NHTSA Complaint #10028522 — 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE

MY CLUTCH HAD TO BE REPLACED AT ONLY 14,500 MILES. PROBLEMS WERE EVIDENT AT AROUND 10,000 MILES AND BECAME CONSIDERABLY WORSE IN TIME. I HAVE DRIVEN A MANUAL TRANSMISSION FOR 15 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER RACED AND DID NOT RIDE THE CLUTCH. MY LAST CAR'S CLUTCH LASTED IN EXCESS OF 100,000 MILES WITHOUT FAULT. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MY DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT IT APPEARS TO BE A FACTORY DEFECT. HOWEVER, SINCE THE WARRANTY ON THE CLUTCH EXPIRES AT 12,000 MILES, I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE PART. THE PROBLEM BECAME OBVIOUS WHEN MY TRANSMISSION SPUN AS I TRIED TO GO FROM A STOP UP A HILL. MY CAR BASICALLY BECAME STUCK IN TRAFFIC ON A DANGEROUS SECTION OF ROADWAY AND IT WAS LUCK THAT I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A SIDE-IMPACT COLLISION. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A RAILROAD TRACK OR A DRAWBRIDGE, I SEE THIS PROBLEM AS POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO MITSUBISHI MOTORS AND THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON A POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT CLUTCH. THEIR EFFORTS ARE TOO LATE FOR ME. I URGE THE NHTSA TO REQUIRE THAT MITSUBISHI MOTORS REPLACE DEFECTIVE CLUTCHES FREE OF CHARGE OR REIMBURSE THOSE (SUCH AS MYSELF) WHO HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO REPAIR WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A FACTORY DEFECT.*AK