Selling a junk or non-running Mitsubishi Starion
Wikipedia lists three engines for the Starion, and two of them are turbocharged: a 2.0-liter G63B and a 2.6-liter G54B. Mitsubishi built this rear-drive sports car from 1982 to 1989 at its Nagoya Plant in Okazaki, Japan. In NHTSA's complaint file it has just five owner complaints and one recall.
- Model years in EPA data
- 1984-1989
- Layout
- Front engine, rear-wheel drive
- Engines
- 2.0 G63B, 2.0 G63B turbo, 2.6 G54B turbo
- Built at
- Nagoya Plant, Okazaki, Japan
- Owner complaints to NHTSA
- 5
- Recall campaigns
- 1 (1986 seat belt buckles)
Running, half apart in the garage, or seized solid, you can sell the whole car as it sits, with free pickup anywhere in the US.
The Starion in brief
EPA fuel economy data covers the Starion from 1984 to 1989 and files it as a subcompact car. Wikipedia calls it a sports car on an FR layout: engine up front, power to the rear wheels. Besides the two turbo engines, a non-turbo 2.0-liter G63B was offered. Its gearbox list: 5-speed manual, 4-speed automatic. The wheelbase is 2,435 mm (95.9 in). It replaced the Galant Lambda GSR, and the GTO and Dodge Stealth followed it.
What owners reported to NHTSA
All five complaints sit in three model years.
- 1986: one names the gasoline fuel system and one names the seat belts.
- 1987: a seat belt complaint and a seat complaint, and one of the pair reports an injury.
- 1988: one names the engine and engine cooling.
None reports a crash, fire, death or tow.
The 1986 seat belt complaint matches the Starion's only recall. Campaign 95V103004, reported May 24, 1995, lists the 1986 model year. The problem it describes: the red PRESS button on each front buckle is plastic and can fracture, and loose fragments can foul the buckle. The remedy was for owners to try both front belts and examine the red buttons themselves. The campaign counts 658,000 vehicles, and it may take in other models too, so that figure is not the number of Starions.
Complaints and recalls by model year
The figures are Starion owner complaints on NHTSA's books through October 10, 2026. Later model years generally get fewer because they've spent less time in service. With only five reports for the whole run, no year really stands apart.
| Year | NHTSA complaints | Parts named | Recalls listing the year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-1985 | 0 | None on file | 0 |
| 1986 | 2 | Fuel system (gasoline); seat belts | 1 (95V103004) |
| 1987 | 2 (1 injury reported) | Seat belts; seats | 0 |
| 1988 | 1 | Engine and engine cooling | 0 |
| 1989 | 0 | None on file | 0 |
Restore it or sell it?
The complaint file is too thin to point at a weak spot, so the decision rests on your car.
- Turbo engine tired or blown? Get it diagnosed and get the quote in writing. Our failed turbo guide explains the signs and how to weigh the repair.
- A project you never finished? If parts are scattered across the garage, read old project car before you decide.
- A 1986? Run the car's VIN through NHTSA's recall search and test both front buckles.
How to sell a Starion whole
- Write down the VIN, the engine (turbo or not) and the mileage.
- Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
- Give us the setting (garage, carport, side yard) plus whether it rolls on four wheels, so a suitable truck gets sent.
- Leave the parts on. If the turbo, intercooler or wheels are already off, say so up front.
- Sign over the Starion's title at pickup. After you sell covers plates and insurance by state.
Looking at other models? See the 3000GT, the Tredia, or every Mitsubishi we cover.
Questions people ask
- Which Starion years have NHTSA complaints?
- Only three. The 1986 and 1987 have two each and the 1988 has one, counted as of October 10, 2026. NHTSA holds none for the 1984, 1985 or 1989 model years.
- Is my Starion covered by the seat belt recall?
- The recall, 95V103004, lists the 1986 Starion. It covers front buckle buttons that may snap and jam the latch with debris. Whether your particular car is included shows up when you enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Can you pick up a Starion with a dead turbo engine?
- Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US. Tell us whether the car rolls and where it is parked, and you sell the whole car as it sits.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.
- EPA fuel economy data (model years and class for the Mitsubishi Starion) fueleconomy.gov
- NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 95V103004: front seat belt buckle release buttons nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
- Wikipedia: Mitsubishi Starion (production, plant, engines, transmissions) en.wikipedia.org