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#BS-1998-MITMIR-5757

1998 Mitsubishi MirageProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 53 owners and 8 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·checked October 13, 2026 · NHTSA complaints through October 8, 2026

Complaints
53
Crashes
18
Fires
2
Recalls
8
TSBs
56
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 53 complaints, 18 crashes, 2 fires, and 8 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

hood came off the car while driving

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Air Bags:frontalHIGH

9 owners reported air bags:frontal issues — failures commonly reported around 71K 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 (9 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:frontal9 (17%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission6 (11%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline3 (6%)
Other3 (6%)
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch2 (4%)
Seats2 (4%)
Brakes2 (4%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc2 (4%)

1998 Mitsubishi Mirage: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Air Bags:frontal Issues

Air Bags:frontal complaints account for 17% of all reports filed for the 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage, with 9 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 71,250 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 71K-mile mark.

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage, with 6 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:gasoline Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage, with 3 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.

Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch Issues

Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch-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

9
00
10
01
7
02
4
03
2
04
4
05
1
16
1
18

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage. Recent trend: stable.

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 (8 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.

00V311002Jan 2001

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. 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.

+ 3 more recalls in the full report

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.

1998 Mitsubishi Mirage vs. Class Average (Subcompact Cars)

This vehicle

53

Class avg

100

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical subcompact 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. 53 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 8 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

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

Last updated (checked October 13, 2026). NHTSA complaints received through October 8, 2026.

Other Mitsubishi Mirage Model Years

202420192018201720162015201420022001200019991998199719961995199419931992199119901989198819871986
View all Mitsubishi Mirage years →

1998 Mitsubishi Mirage: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage is related to the air bags:frontal, with 9 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage reliable?
The 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage has 53 complaints, 18 crash reports, and 2 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.
How much does it cost to fix 1998 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 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage have any recalls?
Yes, the 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage has 8 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 71,250 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.
When was the 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 13, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 8, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins. Its numbers last changed on October 4, 2026.
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.
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