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#BS-1997-MITMIR-5757

1997 Mitsubishi Mirage

Based on reports from 105 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints

105

Crashes

Fires

Recalls

TSBs

🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 105 complaints, 18 crashes, 1 fires, and 4 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Preview: What's in your full report

Each card shows a real sample from your report — unlock all 10 sections from $1.20

Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Air Bags:frontalHIGH

10 owners reported air bags:frontal issues — failures commonly reported around 95K miles.

!Inspect the Power Train:automatic TransmissionMED

Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure

+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Air Bags:frontal (10 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Air Bags:frontal10 (10%)

Power Train:automatic Transmission9 (9%)

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine9 (9%)

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline6 (6%)

Speed Control5 (5%)

Suspension:front5 (5%)

Power Train:manual Transmission5 (5%)

Seat Belts:front:retractor4 (4%)

1997 Mitsubishi Mirage: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Air Bags:frontal Issues

Air Bags:frontal complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage, with 10 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 94,806 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 95K-mile mark.

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage, with 9 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:automatic transmission-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage, with 9 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage, with 6 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (4 recalls)

00V311001Oct 2000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES: MIRAGE MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.5L ENGINES; MONTERO SPORT MODELS EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L ENGINES; AND MONTERO MODELS EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L ENGINES. THE BOLT SECURING THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY CAN BECOME LOOSE AND THE PULLEY COULD FALL OFF THE VEHICLE.

06E026000Apr 2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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.

09E012000May 2009

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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.

09E025000Jul 2009

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Mitsubishi Mirage is the 2015 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is brakes.

1997 Mitsubishi Mirage vs. Class Average (Compact Cars)

This vehicle

105

Class avg

198

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical compact cars vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 105 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Mitsubishi Mirage Model Years

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984

View all Mitsubishi Mirage years →

1997 Mitsubishi Mirage: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage?

The most commonly reported issue with the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage is related to the air bags:frontal, with 10 complaints filed with NHTSA.

Is the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage reliable?

The 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage has 105 complaints, 18 crash reports, and 1 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.

How much does it cost to fix 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage problems?

Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.

Does the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage have any recalls?

Yes, the 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage has 4 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

What mileage do Mitsubishi Mirage problems start?

Based on 7 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 94,806 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 30–60K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.

What’s in the full report?

10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.

How is this different from free NHTSA data?

NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.

How is this different from Carfax?

Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.

What if the report isn’t useful?

100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.