NHTSA Complaint #10080649 — 1999 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE

AFTER PULLING OFF FROM A RED LIGHT, SHIFTING INTO SECOND WE HEARD A LOUD BANG (LIKE GLASS BREAKING). WE PULLED OFF THE ROAD. A MECHANIC HAPPENED TO BE TRAVELING RIGHT BEHIND US AND STOPPED. THE CAR HAD A TRAIL OF OIL A FOOT WIDE AND PARTS STREWN ALL OVER THE ROAD. THE MECHANIC LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND SAID THAT IT THREW A PISTEN THROUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK AND INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THERE WERE PARTS OF THE BLOCK, PISTEN, GEARS...........ETC. THAT WE PICKED-UP OFF THE ROAD. I HAVE THEM IN A BAG. THE CAR IS FIVE YEARS OLD (JUST PAID FOR). IT HAS APPROX 72,000 MILES ON IT. THIS CAR IS TOTALLY BABIED, WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND NOT DRIVEN BY A MANIAC TEENAGER (I'M 36 YEARS OLD AND FEMALE). I CAN TELL YOU I'LL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MITSUBISHI EVEN THOUGH I LOVED THE CAR. THE MECHANIC WHO STOPPED SAID HE ESTIMATED 3-4 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR REPAIR. I HAVEN'T HEARD THE ACTUAL ESTIMATE YET. WHAT A SHAME, IT SEEMED LIKE SUCH A SOLID CAR BUT I GOT 160,000 MILES ON MY LAST CAR (A FORD MUSTANG). I'M CALLING THE DEALERSHIP IN THE AM BUT I'M NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY.*AK