Wheel & Tire complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 4 | 4% | 23,000 miles |
| 2006 | 6 | 6% | 56,000 miles |
| 2005 | 1 | 17% | 61,000 miles |
| 2004 | 1 | 7% | 83,000 miles |
| 2003 | 13 | 10% | 30,000 miles |
| 2002 | 32 | 44% | 32,000 miles |
| 2001 | 77 | 37% | 20,000 miles |
| 2000 | 134 | 44% | 42,000 miles |
| 1999 | 6 | 5% | 75,000 miles |
| 1998 | 11 | 9% | 35,000 miles |
| 1997 | 14 | 10% | 104,000 miles |
| 1996 | 11 | 7% | — |
| 1995 | 8 | 3% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl contact owns a 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse with Bridgestone potenza 225/50 r17 tires. The contact stated that the tread was separating on each tire. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH the vehicle started shaking. The contact called the manufacturer and was advised that the tires were to old and there was nothing they could do. The contact stated the tires are defective and could cause a crash. The failure mileage was 20,300. The consumer replaced all four tires. Updated 05/06/11
Tl contact owns a 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse. The contact owns Goodyear Eagle rs-a p225/50r17 tires. The contact stated while traveling at speeds of 25 MPH, the front drivers side tire tread separated, causing a blowout. The vehicle did not travel over anything to influence the tire failure. The tire had 42,000 miles at the time of the failure.
I was driving the car normally fine and there was a small pot hole on the ground that I went over. I had my foot on the brakes while running over the pot hole and the pressure on the brakes were completely lost. It was a spongy feeling as the brakes were to the floor. The brakes had very little power and when let go had a whistling sound coming back up. I had to drive home while down shifting to lower gears because the brakes did not work.
I have Goodyear Eagle rs-a p35/45r18 tires on my Eclipse, the car has less than 30,000 miles on it. As I was driving to work front tire blew out due to the sidewall separating from the tread! I had no idea until a mechanic at my work looked at my other front tire and saw that it was starting to separate also! The tires still have half of their tread life remaining and it also caused for my rim to be scratched. In addition, it was noted that at some point the other front tire is going to blow out so at this point my car is a ticking time bomb.
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. …
Under normal driving conditions, I hit a small pothole while changing lanes while heading to the Mitsubishi dealership (where I used to work) and lost control of my 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse gt. Upon changing my tire, my rim was bent so severely that I had a hard time getting the lug nuts off of the vehicle. Over 2 inches the rim dented in. Now, 2 weeks later, I noticed a problem in the front left end, that rim is dented severly in two places, not just one. I am going to have to replace that rim as well. To top everthing off, I also had to replace my tire because the first time I blew out the sidewall. This is over $1,000 in just wheel and tire damage. Also, during employment at the Mitsubishi dealership, I reported defect's with my wheels and it was not brought to the attention of the district service manager, bob desimone. …
I have a black I guess you can call it black and white 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse. The clear coat it completely off and the black paint is just about gone. I have rust spots coming through now. It first started on the hood about a year ago and now it is everywhere. I also had to replace two of my rims because they were bent. Now I have a shimmy in my steering wheel when I get up to 65mph this started about a year ago also. I have gotten new tires and rims on it hoping that would help the problem but it is just as bad as it was last year.
Since I bought the car in 9/01 I have had over 20 flat tires, causing me to miss work getting stuck over the bridge. I have had to pay for 4 new rims and several tires because the rims seperate from the tire. I have had scratches appear around the drivers left side of the car which now move all the way to the license plate I was putting on the donut in 2002 and saw my strut was blown after several attempts with the dealership as to why my car shakes after hitting a bump they kept telling me I was hitting curbs when I said to them my strut is blown they tried blaming me and after several attempts they investigated and realized I had a manufactuers defect in my left drivers front tire. I said they should replace the front side of my bumper bacause of the scratches they refused. …
NHTSA investigations
Transfer case lockup
Alleged drivetrain failure that can lead to lock-up of the rear or all wheels.
Transfer case lockup
Alloy wheel denting and fracturing
Aluminum alloy wheel denting
See attached report.
Frequently asked questions
Which Mitsubishi Eclipse years have wheel & tire problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (134), 2001 (77), 2002 (32), 1997 (14) and 2003 (13) model years. Wheel & Tire complaints make up 44% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Mitsubishi Eclipse wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires recall for any Mitsubishi Eclipse model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Mitsubishi Eclipse wheel & tire problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 38,000 miles; 67% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the rim (194 mentions), followed by the tread/belt (11).
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.