1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse problems & reliability
54 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
4 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train → | 19 | 35% |
| Seat Belts → | 12 | 22% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 15% |
| Suspension | 6 | 11% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 7% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 6% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 4% |
| Wheels | 2 | 4% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 2% |
| Steering | 1 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Transfer case is damaged due to lack of fluid. I contacted mitsubishi concerning the recall on this vehicle for this defective part. The company representative denied that this vehicle was included in any recalls. The referenced recall, 98v168000, included all mitsubishi eclipse gsx models from 1990-1998. My 1991 gsx…”
Power Train · filed Feb 10, 2015
“Tl* the contact owns a 1991 mitsubishi eclipse. The contact stated that while driving 68 mph, he heard a loud noise. He pulled over on the side of the road when he noticed smoke coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The dealer advised that they needed to have the transfer case and…”
Power Train · filed Jul 20, 2012
“Tl * the contact owns a 1991 mitsubishi eclipse. While driving the vehicle at a speed of 50 mph, all four wheels locked up which caused a loss of vehicle control. The vehicle was no longer in drivable condition and was towed to a local mechanic. The vehicle had not been inspected or repaired at the time of the…”
Wheels · filed Mar 29, 2010
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- TRANSFER CASE LEAKAGE
Recall Query RQ98007 · opened May 11, 1998 · closed Aug 28, 1998 · led to recall 98V168002
- TRANSFER CASE LOCKUP
Engineering Analysis EA98002 · opened Jan 30, 1998 · closed Apr 30, 1998 · led to recall 98V069002
- TRANSFER CASE LOCKUP
Preliminary Evaluation PE97040 · opened Sep 4, 1997 · closed Jan 30, 1998
- TAKATA SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE
Engineering Analysis EA95004 · opened Mar 10, 1995 · closed Aug 1, 1995 · led to recall 95V103004
Technical service bulletins
9 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse.
This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TT253 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 26, 2019
This is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes TSB-18-00-003, issued April, 2018, to add updated information for Carrying Capacity Reduced Label.
TSB-19-00-008 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 30, 2019
This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TT237 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 26, 2018
This Technical Service Bulletin updates the door adjustment procedure in the Body Section of the applicable service manuals.
TSB-13-42A-002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 29, 2013
Information regarding cylinder head gaskets for remanufactured short blocks. *tt
TSB9911007 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 1, 1999
Information about improved automatic transaxle end clutch. *tt
TSB9723015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 1997
New valve lash adjuster noise checking and troubleshooting procedures. *jd
TSB9711002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 1997
Antenna tightening torque. *tw
TSB9654012 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 1996
Manual transaxle shift quality synchronizer kits. *tw
TSB9622003R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 1996
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.