The Mitsubishi Mirage is the brand’s offering in the midsize hatchback segment and unlike other Japanese manufacturers, Mitsubishi hasn’t gotten the formula right. Even though the 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage is sold for $12,995, the sales haven’t been that great. Users of the Mirage have been facing constant battery and rear axle issues along with a faulty airbag module. NHTSA report stated that the car has a total of 2 recalls and 37 complaints but that doesn’t necessarily make the car reliable. The Mirage is headed up against the Chevrolet Spark, the Fiat 500, and the Toyota Yaris.
User complaints and problems
Electrical Problems
- Battery – Users noticed the warning lights keep flashing after starting the engine. It was also reported that the car stalls while idling, post which the engine warning light was seen flashing. The car was diagnosed and it was found that the battery cell failed due to corrosion.
Mechanical Problems
- Rear-axle – Users reported the car drifting to one side on its own while driving and it was found that there was a defect in the manufacturing of the rear axle. This is a very common issue reported by the users but Mitsubishi hasn’t recalled the car to fix this particular issue.
- Transmission – the car was reported to lunge forward all of a sudden and this was said to be related to the transmission and it was found that there was a transmission fluid leak. Dealers had to change one of the hoses that were causing the leak.
- Brakes – The brakes were reported to make a grinding noise every time the pedal was depressed and it was diagnosed by the dealers and stated that there were no issues. When the car was taken to an external mechanic, it was said that this happened when the brake pads are made of poor quality material.
- Steering – Users reported the car steering itself to a particular side when trying to drive straight. It was said that the clock spring in the steering wheel was faulty and needed to be replaced.
Safety Problems
- Airbags – Multiple users had to suffer serious injuries after a crash as the airbags failed to deploy. It was later found out that the airbag module was faulty and the company recalled certain vehicles to fix the issue.
- Tires – A certain batch of tires was said to have a manufacturing defect that led them to blow up while driving from the sidewalls. This led the drivers to lose control and result in a crash.
Structural Problems
- Corrosion – Users reported early corrosion on the belly of the car and when the dealers were approached, they stated the condition to be normal.
2015 Mitsubishi Mirage recalls
|
S. No. |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
30th October 2017 |
17V686000 |
Airbags may not deploy in a crash |
The internal acceleration sensor in the supplemental restraint system ECU can misinterpret vibrations such as from poor road conditions or a flat tire to be a sensor error thereby disabling the airbag from deploying. |
The dealers will reprogram the SRS-ECU software, free of charge. |
|
2. |
4th December 2015 |
15V815000 |
Airbag deployment may be delayed due to corrosion |
In the event of a crash, corrosion on the connector may delay the deployment of the frontal airbags, increasing the risk of injury. |
The dealers will inspect the affected connectors and replace any that are found to be corroded. |
Should you buy the 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage?
The midsize hatchback segment is very competitive with many players and that is the reason why Mitsubishi hasn’t been able to sell a lot of Mirage. The 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage failed to recall the car to fix a very common issue with the car’s rear axle that can drift the car in a direction without the driver moving the steering wheel. The Mirage also has a lot of corrosion issue that hasn’t been taken care of and hence, we recommends checking the 2015 Chevrolet Spark out as it offers better reliability and build quality at a cheaper price.
