Total Complaints
4 filings
MITSUBISHI MITSUBISHI · model year
1998 MITSUBISHI MITSUBISHI
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998MITSUBISHIMITSUBISHI carries 4 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 1998 MITSUBISHI is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (1) and latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch (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 13 investigation files overlapping the 1998 MITSUBISHI. 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.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20051120LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
I OWN A MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE 98. THE PASSENGER SIDE HANDLE BROKE OFF THE FIRST TIME IN 2000. I HAD IT REPLACED WITH ANOTHER MITSUBISHI HANDLE. FOR THE 2ND TIME AND 3RD TIME, MY PASSENGER HANDLE BROKE OFF IN 2005 AND A WEEK LATER THE DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE OFF. IT'S RIDICULOUS. THEY SHOULD RECALL THESE HANDLES THAT ARE MADE IN TAIWAN AND NOT USE CHEAP ONES. *NM
20051120EQUIPMENT
I OWN A MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE 98. THE PASSENGER SIDE HANDLE BROKE OFF THE FIRST TIME IN 2000. I HAD IT REPLACED WITH ANOTHER MITSUBISHI HANDLE. FOR THE 2ND TIME AND 3RD TIME, MY PASSENGER HANDLE BROKE OFF IN 2005 AND A WEEK LATER THE DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE OFF. IT'S RIDICULOUS. THEY SHOULD RECALL THESE HANDLES THAT ARE MADE IN TAIWAN AND NOT USE CHEAP ONES. *NM
20051107ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
BEGINNING 01/2005, WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE AND VEHICLE LOST POWER. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPAIRED THE CRANK PULLEY. A FEW MONTHS LATER, IT BROKE AGAIN, AND THE SAME MECHANIC REPAIRED THE CRANK PULLEY AT NO COST. FINALLY, 10/2005, THE CRANK PULLEY BROKE AGAIN. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE SAME MECHANIC. HE HAD A MITSUBISHI SPECIALIST TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEM AND HE SAID THE SPECIALIST ADMITTED THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE CRANK PULLEY BOLT BRAKING. THAT THE ONLY WAY, AND LEAST EXPENSIVE WAY, TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM IS TO REPLACE THE MOTOR WHICH IS CHEAPER THAN REPLACING THE CRANK SHAFT. *JB
Mileage: 108,717
20050523ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING ON HWY 126, WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE @ HIGH RPM AND WOULD NOT DECELERATE. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT WAS TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. THIS IS TRULY A SAFETY ISSUE ! THE CAR IS UNABLE TO MOVE WITHOUT TOWING IT TO THE DEALER.
Mileage: 104,000
Compare 1998MITSUBISHIMITSUBISHI to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 MITSUBISHI MITSUBISHI have?▼
The 1998 MITSUBISHI MITSUBISHI has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 MITSUBISHI MITSUBISHI?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 MITSUBISHI MITSUBISHI is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH.
Is the 1998 MITSUBISHI MITSUBISHI 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.