1994 Mitsubishi Eclipse problems & reliability
34 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1994 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.
3 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train → | 10 | 29% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 15% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 15% |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 12% |
| Suspension | 4 | 12% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 9% |
| Equipment | 3 | 9% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 9% |
| Visibility | 3 | 9% |
| Steering | 2 | 6% |
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
“Day time appx. 60-80 mi. From el paso, tx , lic. Driver driving appx. 70 mi. P/hr (80 mi. Day is speed limit) just before chk. Point sierra blanca, front passenger side tierod breaks causing a major 1 car rollover injuring 3 people (1 w/minor injuries, 1 serious injuries, 1 critical injury). 1994 mitsubishi eclipse gs…”
Latches/locks/linkages · filed Apr 26, 2007
“Vehicle lost all braking powe r while attempting a gradual stop on dry road conditions. Dealer has yet to be contacted. Please provide further details.*ak”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Aug 14, 2001
“Transmission went out at 83,000 under normal use. This car was not in the recall but I believe it was a manufacturer defect.*ak”
Power Train · filed Apr 5, 2001
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
Technical service bulletins
12 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1994 Mitsubishi Eclipse. The 10 most recent:
This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between normal dew condensation, which is a natural phenomenon, and water penetration caused by improper sealing or a defective/broken part.
TSB-22-54-003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 7, 2022
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
This bulletin contains recommended automatic transmission / transaxle maintenance information. *tt
9923010 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 1999
This bulletin contains recommended manual transmission / transaxle maintenance information. *tt
9922003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 1999
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
Mut-ii scan tool warranty. *tw
TSB9700005 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 1, 1997
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 1994 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 1994 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.