MitsubishiEclipse Spyder20082.4L/mitsubishi/eclipse-spyder/2008/2-4l/

2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder — 2.4L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Eclipse Spyder 2.4L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 2.4LTransmission Automatic (S4)

The 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder is a passenger‑car coupe powered by a 2.4‑liter four‑cylinder engine that requires 4.5 qt of 10W‑30 or 5W‑20 API oil and is mated to an S4‑speed automatic transmission, delivering EPA‑rated fuel economy of 19/26 mpg city/highway (22 mpg combined). With only 16 owner complaints logged for the model year—well below the 2006 peak of 99 complaints and just above the 2010 low of 1—the 2008 Spyder sits near the reliable end of the Eclipse’s 2000‑2012 complaint spectrum, where service‑brake issues were the most frequently cited problem area and a single recall was issued. This places the 2008 model among the quieter years in the line’s reliability history.

Model year201220112010200920082007200520042003

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/26/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 86 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter MZ690072. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 86 · 525 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-50R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim8.0-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMZ690072 alt MZ690116
Engine air filterMR571396
Fuel filter1770A122
Spark plug1822A002 alt MN158596
Front wiper blades8250A098 alt 8250A536
Serpentine beltMN187015 alt MN187016
ThermostatMD194988 alt MD315301

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S4)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length179.9 in
Overall width72.4 in
Overall height54.3 in
Wheelbase101.6 in
Curb weight3472 lb
Track (front / rear)61.4 / 61.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 26 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0-22.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidMitsubishi Diamond Queen SP-III
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity8.1
Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-20
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Manual Transmission Fluid75W-80 · GL-3
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity4.7
Power Steering FluidGenuine Mitsubishi PS fluid

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts15-21 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0-22.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs12 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub145-188 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.16-1.26 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.70 oz
Standard BCI Group Number86
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test23 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature177-183 °F
Engine Compression164
Engine Oil Pressure4.3 psi @ Idle, 43-100 psi @ 3500 rpm psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25-31 ft-lbs / 28-36 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle67-81 ft-lbs / 42-48 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080; Rear: 0.080 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0039 in / 0.0016 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.023 in / 0.394 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.023 in / 0.394 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.96 in / 0.33 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9015 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages
158 ft. lbs.58 ft. lbs
2Loosen all bolts completely in reverse order.
315 ft. lbs.15 ft. lbs
490 degrees.90 degrees
590 degrees.; Apply engine oil to bolt threads and under bolt head. If using new bolts, turn additional 60 degrees.90 degrees
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
130 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9030 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miFuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
At 105,000 miSpark Plugs (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2008 Eclipse Spyder recorded 16 complaints and 1 recall, placing it below the 2007 peak of 22 complaints and 4 recalls but above the 2009 drop to 7 complaints. Recalls also fell from 4 in 2007 to 1 in 2008 and remained at 1 in 2009, indicating a downward trend in regulatory actions after the 2006 high. The most frequent complaint category was Service Brakes with 8 reports, followed by Engine with 2, while Visibility and Electrical System each accounted for a single complaint. Crash‑related complaints numbered 4 and no fire complaints were logged, and the data does not specify a root cause for any issue. Given the moderate complaint volume and low recall count, the 2008 model is generally a reasonable choice, though prospective buyers should confirm brake service history.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
35
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
16
Owner complaints
4 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 16 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes8
Engine2
Visibility1
Electrical System1
Wheels,Unknown Or Other1
Air Bags1
Air Bags,Seat Belts1
Tires1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V337000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/ModuleReported 02/06/2015

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 20, 2005, to February 13, 2009, and 2007-2009 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured December 23… Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, flush and clean the ABS hydraulic unit using high grade brake fluid, free of charge. If the inspection shows that the valves may…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 35 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
DEALER LETTER2023-07-21EquipmentThis is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has…
TSB-23-00-0042023-04-24StructureThis Technical Service Bulletin provides instructions and material safety data sheets for…
TSB-23-00-0012023-04-24EquipmentThis Technical Service Bulletin reviews the regulations that require a label showing the…
DEALER LETTER2023-04-21EquipmentThis is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has…
TSB-22-54-0032022-04-07Exterior LightingThis Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Eclipse Spyder. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 Eclipse Spyder 2.4L take?

4.5 qt of ABOVE 100 degreesF 10W-30 SM API, BELOW 100 degreesF 5W-20 SM API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 Eclipse Spyder have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 2.4L get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 26 highway / 22 combined mpg.