2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder: common problems

Owners of the 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about wheels and structure. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 24
involving a crash: 5

What fails most often

1 Wheels 33% of all complaints
2 Structure 17% of all complaints
3 Air bags 13% of all complaints
4 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
5 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
6 Tires 8% of all complaints
7 Visibility 8% of all complaints
8 Electrical system 4% of all complaints

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

Wheels: 8 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Structure: 4 complaints (17% of all).
Air bags: 3 complaints (13% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Fuel system: 2 complaints (8% of all).
Powertrain: 2 complaints (8% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 24 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

warning lights, check engine3 · 13%
airbags did not deploy2 · 8%
seat belts2 · 8%
vibration2 · 8%
windows, sunroof2 · 8%
loss of power / limp mode1 · 4%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 4%
tires: bulges, blowouts1 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Wheels	8	1
Structure	4	0
Air bags	3	3
Fuel system	2	0
Powertrain	2	0
Tires	2	0
Visibility	2	0
Electrical system	1	0
Engine and cooling	1	1
Seat belts	1	1
Service brakes	1	0
Steering	1	0
Suspension	1	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 air bags did not deploy and the seat belt did not restrain him. Both vehicles were inoperable and were towed from the scene. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact sustained three cracked ribs and was transported to the hospital. The police were also contacted and a report was filed.
Air bags · crash · 2011-09-16 · NHTSA complaint #10425768
The consumer husband died trying to help the other occupant who did own the vehicle that caught on fire. According to the police report, the vehicle ran off the roadway on the left into the median. The vehicle then re-entered the roadway and ran off the roadway on the left a second time.
Engine and cooling · crash · 2010-01-12 · NHTSA complaint #10299083
I was in a relatively minor car accident. About 2 months ofter the accident and repairs had been made, one of my tires could not hold tire pressure. I had the tires replaced on the vehicle. The same tire continued to go flat. I inspected the factory 17" alloy rim and I found a crack in the rim.
Wheels · crash · 2005-01-03 · NHTSA complaint #10105647
It appears passenger side air bag may not have deployed.
Air bags · crash · 2004-01-24 · NHTSA complaint #10054793
The vehicle was involved in a side impact accident, and the side air bags failed to deploy.
Air bags · crash · 2003-03-05 · NHTSA complaint #10009960
The contact stated while driving 25-30 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power inadvertently. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving. There was no warning light illuminated.
Powertrain · 2022-06-09 · NHTSA complaint #11468436
Tl contact owns a 2002 mitsubishi eclipse spyder. While driving approximately 45 mph the driver observed that the dashboard cover sustained excessive cracks. The manufacturer was notified of the defect; however, the part was unavailable.
Structure · 2010-01-26 · NHTSA complaint #10302350
Incidents: the convertible top leaks and the seatbelts get completely soaked with water every time it rains especially in downpours.
Structure · 2008-03-07 · NHTSA complaint #10220434

When owners complained

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

20022
20033
20048
20053
20061
20071
20081
20102
20112
20221

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 7,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Eclipse Spyder has 17 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 24, above average.

What to check before buying

Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: wheels, structure, air bags. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (13%), airbags did not deploy (8%), seat belts (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 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 2002 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 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.