1993 Mitsubishi Expo Problems: Seat belts (12 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1993 Mitsubishi Expo is Seat belts (58% of 12 owner reports). There are 2 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Seat belts — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 12 complaints · 2 recalls

What problems show up on the 1993 Mitsubishi Expo?

7 of 12 filings named Seat belts (58% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Brakes (2 reports).

There are 2 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Transmission / driveline. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1992 has 41 reports on file; this year has 12. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1993 Mitsubishi Expo

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 2 campaigns on file below.
  2. Seat belts. Check that every belt latches, retracts and that related recalls are closed.
  3. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  4. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Seat belts. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Seat belts 7 complaints · 58.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 0
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 0
  • Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) appears in 7 of 12 owner complaints (58.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 7 complaints, 58.3% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 7 · 58.3% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 2 complaints, 16.7% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 · 16.7% Engine (ENGINE): 1 complaints, 8.3% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 · 8.3% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 1 complaints, 8.3% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 · 8.3% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 9 complaints, 75.0% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 9 · 75.0% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 7 58.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 16.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 1 8.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 8.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 9 75.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 1996; the first recall shown was reported in Apr 1997. 1996-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1997-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1997-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 1998-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 1999-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2001-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2004-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 1996 Apr 2004 Recall campaign 97V063001 ◆ Recall campaign 97V063001 Recall campaign 98V168000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V168000 Investigation EA98002 ● Investigation EA98002
  • Campaign 97V063001 was reported 396 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1996-Q1 Owner reports 1
1997-Q1 Owner reports 1
1997-Q2 Owner reports 2
1998-Q1 Owner reports 1
1998-Q3 Owner reports 1
1999-Q1 Owner reports 1
2000-Q1 Owner reports 1
2001-Q2 Owner reports 1
2002-Q2 Owner reports 2
2004-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 97V063001
Recall campaign 1 98V168000
Defect investigation 1 EA98002
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (2)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Transmission / driveline.

