Total Complaints
69 filings
MITSUBISHI MIRAGE · model year
69 NHTSA complaints, 26 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1994MITSUBISHIMIRAGE carries 69 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 26 crashes, 3 fires, 28 injuries, and 5 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 1994 MIRAGE is air bags:frontal with 22 filings, followed by air bags (8) and power train:automatic transmission (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 14 investigation files overlapping the 1994 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.
Total Complaints
69 filings
Crashes Reported
26 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 22 |
| AIR BAGS | 8 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS | 1 |
THE MITSUBISHI MIRAGE 1994 S 4 DOORS 1.5L THE VALVES GUIDES DAMAGE THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES. *TR
Mileage: 50,000
MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING HOME ONE NIGHT FROM A FRIENDS BIRTHDAY. AT APPROX. 1:20AM I WAS DRIVING NORTH IN NEWARK POMPTON TURNPIKE LOCATED IN WAYNE, NJ 07470. MY HUSBAND LIFTED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE (THE REASON IS UNKNOWN) AND THE CAR INSTANTLY STARTED SPINNING ON A STRAIGHT ROAD. WITHIN SECOND THE BRAKES RELEASED AND SENT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AIRBORNE HEAD ON INTO A UTILITY POLE RESULTING IN THE INSTANT DEATH OF MY HUSBAND BECAUSE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY HUSBANDS CAUSE OF DEATH WAS MULTIPLE FORCE BLUNT TRAUMA TO UPPER TORSO I MYSELF WAS 17 WEEKS PREGNANT THIS ACCIDENT ALSO LED TO THE RESULT OF DEATH TO MY UNBORN CHILD. I ALSO WAS PINNED UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND RECEIVED MULTIPLE BILATERAL FRACTURES AND INTERNAL INJURIES. I WAS INDUCED TO A COMA FOR 1 MONTHS BEFORE I WORK UP NOW I DEAL WITH MANY LEG PROBLEMS AND TITANIUM RODS, SCREWS, AND PINS IN BOTH LEGS FOR REST OF MY LIFE. *TR
MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING HOME ONE NIGHT FROM A FRIENDS BIRTHDAY. AT APPROX. 1:20AM I WAS DRIVING NORTH IN NEWARK POMPTON TURNPIKE LOCATED IN WAYNE, NJ 07470. MY HUSBAND LIFTED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE (THE REASON IS UNKNOWN) AND THE CAR INSTANTLY STARTED SPINNING ON A STRAIGHT ROAD. WITHIN SECOND THE BRAKES RELEASED AND SENT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AIRBORNE HEAD ON INTO A UTILITY POLE RESULTING IN THE INSTANT DEATH OF MY HUSBAND BECAUSE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY HUSBANDS CAUSE OF DEATH WAS MULTIPLE FORCE BLUNT TRAUMA TO UPPER TORSO I MYSELF WAS 17 WEEKS PREGNANT THIS ACCIDENT ALSO LED TO THE RESULT OF DEATH TO MY UNBORN CHILD. I ALSO WAS PINNED UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND RECEIVED MULTIPLE BILATERAL FRACTURES AND INTERNAL INJURIES. I WAS INDUCED TO A COMA FOR 1 MONTHS BEFORE I WORK UP NOW I DEAL WITH MANY LEG PROBLEMS AND TITANIUM RODS, SCREWS, AND PINS IN BOTH LEGS FOR REST OF MY LIFE. *TR
DRIVER LOST CONTROL AFTER THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENABLED, CAR FREEWHEELED AND CRASHED HEAD ON INTO UTILITY POLE. DRIVE CRUSHED UP DASHBOARD WITH SEVERE LIFE THREATENING INJURIES IN CRITICAL CONDITION. PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND SEATBELT DID NOT RETRACT IN RESULT MY HUSBAND WAS KILLED IMMEDIATELY. *TR
20 AMP FUSE BLOWS WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AND CUTS OFF ENGINE CAUSING THE CAR TO DIE ON THE ROAD EVERY TIME. THIS HAPPENED FOUR (4) TIMES IN THE PAST THREE (3) MONTHS AND HAS BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA TWICE ALREADY - SEE LIST OF COMPLAINTS FOR MITUSBISHI MIRAGE 1994, ALSO SEE VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE (VOQ) FORM ATTACHED TO EACH OF THE PREVIOUS REPORTS POSTED ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. THE FIRST SIX (6) INCIDENT REPORTS ON THE SAME 20 AMP FUSE PROBLEM HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA - SEE COMPLAINT PAGE. THE FIRST REPORTED INCIDENT WITH THE FUSE OCCURRED ON 04/28/97 WHICH WAS WITHIN THE EMISSIONS WARRANTY TERM, BUT MITSUBISHI IGNORED IT. OTHER FUSE BLOWING INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THE FIRST SIX INCIDENTS WERE REPORTED TO NHTSA. THE LATEST FUSE BLOWING INCIDENT WAS ON 08/03/2007 ON THE 101 FWY NEAR CAMARILLO, CA. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY WITH WESTLAKE MOTORS, THOUSAND OAKS, CA FOR THE NEVER-ENDING FUSE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM SINCE 1997. ALL THEY DO IS CHANG
