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2002 Mitsubishi Lancer

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Lancer years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer are substantially higher than the model-year median of 27.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

86 reports with mileage · 62 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Visibility. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

32 crash reports1 fire reports17 injury reports

What owners actually said

148 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 28, 2004
Power TrainCrash

ACCELERATOR PEDAL OR THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS BACKING UP AND THE CAR REVVED REALLY HIGH AND CRASHED ME INTO A POLE. I THEN TRIED TO PULL FORWARDS AND THE CAR REVVED AGAIN AND LUNGED FORWARD, SMASHING INTO 2 CARS. I DID NOT EVEN HAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS AT THE TIME. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE ONLY WAY THAT I COULD MAKE…

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ACCELERATOR PEDAL OR THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS BACKING UP AND THE CAR REVVED REALLY HIGH AND CRASHED ME INTO A POLE. I THEN TRIED TO PULL FORWARDS AND THE CAR REVVED AGAIN AND LUNGED FORWARD, SMASHING INTO 2 CARS. I DID NOT EVEN HAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS AT THE TIME. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE ONLY WAY THAT I COULD MAKE THE CAR STOP WAS TO PUT IT IN PARK. I HAD NO DAMAGE TO MY OWN CAR BUT DID CAUSE QUITE A BIT TO THE OTHER CARS. I HAD A FRIEND WHO IS A MECHANIC LOOK AT MY CAR AND HE SEEMS TO THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I ONLY BOUGHT THE CAR 7 MONTHS AGO AT A DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS ALREADY DARK BROWN. I'M NOT SURE WHY THIS WOULD BE, I HAVE HAD 3 OIL CHANGES ON MY CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT AND I'VE ONLY PUT 9000 MILES ON IT SINCE I BOUGHT IT 7 MONTHS AGO. THERE SHOULD NOT BE THAT KIND OF WEAR ON THE TRANNY AFTER THAT LITTLE OF USE. I KNOW THAT I DID NOT ACCELERATE SO IF THE CAR IS DOING IT ON ITS OWN, I REALLY DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10055101

Mileage unknown · Jan 22, 2004
StructureSuspension

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE CONTROL ARM POPPED OFF THE WHEEL . HOWEVER, DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT. VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED DUE TO BENT CHASSIS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10055712

30,000 miles · Jan 22, 2004
Air BagsCrashInjury

VEHICLE 'T-BONED' A TAXI CAUSING EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA ODI #10054650

7,599 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

JUNE 17, 2003 TO: PERUZZI MITSUBISHI ATTENTION: [XXX] 165 LINCOLN HWY FAIRLESS HILLS, PA 19030 DEAR [XXX], WE PURCHASED A MITSUBISHI LANCER IN SEPTEMBER 2002 FROM PERUZZI MITSUBISHI, LOCATED AT 165 LINCOLN HWY, FAIRLESS HILLS, PA 19030. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THE VEHICLE HAD 2,074 MILES ON IT. WHEN I ASKED, THE SALESMAN TOLD…

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JUNE 17, 2003 TO: PERUZZI MITSUBISHI ATTENTION: [XXX] 165 LINCOLN HWY FAIRLESS HILLS, PA 19030 DEAR [XXX], WE PURCHASED A MITSUBISHI LANCER IN SEPTEMBER 2002 FROM PERUZZI MITSUBISHI, LOCATED AT 165 LINCOLN HWY, FAIRLESS HILLS, PA 19030. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THE VEHICLE HAD 2,074 MILES ON IT. WHEN I ASKED, THE SALESMAN TOLD US THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW AND THE MILES WERE FROM USING THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP AS A DEMONSTRATION CAR. SINCE THEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER THREE SEPARATE TIMES FOR SERVICE. IT WAS DRIVEN IN ON ONE OCCASION AND TOWED IN TWICE. THE DATES OF SERVICE ARE AS FOLLOWS 02/25/03, 06/09/03 AND 06/17/03. THE PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME, THE CAR STALLS OUT, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND IT WILL NOT START AGAIN. THIS VEHICLE HAS STALLED SEVERAL TIMES IN TRAFFIC, CAUSING MY FIANCE TO FEAR DRIVING IT. ALSO, BETWEEN OIL CHANGES (EVERY 3,000 MILES) THE CAR LOOSES BETWEEN ONE AND ONE HALF QUARTS OF OIL. WHEN I ASKED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO CHECK THIS PROBLEM I WAS TOLD, ALL THREE TIMES, THAT THIS IS NORMAL OIL LOSS. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE THEY HAVE STILL NOT CHECKED FOR OIL LEAKS. ON 6/18/2003, AFTER BEING TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, I DECIDED TO CHECK INTO THE VEHICLE'S HISTORY. I USED CARFAX.COM AND FOUND SOME VERY DISTURBING NEWS. MY VEHICLE HAS HAD AT LEAST THREE PREVIOUS OWNERS AND IS NOT THE BRAND NEW CAR I WAS LEAD TO BELIEVE. IT STARTED OUT IN PLEASANTVILLE NJ, AND THEN IT WAS REGISTERED IN ARIZONA, WHERE IT WAS SOLD AT AUCTION WITH 1,902 MILES ON IT AND FINALLY ENDED UP AT PERUZZI MITSUBISHI, WHERE WE PURCHASED IT. I FEEL THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS SOLD TO US UNDER FALSE PRETENSES, AND THAT PERUZZI MITSUBISHI IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EITHER REPLACING THE VEHICLE WITH A BRAND NEW ONE OR GIVING US OUR MONEY BACK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP IN RESOLVING THIS MATTER AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10070412

