Most common 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse problems
Share of the 124 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 →
2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse 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 owners say
Body & structure all 31 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse. The contact stated that while driving, there was an odor of fuel present. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact also indicated that water had leaked from the floor board causing the brake pedal to become slippery. In addition, the vehicle would not start. While checking the battery connection the contact discovered that the battery cable was smoking and had melted. The vehicle was taken an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the air conditioning hose that failed caused the water leak. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse. The contact stated that the hatch back and sun roof had water leakage. In addition, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 109,000.
Transmission & drivetrain all 20 →
My clutch had to be replaced at only 14,500 miles. Problems were evident at around 10,000 miles and became considerably worse in time. I have driven a manual transmission for 15 years and have never raced and did not ride the clutch. My last car's clutch lasted in excess of 100,000 miles without fault. The service manager at my dealership told me that it appears to be a factory defect. However, since the warranty on the clutch expires at 12,000 miles, I have to pay for the part. The problem became obvious when my transmission spun as I tried to go from a stop up a hill. My car basically became stuck in traffic on a dangerous section of roadway and it was luck that I was not involved in a side-impact collision. If this had happened on a railroad track or a drawbridge, I see this problem as potentially life-threatening. …
I have only had the car for a little over a year. I have absolutely loved the car besides having to take it in within like 3 months to replace a deffective transmission. I have am a person that have been in many close accident calls throughout my life so I am not a person who takes the car to the limit whatsoever. I have had defective cars all my life. My first car I was in a near death call in my first accident when a man in a rush decided to try to pass me while I was doing a u-turn. My second I bought for $4000 and put over 2K in it trying to get it fixed and running. My third car I bought was a Toyota camry. It was a great car but also had to put $1,500 into a car I bought for only lik 5K, when the manufacturer told me that they couldnt fix the problem and I had wasted every dime I had on this car. My last and present car is my 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse gt. …
Wheels & tires
While driving 65 MPH front passenger's side tire exploded. As a result, vehicle went into a spin and crashed into a guard rail. The consumer stated that the vehicle is no longer in his possession.
I have a mitisubishi Eclipse 2003 100000 miles ( majority highway). In the spring of 08-the vehicle was making noise when accelerating, the vehicle was changing gears hard and was advise it was the transmission/motor mounds. The problem occurred intermittently while driving as much as 40mph. Took it back to mitisubishi dealer for service/diagnosis-told possible eventually trans, timing belt and possibly radiator, which was one of another consumers resolve. Well, they flush the radiator and it resolve the problem of driving but not the noise. Also June 2009-after driving 5 MPH I noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment, the consumer pulled over ( call for tow and later opened the hood to see all the insulation smolder). After being stranded for over an hour I was towed to my destination. …
2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 25 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse a good car?
Based on 124 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Eclipse rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Eclipse at the same age. 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?
The body & structure — 31 complaints, 25% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (20) and wheels & tires (13).
How many recalls does the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse, 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?
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 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 37,000 miles; 64% 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.