Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse
NHTSA data on file today
The 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns and 159 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #09E025000 FMVSS 108/REPLACEMENT HEADLAMPS/AMBER REFLECTOR NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09E012000 FMVSS 108/AFTERMARKET COMBINATION LAMPS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #07E055000 AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMP MODULE ASSEMBLIES/LEAKS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06E060000 FMVSS 108/AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06E049000 FMVSS 108/AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06E026000 FMVSS 108/AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06E023000 FMVSS 108/HEADLAMP/AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #00V421001 MITSUBISHI AMERICA/LOWER BALL JOINT BOOT NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #99V066001 MITSUBISHI/LOWER BALL JOINT BOOT NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #98V069001 MITSUBISHI/TRANSFER CASE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #96V158001 MITSUBISHI/FUEL NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Suspension 26 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 25 complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 23 complaints
- Air Bags 17 complaints
- Power Train 15 complaints
- Structure 11 complaints
Of the 159 complaints on file, 25 report a crash and 5 a fire; across all 159 complaints, owners report 10 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse has a fair number of complaints and recalls, primarily in suspension and engine areas. With 11 recall campaigns and 159 complaints, it presents a mixed reliability picture. Limited data suggests issues with suspension and engine cooling, but with variability in severity and frequency.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 70,000–100,000 miles | $300–$1,200 | common |
| Engine and cooling | 80,000–120,000 miles | $500–$2,500 | common |
| Service brakes | 50,000–90,000 miles | $200–$800 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake inspections and service
- Tire rotation and replacement
- Cooling system flush
- Suspension check and alignment
- Transmission service
- Fuel system cleaning
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Suspension noise
- Engine overheating
- Brake pedal vibration
- Unusual transmission noise
- Fuel odor
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.