1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder: common problems

Owners of the 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder filed 20 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and structure. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 20

What fails most often

1 Powertrain 30% of all complaints
2 Structure 25% of all complaints
3 Engine and cooling 20% of all complaints
4 Tires 10% of all complaints
5 Air bags 5% of all complaints
6 Equipment 5% of all complaints
7 Fuel system 5% of all complaints
8 Visibility 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Powertrain: 6 complaints (30% of all).
Structure: 5 complaints (25% of all).
Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (20% of all).
Tires: 2 complaints (10% of all).
Air bags: 1 complaints (5% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 20 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

windows, sunroof2 · 10%
door locks, latches, handles1 · 5%
engine failure or replacement1 · 5%
overheating, coolant loss1 · 5%
stalls while driving1 · 5%
tires: bulges, blowouts1 · 5%
transmission slipping1 · 5%
warning lights, check engine1 · 5%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Powertrain	6	0	0
Structure	5	0	0
Engine and cooling	4	0	0
Tires	2	0	0
Air bags	1	0	0
Equipment	1	0	0
Fuel system	1	0	0
Visibility	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 airbag cover on the passenger side is peeling off. I feel that if I tried to glue it or modify it in any way, this action could result in the airbag not deploying like it should and cause serious injury incase of an accident.
Air bags · 2023-07-16 · NHTSA complaint #11532572
My car is a 1997 eclipse spyder automatic tranny 2.4l . There was issues with the transmission it was on lean mode, locked on 2nd gear and it could only go up to 40 miles per hr other wise the rpm were very high...
Powertrain · 2011-11-22 · NHTSA complaint #10436766
Tire tread separation on passenger car tires. Brand = kumho line = ecsta asx size = 225/40/r18 dot # = yomx yc2f while driving down the road, my son noticed rubber chunks flying from the front end of his car.
Tires · 2010-04-26 · NHTSA complaint #10327651
Paint job defects. I have owned several mitsubishis vehicles in my family. All resulting in paint defects on the car. Only one has not, dealership said because there is a defect and that one vehicle not affected was made and painted in japan. Cost of repaint of vehicle is $1500 to $2500 depending on where you go.
Structure · 2007-11-02 · NHTSA complaint #10207753
Coolant tank cracked leading to loss of overflow coolant and potential engine failure from overheating. Mitsubishi no longer makes a replacement part.
Engine and cooling · 2006-07-11 · NHTSA complaint #10162156
Car fails mandatory obd-ii smog test due to non-continuous readiness monitors failing to set to complete during normal driving. Dealer must use mut-ii diagnostic tool to set monitors to ready state. When diagnostic mode is exited and ignition turned off monitors revert to not-ready state.
Engine and cooling · 2005-12-03 · NHTSA complaint #10144372
Transmission was slipping so I stop driving it. When I tested it out again, it was even worst and I can't even go past 40 mph. So far there hasn't been any repairs done to the car since I was told by a mechanic that there are transmission recalls on the automatic 97 gs eclipse and was advise not to drive it anymore…
Powertrain · 2005-08-15 · NHTSA complaint #10132942
Convertible top will not open all the way. Support bracket is bent and will not let top lower completely into housing. There is no complete fix for this. Dealer says, this is a manufacture defect, support brackets are to thin for this type of top.
Structure · 2005-05-02 · NHTSA complaint #10119399

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20001
20021
20031
20044
20057
20062
20071
20101
20111
20231

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 8,257 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Eclipse Spyder has 17 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 20, above average.

What to check before buying

Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
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 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, structure, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 20. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: windows, sunroof (10%), door locks, latches, handles (5%), engine failure or replacement (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder?

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 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder 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 1997 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.