Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA about the 1993 Mitsubishi Mirage, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 53 | 63% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 9 | 11% |
| Seats | 3 | 4% |
| Power train | 3 | 4% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 2% |
| Seat belts | 1 | 1% |
| Seat belts | 1 | 1% |
| Fuel system | 1 | 1% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% |
| Seat belts | 1 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
1993 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE, NHTSA RECALL 97V073001 MITSUBISHI RELUCTANTLY PERFORMED RECALL. MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT STILL WOULD NOT WORK. WAS TOLD TO MANUALLY LATCH AND UNLATCH SHOULDER BELT TO ANCHOR (EMERGENCY PROCEDURE
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
MOVING SEATBELT WOULD STICK IN CORNER AT BACK OF DOOR WOULD NOT MOVE COMPLETLY TO BACK OF DOOR. COULD OPEN DOOR AND CLOSE AND SEAT BELT WOULD WORK PROPERLY, NOW SEAT BELT IS STUCK IN THE CORNER OF DOOR AND THERE IS A GRA
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
1993 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE HAS PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELT EQUIPMENT. *MR RECALL CAMPAIGN# 97V073001. THE SEAT BELTS FAILED ON THE DRIVERS DOOR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO USE. THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT LATER HAD BECOME SLUGGISH
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT CABLE CAME OF IT'S TRACK. THIS RESULTED IN THE SEAT BELT FAILING TO RETRACT. ALSO, THE PLASTIC COATING OVER THE CABLE CAME OFF. THIS OCCURRED AFTER THE DRIVER'S SIDE GUIDE RAIL RECALL 97V073001 WA
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
RECALL REPAIRS FOR DRIVER'S SIDE GUIDE RAIL 97V073001 FAILED, AND THE DEFECT RECURRED. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE CAME OFF THE HINGES, CAUSING THE DRIVER NOT TO BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED. THE SEAT BELT MOTOR WAS REPLACED LAST YEAR FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK *JB
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
SEAT BELTS MALFUNCTIONED. PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED; HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
I HAVE HAD LEFT FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT RETRACTOR FAIL 3 TIMES ONCE IN 1998,2000 &2003. THE CAR HAS THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELTS SO WHEN YOU CLOSE THE DOOR THE SEATBELT IS SUPPOSE TO RETRACT BACK BEHIND THE SEAT OR ALONG T
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 1993 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.
CERTAIN AJ MOTORSPORT COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIAT
Risk: LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: AJ MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AJ MOTORSPORT AT 626-618-2026.
THE GUIDE RAIL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CONTAINS A COVERED CABLE AND ALSO AN ANGLED BELT GUIDE AT THE TOP END OF THE WEBBING. THE COMBINATION OF THESE FACTORS CAN LEAD, OVER TIME, TO THE CABLE'S MOVEMENT EXERTING ABRADING FORCE TO THE LOWER EDGES OF THE CABLE'S CHAMBER, SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE THE CABLE TO
Risk: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW REPLACEMENT GUIDE RAIL.
EXCESS LUBRICATION CAN CAUSE THE RUBBER DOOR LATCH SWITCH COVER TO DEFORM, AND THE DOOR LATCH SWITCH TO MALFUNCTION, SO THAT THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE WOULD REMAIN AT THE A-PILLAR WHEN THE DOOR WAS CLOSED.
Risk: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DOOR LATCH SWITCH.
| Reliability raw | 84 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 78 | good |
| Maintenance | 87 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 54 | average |
| Performance | 39 | below average |
| Efficiency | 49 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and seat belts is the most reported area with 53 of them (63%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 84/100 (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 78/100, 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 71/100. 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.