AI Damage1994 Mitsubishi Diamante: common problems
Owners of the 1994 Mitsubishi Diamante filed 27 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 27
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 22% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 22% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 15% of all complaints
- 4 Tires 11% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- 6 Equipment 7% of all complaints
- 7 Exterior lighting 7% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- Air bags: 6 complaints (22% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 6 complaints (22% of all).
- Seat belts: 4 complaints (15% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Tires: 3 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (7% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 27 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 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.
While driving about 75 mph left rear tire had a blowout and lost control of vehicle, crashing into a divider on the highway. Vehicle had to be towed. Bridgetone bt 70s, p205/65 r15.
Owner hit another car from behind and the air bag didn't deploy. Also, seat belt didn't restrain driver from hitting the windshield.
Was in an accident the drivers air bag didn't deploy and seat belt didn't restrain hit the front windshield. Tt
While driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated. The failure recurred whenever the vehicle was in operation. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Consumer states purchased new tire on 12/6/02. On 12/24/02 while driving tire blewout causing extensive damage to vehicle. Tire info: b.f. Goodrich ph p205/65r15 right front tire 30 miles on tire damage to vehicle tire not original
Purchased with 14,000 from dealer, had a major engine falure due to piston ring wear/falure. Had it repaired 10,000 ago mits paid for parts, I paid $1,200 for labor. Now 10,000 miles later I have the same problem again. This is my 2nd mits car I have had the same problem with that had to be rebuilt.
While driving on the highway vehicle stopped accelerating. Vehicle had to be towed.
The timing belt failed while driving causing damage to the engine. Nlm
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 7,189 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 20% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Diamante has 42 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 27, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1994 Mitsubishi Diamante?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, service brakes, seat belts. Total complaints: 27. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (11%), airbags did not deploy (7%), A/C or heater (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1994 Mitsubishi Diamante?
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 1994 Mitsubishi Diamante 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 1994 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.