AI Damage1988 Mitsubishi Cordia: common problems
Owners of the 1988 Mitsubishi Cordia filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 75% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 25% of all complaints
- 3 Wheels 25% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 3 complaints (75% of all).
- Suspension: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Wheels: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.8 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The right rear wheel bearings failed, causing damage to the wheel hub and the spindle/trailing arm assembly.
Owner received recall notice and dealer said it would take six to eight weeks for the parts to come in. Recall #950522.
Driver's seatbelt buckle has broken, due to pieces of plastic particles falling inside, rendering seatbelt inoperative. Tt
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Cordia has 3 complaints (2 years in the data). This year has 4, above average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1988 Mitsubishi Cordia?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, suspension, wheels. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (50%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1988 Mitsubishi Cordia?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1988 Mitsubishi Cordia from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1988 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.