Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
41 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
70,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1992 model year. Data updated: . 3 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Seat Belts is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 41 complaints (19.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 9.8% |
| Braking behavior | 2 | 4.9% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 2.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 8 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 7 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 4 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 4 |
| Structure:Body:Door | 4 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch | 2 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Webbing | 2 |
| Structure:Body:Door:Hinge And Attachments | 2 |
Seat Belts: 8; Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage: 7; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 4; Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 4; Structure:Body:Door: 4; Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch: 2; Seat Belts:Front:Webbing: 2; Structure:Body:Door:Hinge And Attachments: 2
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 38 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 3 |
| 1996 | 3 |
| 1997 | 9 |
| 1998 | 2 |
| 1999 | 8 |
| 2000 | 6 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 6 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
1995: 3; 1996: 3; 1997: 9; 1998: 2; 1999: 8; 2000: 6; 2001: 1; 2002: 6; 2004: 1; 2007: 1; 2019: 1
Seat Belts leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE TRANSMISSION HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED SINCE 1992 WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE WAS PURCHASED. IN BOTH CASES WE WERE TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAS DAMAGED DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION. NEITHER WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND DUE TO THIS BEING A REAR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE WE WERE NOT INFORMED OF THE RECALL.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000665 at NHTSA ↗
TRANSMISSION GOES OUT IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY HAD TO PUSH CAR TO SAFETY AND WAS ALMOST RUN OVER NO WARNING THIS WAS GONNA DO THIS.
Owner-reported narrative. 167,845 miles reported. Look up ODI 11253908 at NHTSA ↗
THE SECOND ROW OF SEATS FOR THIS VEHICLE SLID FORWARD WHEN BRAKING. APPEARED AS IF TRACKS AND ANCHORS HAVE BECOME INOPERATIVE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 811789 at NHTSA ↗
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY ON A VERY SLIGHT INCLINE, WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ON, AND VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD ON TO DRIVER. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 964113 at NHTSA ↗
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MITSUBISHI EXPO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COMPUTER THAT REGULATES THE IGNITION AND FUEL HANDLING IS DEFECTIVE. HE SMELLED BURNING PLASTIC AS HE WAS DRIVING AND REALIZED THAT THE COMPUTER HAD BURNED. HE STATED THAT A SQUARE INCH OF THE SYSTEM HAS BURNED OFF AND THE COMPOSITOR IN THE COMPUTER LEAKS OUT ONTO OTHER UNITS. THIS FAILURE COULD CAUSE A CIRCUIT TO BURN AND LEAD TO ENGINE STALLING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO, BUT WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FA…
Owner-reported narrative. 160 miles reported. Look up ODI 10196258 at NHTSA ↗
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
41 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-09-30.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 49.8%ODI 10000665THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE TRANSMISSION HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED SINCE 1992 WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE WAS PURCHASED. IN BOTH CASES WE WERE TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAS DAMAGED DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION. NEITHER WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND DUE TO THIS BEING A REAR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE WE WERE NOT INFORMED OF THE RECALL. | 18.3%ODI 763364I GOT THIS CAR FROM A USED LOT, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TAT SAME DAY. I WANT TO MAKE THIS COMPLAINT AGAINT THE DEALER CAR CITY OUTLET.*AK | 746.7%ODI 10021711THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP WHILE REVERSING. THE VEHICLE NO LONGER SHIFTS INTO ANY GEAR. *TT | 436.4%ODI 10038811 · 117,000 miAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE INOPERABLE. *PH | 1100.0%ODI 830426WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK | 1100.0%ODI 10230789 · 108,000 miTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI EXPO. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A WINDING NOISE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, HE STILL HEARD THE WINDING NOISE FOLLOWED BY A THUNK. THE REVERSE GEAR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED INTO DRIVE AND PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED WITH A NEW TRANSMISSION KIT, WHICH LASTED APPROXIMATELY 2.5 YEARS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE DRIVE AND REVERSE GEARS FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V168000 (POWER TRAIN:A… |
