2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Eclipse years
- More complaints than other years 7th of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 124 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse. That ranks 7th out of 18 Eclipse model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (31 complaints, 25%), typically at around 46,750 miles. Complaints mention 15 crashes, 4 fires, 10 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 124owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 15complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 31 | 25% | 46,750 | — | — |
| Power Train | 20 | 16% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 12 | 10% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 10 | 8% | 42,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 10 | 8% | 29,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 9 | 7% | 22,200 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 8 | 6% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 6% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 7 | 6% | 61,323 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 5% | 37,946 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 4% | 66,100 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 3% | 41,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 3% | 36,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 3% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 3% | 85,850 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 2% | 135,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | 141,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | 132,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 72,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 27,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse recalls (3)
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:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel return line hose fitting on the electric fuel pump may be restricted, causing excessive fuel pressure to build up in the fuel injection system. Excessive fuel pressure may result in a leak in the fuel return hose.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the fuel pump pressure. Those vehicles exhibiting higher than normal fuel pump pressure will receive fuel pump modifications. The recall began december 3, 2003. Owners should contact mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037 or mitsubishi caribbean at 1-800-981-0452.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The crankshaft sensor is faulty and isn't working properly so my car has been shutting off randomly while I am driving it.
Dashboard cracks in multiples of area's, which does effect the position of the airbag. The plastic is very brittle to the point when it cracks it's as sharp as a razor. I reviewed several web site and noted this is a common problem with several type of mitsubishi's. I have a 2003 eclipse that has a…
Passenger airbag deployed caused me to veer off to the right for safety.passenger visor flew off hit my arm and flew out window. Unable to see with airbag in my face i ended up half on and half off a culvert with cement pipe.car stopped and then my driver airbag shot fire and chemicals into my…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mitsubishi eclipse. While rolling down the passenger side window, the contact noticed smoke and flames coming from the window switch area. The contact extinguished the fire and called the fire department. A fire report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to an…
Sears auto center in manassas, va performe an oil change on my vehicle on 5/16/2016. The engine failed on 5/24/2016 due to the oil plug falling out of the engine and all of the oil draining out. Sears has accepted responsibility for this. However, i have also uncovered a long history of consumer…
Other Mitsubishi Eclipse years
← 2002 Eclipse · 2004 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 | 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 Eclipse | 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 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
Owners most often report structure, power train, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 31 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 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 2003 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.