2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse: common problems

Owners of the 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse filed 99 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 99
involving a crash: 9

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 72% of all complaints
2 Air bags 11% of all complaints
3 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
4 Structure 5% of all complaints
5 Tires 5% of all complaints
6 Electrical system 3% of all complaints
7 Engine and cooling 2% of all complaints
8 Wheels 2% of all complaints

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

Service brakes: 71 complaints (72% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 11 complaints (11% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 6 complaints (6% of all).
Structure: 5 complaints (5% of all).
Tires: 5 complaints (5% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
3.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
automatic, 5-speed
manual, 5-speednamed in 3 complaints
manual, 6-speednamed in 3 complaints

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 99 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

brake failure11 · 11%
airbags did not deploy5 · 5%
hesitation when accelerating4 · 4%
tires: bulges, blowouts4 · 4%
warning lights, check engine4 · 4%
airbag warning light2 · 2%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 2%
smoke, burning smell, fire2 · 2%
jerking, harsh shifts1 · 1%
seat belts1 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	71	5
Air bags	11	7
Powertrain	6	0
Structure	5	0
Tires	5	0
Electrical system	3	0
Engine and cooling	2	0
Wheels	2	0
Engine	1	0
Equipment	1	0
Seat belts	1	1
Steering	1	0
Suspension	1	0
Vehicle speed control	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.

Additionally, the seat belts were also inoperable. The contact stated that her head struck the windshield. A police report was filed. The driver and passenger sustained minor cuts and bruises but no broken bones. The paramedics were called to the scene however, the contact refused medical attention.
Air bags · crash · 2019-06-11 · NHTSA complaint #11219280
The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the brakes failed to respond and the contact crashed into another vehicle. During the crash, the front end sustained significant damage; however, the air bags did not deploy.
Service brakes · crash · 2015-10-08 · NHTSA complaint #10780719
The air bags did not deploy. A police report was not filed. During the first crash, four tires separated from the vehicle. During the second crash, the two front tires fractured. The vehicle was towed to a repair shop for further inspection.
Service brakes · crash · 2015-10-02 · NHTSA complaint #10779284
As a result, the contact crashed into a fire hydrant. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure and the vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 15v337000 (service brakes, hydraulic).
Service brakes · crash · 2015-09-09 · NHTSA complaint #10762497
I was involved in an accident on the highway and my airbags failed to deploy.
Air bags · crash · 2013-01-16 · NHTSA complaint #10493134
I was involved in a head on collision with another vehicle where my airbags failed to deploy. Later upon calling in a airbag specialist, they ran diagnostics and found that both the front right and front left airbag sensors had malfunctioned. This was then backed up by the mitsubishi dealership.
Air bags · crash · 2008-10-01 · NHTSA complaint #10244131
As with the early 2000's recall the paint (Clear coat) on Kalapana Black (Code X13) has started to peel off and Mitsubishi refused to address the issue. My vehicle has less than 75k miles and has been garaged most of its life as it is not a daily driver and I am the only owner.
Structure · 2021-11-22 · NHTSA complaint #11441368
The top coat, clear coat, of paint has begun to separate from the black paint. This is happening very rapidly and continues to spread over the top of the car. There was a recall for this in late 90's early 2000's for the exact same reason for the exact same color of vehicle.
Structure · 2020-12-10 · NHTSA complaint #11382907

When owners complained

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

20051
20069
20073
20086
20101
20116
20128
20134
20149
201531
20169
20171
20182
20193
20201
20211
20221
20253

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,592 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Eclipse has 79 complaints (27 years in the data). This year has 99, above average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, air bags, powertrain. Total complaints: 99. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (11%), airbags did not deploy (5%), hesitation when accelerating (4%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse?

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 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse 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 2006 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.