Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 35 complaints with NHTSA about the 1993 Mitsubishi Diamante, and it carries 3 recalls. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 10 | 29% |
| Power train | 5 | 14% |
| Service brakes | 5 | 14% |
| Structure | 3 | 9% |
| Suspension | 2 | 6% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 1 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 1 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 1 | 3% |
| Power train | 1 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
'93 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. BOUGHT IN '98 HAS SMOKED AFTER IDLING AT STOPS FOR YEARS AND I THOUGHT IT WAS NORMAL FOR THIS MAKE AND HAVE FOUND THAT A LOT OF MITSUBISHI'S HAVE THE PROBLEM ALSO AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE CAUSE
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THE DUAL AIRBAGS WENT OFF WHICH CAUSED HITTING A DITCH. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PH
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
OWNER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO SEVERAL DEALERS IN HER AREA DUE TO ENGINE MAKING NOISE. DEALERS WERE UNABLE TO FIX PROBLEM, BUT THOUGHT THAT BRAKES WERE THE CAUSE, AND REPLACED THEM SEVERAL TIMES. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKING SYSTEM. I HAD MY BRAKES FIXED IN FEBRUARY 2001, IT IS NOW 10/2001 AND I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED AGAIN. I AM A SAFE DRIVER AND DO NOT DRIVE DANGEROUSLY OR WRECKLESS. I DO NOT U
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
WHEN DRIVING OVER 30 MPH STEERING WHEEL AND VEHICLE SHAKES AND VIBRATES BADLY. ALSO, PULLS TO THE RIGHT. VEHICLE HAS YET TO BE TAKEN TO DEALER. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
VEHICLE WOULD REMAIN IN LOWER GEARS WHILE IN NORMAL OPERATION, RUNNING RPMS UP HIGHER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP, WHO REPLACED TRANSMISSION FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE. VEHICLE OPERATED
NHTSA complaint: Power train
BRAKES OVERHEATED/CRACKED AND HAD WARPED WHEN APPLIED WHILE DRIVING. FOUND OUT THAT BRAKES WERE UNDERRATED ALONG WITH TIRES BY GOODYEAR. DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS UNTIL LATER. *AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE USES AUSTRALIAN
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 10 MPH REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 1993 Mitsubishi Diamante. 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 REAR OUTBOARD LOWER SAFETY BELT ATTACHMENT BOLT WAS INADEQUATELY TORQUED ON INSTALLATION.
Risk: THE INADEQUATELY TORQUED ANCHOR BOLT COULD FAIL INA SUDDEN STOP OR ACCIDENT. FAILURE OF THE SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLY RESULTS ININCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.
Fix: RETORQUE THE SAFETY BELT ATTACHMENTS TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATION.
UNDER CONDITIONS OF FULL LOCK STEERING AND FULL SUSPENSION TRAVEL, THE LEFT OR RIGHT FRONT WHEEL-SIDE BRAKE HOSE CAN CRACK, RESULTING IN BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE.
Risk: BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE WILL CAUSE ILLUMINATION OF THE BRAKE WARNING LAMP AND REDUCTION IN BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT WHEEL-SIDE BRAKE HOSES WITH REVISED HOSE ASSEMBLIES.
UNDER CONDITIONS OF FULL LOCK STEERING AND FULL SUSPENSION TRAVEL, THE LEFT OR RIGHT FRONT WHEEL-SIDE BRAKE HOSE CAN CRACK, RESULTING IN BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE.
Risk: BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE WILL CAUSE ILLUMINATION OF THE BRAKE WARNING LAMP AND REDUCTION IN BRAKING EFFICIENCY INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT WHEEL-SIDE BRAKE HOSES WITH REVISED HOSE ASSEMBLIES.
| Reliability raw | 86 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 79 | good |
| Maintenance | 78 | good |
| Depreciation | 55 | average |
| Performance | 54 | average |
| Efficiency | 32 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 35 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 10 of them (29%). There are 3 recalls 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 1993 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 70/100. 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.