AI Damage2002 Mitsubishi Diamante: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante filed 123 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 123
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Visibility 58% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 31% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 3% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 2% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 2% of all complaints
- Visibility: 71 complaints (58% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 38 complaints (31% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 10 complaints (8% of all).
- Electrical system: 9 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 5 complaints (4% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 123 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 71 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 38 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Child seat | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 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 contact stated that while driving at 75 mph, the contact attempted to brake but the brakes failed to respond without any warnings. The vehicle crashed into a passenger van. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact mentioned that two months prior to the failure the check engine light had illuminated.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mitsubishi diamante. The contact stated that she was involved in a frontal crash while driving approximately 35 mph. The contact was injured as a result and a police report was filed. None of the air bags deployed upon impact. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not contacted.
When stepping on the brake pedal while making a right turn at 25 mph vehicle lost brake power. Then, the brakes made a squeaking noise. When this occurred front left tire hit a curb, and the axle and rim broke. Consumer had to engage the emergency brakes to stop the vehicle.
Making a right turn into a parking stall. Put on brake, to stop, car accelerated over curb into building. Mr
My wife was driving on the interstate when the transmission failed and would no longer propel the vehicle. I have researched the problem and multiple people have had the same problem. I don't understand why no recall has been made. This is a very hazardous issue, especially if you are traveling on an interstate.
While driving at 45 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 02v100001 (electrical system.) the manufacturer was made aware of the…
The heater core is an extremely dangerous problem. The windows in the car fog up so bad I couldnt drive the car...had to pull over and wipe the windows down. But the thing is...I didnt know what the problems was...until I realized the windows werent just being fogged by the cold, ect it was a toxic mist from a heater…
Just like everyone else with a 2002 mitsubishi diamante, I have had heater core problems. Antifreeze leaking/smell and windows fogging up. Cost to repair exceeds $1000. If every one of these vehicles has this same issue, why has it never been recalled? And why does mitsubishi get away with all cars having this defect?
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 3,086 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 8% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Diamante has 42 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 123, above average.
What to check before buying
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, engine and cooling, powertrain. Total complaints: 123. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (70%), windows, sunroof (36%), overheating, coolant loss (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 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 2002 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 2002 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.