These help you judge whether this one is worth its price.
Costly problem zones ahead at your miles come with a Car Hunt Pass or Pro. See plans
Loading the EPA's yearly fuel cost
What about the price? Check the asking price on two listing sites. Buying from a dealer? Run its offer through the offer X ray.
Education, not financial or mechanical advice. Have any used car checked by a mechanic you trust before you buy.
The full record
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What owners complain about
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Seller kit
Questions for the seller, test drive checks and price points
Car Hunt Pass or Pro
Walk up to the seller ready
Questions to ask the seller of a 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse, built from this year's owner complaints and recalls. What to feel, hear and look at on the test drive, with boxes to tick at the car. Honest points to raise on price, from the records and never from guesses. Copy the questions to your phone in one tap.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
Write your offer
A ready to send offer for the seller, by text or email
Car Hunt Pass or Pro
Send the seller a fair offer
Type the asking price and your own offer for the 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse, tick what you found, and get a polite message ready to text or email. Its reasons come from this year's owner complaints, recalls and crash ratings, and never from made up repair prices.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
When problems show up
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Will it outlast the loan?
The month of your loan each problem zone lands in
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Recalls
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Crash ratings
NHTSA's stars out of five, for each version it tested. Front crash stars only compare cars of about the same size and weight. The tests changed for 2011 models, so these stars do not line up with newer ones.
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Fuel economy
The EPA's estimates for each engine and transmission, and its own yearly fuel cost. Yours depends on how you drive and the shape the car is in. Figures for 2007 and older use the EPA's 2008 method, so they may be lower than the original sticker.
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True cost to own
The loan, fuel, insurance and upkeep, a month and over 5 years
Car Hunt Pass or Pro
What it really costs to own
What the 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse costs a month and over 5 years: the loan and its interest, fuel worked out from the EPA's figures for the version you pick, and your own insurance, registration and upkeep. A cost a mile, a link that reopens your numbers, and the breakdown copied to your phone in one tap.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
Every year of the Eclipse
Owner complaints for each model year, this one outlined. Tap a year to open it. The newest 2 are not judged yet. Bars are totals, so older years stand taller; the verdict compares every year at the same age.
Loading every year of this model
Before you buy this one
Built from this year's numbers. Whatever the data says, the car in front of you is the one that counts.
Not every car needs every fix. Run the VIN at NHTSA to see which are still open. Repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand; ask before any work.
Lights
May 11, 2009 · Recall 09E025000
Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
What can happen
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
The fix
Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on july 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
Lights
Apr 7, 2009 · Recall 09E012000
Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
What can happen
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
The fix
Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
Fuel system
Jul 26, 2007 · Recall 07E055000
Certain airtex fuel pump module assemblies, p/n e7081h, sold for use as replacement equipment for the vehicles listed above. The wall of the flared fitting of the fuel pump is not thick enough to prevent the mating threaded fittings from bottoming out before an adequate seal is achieved. This condition may result in leakage of fuel at the connection of the vehicle fuel line and the fuel pump module assembly.
What can happen
In the presence of an ignition source, a fuel leak could result in a fire.
The fix
Airtex will notify owners and replace the fuel pumps free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during july 2007. Owners can contact airtex automotive at 800-880-3056.
Lights
Jul 17, 2006 · Recall 06E064000
Certain tradesonic combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
What can happen
Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash.
The fix
Tradesonic will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during july 2006. Owners may contact tradesonic at 626-934-8884.
Lights
Jun 29, 2006 · Recall 06E060000
Certain aai motorsports combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above list passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
What can happen
Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash
The fix
Aai motorsports will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall began on august 1, 2006. Owners may contact aai motorsports at 909-923-9188.
Lights
May 24, 2006 · Recall 06E049000
Certain ck motorsports combination headlights, clear corner, bumper, and side marker lights sold as replacement lamps for use on the passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
What can happen
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
The fix
Ck motorsport will notify owners and replace the noncompliant lamps free of charge. The recall began on july 1, 2006. Owners may contact ck motorsport at 1-909-610-7211.
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Lights
May 22, 2006 · Recall 06E044000
Certain j & a auto accessories combination headlamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
What can happen
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
The fix
J & a auto accessories will notify owners and offer to repurchase the headlamps. The recall began on july 10, 2006. Owners may contact j & a auto accessories at 310-327-4981.
Lights
Mar 23, 2006 · Recall 06E026000
Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
The fix
Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. The recall began on april 3, 2006. Owners may contact pro-a motors at 323-838-2988.
Lights
Mar 13, 2006 · Recall 06E023000
Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
What can happen
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
The fix
Anzo will notify owners and replace the headlamps free of charge. The recall began may 9, 2006. Owners may contact anzo USA at 909-468-3688.
Suspension
Dec 18, 2000 · Recall 00V421001
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.
What can happen
This condition could cause the lower lateral arm ball joint to separate, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. This campaign supercedes mmc's previous safety recall campaign, see 99v-066.
The fix
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. Ball joints that are within the established tolerance will be cleaned and a special sealant will be applied to prevent intrusion of moisture.
Transmission and drivetrain
Mar 26, 1998 · Recall 98V069001
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Lockup of the transfer case can occur due to insufficient lubrication.
What can happen
This condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix
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. If oil volume is insufficient, the appropriate amount of oil will be added. If there is transfer case oil leakage, affected components will be replaced. If the transfer case shows operational degradation, the transfer case will be replaced.
Seats
May 12, 1997 · Recall 97V081001
The headrest guide bracket was improperly welded to the seat back frame on the passenger side seat back assemblies only.
What can happen
The headrest support bracket can break, increasing the risk of personal injury.
The fix
Dealers will replace the passenger seat back assembly with a new assembly.
Unverified reports, not adjusted for sales. One complaint can name several parts, so shares add up past 100%. Filed Nov 22, 1996 to Jul 16, 2023. 52% name a part that is usually costly to fix.
Owners reported 25 crashes, 6 fires, 19 injuries and 1 death in these complaints.
Engine50 · 29%Usually costly to fix
Transmission and drivetrain28 · 16%Usually costly to fix
Air bags18 · 11%
What one owner wrote about the engine
Coolant tank cracked leading to loss of overflow coolant and potential engine failure from overheating. Mitsubishi no longer makes a replacement part. *jb
Filed Jul 11, 2006NHTSA complaint 101621561 of 18 owner quotes
Car Hunt Pass or Pro
14 more parts, and 18 owner quotes
Every part owners name for the 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse, with their own words about what went wrong. Usually costly to fix among them: Body and frame.
Run the VIN at NHTSA to confirm every recall was fixed.
This year has 12 recalls on file. Recall repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand. Ask the dealer to confirm before any work is done. Look up a VIN at NHTSA.
Ask the seller for the service records.
Look closely for any work on the engine. It is the part owners complain about most for this year.
Have a mechanic you trust inspect it before you pay.
Ask them to look hard at the engine. It is usually costly to fix.
Look at a vehicle history report.
It can show reported crashes, flood or salvage titles, and mileage that does not add up.
On the test drive, pay attention to the engine.
Start it cold if you can. Listen for knocking or ticking, and watch for warning lights and smoke.
