Mitsubishi Eclipse Years to AvoidThe weakest years — and the one you should buy instead

The turbocharger itself, oil feed lines, intercooler plumbing, and boost control solenoids are all prone to failure due to age, heat cycling, and lack of proper maintenance. Common failures include seized turbos, cracked exhaust manifolds, and boost leaks.

Severe rust is a prevalent issue, especially in regions with road salt. Common areas include rocker panels, strut towers, rear wheel wells, subframes, and fuel/brake lines. This compromises structural integrity and can lead to expensive, complex repairs.

Aging wiring harnesses, failing sensors (e.g., crank/cam position), headlight motor failures, power window regulators, and persistent parasitic drains are common. These issues can be frustrating to diagnose and repair, leading to intermittent problems.

The 4-speed automatic transmission is a notorious weak point, prone to slipping, hard shifts, and complete failure, especially if fluid changes were neglected or it was subjected to aggressive driving. Solenoid issues are also common.

While robust when maintained, the turbocharged 4G63 engine can suffer from turbocharger failure, oil leaks (valve cover, cam seals), and, less commonly than 1G but still possible, 'crankwalk' if oiling is compromised or thrust bearings are worn. The naturally aspirated 420A is generally more reliable but still susceptible to age-related leaks.

Like many Japanese cars of its era, the Eclipse is highly susceptible to rust, particularly in northern climates. Common areas include rear wheel wells, rocker panels, subframe components, and floor pans.

The 4-speed automatic transmission is a notorious weak point, often suffering from solenoid failures, slipping gears, harsh shifting, or complete failure. This is frequently due to inadequate fluid changes or overheating.

Eclipses from this generation are prone to significant rust. Key areas include rear wheel wells, rocker panels, subframes, suspension mounting points, and fuel/brake lines. This is exacerbated in regions using road salt.

Common electrical issues include power window regulator failures, flickering dash lights, faulty crankshaft or camshaft position sensors leading to no-start or stalling conditions, and premature alternator failure.

The turbocharged 4G63 engine, while powerful, is prone to rod bearing failure and potentially thrust bearing issues ('crankwalk' symptoms) if oil changes are neglected, oil starvation occurs, or aggressive driving/modifications are performed without proper supporting maintenance. The timing belt is a critical 60k-mile service item.

Thirty-year-old wiring harnesses, brittle connectors, and aging components lead to a myriad of electrical gremlins. Common failures include alternator, starter, window motors, gauge cluster lights, and various sensor failures (e.g., CAS, TPS, O2).

Like many Japanese cars of its era, the Eclipse is highly susceptible to rust, particularly in areas exposed to road salt. Critical areas include rocker panels, rear wheel wells, subframe mounts, fuel lines, and strut towers.

The 4G63T engine is notorious for 'crankwalk,' where the crankshaft thrust bearings wear prematurely, leading to excessive end play and eventual engine seizure. Piston ring land failure due to detonation or age is also common, resulting in high oil consumption and loss of compression.

Rust is a significant issue, especially in areas exposed to road salt. Common areas include rocker panels, rear wheel wells, subframes, fuel tank straps, and suspension mounting points. This can compromise structural integrity and make repairs difficult.

Aging wiring harnesses and connectors lead to intermittent issues. Common failures include alternator issues, oxygen sensors, crank/cam angle sensors, window motors, and general dashboard gauge malfunctions. Tracing these faults can be time-consuming.

Turbocharged 4G63 engines are prone to spun rod bearings if oil changes are neglected or if the engine is pushed hard without proper maintenance. Turbochargers themselves can fail due to oil starvation or wear, leading to smoking or lack of boost.

Rust is a primary killer of these vehicles, especially in northern climates. Critical areas include rocker panels, rear wheel arches, strut towers (front and rear), subframe mounting points, and floor pans. Fuel and brake lines are also susceptible.

Aging wiring harnesses, brittle insulation, and failing components lead to common issues such as non-functional pop-up headlight motors, power window failures, flickering dashboard lights, and intermittent sensor faults (e.g., crank angle, cam angle).

The 4G63 turbo engine, while powerful, is notorious for thrust bearing wear that can lead to 'crankwalk,' where the crankshaft moves axially, destroying the engine. This is often exacerbated by clutch pedal usage and poor oiling, particularly in modified cars. It typically presents as a slight clutch pedal engagement issue before catastrophic failure.

As these vehicles age, the electrical system becomes prone to numerous failures. Common issues include failing fuel pump relays, crank angle sensors (CAS), throttle position sensors (TPS), and brittle wiring harnesses causing intermittent no-starts, stalling, or dashboard warnings. The stock alternator is also a known weak point.

