1988 Mitsubishi Mirage: common problems

Owners of the 1988 Mitsubishi Mirage filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 8
involving a crash: 1

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 38% of all complaints
2 Seat belts 38% of all complaints
3 Latches, locks, linkages 13% of all complaints
4 Service brakes 13% of all complaints

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

Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (38% of all).
Seat belts: 3 complaints (38% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Latches, locks, linkages: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Service brakes: 1 complaints (13% 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

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 8 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire4 · 50%
seat belts3 · 38%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	3	0
Seat belts	3	1
Latches, locks, linkages	1	0
Service brakes	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.

Consumer was in an accident the driver side seat belt buckle came loose driver went forward car was totaled . Tt
Seat belts · crash · 1995-10-11 · NHTSA complaint #973270
The vehicle caught on fire in the engine compartment.
Engine and cooling · 2003-03-27 · NHTSA complaint #10011654
Hood latch is is a round protrustion that fits into hole on body of car. Round protrusion is held in place by small flat sided piece of metal that slides back and forth instead of by positive clamping action.
Latches, locks, linkages · 2001-10-12 · NHTSA complaint #752690
Possible secondary air supply reed valves failure ,per recall notice, resulted in vehicle fire, notice not recieved.
Service brakes · 1999-03-02 · NHTSA complaint #513254
Both left and right rear seatbelt buckles do not lock in place.
Seat belts · 1996-03-12 · NHTSA complaint #980608
Experiences intermittent failure of both rear lap belts, when seatbelt buckles become stuck in locked position. Tt
Seat belts · 1995-02-21 · NHTSA complaint #960265

When owners complained

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

19952
19962
19991
20011
20021
20031

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 11,896 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Mirage has 24 complaints (29 years in the data). This year has 8, below average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1988 Mitsubishi Mirage?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, seat belts, latches, locks, linkages. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (50%), seat belts (38%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1988 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 1988 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 1988 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.