Most common 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage problems
Share of the 74 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mitsubishi Mirage complaints by model year
Best Mirage years: 2019, 2018, 2017. Years to avoid: 1997, 1995, 1999. Compare all years →
1997 Mitsubishi Mirage recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles: mirage model vehicles equipped with 1.5l engines; montero sport models equipped with 3.0l engines; and montero models equipped with 3.0l engines. The bolt securing the crankshaft pulley can become loose and the pulley could fall off the vehicle.
Remedy: On the mirage vehicles, the dealers will install a new, improved crankshaft pulley bolt on the older engines. On new engines which already have the improved bolt, the dealer will tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt to…
What 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage owners say
Engine & cooling
I saw the recall id 00V311001 but I have already paid for the fix of my car because I didn't saw the recall what can I do about the money I paid to a mechanic I sped $700.00 dollars on the repairs I hope you can help me thanks.
Recall 00 v 311 001/crankshaft pulley bolt: vehicle taken for appointment at south lake Mitsubishi, morrow, ga; phone# 770/603-6225. Dealer informed consumer that dealership was out of parts. They tightened pulley bolt, and advised consumer not to call them until parts have arrived. Parts arrived, and currently they want to charge consumer for parts. Asking help from NHTSA in this matter. Recall was complete with no charge to consumer.
Air bags
While driving at about 65 MPH, had a very bad tire blowout. Front driver's side tires, and back driver's side tires blewout, car hit a concrete wall, and driver's side airbag deployed and inflated. However, passenger's side air bag deployed, but did not inflate. Consumer felt someone could have been seriously injured in this type of situation.
While driving at the speeds of 60-65mph vehicle struck a 180 pound deer, causing serious damage to the front of vehicle. Upon impact, neither driver's side or passenger side air bags deployed. Driver suffered injuries to the back and neck. Also, driver's face struck steering wheel. Dealer has been contacted.
Transmission & drivetrain
Vehicle has been to dealer 5 times for same problem. Transmission hard to shift when cold. Grinds between 1st and 2nd gear. Difficult or unable to engage 1st gear sometimes. Transmission makes rattling noise when in neutral. Dealer replaced transmission of first trip. Reduced rattle sound but increased shifting difficulty. Dealer replaced syncronizers and hub assembly on second trip. Grinding improved but shift diffculty still present. Have to start car in second or third gear sometimes. Cannot engage first gear. Third and fourth trip dealer found no noticable problem. Vehicle lost 5th gear approxamently 3 weeks after last visit to dealer for same problem. Vehicle was traveling approxamently 65 miles per hour when 5th gear disengaged and grinding noises immediately came from engine compartment. Vehicle rapidly slowed down and emergency lane change accross dense traffic was required. …
Problem #1) immediately following the purchase of the car, I became aware that there was a problem. The car stalls when the clutch is depressed. It will occur a dozen times throughout the day and then not happen for another 6-8 months. It happened for the first time approximately 6 months after the purchase. I reported it to colonial auto center and nothing was found wrong. It happened again in January 1998 while my husband was driving. Again, I brought the car back and nothing was found. It happened in the summer of 1998, and again in April of 1999. Problem #2) on the morning of April 25, 1999, I went to start my car and go to work. The horn was stuck on! The only way I could stop the problem was to pull the fuse. The dealer said the horn button was pushed in, even though when I got home the day before, the horn was not blowing. …
1997 Mitsubishi Mirage engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 28 / 36 / 31 |
| 1.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 25 / 33 / 28 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 25 / 33 / 28 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 30 / 26 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage a good car?
Based on 74 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Mirage rates avoid: 2.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Mirage at the same age. It is one of the Mirage 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 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage?
The engine & cooling — 18 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the air bags (15) and transmission & drivetrain (15).
How many recalls does the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage have?
There is 1 recall for the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage, the most recent from October 2, 2000 (engine). 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 Mirage?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2019, 2018 and 2017. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1997, 1995 and 1999. See the full Mitsubishi Mirage years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 100,000 miles; 17% 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.