2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Eclipse Spyder years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 8 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder. That is the most of any Eclipse Spyder model year in the database (14 years). The most reported problem area is wheels (37 complaints, 46%), typically at around 29,216 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 2 fires, 4 injuries. There are 8 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 81owner complaints
- 8safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheels | 37 | 46% | 29,216 | — | — |
| Power Train | 11 | 14% | 47,092 | — | — |
| Structure | 9 | 11% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 7% | 112,502 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 5% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 5% | 58,262 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 5% | 31,856 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 5% | 95,262 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 4% | 87,334 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 148,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 125,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder recalls (8)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004, 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000, to March 18, 2005, 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 21, 2005, and 2001-2005 Dodge Stratus vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 22, 2005. In the affected vehicles, the passenger side sun visor may be folded down in such a position that, if the passenger frontal air bag deploys, the passenger side sun visor may detach.
Risk: If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
Fix: MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-15-005. Chrysler and Dodge owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R30.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the bilingual english/spanish removable air bag warning labels affixed to the dash and to the sunvisor do not meet the size requirements of the standard.
Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
Fix: Mitsubishi caribbean will mail a customer notification letter containing a written description and a graphic of the bi-lingual dashboard air bag warning label. In addition, all current 2000-2004 nativa owners will also receive replacement air bag alert labels for the sun visors. This recall is expected to begin during march or april 2005. The notification to the nativa owners is expected to begin during april or may 2005. Owners should contact mitsubishi caribbean at 1-787-251-8715.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A bulge in the fuel tank caused by the manufacturing process resulted in thinning of the material during a welding operation, increasing the risk of fuel leakage.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel tank assembly. Owner notification began march 26, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.
Power train:automatic transmission:cooling unit and lines
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. A hose was mis-manufactured and could weaken over time, which could result in leakage of the automatic transmission fluid.
Risk: Fluid leakage from the cooler hoses can cause transaxle driveability problems and smoke if the oil contacts the front exhaust pipe.
Fix: Dealers will replace the hose assembly for the automatic transmission oil cooler. Owner notification mailing will be phased over a five-month period starting march 26, through july 23, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.
Seats
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A number of incorrect driver side seat mounting bolts were installed into vehicles.
Risk: The rear anchor bolts securing the driver's seat may not properly secure the seat and could increase the risk of driver injury in an accident.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the seat mounting bolts and then replace the bolts if necessary. Owner notification began february 15, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The outer layer only of this 3-layer fuel return hose does not contain the desired ozone protection due to a processing error.
Risk: This hose is considered to be inadequate.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel return hose.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The harness for the crankshaft position sensor could come in contact with a new protective shield causing a grounded circuit.
Risk: Prolonged wiring harness contact with the heat shield will cause the wiring insulation to wear and eventually to ground out. This could cause the engine to die-out, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will re-route the crankshaft position sensor harness.
Steering:gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A nut in the steering gear assembly was not properly tightened, resulting in symptoms ranging from steering wheel vibration to stiff steering, and in the worst case, no ability to turn left.
Risk: A loss of steering control could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect these vehicles and replace the steering gear assembly if a loose nut connection is found.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Aluminum alloy wheel denting (EA02007) — opened May 31, 2002, closed May 1, 2003.
- Alloy wheel denting and fracturing (PE01044) — opened Dec 18, 2001, closed May 31, 2002.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse spyder. The contact stated that the transmission failed due to an internal spring fracturing. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who rebuilt the transmission. The vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 01v011001 (power train)…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse spyder. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a tune up and the failure codes for p0301, p0401, and the egr appeared. The codes were cleared, but the p0301 failure code reappeared. The vehicle was repaired; however, the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse spyder. While driving approximately 30 mph, the drivers side sun visor opened independently and struck the contact on the bridge of her nose, breaking her glasses. The contact pulled over and repositioned the sun visor back on the clips. The contact…
Was driving and as i was turning the steering wheel locked up. *tr
While driving from the highway on an off ramp at 50 mph, engine (rpm) started bogging down, then both front tires locked up to a screeching halt. I almost slide off the ramp and almost got rear ended by a semi truck behind me. Front tires were locked up, would not move out of the road and would not…
Other Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder years
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder?
Owners most often report wheels, power train, structure problems. The top one, wheels, accounts for 37 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder?
Yes, 8 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Eclipse Spyder model years, the 2001 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.