1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Eclipse years
- More complaints than other years 4th of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 159 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse. That ranks 4th out of 18 Eclipse model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is suspension (27 complaints, 17%), typically at around 120,000 miles. Complaints mention 25 crashes, 5 fires, 10 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 159owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 25complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 27 | 17% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 26 | 16% | 76,360 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 24 | 15% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 17 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 16 | 10% | 84,600 | — | — |
| Structure | 11 | 7% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 6% | 51,850 | — | — |
| Steering | 9 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 6 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 6 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 3% | 261,362 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 5 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 3% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 3% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water can intrude. Also, mmc has added the potential of leaking moisture, which can cause the ball stud to corrode.
Risk: This condition could cause the lower lateral arm ball joint to separate, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. This campaign supercedes mmc's previous safety recall campaign, see 99v-066.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the lower lateral arm ball joint for wear. Ball joints that exhibit wear beyond the established tolerance will be replaced with newly designed lateral arm ball joints. Ball joints that are within the established tolerance will be cleaned and a special sealant will be applied to prevent intrusion of moisture.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water can intrude.
Risk: This condition could cause the lower lateral arm ball joint to separate, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rubber boots, and if the boot is damaged, they will replace the lower lateral arm and ball joint on the affected vehicles.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Lockup of the transfer case can occur due to insufficient lubrication.
Risk: This condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for adequacy of the transfer case oil volume, transfer case oil leakage, and operational degradation of the transfer case mechanism. If oil volume is insufficient, the appropriate amount of oil will be added. If there is transfer case oil leakage, affected components will be replaced. If the transfer case shows operational degradation, the transfer case will be replaced.
Fuel system, gasoline
Problem: The fuel tank gaskets for the fuel pump and/or gauge unit gasket could have been incorrectly installed allowing fuel or fumes to escape.
Risk: If an ignition source were present, the fuel leakage could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the fuel tank and if the gaskets are found to be leaking, replace the fuel tank, caps and gaskets.
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
- Lower contrtol arm ball joint (RQ00015) — opened Aug 2, 2000, closed Apr 20, 2001, led to recall 00V421001.
- Transfer case leakage (RQ98007) — opened May 11, 1998, closed Aug 28, 1998, led to recall 98V168001.
- Transfer case lockup (EA98002) — opened Jan 30, 1998, closed Apr 30, 1998, led to recall 98V069001.
- Transfer case lockup (PE97040) — opened Sep 4, 1997, closed Jan 30, 1998.
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 1996 mitsubishi eclipse. While driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle stalled and the rear wheels seized. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transfer case was defective and needed to be replaced. The…
Electronic control modual while driving all power to car just lost. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 mitsubishi eclipse. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph, the transfer case suddenly stalled and locked all four wheels; he was unable to get the vehicle to move. The vehicle was towed to a dealer who informed the contact that he needed to replace…
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 mitsubishi eclipse. While driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle began to exhibit an abnormal vibration and it made an unusual noise. The contact drove onto the emergency lane and upon further inspection, found that the front drive shaft had fractured from the…
10/26/01 l front lwr control arm broke, the car bounced down the road when susp came apart. Gville mitz replaced the parts at the cost of the manf. The vehicle had 104000 mi at that time. Items listed on repair invoice: arm assy (fr susp), shaft assy (fr axl), shield kit splash, air dam side fr lh…
Other Mitsubishi Eclipse years
← 1995 Eclipse · 1997 Eclipse →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Eclipse | 8 | 0 |
| 2011 Eclipse | 1 | 0 |
| 2010 Eclipse | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 Eclipse | 42 | 1 |
| 2008 Eclipse | 71 | 1 |
| 2007 Eclipse | 107 | 4 |
| 2006 Eclipse | 99 | 4 |
| 2005 Eclipse | 6 | 3 |
| 2004 Eclipse | 14 | 4 |
| 2003 Eclipse | 124 | 3 |
| 2002 Eclipse | 73 | 2 |
| 2001 Eclipse | 209 | 7 |
| 2000 Eclipse | 308 | 7 |
| 1999 Eclipse | 120 | 2 |
| 1998 Eclipse | 129 | 4 |
| 1997 Eclipse | 136 | 3 |
| 1996 | 159 | 4 |
| 1995 Eclipse | 307 | 5 |
See all Mitsubishi Eclipse problems by year, every Mitsubishi model, or the Mitsubishi VIN decoder.
Similar Mitsubishi models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
Owners most often report suspension, engine and engine cooling, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 27 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Eclipse model years, the 1996 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.