The 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 591,826 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 185 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SUSPENSION00V4210012000-12-18567,432 affected
Defect
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.
Consequence
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.
Remedy
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…
POWER TRAIN98V0690011998-03-2624,275 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. LOCKUP OF THE TRANSFER CASE CAN OCCUR DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION.
Consequence
THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
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…
SEATS97V0810011997-05-12119 affected
Defect
THE HEADREST GUIDE BRACKET WAS IMPROPERLY WELDED TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BACK ASSEMBLIES ONLY.
Consequence
THE HEADREST SUPPORT BRACKET CAN BREAK, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT BACK ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW ASSEMBLY.
Complaints by component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
17
1fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
15
1fires
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
12
12crashes14injuries
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
6
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
6
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
5
1fires
SUSPENSION
5
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
5
1crashes1injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
4
Total complaints185
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“This vehicle has a recall for the lower ball joint. After calling to set up an appointment to fix this issue the vehicle shows up as already serviced, which may have only been as little as an inspection that was done. The ball joint in this vehicle is currently failing and is extremely noticeable…”
“I never received a recall alert from the dealer. Right now the dealer was sold to a new owner. I went to the dealer to buy a fender and my vin number does not appear in the mitsubishi computer system here in puerto rico either in usa. So I would like an advise. What I have to do. I have all the…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 mitsubishi eclipse. While driving at any speed, the front end of the vehicle vibrated and veered to the right. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was repaired under a recall in 2010, but was not repaired again. The vin was invalid. The approximate failure…”
“Son driving a eclipse ran off the road and hit a tree going 55 mph and the air bags never came out resulting in the death of only child. *tr”
“Tl*the contact owns a 1997 mitsubishi eclipse. While making a right turn at 30 mph, the turn signal became stuck. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, but the turn signal was still stuck. The dealer stated that a new turn signal switch needed to be purchased. The current and failure…”
“Unable to find a suitable booster seat for my 5y/o son weighing 45lbs that will rest in the deep seated contours of the rear bucket seats for 1997 mitsubishi eclipse . *jb”
“Squealing belts at startup, inconsistent small leaks of coolant, hesitation at 2k rpm were only pre-cursors. Out of nowhere, while driving on highway, I looked at gauges for no particular reason....noticed the temperature was rising, eventually going as far as it could above h. So I look for smoke…”
“1997 eclipse caught on fire in the engine compartment. *ts *jb”
Defect investigations
InvestigationRQ98007 Opened 1998-05-11 · closed 1998-08-28
TRANSFER CASE LEAKAGE
THE TRANSFER CASE OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD), MITSUBISHI GALANT, ALLEGEDLY LEAKS OIL CAUSING ONE OR MORE WHEELS TO LOCKUP; OR THE INABILITY TO TRANSMIT ENGINE POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS.THE VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME TRANSFER CASE DESIGN AS THE ECLIPSE VEHICLES WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ALLEGED DEFECT.
InvestigationRQ98007 Opened 1998-05-11 · closed 1998-08-28
TRANSFER CASE LEAKAGE
THE TRANSFER CASE OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD), MITSUBISHI GALANT, ALLEGEDLY LEAKS OIL CAUSING ONE OR MORE WHEELS TO LOCKUP; OR THE INABILITY TO TRANSMIT ENGINE POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS.THE VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME TRANSFER CASE DESIGN AS THE ECLIPSE VEHICLES WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ALLEGED DEFECT.
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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