The 2001 draws 3.5 complaints per run and the 1993 1.31, a 2.7-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age, so 36.9% land after the 5-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Visibility, with 146 complaints, typically at 4.1 years.
Mitsubishi Diamante years to avoid — and the best ones
| Model year | Per run | Complaints | Runs | Enough history? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 38 | 17 | yes | |
| 2002 | 89 | 28 | yes | |
| 2001 | 56 | 16 | yes | |
| 2000 | 33 | 14 | yes | |
| 1999 | 16 | 10 | yes | |
| 1998 | 19 | 13 | yes | |
| 1997 | 24 | 16 | yes | |
| 1995 | 10 | 8 | yes | |
| 1994 | 12 | 9 | yes | |
| 1993 | 21 | 16 | yes | |
| 1992 | 30 | 15 | yes |
Among the 6 Mitsubishi Diamante years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2001, 2002, 2003; the three worth hunting are 1993, 1997, 1992.
When it starts to break
| Age at failure | Complaints | Running total | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 years | 6% | covered | |
| 1 year | 15.5% | covered | |
| 2 years | 25.6% | covered | |
| 3 years | 42.9% | covered | |
| 4 years | 63.1% | covered | |
| 5 years | 75.4% | you pay | |
| 6 years | 87.1% | you pay | |
| 7 years | 92.1% | you pay | |
| 8 years | 95% | you pay | |
| 9 years | 95.3% | you pay | |
| 10 years | 97.2% | you pay | |
| 11 years | 98.4% | you pay | |
| 12 years | 98.7% | you pay | |
| 13 years | 99.1% | you pay | |
| 14 years | 99.4% | you pay | |
| 15 years | 100% | you pay |
Basic warranty on this car is 5 years / 60,000 miles. Only 63.1% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 36.9% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (10 years / 100,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 32% of the complaints here.
What actually fails — and at what age
On the Mitsubishi Diamante, the early trouble is Service Brakes and Hydraulic — reported at around 2.6 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Visibility at 4.1 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.
| System | Complaints | Typical age | Crash | Fire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 4.1 yrs | — | 1 | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 4.7 yrs | 1 | — | |
| Service Brakes | 2.6 yrs | 3 | — | |
| Hydraulic | 2.3 yrs | 2 | — | |
| Power Train | 5.1 yrs | 1 | — | |
| Air Bags | 3.9 yrs | 14 | — | |
| Electrical System | 5 yrs | 1 | 1 | |
| Suspension | 2.6 yrs | — | — |
What else in this class
6 models share the Diamante's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Camry draws 5.65, the Honda Accord 4.02 and the Dodge Challenger 3.27, against 2.17 for the Diamante. That is the fewest complaints of the group.
| Same class as the Diamante | Complaints on record | Recall campaigns | Years built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Camry | 161 | 1983–2026 | |
| Honda Accord | 415 | 1981–2026 | |
| Dodge Challenger | 77 | 1981–2026 | |
| Toyota Prius | 109 | 2001–2026 | |
| Hyundai Elantra | 117 | 1992–2026 | |
| Nissan Altima | 148 | 1993–2026 |
The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.
Good year or bad year — the VIN settles it.
- Check any VIN against complaints for its exact build year and plant
- Exact value for that car, adjusted for its mileage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Alerts if a recall lands on a car in your garage
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
Is the Mitsubishi Diamante reliable?
By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 2.17 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.
Which Diamante years should you avoid?
By complaints per production run, 2001, 2002, 2003. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 1993, 1997, 1992. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.
When do Diamante problems usually start?
Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age. The most reported system is Visibility, typically at 4.1 years, followed by Engine and Engine Cooling.
Will the warranty cover Diamante problems?
Mostly yes: basic cover is 5 years / 60,000 miles, and 63.1% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 32% of the complaints here.
Is the Diamante more reliable than the Toyota Camry?
Yes: 2.17 complaints per production run for the Diamante against 5.65 for the Toyota Camry.
Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.