MITSUBISHI PRECIS · model year

1988 MITSUBISHI PRECIS

3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1988MITSUBISHIPRECIS carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 1988 PRECIS is visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system with 1 filings, followed by visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core (1) and power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl) (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 PRECIS. 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.

3
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

3 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
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM1
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)1

Recent Complaints

20030822POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

GEAR SHIFT ROD ON MY 1988 MITSUBISHI PRECIS BROKE OFF FROM THE GEAR SHIFT. *AK

Mileage: 85,780

19950921VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE

HEATER CORE RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS. (94V-103001) *AW

19950504FireVISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

HEATER CORE VALVE STEMS FAILED, RESULTING IN A FIRE PRIOR TO/AFTER RECALL REPAIRS (95V-059). *AK

Compare 1988MITSUBISHIPRECIS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1988 MITSUBISHI PRECIS have?
The 1988 MITSUBISHI PRECIS has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 MITSUBISHI PRECIS?
The most-complained component for the 1988 MITSUBISHI PRECIS is VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL).
Is the 1988 MITSUBISHI PRECIS 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.