1999 Mitsubishi Mirage: common problems

Owners of the 1999 Mitsubishi Mirage filed 57 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 57
involving a crash: 14

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 23% of all complaints
3 Structure 18% of all complaints
4 Air bags 16% of all complaints
5 Vehicle speed control 9% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
7 Steering 5% 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.

Service brakes: 14 complaints (25% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 13 complaints (23% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Structure: 10 complaints (18% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 9 complaints (16% of all), 8 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Vehicle speed control: 5 complaints (9% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

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 cylnamed in 1 complaints
1.8 L · petrol · 4 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 57 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

airbags did not deploy5 · 9%
stalls while driving4 · 7%
hesitation when accelerating3 · 5%
rust, corrosion2 · 4%
warning lights, check engine2 · 4%
brake failure1 · 2%
jerking, harsh shifts1 · 2%
overheating, coolant loss1 · 2%
loss of power / limp mode1 · 2%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	14	4
Engine and cooling	13	1
Structure	10	1
Air bags	9	8
Vehicle speed control	5	3
Powertrain	4	0
Steering	3	0
Electrical system	2	2
Suspension	2	0
Fuel system	1	0
Latches, locks, linkages	1	0
Tires	1	0
Visibility	1	0
Other	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 failed to deploy and the front end was damaged. The contact sustained injuries. The insurance company stated that the vehicle was destroyed. The contact called the manufacturer, but is getting the run around. A police report was filed. The powertrain and fuel type were unknown.
Air bags · crash · 2008-03-13 · NHTSA complaint #10221081
Engine stalls without warning and shuts off. The defect is intermittent and does not give a check engine alarm. As a consequence you may end up without power when passing to other vehicles or going accross intersections. Have not yet identified cause. Was rear ended do to this defect
Electrical system · crash · 2005-05-31 · NHTSA complaint #10122515
I took it to a dealership, where I was told that the hinge had rusted shut due to underuse and that I would have to take it to a body shop. When I took it to the body shop, I was told that the dealer was not telling the truth because this was a very common problem with this model of car and that the hinges were…
Structure · crash · 2004-10-15 · NHTSA complaint #10095816
Upon impact, front air bags did not deploy. Consumer managed to pull over, and had the vehicle towed. Consumer sustained minor injuries. Dealership was aware of the problem, but did not resolve it.
Air bags · crash · 2004-08-02 · NHTSA complaint #10084002
Vehicle was involved in a 20 mph frontal collision in which driver and passenger air bags did not deploy, cause unknown. One person was injured in the accident.
Air bags · crash · 2001-11-27 · NHTSA complaint #899495
Air bags did not deploy in either incident. There was a recall ( 00v311001) for possible loose crank shaft pulley bolt and the dealer reinstalled it.
Engine and cooling · crash · 2001-01-18 · NHTSA complaint #878480
While pulling into garage brakes did not work, vehicle went straight through back of garage.
Service brakes · crash · 2000-12-27 · NHTSA complaint #877066
Would shimmy or shake when making turns. Was going down hill, and went into a skid. Crossed double line to the left while trying to go right. Steering was uncontrollable. Another vehicle "t" boned the vehicle on passenger side. Air bags deployed. Vehicle was only 34 days old.
Service brakes · crash · 2000-10-04 · NHTSA complaint #872294

When owners complained

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

19996
200017
20019
20024
20039
20049
20052
20081

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 5,000 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 14% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Mirage has 24 complaints (29 years in the data). This year has 57, above average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
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.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1999 Mitsubishi Mirage?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, engine and cooling, structure. Total complaints: 57. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbags did not deploy (9%), stalls while driving (7%), hesitation when accelerating (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 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 1999 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 1999 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.