1992 Mitsubishi Mirage: common problems

Owners of the 1992 Mitsubishi Mirage filed 15 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 15

What fails most often

1 Seat belts 53% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
4 Exterior lighting 7% of all complaints
5 Fuel system 7% of all complaints
6 Latches, locks, linkages 7% of all complaints
7 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
8 Suspension 7% of all complaints

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

Seat belts: 8 complaints (53% of all).
Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (13% of all).
Electrical system: 1 complaints (7% of all).
Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (7% of all).
Fuel system: 1 complaints (7% 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 · 4 cyl
automatic, 3-speed
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 15 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts3 · 20%
oil leak or consumption1 · 7%
stalls while driving1 · 7%
warning lights, check engine1 · 7%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Seat belts	8	0	0
Engine and cooling	2	0	0
Electrical system	1	0	0
Exterior lighting	1	0	0
Fuel system	1	0	0
Latches, locks, linkages	1	0	0
Service brakes	1	0	0
Suspension	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.

We are having a problem with the drivers side automatic safety harness. It was not working when we bought the vehicle used about a year ago. I checked on the web and found the following recall: 97v063001 that is listed as a recall for what looks like our problem.
Latches, locks, linkages · 2005-12-23 · NHTSA complaint #10145998
While driving at any speed and with no warning vehicle stalled, forcing consumer to pull off the road. Towed vehicle to an independent repair shop. It could not duplicate or correct the problem.
Engine and cooling · 2003-08-26 · NHTSA complaint #10037679
Consumer was traveling approximately 45mph on highway when she applied brakes , and warning light didn't come on. She had to veer off onto shoulders of road. Brakes were gone.
Exterior lighting · 2001-04-23 · NHTSA complaint #886514
Both front seatbelts intermittently lock up too tightly upon entry into vehicle.
Seat belts · 2001-04-19 · NHTSA complaint #886301
When driving 10-15mph and upon approaching a stop light vehicle cut off with no warning, causing loss of all power. Consumer contacted dealer, dealer noticed that computer malfunctioned, which could have been the cause of problem. Please provide any further details.
Electrical system · 2001-01-10 · NHTSA complaint #877857
Support beam 0n driver's side of the vehicle just broke off and collapsed on its own. Dealer said it needs to be rewelded.
Suspension · 1999-04-21 · NHTSA complaint #836979
Motorized shoulder harness disengages if door is opened while driving.
Seat belts · 1998-08-31 · NHTSA complaint #540445
The driver side seat belt retractor sometimes tightens up and wouldn't release . Please describe .
Seat belts · 1996-10-09 · NHTSA complaint #803358

When owners complained

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

19952
19965
19981
19991
20001
20013
20031
20051

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 9,286 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Mirage has 24 complaints (29 years in the data). This year has 15, below average.

What to check before buying

Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1992 Mitsubishi Mirage?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, engine and cooling, electrical system. Total complaints: 15. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (20%), oil leak or consumption (7%), stalls while driving (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1992 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 1992 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 1992 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.