The 1988 Mitsubishi Mirage has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 658,000 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the seat belts. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SEAT BELTS95V1030041995-05-24658,000 affected
Defect
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.
Consequence
THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
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 ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUGGING ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS…
Complaints by component
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
5
1crashes1injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
2
2fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
1
1fires
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
1
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY
1
1fires
Total complaints10
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Hood latch is is a round protrustion that fits into hole on body of car. Round protrusion is held in place by small flat sided piece of metal that slides back and forth instead of by positive clamping action. When the spring or whatever keeps the sliding piece against the protrusion is broken or…”
“Possible secondary air supply reed valves failure ,per recall notice, resulted in vehicle fire, notice not recieved.”
“Consumer was in an accident the driver side seat belt buckle came loose driver went forward car was totaled . Tt”
“Both left and right rear seatbelt buckles do not lock in place. *ak”
“Both left and right rear seatbelt buckles do not lock in place. *ak”
“Both left and right rear seat belt buckles do not lock in place. *ak”
“Engine fire. *dh”
“Experiences intermittent failure of both rear lap belts, when seatbelt buckles become stuck in locked position. Tt”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA93017 Opened 1993-06-23 · closed 1993-11-30
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationEA95004 Opened 1995-03-10 · closed 1995-08-01
TAKATA SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationPE88003 Opened 1987-10-13 · closed 1988-01-21
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1988 Mitsubishi Mirage as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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