE TO $1,800..I DROVE AGAIN BACK FROM THE LA AREA & SES LIGHT CAME ON & TRANNY WAS ALMOST BURNT COMPLETELY AGAIN.SINCE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY A PLACE IN BAKERSFIELD CAME & TOWED IT THE NEXT DAY. I WAS STRANDED AGAIN @ NIGHT & HAD TO PAY FOR A CAB TO TAKE ME BACK TO WHERE I HAD BEEN, OVER 250 MILES WHICH I PAID FOR!.....2 WEEKS LATER MY CAR WAS READY....I HAD TO RENT A CAR TO GET TO BAKERSFIELD TO PICK IT UP..... A MONTH LATER WENT BACK TO LA & SES LIGHT CAME ON & SMOKE

20060316SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

LOWER BALL JOINTS. *JB

20050705WHEELS

NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS ON 1999 ECLIPSE GS SPYDER HAVE LEAD TO THE BENDING OF RIMS ON 2 OUR OF 4 WHEELS. EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AND UNABLE TO PASS PA STATE INSPECTION. WHEELS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN "LEGAL" REGISTRATION IN PA STATE.

Mileage: 51,900

20050217ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

I WENT OUT TO START MY 1999 ECLIPSE SPYDER AND THE DRIVE BELT CAME OFF. TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALER WAS INFORMED THAT THE HARMONIC BALANCER HAD BROKEN OFF. *JB

Mileage: 86,000

20041214VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

CONVERTIBLE TOP LINKS BENT, REAR WINDOW STITCHING FAILURE. TOP WILL NOT GO DOWN DUE TO PREVIOUS. JUST HAPPENED OVERNIGHT. ONE DAY IT WASN'T THERE, THE NEXT THE LINKS WERE BENT. DEALER STATES THIS IS JUST NORMAL WEAR & TEAR AND THE LINKS BENT ARE THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TOP. *AK

Mileage: 62,000

20031214ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

MAIN BEARING FAILURE @ 65,000 MILES. DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT REPLACE, OR REPAIR. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. I AM ON MY 2ND MOTOR WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

Mileage: 65,000

20020124POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

INITIAL FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION RESULTED IN TOW ON MAJOR HIGHWAY; REPLACEMENT FAILURE RESULTED IN TOW ON MAJOR HIGHWAY; STILL NO RESOLUTION TO PROBLEM. *AK

20010913ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FAILED BECAUSE INNER AND OUTER RINGS SEPARATED. DEALERSHIP CONTACTED AND REPORTED THAT THEY ARE SEEING THIS ON A FREQUENT BASES. MECHANIC AND DEALERSHIP AGEE THAT INSUFFENCIENT GLUE USED TO SEAL RINGS TOGETHER.

20010327POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

WHILE DRIVING THE CLUTCH BROKE INTO PIECES/DISINTEGRATED, THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF A PROBLEM WITH THE CLUTCH. NLM

Compare 1999MITSUBISHIECLIPSE SPYDER to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER have?
The 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER has 11 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER?
The most-complained component for the 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1999 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.