| Seat Belts | 819.5% | 216.7%ODI 702689IN AUGUST 1998, MY WIFE GOT IN HER VEHICLE TO START AND WARM UP HER ENGINE PRIOR TO DEPARTING FOR WORK. WHEN SHE TURN OFF IGNITION HER MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REMAINED IN THE FORWARD POSITION. APPARENTLY, THE MOTOR FOR RETRACTING THE SHOULDER BELT RAN IN REVERSE., INSTEAD OF PULLING OR PLACING TENSION ON THE CABLE TO RETRACT, THE CABLE WAS COMPRESSED. WITH THE SYSTEM ALREADY IN THE FORWARD POSITION, THE CABLE WAS FORCED OUT OF ITS TRACK. WHEN LOOKED AT BY LOCAL DEALER, THE SHOP MANAGER THOUGHT THIS MAY FALL UNDER A RECALL NO… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 717.1% | 18.3%ODI 717323THE SEAT BELTS DOESN'T WORK AT ALL SINCE I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 49.8%ODI 725196MANUFACTURING SAFETY DEFECT WHICH MITSUBISHI IS FULLY RESPOPNSIBLEDEALER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE STATED THIS IS OUT OF WARRENTY, BUT WOULD FIX IT FOR 50% OF THE COST, TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER, BUT PROMISED CALL WAS NEVER RETURNED. THIS IS A SEVERE PROBLEM. *AK | 216.7%ODI 808346BOTH SEAT BELTS LOCK UP WHEN TRYINGTO PULL AROUND DRIVER AND PASSENGER. ALSO THEY WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN IN USE. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 213.3%ODI 962326DURING FRONT END COLLISION, AIRBAG DEPLOYED CAUSING 2ND DEGREE BURNS TO DRIVER. TT | 218.2%ODI 815093WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WEST DIRECTION ON HIGHWAY WAS HIT BY ANOTHER DRIVER, WHO WAS DRIVING NORTH, ON THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NEITHER ON THE DRIVER'S OR PASSANGER'S SIDES. A POLICE REPORT WAS DONE AND COMSUMER DID NOT CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. *AK TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Structure:Body:Door | 49.8%ODI 801700PASSENGER'S SIDE SLIDING DOOR CENTER RAIL BROKE, CAUSING DOOR TO FALL OFF TRACK.* AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch | 24.9%ODI 8007620DRIVER'S SEAT SHOULDER BELT IS STUCK IN FORWARD POSITION, THERE IS A RECALL BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT AFFECTED.*AK RECALL CAMPAIGN 97V063000, DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE RECALL COMPONENT. *TT | 18.3%ODI 10067406 · 99,000 miTHERE WAS A RECALL (97V063001) CONCERNING THE DOOR LATCH WHICH COULD MALFUNCTION WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE TO REMAIN AT THE A-PILLAR WHEN THE DOOR WAS CLOSED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS DID NOT ENGAGE. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT SLIDE ON THE RAIL PROPERLY. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE SAME VEHICLE ONLY ONE YEAR EARLIER, BUT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK (RIGHT REAR DOOR) *SC *JB | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seat Belts:Front:Webbing | 24.9% | 18.3%ODI 811740SHOULDER BELT ATTACHED TO DOOR & COMES OUT WHEN DOOR IS OPENED & STAYS; WILL NOT BEE IN A RETRACTING POSITION; CAN UNLOCK LAP BELT & FASTEN IT. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. | ||||
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1996: 1 complaints · 2003: 1 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Seat Belts | Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | Power Train:Automatic Transmission | Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | Structure:Body:Door | Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch | Seat Belts:Front:Webbing | Structure:Body:Door:Hinge And Attachments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 815224OPENED THE SLIDING DOOR AND THE DOOR CAME OFF OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT BACK WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS IN USE, THE BELT WILL JAM. ALSO, PIECE THAT HOLDS THE DRIVER'S SEAT IN POSITION CAME OFF. *AK |
| Structure:Body:Door | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Webbing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Structure:Body:Door:Hinge And Attachments | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 815224OPENED THE SLIDING DOOR AND THE DOOR CAME OFF OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT BACK WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS IN USE, THE BELT WILL JAM. ALSO, PIECE THAT HOLDS THE DRIVER'S SEAT IN POSITION CAME OFF. *AK | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
3 patterns with matching reports.
1 mentions · 2.4% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH FUEL LEAKAGES FROM SEAM OF TANK. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPAIRS MADE AT NO COST. PROBLEM REOCCURRED AGAIN WITH ONLY 27000 MILES AND DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY. *AK *SLC
\b(fuel leak\w*|gas leak\w*|gas(?:oline)? smell|smell\w* (?:of )?(?:fuel|gas))\b1 mentions · 2.4% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
ENGINE BURNS 1-2 QT OF OIL EVERY 2-3 GAS FILLUPS & TRANSMISSION BANGS INTO GEAR WHEN AT FULL STOP SHIFTING FROM DRIVE-NEUTRAL-REVERSE, ALSO EXPERIENCED AUTOMATIC ENGINE DELAY TO SHIFT INTO NEXT GEAR ON HIGHWAY WHILE EXCELERATING & MAINTAINING SPEED. PROBLEM FIRST TOLD TO DEALERSHIP SERVICE WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, WAS TOLD THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG, NEXT YEAR (8/1998) CAR OUT OF WARRANTY, COMPLAINED OF SAME GEAR SHIFTING PROBLEM W/ NEW PROBLEM OF BURNING OIL IN ENGINE & NO OIL LEAK FROM CAR, DEARLERHSIP SERVICE SAID CAR NEEDED NEW TRANSMISSION …
\b(oil consumption|burn\w* oil|consum\w* oil|oil dilution|gas(?:oline)? in (?:the )?oil)\b1 mentions · 2.4% of complaints
Median mileage: 160 mi (1 usable records).
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MITSUBISHI EXPO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COMPUTER THAT REGULATES THE IGNITION AND FUEL HANDLING IS DEFECTIVE. HE SMELLED BURNING PLASTIC AS HE WAS DRIVING AND REALIZED THAT THE COMPUTER HAD BURNED. HE STATED THAT A SQUARE INCH OF THE SYSTEM HAS BURNED OFF AND THE COMPOSITOR IN THE COMPUTER LEAKS OUT ONTO OTHER UNITS. THIS FAILURE COULD CAUSE A CIRCUIT TO BURN AND LEAD TO ENGINE STALLING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO, BUT WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FA…
\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b