AI Damage2001 Mitsubishi Spyder: common problems
Owners of the 2001 Mitsubishi Spyder filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about wheels and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 13
What fails most often
- 1 Wheels 62% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 15% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- 5 Tires 8% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 8% of all complaints
- Wheels: 8 complaints (62% of all).
- Structure: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (8% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (8% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 13 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheels | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 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.
It continued to make the horrible noise and shaking so I took my car to firestone. One of the mechanics took it for a test drive and stopped immediately. He got my tire iron out of my truck and tightened the lug nuts.
Mitsubishi 2001 eclipse gt with sportronic shifter with less than 35k the transmission failed while traveling along a busy [address] on 12/18 monday at around 5:15 pm (peak commute time).
Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle stalled eight times while driving at various speeds and while idling. The vehicle started back each time after 10-15 minutes. This happens randomly. The vehicle has been to the dealership once and they could not duplicate the problem.
All of the wheels on my eclipse spyder are damaged from normal driving. Mitsubishi claims I have hit pot holes, curbs, etc.but I have not. Making a u-turn in a parking lot caused 4 "waves" in my rear drivers side wheel and caused my tire to go flat.
All 4 alloy wheels developed a dent in them. The rear passenger side wheel dent was so severe that it resulted in the tire leaking air because it was not able to form a proper seal. Dealership was contacted.
As a result, consumer was forced to replace the part because of a concern for a possible tire blowout.
Water was leaking into vehicle under passenger's seat. Dealer determined that firewall had not been sealed properly. Vehicle was repaired, but at this time water was again leaking into vehicle.
Rear defroster on convertible top is not working. Vehicle has been taken to dealer 5 times, convertible top was replaced; but, problem still exists.
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 9,843 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 27% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Spyder has 6 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 13, above average.
What to check before buying
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Mitsubishi Spyder?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: wheels, structure, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 13. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (8%), tires: bulges, blowouts (8%), transmission slipping (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 Mitsubishi Spyder?
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 2001 Mitsubishi Spyder 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 2001 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.