AI Damage2002 Mitsubishi Spyder: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Mitsubishi Spyder filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 33% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 33% of all complaints
- 3 Wheels 33% of all complaints
- Air bags: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Wheels: 1 complaints (33% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 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.
On my mitsubishi 2002 gt spyder, the clutch has gone out. It only has 56k miles... (I do not ride the clutch or anything).
Boot cover for the convertible comes off while driving. Dealer notified.
I was hit in the head by the seat belt guide on the front passenger (right) seat of a 2002 mitsubishi spyder convertible. The seat hit me with considerable force causing a mild concussion. I did not black out at the time of the injury.
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 Spyder has 6 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 3, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Mitsubishi Spyder?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, powertrain, wheels. Total complaints: 3. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (33%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 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 2002 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 2002 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.