Total Complaints
10 filings
MITSUBISHI SPYDER · model year
2003 MITSUBISHI SPYDER
10 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003MITSUBISHISPYDER 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, 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 2003 SPYDER is structure with 1 filings, followed by visibility:power window devices and controls (1) and visibility:rearview mirrors/devices:exterior (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 2003 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.
10
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
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 |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| TIRES:SIDEWALL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060127SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT OR RELEASE. THE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED BY THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP LAST YEAR. HOWEVER, THE REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.
Mileage: 32,000
20060127SEAT BELTS:FRONT
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT OR RELEASE. THE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED BY THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP LAST YEAR. HOWEVER, THE REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.
Mileage: 32,000
20050425ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CONSUMER LETTER COMPLAINT REGARDING THE WARRANTY ON 2003 MITSUBISHI SPYDER. VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, HEADLIGHT EQUIPMENT, SPEAKERS, TURN SIGNALS AND A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE.*MR CONSUMER FEELS THAT THEY WERE TREATED UNFAIR WITH THIS DEAL AND WANT THEIR MONEY BACK FOR THIS VEHICLE, DUE TO NUMBER OF PROBLEM THEY HAVE HAD. *BF *NM
20050425EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH
CONSUMER LETTER COMPLAINT REGARDING THE WARRANTY ON 2003 MITSUBISHI SPYDER. VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, HEADLIGHT EQUIPMENT, SPEAKERS, TURN SIGNALS AND A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE.*MR CONSUMER FEELS THAT THEY WERE TREATED UNFAIR WITH THIS DEAL AND WANT THEIR MONEY BACK FOR THIS VEHICLE, DUE TO NUMBER OF PROBLEM THEY HAVE HAD. *BF *NM
20050425EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
CONSUMER LETTER COMPLAINT REGARDING THE WARRANTY ON 2003 MITSUBISHI SPYDER. VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, HEADLIGHT EQUIPMENT, SPEAKERS, TURN SIGNALS AND A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE.*MR CONSUMER FEELS THAT THEY WERE TREATED UNFAIR WITH THIS DEAL AND WANT THEIR MONEY BACK FOR THIS VEHICLE, DUE TO NUMBER OF PROBLEM THEY HAVE HAD. *BF *NM
20040922TIRES:SIDEWALL
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT BOTH FALKEN TIRES, SIZE 225/40CR-18 WERE SPLITTING ON THE SIDEWALL. VEHICLE HAD ONLY 7,000 MILES ON THEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAD NOT YET NOTIFIED. *AK
20040622POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
WHILE SHIFTING INTO REVERSE THE CLUTCH FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED AFTER HAVING THREE CLUTCHES REPLACED. *AK
20040608CrashVISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
VEHICLE HAS A BLIND SPOT BETWEEN THE MIRROR AND THE BACK WINDOW. AS A RESULT VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. *AK THE OFFICE THAT FILED THE REPORT SUGGESTED THAT THE CONSUMER GET A SMALL MIRROR AND ATTACH IT TO THE EXTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR. THE OFFICER INDICATED THAT A LOT OF TRUCK DRIVER'S USE THEM TO SEE AROUND THEIR TRUCKS. THE CONSUMER FEEL THAT THESE SMALL MIRRORS SHOULD BE STANDARD EQUIPMENT. *NM
Mileage: 17,000
20040109VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
CONSUMER COULD NOT ROLL THE ELECTRICAL WINDOWS UP OR DOWN. CONSUMER INSISTED THAT THE WINDOWS WERE A DESIGN FLAW. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT A WORN PART IN THE REMOTE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK *MR
Mileage: 8,200
20030424STRUCTURE
THE PAINT ON MY NEW VEHICLE BEGAN PEELING OFF THE HOOD IN QUARTER-SIZED CHUNKS AS I WAS WASHING IT BY HAND. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER INITIALLY ATTEMPTED TO DENY RESPONSIBILITY, THEY RELUCTANTLY AGREED TO REPAINT HOOD, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE WAS AN "ADHERENCE ISSUE." I DISCOVERED THROUGH A SOURCE IN THE MITSUBISHI FACTORY THAT THERE WAS A "LOT" OF CARS THAT THEY FAILED TO PLACE AN E-SEAL ON PRIOR PAINTING. WHEN MY VIN WAS CHECKED, MY SOURCE DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS ONE OF THE VEHICLES IN THAT "LOT." I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT FURTHER PAINT ISSUES WITH THE DOORS IN THE NEAR FUTURE BY THIS SOURCE. THIS INFORMATION WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO ME PRIOR TO PURCHASE OR WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR. IN FACT, IT WAS ONLY MY PERSISTENCE THAT RESULTED IN MY VEHICLE'S HOOD BEING REPAINTED. THE VEHICLES IN THE LOT SHOULD BE RECALLED ! I PAID OVER $31,000.00 FOR THIS VEHICLE, AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT DEFECTIVE AND/OR SHODDY PAINTING AT THE FACTORY. PLEASE HELP ME FIND THIS INTERNAL
Mileage: 7,000
Compare 2003MITSUBISHISPYDER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 MITSUBISHI SPYDER have?▼
The 2003 MITSUBISHI SPYDER has 10 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 MITSUBISHI SPYDER?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 MITSUBISHI SPYDER is STRUCTURE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS and VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR.
Is the 2003 MITSUBISHI 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.