  1. Recall campaign 97V063001

    Safety recall 97V063001

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DOOR LATCH SWITCH.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  2. Recall campaign 98V168000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR ADEQUACY OF THE TRANSFER CASE OIL VOLUME, TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AND OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION OF THE TRANSFER CASE MECHANISM. IF OIL VOLUME IS INSUFFICIENT, THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF OIL WILL BE ADDED. IF THERE IS TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AFFECTED COMPONENTS WILL BE REPLACED. IF THE TRANSFER CASE SHOWS OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION, THE TRANSFER CASE WILL BE REPLACED.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 12 complaints · page 1 of 1
2004-05-20Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10067406
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THERE WAS A RECALL (97V063001) CONCERNING THE DOOR LATCH WHICH COULD MALFUNCTION WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE TO REMAIN AT THE A-PILLAR WHEN THE DOOR WAS CLOSED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS DID NOT ENGAGE. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT SLIDE ON THE RAIL PROPERLY. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE SAME VEHICLE ONLY ONE YEAR EARLIER, BUT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK (RIGHT REAR DOOR) *SC *JB
2002-06-23Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 763364
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I GOT THIS CAR FROM A USED LOT, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TAT SAME DAY. I WANT TO MAKE THIS COMPLAINT AGAINT THE DEALER CAR CITY OUTLET.*AK
2002-06-18Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 8012020
CrashFireInjuryDeath
PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY NOT ENGAGE WHEN CLOSING THE DOOR, LEAVING PASSENGER WITHOUT ANY RESTRAINT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
2001-04-07Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 743665
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ABS-DISC BRAKE ROTORS NOT ROBUST CAUSING POOR BRAKING AND OWNER EXPENSE. SHOULD BE A MFG RECALL TO REPLACE WITH MUCH MORE DURABLE DESIGN. *AK
2000-01-13Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 717323
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE SEAT BELTS DOESN'T WORK AT ALL SINCE I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE. *AK
1999-01-28Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 702689
CrashFireInjuryDeath
IN AUGUST 1998, MY WIFE GOT IN HER VEHICLE TO START AND WARM UP HER ENGINE PRIOR TO DEPARTING FOR WORK. WHEN SHE TURN OFF IGNITION HER MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REMAINED IN THE FORWARD POSITION. APPARENTLY, THE MOTOR FOR RETRACTING THE SHOULDER BELT RAN IN REVERSE., INSTEAD OF PULLING OR PLACING TENSION ON THE CABLE TO RETRACT, THE CABLE WAS COMPRESSED. WITH THE SYSTEM ALREADY IN THE FORWARD POSITION, THE CABLE WAS FORCED OUT OF ITS TRACK. WHEN LOOKED AT BY LOCAL DEALER, THE SHOP MANAGER THOUGHT THIS MAY FALL UNDER A RECALL NOTICE (SR-97-002). WE HADN'T RECEIVED A NOTICE AND WEREN'T SURE WHAT HE WAS REFERRING TO. THE REGIONAL MANAGER HAPPENED TO BE IN TOWN WHEN WE TOOK OUR MINI VAN IN. HE LOOKED AT THE FAILURE AND DENIED THE FAILURE AS BEING ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL. HIS REASONING WAS THAT THE MOTOR FAILED. OUR COST FOR REPAIRS WOULD BE $700. ON NOVEMBER 30, 1998 WE RECEIVED A SECOND NOTICE OF RECALL. WHEN READING THE NOTICE I FELT THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN ERROR IN THE FIRST DECISION MADE BY THE REGIONAL MANAGER. I QUESTIONED PERFORMANCE MOTORS ABOUT THE MALFUNCTIONING SWITCH. MY BELT FAILED IN THE FORWARD POSITION. WAS THERE POTENTIAL FOR A SHORT OR MALFUNCTION IN THE RECALL SWITCH TO CAUSE THE DAMAGE WE EXPIERENCED? THEY COULDN'T TELL ME WHAT TESTS WERE CONDUCTED TO GENERATE THEIR CONCLUSSIONS. ON JANUARY 5, 1999, I CALLED MITSUBISHI CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT FILE REFERENCE #245316. AFTER DESCRIBING MY SITUATION, CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT, ALEX, THOUGHT MY VEHICLE WARRANTED ANOTHER LOOK. ON JANUARY 9, 1999 AT 8:00AM I ARRIVED FOR MY APPOINTMENT. THE REGIONAL MANAGER HAD ALREADY CONTACTED THE DEALER AND DENIED ANY CLAIM. I ASKED IF ANYONE HAD LOOKED AT MY DOOR SWITCHES AS PER THE RECALL? THEY HAVE NO RECORD. JANUARY 19TH, CALLED CORPORATE OFFICE AGAIN. ASKED WHY MY SWITCHES HAVE NOT BEEN LOOKED AT. CORPORATE WAS TO GET BACK WITH ME BY THE 21ST. TO DATE, I'VE HEARD NOTHING, I HAVE A RECALL NOTICE & A FAILURE, THERE'S BEEN NO INSPECTION. *AK
1998-09-24Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 541667
CrashFireInjuryDeath
NOTICED THAT VEHICLE LABORED UNDER ACCELERATION AND FRONT BRAKES SMELLED AFTER BEING PARKED. SYMTPOMS GRADUALLY WORSENED UNTIL VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER MOVE UNDER ITS OWN POWER. AFTER BEING TOWED TO DEALER WAS ADVISED THAT HYDRAULIC BRAKE FLUID HAD BEEN CONTAMINATED AND THAT RUBBER COMPONENTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACES. APPROX. 1 YR LATER SAME SYMTOMS BEGAN. WAS ADVISED THAT ROTORS WERE WARPED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. ROTORS AND PAD REPLACED. NOW (9/98) HEARING SOUNDS OF STRESS IN FRONT END WHEN BRAKING.
1998-01-03Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 527785
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ENGINE GASKETS FAILED CAUSING ENGINE OIL TO LEAK ONTO HOT PORTIONS OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND TRANSAXLE.
1997-05-28Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 811740
CrashFireInjuryDeath
SHOULDER BELT ATTACHED TO DOOR & COMES OUT WHEN DOOR IS OPENED & STAYS; WILL NOT BEE IN A RETRACTING POSITION; CAN UNLOCK LAP BELT & FASTEN IT. *AK
1997-05-01Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 808408
CrashFireInjuryDeath
BELT RETRACTORS FOR SHOULDER BELTS FAILED, ONLY CAME ACROSS SHOULDER OCCASIONALLY PRIOR TO RECALL 97V-063. *AK

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1993 Mitsubishi Expo?

Owners named Seat belts most often — 7 of 12 reports (58%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1993 Mitsubishi Expo?

NHTSA lists 2 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Transmission / driveline. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1993 Mitsubishi Expo?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check that every belt latches, retracts and that related recalls are closed. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources