2000 Mitsubishi Diamante

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

69/100

Be careful

AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 51 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000 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.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Visibility	24	47%
Engine and engine cooling	4	8%
Vehicle speed control	3	6%
Fuel system	2	4%
Service brakes	2	4%
Air bags	2	4%
Electrical system	2	4%
Engine and engine cooling	1	2%
Power train	1	2%
Power train	1	2%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

2000 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN LEAVING A PARKING LOT AND ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE BARELY MOVED AT 5 MPH, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS PRESSING
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control

WHEN I FIRST START THE CAR, DRIVE ABOUT A HALF BLOCK, OBTAIN DESIRED SPEED, TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, AND THEN WHEN THE CAR SLOWS DOWN, I PRESS DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR, NOTHING HAPPENS. SO I PRESS DOWN FURTHER ON
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control

MY WIFE AND I NOTICED ANTIFREEZE ODOR COMING IN THROUGH VENTS. WHEN OUR WINDOWS WOULD FOG, OUR DEFROSTER WOULDN'T WORK. THEN OUR PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR WAS SOAKED WITH ANTIFREEZE. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, OUR HEAT
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

FOR OVER 2 YEARS NOW I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH AN ODOR IN MY 2000 DIAMANTI AND THE DEFOGGER NEVER SEEMED TO WORK ON THE WINDOWS. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I SAW SOMETHING LEAK ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE RUG BUT DIDN'T' T GUESS
NHTSA complaint: Visibility

SUDDEN HEATER CORE GASKET LEAK, INSTANTANEOUS FOGGING OF ALL WINDOWS, CAUSING A SEVERE DRIVING HAZARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT HAPPENS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR
NHTSA complaint: Visibility

FRONT WINDSHIELD FOGS UP, STRONG SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE, CAN'T CLEAR THE FOG WITH DEFOGGER, READ POTENTIAL RISKS TO HEALTH BECAUSE OF THE CONTACT TO ANTI-FREEZE FUMES. *JB
NHTSA complaint: Visibility

HEATING CORE IS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE ONTO OTHER COMPONENTS UNDER THE DASH; STRONG SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE WITHIN THE CAR; WINDOWS FOG UP UPON USING ANY OF THE VENTILATION SYSTEMS. *NM
NHTSA complaint: Visibility

I CURRENTLY HAVE WHAT IS DESCRIBED TO BE A "HEATER CORE FAILURE" IN MY 2000 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THIS ISSUE IS FAIRLY COMMON AMONGST DIAMANTES. ANY TIME I TURN ON THE HEATER, MY AUTOMOBILE IS
NHTSA complaint: Visibility

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2000 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.

Equipment:other:labels 04V428000

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Risk: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Fix: MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL CURRENT 2000-2004 NATI

Equipment:other:owners/service/other manual 04V067000

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT CONTAIN A STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION FOR HEADREST ADJUSTMENT WHEN INSTALLING A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM (CRS) TETHER STRAP.

Risk: IF THE TETHER STRAP IS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED TO THE TETHER ANCHOR, THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT RESTRAINED. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE CHILD COULD BE INJURED.

Fix: A LETTER OUTLINING THE PROBLEM WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS ALONG WITH A STICKER CONTAINING THE CORRECT INSTRUCTIONS AS WELL AS INSTRUCTIONS ON WHERE TO AFFIX THE STICKER IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE RECALL

Parking brake:driveline:hydraulic 00V132000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEAD OF THE SCREW THAT HOLDS THE RETAINING CLIP FOR THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE CAN BECOME BRITTLE AND BREAK OFF.

Risk: IF THE SCREW HEAD BREAKS OFF, THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE RETAINER CLIP CAN BECOME DISLODGED AND COULD RESULT IN THE PARKING BRAKE DRAGGING AND/OR FAILURE OF THE PARKING BRAKE TO PROPERLY HOLD. SEIZURE OF

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE RETAINING CLIP SCREW AND IN THE PROCESS INSPECT THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM OF ANY POSSIBLE RELATED DAMAGE. ANY RELATED DAMAGE THAT MAY BE FOUND WILL ALSO BE REPAIRED.

The seven scores

Reliability raw	84	excellent
Longevity est.	78	good
Maintenance	76	good
Depreciation	55	average
Performance	57	average
Efficiency	32	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 52% of midsize & large cars
Longevity: better than 56% of midsize & large cars
Running costs: better than 54% of midsize & large cars
Value retention: better than 30% of midsize & large cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 84: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 78: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2000 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 76: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 2000 Mitsubishi Diamante?

Owners have filed 51 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and visibility is the most reported area with 24 of them (47%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 2000 Mitsubishi Diamante reliable?

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.

How long will a 2000 Mitsubishi Diamante last?

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 2000 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2000 Mitsubishi Diamante?

AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 69/100. 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.