Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Structure31
- Power train20
- Engine and engine cooling12
- Visibility10
- Air bags10
- Tires9
- Unknown or other8
- Electrical system7
- Fuel system, gasoline7
- Steering6
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 10 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 17 2003 Eclipse vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 12 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse failed the safety check 2.11% of the time — 0% more often than the average 2003 passenger car (2.11%). Median odometer at inspection: 117,575 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
0 cars built in 2003 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 3 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 5 variants: combined 10.0–11.6 L/100 km (about 20–24 mpg US), CO₂ 230–267 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eclipse · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 11.5 | 8.2 | 10.0 |
| Eclipse · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 12.8 | 9.1 | 11.1 |
| Eclipse · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 12.8 | 9.1 | 11.1 |
| Eclipse · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 13.0 | 9.1 | 11.3 |
| Eclipse · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 13.4 | 9.4 | 11.6 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse.
| 2015220 22 May 2015 | Airbag On certain vehicles, in the event of a collision that warrants a deployment of the front passenger airbag, the deploying airbag could strike the passenger sun … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mitsubishi told its dealers about the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637164 | MEDIC INFORMATION REGARDING SYSTEM 9 CD. *TT |
| 637159 | SUBJECT REGARDING SERVICE MANUAL INFORMATION FOR CERTAIN 2003 MODELS. *TT |
| 637134 | BULLETIN REVIEW REGARDING TSB-02-00-004 CONTAINING SPECIFICATIONS FOR 2003 MODELS. *TT |
| 637115 | CUSTOMER MAY COMPLAIN THAT THE WINDOW GLASS FREEZES TO MOULDING. *TT |
| 637083 | SUBJECT REGARDING CLUTCH COVER (PRESSURE PLATE) REMOVAL. *TT |
| 637079 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF HARD OR NOTCHY SHIFT QUALITY OR A SLIGHT JUDDER DURING THE FIRST FEW SHIFTS ON COLD MORNINGS. *TT |
| 636974 | BULLETIN REVIEW TSB-02-42A-008 REGARDING DOOR WINDOW ALIGNMENT. *TT |
| 636953 | SC-02-001 - REGARDING INCORRECT VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL INFORMATION (VECI) LABEL SERVICE CAMPAIGN. |
| 636939 | SUBJECT REGARDING WET OR FLOODED FLOOR AREA CONDITION. *TT |
| 636937 | SUNROOF JUDDER. *TT |
| 636932 | VEHICLE TECHNICAL INFORMATION REGARDING REAR SUSPENSION RATTLE. *TT |
| 636913 | MEDIC INFORMATION REGARDING SYSTEM 9 & S-006. *TT |
| 636908 | VEHICLE TECHNICAL INFORMATION REGARDING FOG LAMPS. *TT |
| 636903 | VEHICLE TECHNICAL INFORMATION REGARDING WET OR FLOODED FLOOR AREA. *TT |
| 636899 | VEHICLE TECHNICAL INFORMATION REGARDING SUNROOF JUDDER. *TT |
| 636897 | VEHICLE TECHNICAL INFORMATION REGARDING REAR SUSPENSION RATTLE NOISE. *TT |
| 636858 | BULLETIN REVIEW REGARDING TSB-02-42A-008REV - REVISES ORIGINAL BULLETIN INSTRUCTIONS CONCERN WINDOW / DELTA SASH ADJUSTMENT. *TT |
| 636838 | SUBJECT REGARDING BUZZ, RATTLE AT REAR QUARTER PANEL (UPDATE). *TT |
| 636828 | INFORMATION ON DIAGNOSING COMMENTS OF FLOODED OR WET FRONT FLOOR / CARPET ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. *TT |
| 636819 | INFORMATION ON DIAGNOSING A RATTLING NOISE HEARD FROM REAR SUSPENSION OF VEHICLE. *TT |
| 635127 | ON SOME VEHICLES, THE DOOR WINDOW GLASS MAY BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT. *TT |
| 635107 | SUBJECT REGARDING VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL INFORMATION (VECI) LABEL SERVICE CAMPAIGN. *TT |
| 634624 | SUBJECT REGARDING CORRECTED AIR CONDITIONER MAGNETIC CLUTCH SERVICE PROCEDURES. *JG |
| 634564 | SUBJECT REGARDING FRONT BRAKE RINGING NOISE. *JG |
| 634430 | SUBJECT REGARDING POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE REPROGRAMMING FOR COLD ENGINE MISFIRE. *JG |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)