Squealing belts at startup, inconsistent small leaks of coolant, hesitation at 2K RPM were only pre-cursors. Out of nowhere, while driving on highway, I looked at gauges for no particular reason....noticed the temperature was rising, eventually going as far as it could above H. so I look for smoke in rear view....nothing. I turn down the radio to listen for noises......nothing. Everything seems fine. Hoping that air through the radiator would cool the engine......not working. I decided I better pull over.....the second I safely stopped, huge puffs of white smoke billowed out the hood edges. I jumped out, opened the hood......huge clouds of smoke and smell of burning rubber, I thought the car was on fire. Once the smoke settled, oil could be seen splattered all over the engine. Tow truck comes and while putting on flatbed.....oil drained out like a water faucet. Found out later from the dealer that oil line burst, causing the head gaskets to blow and most likely damaged totaled the engine. New engine quoted at $5000, used 71,000 mile engine in some salvage yard in Alabama quoted at $2-3000. Nice chunk of money and the engine still needs to be shipped and installed. What a deal? I actually spoke highly about Mitsubishi's in the past, but now I'm having second thoughts. Too bad Mitsubishi company has such a bad history of failures, recalls, and poor repair service. I was actually thinking of buying a 2006 Eclipse........not any more. I'll miss my 97 Eclipse......it was pretty good to me, but this recent event with no warning, did me in and it is just wrong that I have read similar incidents on the internet and Mitsubishi does nothing. Time for an american car...............too bad we don't have the sense to make oil and gas-free vehicles though.......the technology is there. Oh well......I guess I better start figuring out how I am going to get to work on Monday.

- West Greenwich, RI, USA

1997 Eclipse caught on fire in the engine compartment.

- Norwalk, OH, USA

Consumer noticed oil in the driveway. Vehicle was taken to a mechanic to detect where the oil was leaking from. Mechanic determined that the head gasket blew out. Head gasket has was revised twice by the manufacturer before they had one that worked. Defective head gasket was replaced with the revised head gasket. However, leak hasn't recurred.

- Munster, IN, USA

On August 8, 2003, my son purchased a 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse, 97037 miles, from [xxx]-owner, South bay auto-[xxx]. we purchased the car for $8,849.21. On August 11, 2003, the engine blow because there was no oil in the car, and the dealer stated that the car had been serviced and it was in good mechanical condition. Just this week the warranty investigator said that the oil leak was there before we purchased the car, and that they will not be replacing the engine, and that the car is the dealers problems. Needless to say, the dealer does not want to do the moral thing and give us back our hard earned money, nor does he wants to replace the engine. This same dealer, loan us an unsafe car that we found out that it has been declared by the state of California as a salvaged. The car is a 1991 Honda, VIN #[xxx]. last Saturday, on the way home from san jose, ca, to vallejo, ca, the brakes were starting to give out on the car. This week, I could not stop the car and ran into a wall to stop it. Thank god, I was not hurt. I then called the dealer and told him what had happen, and the only thing he told me that I will pay for any damages done to the car. He had the car towed and stated that he would charge me for the tow and the repairs. Now he wants me to compensate him for putting my life, and the life of my family at risk while driving his unsafe, salvaged car. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Vallejo, CA, USA

Engine has high pitch rave noise when starting in the morning, engine idles intermentently when in neutral, replace timing belt.

- Union City, CA, USA