Mitsubishi Eclipse fire or smoke problems

Filed Sep 20, 2021 · Electrical, Fuel system · FL · fire

Electrical cable for Fuel Pump caught fire. My daughter was able to park and exit the car safely before it combusted but it took 8 minutes for the car to basically explode. I think this is very dangerous for a family with kids or someone that wouldn't be as fast as my kid to get out of the car. We found out the same car/year has a recall but this was not issued to my specific vehicle. https://www.kbb.com/mitsubishi/eclipse/2004/recall/ I requested Mitsubishi Motors to check the car and give me compensation and they denied. We have a case number with them. The car showed the check engine light but we changed spark plug cables and alternator. It seemed fine otherwise.

Filed Aug 24, 2017 · Electrical · 114,000 miles · CA · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mitsubishi eclipse. While rolling down the passenger side window, the contact noticed smoke and flames coming from the window switch area. The contact extinguished the fire and called the fire department. A fire report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that faulty wiring in the window caused the fire. The vehicle was repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 114,000.

Filed Aug 10, 2015 · Airbags · 100,000 miles · PR · crash · fire · 1 injury

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 mitsubishi eclipse. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH making a sharp turn, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree. The contact's air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was engulfed in flames within moments. Lucky, the front passenger was able to free the contact in time. The contact sustained fractures on the left clavicular bone, left ulna bone and bruising on chest and face which required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.

Filed Dec 10, 2014 · Electrical · 70,000 miles · CA · fire

Caught fire over night while parked in my drive way. Woke up the following morning to find the dash board melted, windows smoked out, front windshield cracked and driver side door burnt.

Filed Jul 20, 2012 · Transmission · 180,000 miles · AK · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 1991 mitsubishi eclipse. The contact stated that while driving 68 MPH, he heard a loud noise. He pulled over on the side of the road when he noticed smoke coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The dealer advised that they needed to have the transfer case and the transmission replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they advised the contact that the recall under the federal safety agency campaign id number: 98v069001 (power train) was closed and there was nothing they could do to assist the contact. The failure mileage was 180,000 and the current mileage was 253,000.

Filed Oct 8, 2010 · Fuel system · 44,000 miles · IN · crash · fire · 2 injuries

My 17 year old son was driving his 2007 mitsubishi eclipse gl when he ran off the side of the road. He over corrected which resulted in loss of control of the car. The car flipped several times and hit an electric pole before coming to rest. The car then burst into flames. My son and his passengers miraculously were able to get out of the car before the car was reported to have exploded and become completely engulfed in flames. I have since been able to determine that mitsubishi had a recall on certain models due to concerns with a defective part on the fuel tank. We purchased the car 3 months ago from a dealer and the car has a warranty. When I contacted mitsubishi to determine if the recall work had be recorded onto his car. I was told the car was not one of the cars with a recall. I am concerned that the car did not have a recall like other 2007 models yet the car burst into flames as a result of the crash. Seecomponent: fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly potential number of units affected: 45988 summary: mitsubishi is recalling 45,988 my 2005-2007 endeavor, galant, eclipse coupe, and my 2007 eclipse spyder vehicles. The bracket that is the attachment point for the left rear fuel tank mounting strap may have been improperly formed during a metal stamping process. The process may have caused the metal to have a split in the area where the bolt that holds one of the two fuel tank straps to the underside of the vehicle is located. In the event the fuel tank is full and the vehicle is subject to a severe collision, the bracket may break and allow the fuel tank to drop down, possibly causing a fuel leak. Consequence: fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire. Remedy: dealers will inspect to see if the left rear fuel tank strap mounting bracket has splitting beyond a specific limit. Vehicles with moderate to severe splitting will be repaired using a reinforcement cap, a special structural adhesive.

Filed Jul 21, 2009 · Brakes, Electrical · 100,000 miles · IL · fire

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. The car was later towed to contractor advise possible distributor, realized it was not the distributor and suggest car is towed to mitsubish for official computer service diagnosis ( due to car starting but not turning over). Advise, by the mitisubishi service tech all of the electrical wires were melted... Computer failure/extreme electrical system damage, harness melted etc; I ask the dealer service manager @ the dealership, what would cause this and had this happen before? He stated ?not sure of cause?and was really shocked to the damage "possible fuse, ignition wires something" not sure. Diagnostic testing cost $112.00 repair estimate $5400. Help!!!I the manufacture needs to be made aware of this hazard of a problem; if not already. With recall/replacement and/or reimburse good faith and loyal mitsubishi consumers. I won't began to explain the numerous brake/rotors & tires replaced/repaired within 5 years of purchased in september 2002.

Filed Sep 12, 2006 · Electrical · 79,499 miles · OH

2001 mitsubishi eclipse gt was running fine for 4 years. On 9/9/06 I got in my car at about 9:00 pm and turned on the lights. As I was driving down the road, I realized that my headlights were not on. I quickly pulled over and checked them. Upon opening my hood, I noticed smoke coming from my headlights and after they cooled, I saw that the connector and wires were melted. I went to the dealer where I bought the car and he advised me that the were out of connectors because the original connectors were not strong enough to take the charge of the light bulb and many people were having the same problem of the connectors just melting off. Mitsubishi now sells a stronger connector for 12.95 each.

Filed Jul 24, 2006 · Lights · 100,000 miles · MI

In my car the headlights will come on but very dim or sometimes not at all. If I hit a bump the headlights will also go out. Moving wire connection on back of headlights will fix the problem momentarily. Problem occurs more and more frequently. The other evening I was driving and both headlights went out. I pulled over and popped the hood and there was smoke coming from the wiring harness. The whole harness was melted off.

Filed Jun 23, 2006 · Engine · 125,000 miles · RI

Squealing belts at startup, inconsistent small leaks of coolant, hesitation at 2k RPM were only pre-cursors. Out of nowhere, while driving on highway, I looked at gauges for no particular reason....noticed the temperature was rising, eventually going as far as it could above h. So I look for smoke in rear view....nothing. I turn down the radio to listen for noises......nothing. Everything seems fine. Hoping that air through the radiator would cool the engine......not working. I decided I better pull over.....the second I safely stopped, huge puffs of white smoke billowed out the hood edges. I jumped out, opened the hood......huge clouds of smoke and smell of burning rubber, I thought the car was on fire. Once the smoke settled, oil could be seen splattered all over the engine. Tow truck comes and while putting on flatbed.....oil drained out like a water faucet. Found out later from the dealer that oil line burst, causing the head gaskets to blow and most likely damaged totaled the engine. New engine quoted at $5000, used 71,000 mile engine in some salvage yard in alabama quoted at $2-3000. Nice chunk of money and the engine still needs to be shipped and installed. What a deal? I actually spoke highly about mitsubishi's in the past, but now I'm having second thoughts. Too bad mitsubishi company has such a bad history of failures, recalls, and poor repair service. I was actually thinking of buying a 2006 eclipse........not any more. I'll miss my 97 eclipse......it was pretty good to me, but this recent event with no warning, did me in and it is just wrong that I have read similar incidents on the internet and mitsubishi does nothing. Time for an american car...............too bad we don't have the sense to make oil and gas-free vehicles though.......the technology is there. Oh well......I guess I better start figuring out how I am going to get to work on monday.