7,142 miles · Nov 12, 2003
Service Brakes, HydraulicSuspensionTires

THE BRAKES WORE OUT PREMATURELY. THE PART WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED EXISTS. *AK THE VEHICLE LEFT BLACK OIL SPOTS ON THE GARAGE GROUND NEAR ALL FOUR TIRES THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WAS FROM EXCESS FACTORY OVER COATING. THE BRAKES SQUEALED CONTINUOUSLY, THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WORE OUT PREMATURELY AN…

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THE BRAKES WORE OUT PREMATURELY. THE PART WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED EXISTS. *AK THE VEHICLE LEFT BLACK OIL SPOTS ON THE GARAGE GROUND NEAR ALL FOUR TIRES THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WAS FROM EXCESS FACTORY OVER COATING. THE BRAKES SQUEALED CONTINUOUSLY, THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WORE OUT PREMATURELY AND A NAIL WAS IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE REAR TIRE AND COULDN'T BE REPAIRED BECAUSE TO THE FRONT AND REAR STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO LEAKAGE, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER WAS GETTING DIFFERENT OPINIONS REGARDING THE STRUTS. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CALIPERS AND OR BRAKE DESIGN WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO PREMATURELY WEAR OUT. *SCC THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED *JB

NHTSA ODI #10043981

Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 2003
Steering

INTERMITTENTLY THE STEERING COLUMN COLLAPSED INTO DRIVER'S LAP WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. DEALER STATED THIS WAS UNUSUAL, WE NEVER HEARD A CASE LIKE THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10046296

Mileage unknown · Aug 31, 2003
Power Train

CAR SHIFTS VERY HARD, NOT LIKE HOW A 4 CYLINDER ENGINE SHOULD. HAS A "POPPING" SOUND TO ACCOMPANY THE HARD SHIFT. SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE VEHICLE HAS "GRINDED" BETWEEN SHIFTS. ENGINE HAD REVED TO 4000-5000 RPM'S FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS BEFORE FINALLY SHIFTING INTO GEAR. THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND SHOULD NOT BE…

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CAR SHIFTS VERY HARD, NOT LIKE HOW A 4 CYLINDER ENGINE SHOULD. HAS A "POPPING" SOUND TO ACCOMPANY THE HARD SHIFT. SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE VEHICLE HAS "GRINDED" BETWEEN SHIFTS. ENGINE HAD REVED TO 4000-5000 RPM'S FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS BEFORE FINALLY SHIFTING INTO GEAR. THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS WITH 19000 MILES AND IT IS ONLY A YEAR OLD. HAS TAKEN OFF ON ME ONCE, WHERE I HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID SLAMMING INTO THE BACK END OF A CAR WITH CHILDREN IN THE BACKSEAT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE "PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED." MEANWHILE EVERY TIME I GET INTO THE CAR, THE SHIFTING GETS WORSE. TECH LINE SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLEM, AND TOLD THE DEALER THAT DROPPING OUT THE TRANNIE WOULD ACCOMPLISH NOTHING AND WOULD BE A WASTE OF TIME.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10036943

30,000 miles · Aug 13, 2003
StructureSuspension

HAVING A PROBLEM WITH REAR SUSPENSION. THE ENTIRE BACK END SOUNDS AS IF THE FRAME IS BROKEN. WAS ASSURED BY MITSU SERVICE THAT IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED BEARINGS AND BUSHINGS AND PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER. THIS IS A 2002 LANCER OZ WITH 30000 MILES THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A CAR OF THIS AGE. I AM FILING…

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HAVING A PROBLEM WITH REAR SUSPENSION. THE ENTIRE BACK END SOUNDS AS IF THE FRAME IS BROKEN. WAS ASSURED BY MITSU SERVICE THAT IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED BEARINGS AND BUSHINGS AND PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER. THIS IS A 2002 LANCER OZ WITH 30000 MILES THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A CAR OF THIS AGE. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE I FEEL IF THERE ARE TWO COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE THERE ARE MOST CERTAINLY DOZENS MORE OUT THERE OR MORE TO COME.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10032750

Mileage unknown · Jun 9, 2003
Air BagsCrashInjury

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR HEAD-ON COLLISION INTO A DITCH. NEITHER THE FRONT DRIVER OR PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10022700

Mileage unknown · Jun 6, 2003
Wheels

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL FELL OFF, NUTS AND BOLTS BROKE AND THE SEAL CAME OFF. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10022576

Official recalls

2

16V458000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm

Jun 23, 2016

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 Lancer, 2004 Lancer Wagon, 2003-2006 Lancer Evolution, 2003-2006 Outlander and 2007-2013 Outlander V-6 vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, the front lower control arms may detach due to the front cross member corroding from salt water exposure such as from road salt use.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A detached front control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front cross members. Depending on the level of existing corrosion, either a sealing/anti-corrosion agent will be applied or the front cross member will be replaced with a new one that has a sealing/anti-corrosion agent applied to it. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began January 2017. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-16-003.

04V428000 · Equipment:other:labels

Sep 1, 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 DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

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 CURRENT 2000-2004 NATIVA OWNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ALERT LABELS FOR THE SUN VISORS. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH OR APRIL 2005. THE NOTIFICATION TO THE NATIVA OWNERS IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL OR MAY 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.