2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

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N/A

Safety Rating

32

Owner Complaints

10 Crashes 5 Fires

3

Recalls

ACTIVE RECALL

9

Service Bulletins

0

Investigations

Overview of the 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER

The 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER has received a total of 32 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 3 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP, EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS. 9 technical service bulletins have been issued by Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Air Bags (4 complaints), Unknown Or Other (4 complaints), and Structure (3 complaints).

Recalls for the 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER

NHTSA has recorded 3 recalls for the 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER, potentially affecting up to 560,961 vehicles.

Recall 15V338000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

| 443,442 vehicles affected

Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004, 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000, to March 18, 2005, 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 21, 2005, and 2001-2005 Dodge Stratus vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 22, 2005. In...

Consequence: If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.

Remedy: MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact MMNA...

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Recall 03V442000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

| 17,087 vehicles affected

Defect: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL RETURN LINE HOSE FITTING ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP MAY BE RESTRICTED, CAUSING EXCESSIVE FUEL PRESSURE TO BUILD UP IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. EXCESSIVE FUEL PRESSURE MAY RESULT IN A LEAK IN THE FUEL RETURN HOSE.

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL PUMP PRESSURE. THOSE VEHICLES EXHIBITING HIGHER THAN NORMAL FUEL PUMP PRESSURE WILL RECEIVE FUEL PUMP MODIFICATIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN DECEMBER 3, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037 OR MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-800-981-0452.

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Recall 04V428000 — EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

| 100,432 vehicles affected

Defect: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy: MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL CURRENT 2000-2004 NATIVA OWNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ALERT LABELS FOR THE...

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Owner Complaints for the 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER

32 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.

