Rusty Eclipses
Mitsubishi! > Cars > Class problems > Rust > Eclipse
Credit: Most of the material comes from Michael Yankelevich's must-visit website ECLIPSE COMPLAINTS (top link at the left). Photos are that of Troy Sienko's less than 2 years old lemon Eclipse GT. Spcial thanks to Michael for his permission!
"Hood rusted closed"
Early 2004. All Terence Efren wanted was an oil change for his late-model 2003 Eclipse GTS Spyder. However, when he visited the mechanic the hood would not open. Later he was told by a body shop mechanic that the hood needed to be destroyed, hood release replaced and car repainted.
Terence is not alone. From anecdotes of upset owners it seems to be a problem quite widespread among Eclipses. For example, Erin Feazell of Baltimore, Maryland had his 2000 Eclipse's hood rusted closed within 3 years and about 30,000 miles of operation. He was lucky that the dealer got it pryed open.
"I find rust all throughout the engine compartment"
Troy Sienko of Northwest Indiana noticed rust in his new 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT after only 20 months of ownership. In his words, "I find rust all throughout the engine compartment. Everywhere two pieces of sheet metal come together there is a line of rust forming."
Chris B. complained in January 2002 about seeing the rust spots develop in his engine bay and photos can be seen on Michael Yankelevich's site.
"...a bad batch of 2000 Eclipses that would rust in a matter of months"
Michael Yankelevich discovered his 2000 Eclipse GT rusting in 16 months and 16,000 miles of operation. According to him, eclipseforum.org members had told him about "a bad batch of 2000 Eclipses that would rust in a matter of months." He is upset and puzzled. His car is red. The rust problem in his own words:
My latest discovery is probably the most unpleasant one. Being 16 months and 16,000 miles old, my car started to develop rust, and I am not talking road chip surface rusting, I mean real, structural rust. It is coming out of spot welds, from inside the places where sheet metal attaches together around the engine compartment and strut towers...Rust is growing under the hood and now on the frame rails, but still no approval for the $1800+ rust repair estimate. Most of the body shops I tried to get an estimate from refused to do any rust repair stating that there is no way to completely repair this type of rust and that it is bound to come out again few months later...
Galants Too!
Note: Galants too seem to have early rust problem. There is a site www.all-lemons.com detailing a Galant owner's experience with rust within 2 months of ownership of his new car. More on this later.
Do you have a rust problem?
So, Eclipse owners, if your car is prematurely showing signs of rust problems and you have been told by your Mitsubishi dealer and representative that it is all your fault, then it is perhaps time for you to take suitable actions including contacting us with your story.
Appendix: NHTSA Complaints
The following NHTSA Eclipse complaints containing the word "rust" were extracted out of their database in late March 2004. No analysis has been performed and this information is provided to help you in resolving your rust issues.
2000 Mitsubishi ECLIPSE (00)
Component: EXTERIOR LIGHTING : HEADLIGHTS
Complaint Date (Y/M):2003/09 ------ Miles: 53000
VIN No:
City/State: BETHLEHAM,PA
Defect/Problem: THE PLASTIC SOCKET THAT THE LIGHT BULBS SCREW INTO ARE RUSTED AND CORRODED. THIS CAUSED HEADLIGHTS TO MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING. *AK
2000 Mitsubishi ECLIPSE (00)
Component: POWER TRAIN : AXLE HUBS
Complaint Date (Y/M):2003/05 ------ Miles: 0
VIN No:
City/State: BOYNTON BEACH,FL
Defect/Problem: BOTH REAR HUB & BEARING ASSEMBLYS WERE CAUSING VIBRATIONS IN THE CAR. CAR IS 3 YEARS OLD AND THE MECHANIC CLAIMED HE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE BOTH REAR HUB ASSEMBLYS ON SUCH A NEW VEHICLE. THE ASSEMBLY LEFT NO ROOM TO LUBRICATE THE BEARINGS WHICH CAUSED THEM TO KEEP IN MOISTURE AND RUST PREMATURELY. MECHANIC SAID THE PARTS WERE FILLED WITH RUST FRAGMENTS TO THE POINT HE WAS SURPRISED THE TIRES STAYED ATTACHED TO THE AXLE. MITSUBISHI PARTS SUPPLIER SAID THIS WASN'T A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THAT MODEL YEAR BUT SAID THERE WAS A LOT OF REPLACEMENT PARTS BEING SOLD.
2000 Mitsubishi ECLIPSE (00)
Component: STRUCTURE
Complaint Date (Y/M):2003/05 ------ Miles: 0
VIN No:
City/State: JEANNETTE,PA
Defect/Problem: RUST ALL OVER 2000 WHITE MIT. ECLIPSE RS. *JB
2000 Mitsubishi ECLIPSE (00)
Component: STRUCTURE : BODY : HOOD
Complaint Date (Y/M):2003/10 ------ Miles: 0
VIN No: 4A3AC44G5YE120348
City/State: ELKRIDGE,MD
Defect/Problem: MY 2000 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE IS RUSTING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT EVERY SEAM WHERE TWO PIECES OF METAL ARE WELDED TOGETHER. IT IS AS THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE. MITSUBISHI DENIES ANY WARRANTY CLAIM AND BLAMED ME FOR HAVING SAND AND SALT IN MY ENGINE. A BASIC SEARCH OF THE INTERNET SHOWS SEVERAL OTHER MITSUBISHI OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *LA
1999 Mitsubishi ECLIPSE (99)
Component: STRUCTURE : BODY
Complaint Date (Y/M):2000/01 ------ Miles: 0
VIN No: 4A3AK44Y9XE143190
City/State: JANESVILLE,WI
Defect/Problem: THE CAR LEAKS WATER THROUGH THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. TRUNK FILLED WITH WATER, SPILLED OVER DIVIDER BETWEEN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND HATCH, TRAVELS UP TO DRIVERS SEAT. WATER PRESENT MOLDED SEATS AND FLOOR. RUSTED WIRING. ICE FORMED AND SEPERATED COMPONENTS.
1997 Mitsubishi ECLIPSE (97)
Component: SUSPENSION : FRONT : SHOCK ABSORBER
Complaint Date (Y/M):2002/03 ------ Miles: 0
VIN No: UNKNOWN
City/State: OFALLON,IL
Defect/Problem: STRUT TOWER ON PASSENGER'S SIDE IS PREMATURELY RUSTING, CAUSING BOLTS TO PULL THROUGH. THIS COULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE A PROBLEM WITH WHEEL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, AND IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. *AK
1991 Mitsubishi ECLIPSE (91)
Component: POWER TRAIN : AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Complaint Date (Y/M):1999/10 ------ Miles: 0
VIN No: 4A3CS44R6ME118292
City/State: BELLE VERNON,PA
Defect/Problem: WHEN FIRST STARTING OUT AT 20MPH TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER. THEN WOULD SLOW DOWN & PICK UP SPEED. GAS PEDAL WOULD STICK. HAPPENED AFTER TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED DUE TO HIGH IDLING. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY WOULD PULSATE. INTERFERING WITH BRAKING ABILITY DUE TO RUST & WARPING. VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE AT 55MPH. VEHICLE WAS UNBALANCED.