Mileage: 93,016
(1)THE IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED (2)A SPRING FROM THE SWITCH FROZE THE STEERING SO THAT ONLY 5 DEGREE OF STEERING IN EITHER DIRECTION WAS POSSIBLE ALMOST LEADING TO A CRASH (3)THE IGNITION SWITCH HAS TO BE REPLACED AND A NEW TUMBLER IS NEEDED. *JB
Mileage: 120,600
MY BOYFRIEND AND I WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, WHEN I HAD TO COME TO A QUICK STOP. I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES AND MY AIRBAG ENABLED, WHEN I WAS ABLE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED I WAS 5FT AWAY FROM THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I SUFFERED A BURN AND BRUISES UNDER MY CHIN ALONG WITH BRUISES ON MY ARM AND SORENESS ON MY CHEST. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING AND THERE WAS NO IMPACT! I HAVE STOPPED WORSE THEN THAT BEFORE. IS THIS CONSIDERED A MANUFACTER DEFECT? *AK
Mileage: 134,765
WHEN THE CONSUMER BACKED OUT OF A DRIVEWAY THE REAR SWAY BAR BROKE. A MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND SUGGESTED THAT THE CONSUMER NOT DRIVE IT. *NLM
HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING AT 20,000 MILES. CONSUMER HAD GASKET REPLACED, AND IT IS LEAKING AGAIN AT 47000 MILES. VEHICLE IS CONSTANTLY LOSING OIL. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ORIGINAL HEAD GASKET FAILED AT 40000 MILES, NOW THE REPLACEMENT IS FAILING AT 65000 MILES. *SLC
TRANSMISSION WAS GOING OUT AND JOLTING FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND GOT WORSE AND WORSE THEN NOW ONLY GOES IN REVERSE. *AK (TIRESIZE: 14)
WHEN APPLYING ACCELERATOR VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AND THEN JUMP FORWARD OUT OF GEAR. CURRENTLY TRANSMISSION IS INOPERATIVE. VEHICLE WILL ONLY GO INTO REVERSE GEAR. *AK
WHEN APPLYING ACCELERATOR VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AND THEN JUMP FORWARD OUT OF GEAR. CURRENTLY TRANSMISSION IS INOPERATIVE. VEHICLE WILL ONLY GO INTO REVERSE GEAR. *AK
WHEN AT A STOP VEHICLE WILL STALL, AND CUT OFF. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHEN AT A STOP VEHICLE WILL STALL, AND CUT OFF. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH AND APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, NO BRAKING ACTION. DEALER REPLACED FRONT BRAKE LINE ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. TODAY, WHILE DRIVING 40MPH CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, NO BRAKING ACTION. DEALER REPLACED FRONT BRAKE LINE ON DRIVER SIDE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DOWN HWY AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR UNKNOWN REASON.*AK
ONCE THE CAR IF TURNED OFF AND I TRY TO TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION IT WON'T COME OUT. SEVERAL TIMES I HAD TO LEAVE MY KEY IN THE IGNITION OVER NIGHT BECAUSE I COULDN'T GET IT OUT. SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET SOMEONE TO HELP ME (FINANCEE & MY FATHER) BUT IT IS REALLY GETTING TO BE A BIG HEADACHE. IATANCE FROM I CALLED A MITSUBISHI DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM.*AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, NO BUMP/POT HOLE, ETC. DEALER NOTIFIED AND CONTACTED MANUFACTURER WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO PAY HALF ON REPAIRS. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
LIGHTS TEND TO GO OUT AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT STOPED SEVERAL TIMES BY LOCAL PD. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *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.