MitsubishiEclipse20022.4L/mitsubishi/eclipse/2002/2-4l/

2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse — 2.4L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2002 Eclipse 2.4L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 2.4LTransmission Automatic (S4)

The 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse 2.4L is a passenger‑car built on the Eclipse’s long‑running platform and powered by a 2.4‑liter engine that requires 4.5 qt of 10W‑30 or 5W‑30 oil and delivers EPA ratings of 18 mpg city, 25 mpg highway and 20 mpg combined. Its automatic S4 transmission and modest fuel economy positioned it squarely in the middle of the model line’s performance envelope, while the vehicle’s reliability record shows 104 owner complaints—most frequently concerning the wheels—and four recalls during its production run. Compared with the broader 1990‑2012 Eclipse family, which peaked at 392 complaints in 1995 and reached a low of a single complaint in 2011, the 2002 model sits near the lower‑mid range of complaint frequency, indicating a relatively steady but not exceptional reliability standing for its era.

Model year201220112010200920082007200620052002

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/25/20 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 MZ690116. 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 sizeP195-65R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMZ690116 alt MZ690072
Engine air filterMB906051
Fuel filterMR431089 alt MR993092
Spark plugMS851728 alt MS851357
Front wiper blades8250A536 alt 8250A174
Serpentine beltMD376691 alt MD365263
ThermostatMD328070 alt MD350415
Cabin air filterMR500360

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S4)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length175.6 in
Overall width68.9 in
Overall height51.6 in
Wheelbase100.8 in
Curb weight2862 lb
Track (front / rear)59.1 / 58.3 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 25 / 20 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-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 25.0-32.0 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

Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Power Steering FluidGenuine Mitsubishi PS fluid
Power Steering FluidUse Mitsubishi PS fluid

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or StudsDOHC: 14 ft-lbs; SOHC:
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts18 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts98 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head BoltsM8 fastners: 36 ft-lbs
Main Bearings69 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug25.0-32.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub167 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub166 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
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance8500-11,500 ohms
Spark Plug Gap0.028-0.035 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing5, Not adjustable degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.00-2.00 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Standard BCI Group Number86
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca

Service checks

Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)47.0-50.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)38.0 psi
Engine Compression185-139 PSI. 14 Maximum variation PSI.
Engine Compression139-185 psi
Engine Oil Pressure4.2 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPMIdle rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC
Torque Caliper to Bracket32 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle44 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket74 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle87-101 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket28 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle74 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080; Rear: 0.080 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90-9415 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages
158 ft. lbs.58 ft. lbs
2Loosen all bolts completely.
315 ft. lbs.15 ft. lbs
490 degrees.90 degrees
590 degrees.90 degrees

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 every 60,000 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 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miDistributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (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 third-generation Eclipse (2000–2005) opened with elevated problem rates: 2000 and 2001 logged 314 and 316 complaints, 10 and 13 recalls, and 140 and 167 TSBs, respectively. The 2002 model year marks a clear inflection point, with complaints dropping to 104, recalls falling to just 4, and investigations disappearing entirely, though TSBs remain high at 140. This suggests that many early-generation defects were being corrected, but the vehicle still required substantial service bulletins. Compared to the later years—2004 and 2005, which saw only 14 and 6 complaints—the 2002 Eclipse sits in the middle of the generation’s improvement arc: it is a significantly safer bet than the troubled 2000–2001 models, yet not as refined as the tail-end examples. The data does not specify root causes for the top complaint areas (wheels, structure), but the moderate complaint volume and zero investigations imply no widespread federal safety actions. Overall, the 2002 Eclipse is a reasonable purchase if you prioritize a post-peak-problem year within the generation, but a 2004 or 2005 would offer even lower reported issues.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
140
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
104
Owner complaints
11 involved a crash · 5 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 104 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Wheels30
Structure19
Engine & Engine Cooling6
Power Train5
Air Bags5
Tires,Wheels5
Electrical System4
Tires4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V338000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 02/06/2015

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004, 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000… Remedy: MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The…

06E060000Exterior LightingReported 29/06/2006

CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF… Remedy: AAI MOTORSPORTS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AAI MOTORSPORTS AT 909-923-9188.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 140 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. 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 2002 Eclipse 2.4L take?

4.5 qt of ABOVE 0 degreesF 10W-30 SL API, BELOW 100 degreesF 5W-30 SL API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2002 Eclipse have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 2.4L get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 25 highway / 20 combined mpg.