On turbo models, the factory 14B turbocharger is prone to wear, especially if oil changes are neglected or if the car has been run with aftermarket boost controllers without proper tuning. Boost leaks from aged vacuum lines, intercooler piping, and charge pipes are common, leading to power loss and rough running.

Severe rust commonly affects strut towers, rocker panels, subframes, and rear wheel arches. This can lead to structural weakness and expensive, if not impossible, repairs.

The 4-speed automatic transmission, particularly when paired with the turbo engine, is known for slipping, harsh shifts, and premature failure due to poor design and inadequate cooling. Repairs or replacement are costly.

Specific to the 4G63 turbo engine, 'crankwalk' is a catastrophic failure where the crankshaft thrust bearings wear prematurely, allowing excessive axial movement of the crankshaft. This can lead to engine seizure or complete destruction.

The 4G63T engine can suffer from 'crankwalk' on some models, where the thrust bearing fails, leading to crankshaft play and ultimately engine destruction. Timing belt failures are also common if maintenance is ignored, resulting in bent valves on DOHC engines.

The 4-speed automatic transmission, particularly when paired with the turbo engine, is notoriously weak. It is prone to slipping, harsh shifts, and outright failure due to poor heat management and internal component wear, especially if driven aggressively or poorly maintained.

These vehicles are highly susceptible to rust, particularly in the rear wheel wells, rocker panels, subframe, and suspension mounting points. Fuel lines and brake lines are also vulnerable, posing significant safety and repair challenges.

The 4-speed automatic transmission, especially when paired with the turbocharged 4G63 engine, is notoriously weak. It struggles with the engine's torque, leading to premature wear of clutch packs, solenoids, and often complete failure. Symptoms include harsh shifts, slipping, or loss of gears.

While generally robust, the 4G63T engine in 2G Eclipses has a known reputation for 'crankwalk,' a condition where thrust bearings fail, allowing the crankshaft to move axially. This can lead to catastrophic engine failure. While more prevalent in earlier 2G years (95-97), it's still a risk to consider for a '99 model. Non-turbo 420A engines are generally more reliable but still prone to oil leaks.

Aging wiring harnesses, ground issues, and failing sensors are common. Owners report issues with power windows (slow, sticking motors), central locking actuators, intermittent warning lights, radio failures, and instrument cluster glitches. These are typically frustrating rather than disabling, but can be difficult to diagnose.

The 4-speed automatic unit is prone to internal failures, including slipping, hard shifts, delayed engagement, and complete loss of drive, often due to solenoid issues or worn clutches. This is a well-documented and widespread issue.

Mitsubishi models of this generation, especially the Eclipse, are notorious for developing significant rust. Common areas include the rocker panels, rear wheel arches, subframe components, and suspension mounting points, which can compromise structural integrity.

Owners frequently report issues with power window motors failing, intermittent gauge cluster operation, failed oxygen sensors, and occasional parasitic battery drains. These are typically nuisance failures but can be costly to diagnose and repair.

The 4-speed automatic transmission is notoriously prone to failure, particularly in V6 models. Common issues include torque converter clutch (TCC) solenoid failure, leading to shuddering, slipping, hard shifts, or complete loss of gears. This is often due to internal wear and inadequate cooling over time.

The 3.0L V6 engine is susceptible to valve cover gasket leaks, oil pan leaks, and premature failure of the timing belt hydraulic tensioner. A failing tensioner can lead to timing belt slippage or breakage, causing severe engine damage. Catalytic converter failures are also common.

While not catastrophic, owners frequently report issues with window regulators (especially passenger side), blend door actuators for HVAC, intermittent sensor failures (e.g., crank position sensor), and dashboard illumination problems. These are often age-related wiring or component fatigue.

The 4-speed automatic transmission (F4A51) in both I4 and V6 models is prone to premature failure, manifesting as slipping, harsh shifts, or complete loss of gears. This is often due to internal component wear or solenoid issues, exacerbated by neglected fluid changes.

Both the 2.4L I4 (4G64) and 3.0L V6 (6G72) engines are interference designs, meaning a broken timing belt will cause severe internal engine damage (bent valves, piston damage). Neglecting the prescribed replacement interval is a catastrophic risk.

The catalytic converter, particularly on higher mileage vehicles, can fail or become clogged, leading to reduced performance, 'Check Engine' light illumination (P0421/P0431 codes), and failure of emissions tests.