Vehicle recall 00V421003 · April 6, 2001

Mitsubishi Caribbean Eclipse, Galant and 1 more model

Vehicle description: passenger vehicles.

Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.

Summary: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water can intrude. Also, mmc has added the potential of leaking moisture, which can cause the ball stud to corrode.
Consequence: This condition could cause the lower lateral arm ball joint to separate, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. This campaign supercedes mmc's previous safety recall campaign, see 99V-066.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the lower lateral arm ball joint for wear. Ball joints that exhibit wear beyond the established tolerance will be replaced with newly designed lateral arm ball joints. Ball joints that are within the established tolerance will be cleaned and a special sealant will be applied to prevent intrusion of moisture.
Notes: Owner notification began may 21, 2001.OWNERS who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Mitsubishi caribbean at 1-800-981-0452. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

Recall details

NHTSA campaign: 00V421003
Reported to NHTSA: April 6, 2001
Filed by: MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN
Owner notification: May 24, 2001
Vehicles potentially affected: 5,164
Initiated by: NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation
Components: Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint

Recall 00V421003 on nhtsa.gov, with the manufacturer’s documents

Vehicles covered

As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.

Mitsubishi Caribbean Eclipse (1995-1999): 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995
Mitsubishi Caribbean Eclipse Spyder (1996-1999): 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996
Mitsubishi Caribbean Galant (1994-1998): 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994

Has your Mitsubishi Caribbean been repaired?

Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.

Check your VIN with NHTSA

NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. A Mitsubishi Caribbean dealer can also check your VIN. Recall repairs are free.