NHTSA Complaint #10260592 — 2001 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE

WIRING HARNESS FEMALE SOCKET FOR THE HEADLAMPS OVER HEATED AND MELTED. THE PASSENGER SIDE FEMALE SOCKET MELTED ABOUT ONE YEAR AGO TO A POINT WHERE IT WOULD NOT PROVIDE HEADLIGHT ILLUMINATION. BEFORE THE COMPLETE FAILURE, THE HEADLIGHT WOULD EITHER BE FULLY BRIGHT, OR VERY DIM. THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME WAS AROUND 60K. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE FEMALE SOCKET ALSO HAD MELTED SOME DURING THIS TIME. IN JAN. OF THIS YEAR, WITH APPROX. 70K MILES ON THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED COMPLETELY WITH THE FULL MELTING OF THE FEMALE SOCKET. A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO COMPLETE FAILURE, A BURNING ODOR IS NOTICED IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. I HAVE BOTH PIECES AVAIL TO SEND IF NEED BE. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE BECAUSE A COMPLETE FAILURE OF BOTH FEMALE SOCKETS AT THE SAME TIME IS POSSIBLE. THIS COULD CAUSE SOMEONE DRIVING TO GO FROM HAVING TWO HEADLAMPS TO NONE WITHIN SECONDS. IF THAT OCCURRED AT NIGHT, IT MIGHT CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR