Most common 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder problems
Share of the 27 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder complaints by model year
Best Eclipse Spyder years: 2005, 1996, 2004. Years to avoid: 2001, 2002, 2007, 2003. Compare all years →
2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004, 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000, to March 18, 2005, 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 21, 2005, and…
Remedy: MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the bilingual english/spanish removable air bag warning labels affixed to the dash and to the sunvisor do not meet the size requirements of the standard.
Remedy: Mitsubishi caribbean will mail a customer notification letter containing a written description and a graphic of the bi-lingual dashboard air bag warning label.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel return line hose fitting on the electric fuel pump May be restricted, causing excessive fuel pressure to build up in the fuel injection system. Excessive fuel pressure May result in a leak in the fuel return hose.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fuel pump pressure. Those vehicles exhibiting higher than normal fuel pump pressure will receive fuel pump modifications. The recall began December 3, 2003.
What 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder owners say
Body & structure
I bought an used 2003 Eclipse and at the time I didn't realize how badly cracked the dashboard was. To my surprise, I have not been able to find an used dashboard in good condition...every single 2003 Eclipse I've found and seen has the same issue and after doing some research, there has not been a recall for this obvious manufacturing defect. The only solution Mitsubishi offers is to replace it with a brand new (yet same poor quality) part. How can we (Eclipse owners) get a full or partial credit from Mitsubishi, even if the temporary solution is to install a similar part?
Paint on hood, trunk and fenders is peeling, cracking, coming off. Continues to worsen. Mitsubishi is aware of the "defect", and state they are not mandated to fix it. Upon doing some research, I am learning that there are hundreds of mistibishis (all black in color, like mine) that are having this problem.
Wheels & tires
On November 28, 2015 my passenger front tire explosively failed coming out of a left turn at about 25 MPH causing my car to drop and swerve, crashing into a tall street curb and storm sewer drain causing $2000 damage to my car. The outer sidewall separated circumferentially from the tread. This premium tire was only seven months old with minimal wear. I check my tire pressure and fluids every time I buy gas, overhauled the suspension that summer and didn't believe it was my fault. I took the tire still on the damaged wheel to a tire failure expert who ruled out pre-existing damage, unusual wear or signs of driving with low or high tire pressure; he stated there was a zipper failure resulting from a bad tire. This was the second Goodyear assurance tripletred to fail on my car. I contacted Goodyear and filed a claim with their property claims team. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder equipped with Goodyear assurance tripletred tires, size p215/55r16. While driving 25 MPH, the front passenger side tire blew out and caused the contact to drive over a curb. The contact inspected the tire and found that the tire tread was separated. The manufacturer was unable to locate the cause of the tire failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 160,000.
Air bags
Takata recall: my vehicle is involved in the NHTSA campaign number 15V338000.on October 29, 2016, I was driving towards my home. After being in the stopped position for the duration of the left turn signal at the intersection of fm 518 and fm 1128 in pearland, texas, the light turned green and I proceeded down 1128 toward my home. After proceeding about1 block, my passenger airbag suddenly deployed. There was no passenger in my vehicle and nothing on the passenger seat, either.there were no other cars on the road. I had the windows open and the top down. The airbag was blowing in front of my face, blocking my vision. The passenger visor flew off, hitting my left arm, as I was trying to keep the airbag out of my face to get safely off the road.I pulled over to the right, into a parking lot. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder. While driving approximately 15 MPH, the passenger side air bag deployed without warning or impact. When the air bag deployed, the visor on the vehicle detached. The vehicle's top was down at the time and caused the passenger side air bag to blow in the wind, which hindered the contact's view of the road. The contact attempted to pull the vehicle over but, due to the distraction of the air bag blowing, the contact struck a culvert, which caused the vehicle to stop and the driver side air bag to deploy. When the air bag deployed, it released a small spark and there was a burning odor. The vehicle was towed to a aaa transmission approved shop who stated that the vehicle needed several repairs. The contact broke several bones in her left hand through the forearm. Medical attention was needed. A police report was filed. …
2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 28 / 23 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder a good car?
Based on 27 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Eclipse Spyder rates use caution: 1.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Eclipse Spyder at the same age. It is one of the Eclipse Spyder years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder?
The body & structure — 7 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body. Next are the wheels & tires (4) and air bags (4).
How many recalls does the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, the most recent from June 2, 2015 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005, 1996 and 2004. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001, 2002, 2007 and 2003. See the full Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 100,000 miles; 15% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.