Most common 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse problems
Share of the 307 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mitsubishi Eclipse complaints by model year
Best Eclipse years: 2005, 2012, 2004. Years to avoid: 2000, 2001, 1997, 1995, 1996. Compare all years →
1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse recalls (5)
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water can intrude. Also, mmc has added the potential of leaking moisture, which can cause the ball stud to corrode.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the lower lateral arm ball joint for wear. Ball joints that exhibit wear beyond the established tolerance will be replaced with newly designed lateral arm ball joints.
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water can intrude.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rubber boots, and if the boot is damaged, they will replace the lower lateral arm and ball joint on the affected vehicles.
Power train › Automatic transmission
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Lockup of the transfer case can occur due to insufficient lubrication.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for adequacy of the transfer case oil volume, transfer case oil leakage, and operational degradation of the transfer case mechanism.
Fuel system, gasoline
The fuel tank gaskets for the fuel pump and/or gauge unit gasket could have been incorrectly installed allowing fuel or fumes to escape.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fuel tank and if the gaskets are found to be leaking, replace the fuel tank, caps and gaskets.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
The headlamp support panel can develop a fatigue crack where the anti-lock brake system (ABS) hydraulic unit is attached, allowing the hydraulic unit to fall down.
Remedy: Dealers will connect the ABS hydraulic unit attachment point at a rigid portion of the headlamp support panel with a bracket and reinforce the headlamp support panel by adding a back plate.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse:
Transfer case leakage
The transfer case of the all wheel drive (AWD), Mitsubishi galant, allegedly leaks oil causing one or more wheels to lockup; or the inability to transmit engine power to the drive wheels.the vehicles have the same transfer case design as the eclipse vehicles which have been recalled for the same alleged defect.
Lower contrtol arm ball joint
There is no summary currently available
Transfer case lockup
Alleged drivetrain failure that can lead to lock-up of the rear or all wheels.
Transfer case lockup
What 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse owners say
Engine & cooling all 60 →
I was getting on the freeway when I lost control of my vehicle out of no where, luckily I was in the middle of the on ramp and not in freeway traffic yet. My vehicle pulled toward the drive side, I quickly pulled e-brake turned my wheel opposite of traffic and braked. The car started fish tailing right to left because of the drive side pulling and me trying not to allow the car to spin out or go off the side of the on ramp. When the vehicle came to a stop I made sure my family and I were safe and no other vehicle were involved. Got out to the vehicle to find my drive side tire bent in my fender my axles in half and tire blown, I called for a tow and paid out of pocket for tow and parts plus repairs. I also have fuel pressure problems, SRS light, secondary air injection malfunction. …
Crankshaft walk. 1995 mits. Eclipse 2wd turbo. My son bought this car directly from having the bottom end rebuilt. Within 200 miles of drive time the crankshaft sensor went out. The mechanic that did the rebuild said he did not replace the sensor so no warranty. After spending another 160.00 on a new crankshaft sensor and interrupter plate. It lasted for approximately. Another 200 miles and died at 60 miles an hour on the freeway. It went back to the mechanic who replaced the crank bearings plate and sensor. It only took him 8 weeks. We picked up the car on Thursday the 20th of March. This time it lasted 30 miles and the plate is again hitting the sensor. We have now paid almost 3000.00 and the car is back in the shop. I have read complaints from other consumers who have had the same problem. There is no reason that the crankshaft should be able to walk. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 48 →
Tl* - the contact owns a 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse. There was safety recall 98V069001 on the automatic transmission. He was told that the safety recall repairs had already been performed on the vehicle. Due to the present mileage on the vehicle the dealer refused to perform the safety recall repairs again. The vehicle was making loud noises, jerking and shaking . The dealer found no oil in the transfer case. The current and failure mileage were both 216,000 miles.
Tl contact owns a 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse. The contact stated that the automatic transmission would not shift into gear. He also heard a loud grinding noise while driving various speeds. The dealer stated that the vehicle showed signs of NHTSA campaign id number 98V069001 (power train:automatic transmission); however, the VIN was not included. The contact stated that oil was leaking from the vehicle. The VIN was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 137,000.
Suspension all 47 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse. The contact stated that when attempting a turn or driving over a road bump, the vehicle would make a squealing and popping noise. Also, the vehicle would pull to the left abnormally. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number: 00V421001 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint), but was advised by the dealer that the VIN was not associated with the recall. The manufacturer was not contacted and the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 149,000 and the current mileage was 149,300. The VIN was unavailable.
Vehicle was parked in garage for a 1 hour. Consumer's dog was scratching on door when consumer opened door and flames bursted through. Vehicle and home, both were destroyed by fire. Consumer was unaware there was a problem no contact was made to the manufacturer. 6 months later , consumer received a recall 00V421001/ manufacturer's recall sr01-007 concerning lower left ball joint. Consumer just received the arson investigator's report determining that lower left quadrant of the vehicle was cause of fire. Please add the VIN# and mileage.
1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 19 / 29 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 29 / 22 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 25 / 22 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 19 / 25 / 21 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse a good car?
Based on 307 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1995 Eclipse rates avoid: 3.1× as many complaints as a typical year of the Eclipse at the same age. It is one of the Eclipse 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 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse?
The engine & cooling — 60 complaints, 20% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › gasoline. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (48) and suspension (47).
How many recalls does the 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse have?
There are 5 recalls for the 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse, the most recent from December 18, 2000 (lower ball joint). 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?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005, 2012 and 2004. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000, 2001, 1997, 1995 and 1996. See the full Mitsubishi Eclipse years comparison.
At what mileage do 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 120,000 miles; 3% 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.