AI Damage1987 Mitsubishi Mirage: common problems
Owners of the 1987 Mitsubishi Mirage filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 67% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 33% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (67% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (33% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 1.6 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- manual, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 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.
Vehicle was parked, driver started vehicle up and vehicle caught on fire under the hood.
Floor mounted shoulder harness does not retract properly.
Front passenger's shoulder/lap buckle would not hold; separated it minimum pressure; male portion pulled out without using release button. Tt
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 17,150 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 47% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Mirage has 24 complaints (29 years in the data). This year has 3, below average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
- Mirage 19888 sources
- Mirage 19896 sources
- Mirage 199033 sources
- Mirage 199138 sources
- Mirage 199215 sources
- Mirage 199373 sources
- Mirage 199460 sources
- Mirage 199570 sources
- Mirage 199628 sources
- Mirage 199774 sources
- Mirage 199843 sources
- Mirage 199957 sources
- Mirage 200035 sources
- Mirage 200131 sources
- Mirage 20025 sources
- Mirage 201444 sources
- Mirage 201539 sources
- Mirage 201636 sources
- Mirage 201778 sources
- Mirage 201857 sources
- Mirage 201944 sources
- Mirage 202025 sources
- Mirage 202132 sources
- Mirage 202226 sources
- Mirage 202317 sources
- Mirage 202420 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1987 Mitsubishi Mirage?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, electrical system. Total complaints: 3. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (33%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Mitsubishi Mirage?
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 1987 Mitsubishi Mirage 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 1987 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.