The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. LOCKUP OF THE TRANSFER CASE CAN OCCUR DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION.
The risk
THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
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.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 |
Components: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 1990 | 46 | 5 |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 1991 | 54 | 2 |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 1992 | 49 | 1 |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 1993 | 36 | 1 |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 1994 | 34 | 1 |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 1995 | 307 | 5 |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 1996 | 159 | 4 |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 1997 | 136 | 3 |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 1998 | 129 | 4 |
Other power train recalls in 1998
27 of the 367 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1998 concerned the power train; MITSUBISHI AMERICA filed 49 campaigns in all.
| 98V325000 14 Dec 1998 | NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 98V288000 9 Nov 1998 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 98V290000 9 Nov 1998 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
| 98V257000 14 Oct 1998 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 98V225002 6 Oct 1998 | AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORP. |
| 98V168003 5 Oct 1998 | CHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 98V119003 1 Oct 1998 | ATHEY PRODUCTS CORP. |
| 98V236000 29 Sept 1998 | YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION, USA |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1998