Total Complaints
10 filings
MITSUBISHI MIRAGE · model year
1988 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE
10 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988MITSUBISHIMIRAGE carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 4 fires, 1 injury, 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 1988 MIRAGE is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 5 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (2) and service brakes, air:supply (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 14 investigation files overlapping the 1988 MIRAGE. 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.
10
Complaints
1
Crashes
4
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 5 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030327FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *NLM *NLM
20021030FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER STATED THAT ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *YH
20011012LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
HOOD LATCH IS IS A ROUND PROTRUSTION THAT FITS INTO HOLE ON BODY OF CAR. ROUND PROTRUSION IS HELD IN PLACE BY SMALL FLAT SIDED PIECE OF METAL THAT SLIDES BACK AND FORTH INSTEAD OF BY POSITIVE CLAMPING ACTION. WHEN THE SPRING OR WHATEVER KEEPS THE SLIDING PIECE AGAINST THE PROTRUSION IS BROKEN OR WEAKENED, THE HOOD FLIES UP OBSCURING THE DRIVER'S VISION. THIS IS SCARY AT NIGHT ON A WINDY ROAD.*AK
19990302FireSERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY
POSSIBLE SECONDARY AIR SUPPLY REED VALVES FAILURE ,PER RECALL NOTICE, RESULTED IN VEHICLE FIRE, NOTICE NOT RECIEVED.
19960904FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE. *DH
19960312SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT REAR SEATBELT BUCKLES DO NOT LOCK IN PLACE. *AK
19960312SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT REAR SEATBELT BUCKLES DO NOT LOCK IN PLACE. *AK
19960312SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLES DO NOT LOCK IN PLACE. *AK
19951011CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE CAME LOOSE DRIVER WENT FORWARD CAR WAS TOTALED . TT
19950221SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF BOTH REAR LAP BELTS, WHEN SEATBELT BUCKLES BECOME STUCK IN LOCKED POSITION. TT
Compare 1988MITSUBISHIMIRAGE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE have?▼
The 1988 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE has 10 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 4 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY.
Is the 1988 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE 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.