MitsubishiMirage20021.8L/mitsubishi/mirage/2002/1-8l/

2002 Mitsubishi Mirage — 1.8L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2002 Mirage 1.8L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 1.8LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2002 Mitsubishi Mirage is a passenger car powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a four-speed automatic transmission, achieving EPA fuel economy ratings of 22 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined, with an engine oil capacity of 4.0 quarts using 10W-30 or 5W-30 API-grade oil. This model year recorded 12 owner complaints, with engine and engine cooling issues representing the most frequently reported concern, and the vehicle was subject to four manufacturer recalls during its production cycle. Compared to the model's complaint history spanning from 1990 to 2024, where the 1997 model year peaked at 88 complaints and the 2016 model year reached its lowest point at just 1 complaint, the 2002 Mirage falls in a middle range—substantially better than the problematic late-1990s period but not as refined as the model's later years. For researchers evaluating the Mirage's evolution, the 2002 represents a transitional year where Mitsubishi had already addressed many of the earlier reliability issues that plagued the platform in the mid-1990s, though some concerns persisted.

Model year200220012000199919981997199619951994

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy22/30/25 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 435 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 35 · 435 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnOFFOEM · verified
Tire size4WD:P225-75R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMZ690072
Engine air filterMR552951
Fuel filterMR204132
Spark plugMS851357 alt MS851728
Front wiper bladesMZ690946 alt 8250A174
Serpentine beltMD378243 alt MD373622
ThermostatMD337408

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length168.1 in
Overall width66.5 in
Overall height53.5 in
Wheelbase95.3 in
Curb weight2187 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined22 / 30 / 25 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

No 2002 road test on record; the results below are same-engine tests from nearby model years, each shown under its own year.

8.7–9.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.70 sec — 1994 LS Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2000DE Sedan 1.8L I-49.40 sec17.00 sec111 hpFWD
1997LS Coupe 1.8L I-48.90 sec16.90 sec113 hpFWD
1994LS Coupe 1.8L I-48.70 sec16.60 sec113 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.0 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 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. 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 Capacity4.0 qt
Power Steering FluidGenuine Mitsubishi PS fluid
Power Steering FluidUse Mitsubishi PS fluid

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts134 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head BoltsM8 bolts: 13 m10 bolts: 21 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub130-203 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub130 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance0.5-0.7 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance15,000-22,000 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug TypeBKR5E-11
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.23-1.31 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type56
Oil Capacity4.10 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance435 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test23 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature177-183 °F
Engine Compression199-151 PSI. 14 Maximum variation PSI.
Engine Compression137 Minimum psi
Engine Compression151 Minimum psi
Engine Oil Pressure11.4 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPMIdle rpm

Brakes

Wheel Application13 inch WHEELS / 14 inch WHEELS
Torque Caliper to BracketUpper: 36
Torque to Knuckle65-80 ft-lbs / 65 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080; Rear: 0.080 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Wheel Application13 inch WHEELS / 14 inch WHEELS
Rotor Runout Limit0.0024 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.709 in / 0.945 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages
154 ft. lbs.54 ft. lbs
2loosen all bolts
314.7 ft. lbs.14.7 ft. lbs
490 degrees90 degrees
590

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 30,000 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) · Spark Plugs (replace)
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 Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

In the federal record, the 2002 Mitsubishi Mirage sits at the end of a clear downward arc for the 1990–2002 generation, with only 12 complaints — the lowest in that entire run and down sharply from 34 in 2001, 36 in 2000, and the generation peaks of 88 in 1997 and 84 in 1993. Recall activity, however, did not fall at the same pace: 2002 carried 4 recalls, matching 2001 and 2000, while TSBs declined only modestly from 37 in 2001 to 35 in 2002. The top complaint areas for 2002 were Engine & Engine Cooling (4), Structure (2), Air Bags (2), and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (2), with 3 crash-related and 0 fire-related complaints, though the data does not specify root causes. Relative to the broader 1990s peak years, 2002 shows substantially lower owner-reported problem volume, suggesting the later-build cars in this generation generated fewer complaints. For a used-car buyer, 2002 is a comparatively attractive year within this generation because its complaint count is the lowest on record while its four recalls are in line with 2000–2001 levels, though any prospective purchase should still be checked against those recalls and its maintenance history.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
35
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
12
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 12 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling4
Structure2
Air Bags2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
Power Train1
Tires1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

04V428000Equipment:Other:LabelsReported 01/09/2004

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE… Remedy: MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL…

09E025000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 11/05/2009

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT…

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 Mirage. 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 Mirage 1.8L take?

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

Does the 2002 Mirage have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 1.8L get?

EPA figures are 22 city / 30 highway / 25 combined mpg.