Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA about the 1991 Mitsubishi Mirage, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 14 | 33% |
| Electrical system | 8 | 19% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 4 | 10% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 10% |
| Power train | 3 | 7% |
| Tires | 2 | 5% |
| Engine | 1 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 2% |
| Power train | 1 | 2% |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
CPSC#X11C0565A. CYLINDER HEAD. 1991 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE. CONSUMER STATED HE PURCHASED THE PART FROM D&S LIGHT TRUCK AND AUTO PARTS, INC. HE STATED THE CYLINDER WAS BAD AND THEY HAVE REFUSED TO REFUND HIS MONEY OR REPLACE T
NHTSA complaint: Engine
CPSC#X11C0561A & XX11C0565A. 1991 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE CONSUMER STATED AFTER INSTALLING CYLINDER HEAD, HE NOTICED THE VEHICLE RAN ROUGH. *LN THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VALVES NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED. THE CONSUMER HAS SIN
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
I HAD 4 BRANDNEW GOODYEAR TIRES PUT ON MY CAR 1MONTH AGO AND THE TIRES AREN'T A BIT OF GOOD. ONE TIRE ON THE FRONT STARTED SEPARATING ON THE INNER WALL WHICH WE WERE UNAWARE OF UNTIL I WAS ON THE HWY ONE DAY AND LIKED T
NHTSA complaint: Tires
WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER SMELLED PLASTIC/RUBBER BURNING AND SUDDENLY VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHE
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
CONSUMER EXPERIENCED 4 BRAKE FAILURES WHILE DRIVING. AS A RESULT, ON TIME THE VEHICLE WENT INTO A DITCH. BRAKE PAD SEPARATED FROM THE CALIPER AND FELL OFF. THIS WAS DUE TO THE CASTING FOR THE BRAKE PAD HARDLY GOING
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
TIRES HAD 30 THOUSAND MILES ON THEM. TIRE SIZE WAS 155R13. TIRES MOUNTED ON A MITSUBISHI, MIRAGE, 1991. WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR OVER THREE HOURS, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT. ALSO, THERE WERE SOME CRACKS AROUND
NHTSA complaint: Tires
I READ WITH INTEREST THE REPORTS OF PROBLEMS WITH MITSUBISHI AUTOMOBILES, AS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS REPORTED - A LOOSE CRANKSHAFT - IS EXACTLY THE PROBLEM WE HAD WITH OUR CAR. I AM REPORTING THIS TO YOU AS THE NEWS ACCOUNTS
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
THE ENGINE STOPS UNPREDICTABLY. I HEAR A CLICK THAT SEEMS TO COME FROM UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT, THEN THE ENGINE STARTS AND WILL NOT RESTART IMMEDIATELY. USUALLY, AFTER SOME MINUTES, IT WILL RESTART. IT WILL EVEN S
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1991 Mitsubishi Mirage. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.
Risk: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT BOTH BUCKLES A
| Reliability raw | 86 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 79 | good |
| Maintenance | 87 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 54 | average |
| Performance | 39 | below average |
| Efficiency | 51 | average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and seat belts is the most reported area with 14 of them (33%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 86/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 79/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1991 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 72/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.