Most Recent Complaints

#11024118 | AIR BAGS | | 135,000 miles Crash Fire 1 Injury
TAKATA AIRBAG: MY INCIDENT HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED. I AM ADDING THE POLICE REPORT. I AM STILL REQUIRING SURGERY AND UNABLE TO USE MY LEFT ARM 10 MONTHS LATER.
#11024118 | POWER TRAIN | | 135,000 miles Crash Fire 1 Injury
TAKATA AIRBAG: MY INCIDENT HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED. I AM ADDING THE POLICE REPORT. I AM STILL REQUIRING SURGERY AND UNABLE TO USE MY LEFT ARM 10 MONTHS LATER.
#11024118 | STRUCTURE:BODY | | 135,000 miles Crash Fire 1 Injury
TAKATA AIRBAG: MY INCIDENT HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED. I AM ADDING THE POLICE REPORT. I AM STILL REQUIRING SURGERY AND UNABLE TO USE MY LEFT ARM 10 MONTHS LATER.
#11001575 | AIR BAGS | | 136,000 miles Crash 1 Injury
TAKATA RECALL: MY VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 15V338000.ON OCTOBER 29, 2016, I WAS DRIVING TOWARDS MY HOME. AFTER BEING IN THE STOPPED POSITION FOR THE DURATION OF THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL AT THE INTERSECTION OF FM 518 AND FM 1128 IN PEARLAND, TEXAS, THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I PROCEEDED DOWN 1128 TOWARD MY HOME. AFTER PROCEEDING ABOUT1 BLOCK, MY PASSENGER AIRBAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO PASSENGER IN MY VEHICLE AND NOTHING ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, EITHER.THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD. I HAD THE WINDOWS OPEN AND THE TOP DOWN. THE AIRBAG WAS BLOWING IN FRONT OF MY FACE, BLOCKING MY VISION. THE PASSENGER VISOR FLEW OFF, HITTING MY LEFT ARM, AS I WAS TRYING TO KEEP THE AIRBAG OUT OF MY FACE TO GET SAFELY OFF THE ROAD.I PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT, INTO A PARKING LOT. MY VEHICLE STOPPED ON THE EDGE OF A DITCH AT THE SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT, DUE TO MY VISION BEING BLOCKED. MY DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WENT OFF WHEN I HIT THE CULVERT OF THE DITCH. FIRE CAME OUT OF MY STEERING WHEEL AND I SMELLED CHEMICALS. THE FIRE PROMPTLY WENT OUT. MY LEFT ARM WAS ON THE ARMREST OF THE DOOR WITH BOTH FOREARM BONES VISIBLY BROKEN. THE ARM WAS SWOLLEN AND DEFORMED. I ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE 26 DAYS. I WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST TRAUMA UNIT.THE RADIA AND ULNA IN MY FOREARM HAVE BEEN PUT BACK TOGETHER WITH RODS AND SCREWS. MY VEHICLE HAS MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END, RADIATOR, TRANSMISSION, STEERING, AXLE, ETC. 9 MONTHS LATER MY ARMIS NOT HEALED AND I AM STILL WITHOUT A VEHICLE.
#11001575 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | | 136,000 miles Crash 1 Injury
TAKATA RECALL: MY VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 15V338000.ON OCTOBER 29, 2016, I WAS DRIVING TOWARDS MY HOME. AFTER BEING IN THE STOPPED POSITION FOR THE DURATION OF THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL AT THE INTERSECTION OF FM 518 AND FM 1128 IN PEARLAND, TEXAS, THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I PROCEEDED DOWN 1128 TOWARD MY HOME. AFTER PROCEEDING ABOUT1 BLOCK, MY PASSENGER AIRBAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO PASSENGER IN MY VEHICLE AND NOTHING ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, EITHER.THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD. I HAD THE WINDOWS OPEN AND THE TOP DOWN. THE AIRBAG WAS BLOWING IN FRONT OF MY FACE, BLOCKING MY VISION. THE PASSENGER VISOR FLEW OFF, HITTING MY LEFT ARM, AS I WAS TRYING TO KEEP THE AIRBAG OUT OF MY FACE TO GET SAFELY OFF THE ROAD.I PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT, INTO A PARKING LOT. MY VEHICLE STOPPED ON THE EDGE OF A DITCH AT THE SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT, DUE TO MY VISION BEING BLOCKED. MY DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WENT OFF WHEN I HIT THE CULVERT OF THE DITCH. FIRE CAME OUT OF MY STEERING WHEEL AND I SMELLED CHEMICALS. THE FIRE PROMPTLY WENT OUT. MY LEFT ARM WAS ON THE ARMREST OF THE DOOR WITH BOTH FOREARM BONES VISIBLY BROKEN. THE ARM WAS SWOLLEN AND DEFORMED. I ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE 26 DAYS. I WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST TRAUMA UNIT.THE RADIA AND ULNA IN MY FOREARM HAVE BEEN PUT BACK TOGETHER WITH RODS AND SCREWS. MY VEHICLE HAS MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END, RADIATOR, TRANSMISSION, STEERING, AXLE, ETC. 9 MONTHS LATER MY ARMIS NOT HEALED AND I AM STILL WITHOUT A VEHICLE.

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Safety Rating for the 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER

NHTSA has not yet tested the 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER in its New Car Assessment Program.

Technical Service Bulletins for the 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. has issued 9 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.

113 — LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

TOPSTACK LATCH SET SCREWS. *TT

0313004 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) REPROGRAMMING FOR HIGH SPEED MISFIRE, SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT AND (DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0300 - P0306). *TT

0354001 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

CLEANING PROCEDURE FOR HEADLAMP FOGGING. *TT

89 — STRUCTURE:BODY

DOOR MIRRORS/DOOR HANDLES PAINT APPEARANCE. *TT

88 — EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

HEATED DOOR MIRROR STICKERS. MITSUBISHI MOTORS TECH TALK. VOL. 88. NOV. 2002. *TT

0254008 — VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT

INSTRUCTIONS FOR REATTACHING REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER TABS WHICH MAY HAVE DETACHED FROM THE REAR GLASS. *TT

84 — STRUCTURE

BULLETIN REVIEW TSB-02-42A-006 REGARDING PROCEDURES FOR REINSTALLING THE HEADLINER ONTO THE REAR GLASS. *TT

SC02011 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL

SUBJECT REGARDING VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL INFORMATION (VECI) LABEL SERVICE CAMPAIGN. *TT

80 — POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)

SUBJECT REGARDING CLUTCH COVER (PRESSURE PLATE) REMOVAL. *TT

NHTSA Investigations for the 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER

There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.

Other Model Years of the MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER

Other MITSUBISHI Models

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