1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder: common problems

Owners of the 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder filed 16 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and latches, locks, linkages. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 16

What fails most often

1 Structure 44% of all complaints
2 Latches, locks, linkages 19% of all complaints
3 Equipment 13% of all complaints
4 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
5 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
6 Steering 6% of all complaints
7 Suspension 6% of all complaints
8 Visibility 6% of all complaints

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

Structure: 7 complaints (44% of all).
Latches, locks, linkages: 3 complaints (19% of all).
Equipment: 2 complaints (13% of all).
Powertrain: 2 complaints (13% of all).
Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (6% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 16 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

windows, sunroof2 · 13%
door locks, latches, handles1 · 6%
infotainment or screen glitches1 · 6%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Structure	7	0	0
Latches, locks, linkages	3	0	0
Equipment	2	0	0
Powertrain	2	0	0
Engine and cooling	1	0	0
Steering	1	0	0
Suspension	1	0	0
Visibility	1	0	0
Other	2	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.

Both my handles broke off, the drivers side arm rest,( where the buttons for the windows are), fell off and into the cavity below. The convertible top leaks badly along the point where the top meets the car windshield,windows,and back window.
Structure · 2010-07-15 · NHTSA complaint #10343464
Convertible roof does not fold down due to bent frame members on each side - called "bent top stack control links". This prevents the top front bow from closing tightly and allows water to enter the cab causing additional damage from mold and mildew - health hazards.
Structure · 2008-10-24 · NHTSA complaint #10246649
In the summer of 2003 my clutch master cylinder started leaking so ireplaced it. Then in may of 2004 my clutch failed so I had it replaced with a stock clutch. Two months later the engine developed signs of "crankwalk", which happens to alot of 95-99 mitsubishi eclipses.
Engine and cooling · 2005-03-09 · NHTSA complaint #10112788
The convertible top motors have gone out again. I have had the motors serviced several time over 4 times in two years. Apparnetly the gear pins break within the motors and cause them to fail. I cannot open nor close my convertible top.
Structure · 2004-07-29 · NHTSA complaint #10082929
Recall work that would not be completed, unless additional diagnostics were purchased and paid for. Subsequently, I continue to drive around with the defective control-arm ball joints on my 1998 mitsubishi eclipse spyder.
Suspension · 2004-04-04 · NHTSA complaint #10064518
Both of my outside handles on my car fell off within a couple months of each other. I didn't realize that my passenger side handle fell off until I saw it missing on day. The driver side handle fell off as I went out to my car one morning to leave for work. I went to lift up on the handle and it came right off.
Latches, locks, linkages · 2004-02-06 · NHTSA complaint #10056657
I recently sent a letter to the mitsubishi motors corporation regarding my 1998 mitsubishi eclipse spyder (please re-read attached). I was contacted by the corporate office regarding my erratic shift problem in my automatic transmission and was eventually told that I wouldnt be provided any sort of assistance on my…
Equipment · 2003-07-11 · NHTSA complaint #10025890
The roof of my 1998 mitsubishi eclipse spyder is not functioning properly due to two brackets bending when you open the roof. I had this fixed at the dealer in september 2002 and then it just happened again the first time that I opened the roof this spring (march 14, 2003).
Visibility · 2003-03-16 · NHTSA complaint #10010545

When owners complained

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

20023
20032
20045
20051
20071
20081
20101
20181
20191

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 9,040 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Eclipse Spyder has 17 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 16, about average.

What to check before buying

Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, latches, locks, linkages, equipment. Total complaints: 16. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: windows, sunroof (13%), door locks, latches, handles (6%), infotainment or screen glitches (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 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 1998 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 1998 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.