What are the most common problems with the 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse?

Brakes lead the owner complaints with 34 reports. Air bags come next with 8.

Does the 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse have any recalls?

Yes. The by-year record shows 1 recall. Details are in the Recalls section on this page.

How is the gas mileage on the 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse?

See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.

Is the 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse reliable?

Owners filed 49 complaints with NHTSA. Brakes are the largest group. See the safety and recall sections on this page for more.

Which year of the Eclipse is best?

The by-year comparison on this page lays out complaints and recalls for each year, so you can compare them side by side.

2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 49 owner complaints on file for the 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse^[1]. Brakes are the biggest group by far, with 34 complaints^[2].

49owner complaints^[1]

1recalls^[3]

19–23MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups in the NHTSA record, biggest first.

Brakes. 34 complaints^[2]. In the stories we read, owners describe a pedal that goes soft or sinks after a hard stop, with little stopping power for a while. Owners also describe a master cylinder that gave out, and a repair part was not available when a recall notice arrived.
Air Bags. 8 complaints^[5]. Owners describe a dash pad that lifts out of place above the passenger air bag and worry it could block the bag in a crash. Owners also describe bags that stayed shut in a collision.
Structure. 6 complaints^[6]. Owners describe a dash that warps, cracks or rises up. Others mention a worn hole in the floor carpet near the pedals and peeling paint on mirrors and handles.
Seat Belts. 2 complaints^[7]. One owner describes a buckle release that is hard to reach in the Spyder. Another says the belts did not lock in a crash.
Power Train. 1 complaint^[8].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2009 Eclipse is necessarily included.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit/Module (15V337), June 2015. About 74,836 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[9]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Eclipse Spyder, 3.8L 6-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Premium, Front-Wheel Drive^[10]	16 / 25 / 19	$4,350
Eclipse Spyder, 3.8L 6-cyl, Automatic (S5), Premium, Front-Wheel Drive^[11]	16 / 24 / 19	$4,350
Eclipse Spyder, 2.4L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[12]	19 / 26 / 22	$3,050
Eclipse Spyder, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic (S4), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[13]	19 / 26 / 22	$3,050
Eclipse, 3.8L 6-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Premium, Front-Wheel Drive^[14]	16 / 25 / 19	$4,350
Eclipse, 3.8L 6-cyl, Automatic (S5), Premium, Front-Wheel Drive^[15]	16 / 24 / 19	$4,350
Eclipse, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic (S4), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[16]	19 / 26 / 22	$3,050
Eclipse, 2.4L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	20 / 28 / 23	$2,900

Safety ratings

NHTSA lists these versions as not rated: C FWD^[17].

Engine and size

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
ECLIPSE GS 2DR COUPE^[18]	180 in	72 in	55 in	102 in	3,274 lb
ECLIPSE GT-P 2DR COUPE^[19]	180 in	72 in	55 in	102 in	3,472 lb
ECLIPSE SPYDER 2DR CONV GS^[20]	180 in	72 in	54 in	102 in	3,472 lb
ECLIPSE SPYDER 2DR CONV GT-P^[21]	180 in	72 in	55 in	102 in	3,671 lb

How 2009 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Eclipse model year. The 2009 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
1995	309	5
1996	164	4
1997	156	3
1998	145	4
1999	131	2
2000	311	7
2001	290	8
2002	97	2
2003	151	3
2004	20	4
2005	8	3
2006	99	4
2007	129	4
2008	87	1
2009	49	1
2010	1	0
2011	1	0
2012	8	0

NHTSA's counts for the Eclipse show 49 complaints and 1 recalls for 2009^[3]. Among the 18 model years listed, 5 have fewer complaints than 2009 and 12 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2010 (1) and the most are for 2000 (311)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2009 Eclipse?

The record for this Eclipse is small, and brakes dominate it^[2]. The dash pad worries near the air bag are the other pattern worth checking in person^[5]. These are unverified owner reports, so treat them as things to look into and not as a guarantee for any one car. A recall is on file, so check the Recalls section on this page^[3].

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse?: Brakes lead the owner complaints with 34 reports^[2]. Air bags come next with 8^[5].
Does the 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse have any recalls?: Yes. The by-year record shows 1 recall^[3]. Details are in the Recalls section on this page.
How is the gas mileage on the 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse?: See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.
Is the 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse reliable?: Owners filed 49 complaints with NHTSA^[1]. Brakes are the largest group^[2]. See the safety and recall sections on this page for more.
Which year of the Eclipse is best?: The by-year comparison on this page lays out complaints and recalls for each year, so you can compare them side by side.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Mitsubishi Eclipse

2000 311 complaints, 7 recalls
2006 99 complaints, 4 recalls
2007 129 complaints, 4 recalls
2008 87 complaints, 1 recall
2009 this page

Compare all model years of the Mitsubishi Eclipse

Other Mitsubishi models from 2009

2009 Mitsubishi Galant 16 complaints, 0 recalls

All Mitsubishi models

Similar cars from 2009: minicompact cars

2009 MINI Cooper 0 complaints, 0 recalls

All minicompact cars we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 49 owner complaints on file for the 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse (8 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 5 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
34 complaints name the brakes component group (6 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 63,783). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Mitsubishi Eclipse model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Eclipse, 2.4L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 28 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
8 complaints name the air bags component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 5 injuries, median mileage at failure 73,035). NHTSA vehicle records
6 complaints name the structure component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 65,000). NHTSA vehicle records
2 complaints name the seat belts component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
1 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 15V337, filed June 2, 2015: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock / Traction Control / Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit / Module . NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Eclipse Spyder, 3.8L 6-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Premium, Front-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 25 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Eclipse Spyder, 3.8L 6-cyl, Automatic (S5), Premium, Front-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 24 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Eclipse Spyder, 2.4L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 26 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Eclipse Spyder, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic (S4), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 26 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Eclipse, 3.8L 6-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Premium, Front-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 25 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Eclipse, 3.8L 6-cyl, Automatic (S5), Premium, Front-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 24 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Eclipse, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic (S4), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 26 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, C FWD: not rated. NHTSA vehicle records
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, ECLIPSE GS 2DR COUPE: length 180 in, width 72 in, height 55 in, wheelbase 102 in, curb weight 3,274 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, ECLIPSE GT-P 2DR COUPE: length 180 in, width 72 in, height 55 in, wheelbase 102 in, curb weight 3,472 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, ECLIPSE SPYDER 2DR CONV GS: length 180 in, width 72 in, height 54 in, wheelbase 102 in, curb weight 3,472 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, ECLIPSE SPYDER 2DR CONV GT-P: length 180 in, width 72 in, height 55 in, wheelbase 102 in, curb weight 3,671 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse: problems, recalls and fuel economy