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

5,700 miles · May 8, 2003

Unknown Or Other

PAINT IS CHIPPING IN FRONT. PAINT ALL OVER THE CAR IS VERY EASILY CHIPPED,SCRATCHED ETC. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR WITH SUCH A LOUSY PAINT JOB. DEALERSHIP SAYS IT DRIVING CONDITIONS THAT ARE CAUSING THE PAINT CHIPS IN THE FRONT. BUT YOUR FINGERNAIL CAN SCRATCH THE PAINT ALL OVER THE CAR. IT'S WORTHLESS. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10018436

14,500 miles · Apr 25, 2003

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I HAD A 2002 MITS LANCER PURCHASE ON NOVEMBER 2001 HAS ONLY 14.800 MILES AND MY FRONT BRAKE PADS ARE GONE . *JB

NHTSA ODI #10016481

12,500 miles · Apr 20, 2003

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

VEHICLE REQUIRES EXTREME PEDAL PRESSURE TO STOP. VEHICLE HAS A LONG EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DOES NOT MATTER IF BRAKES ARE COLD OR HOT. ISSUE BEGAN WHEN CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 12000 MILES ON IT. BRAKES HAVE BEEN INSPECTED AND NO PROBLEMS FOUND WITH SYSTEM. VEHICLE NOW HAS 22000 AND CONDITION STILL EXISTS AND IS WORSENING. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10016224

Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 2003

Unknown Or Other

PAINT CRACKS AND CHIPS EASILY; TREE SAP AND BIRD DROPPINGS EAT THE PAINT EVEN IF WASHED OFF THE SAME DAY; PAINT IS VERY THIN. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10014245

20,000 miles · Apr 1, 2003

Suspension

Read full complaint

I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION OF MY 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER. SERVICE TELLS ME THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED A BULLETIN FROM MITSUBISHI REGARDING AN ISSUE WITH THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. APPARENTLY BOTH ARE BAD ON MY AUTOMOBILE. THE RECOMMENDED FIX TO THIS PROBLEM ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE BULLETIN IS A SPECIAL LUBE, HOWEVER AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. ALTHOUGH MY CAR IS UNDER A FULL BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WARRANTY, SERVICE HAS MADE NO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM FOR OVER A MONTH, DESPITE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND PROTESTS BY ME. THEY ARE INSTEAD "WAITING FOR MITSUBISHI TO TELL THEM HOW TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM". IN THE MEANTIME I AM FORCED TO DRIVE A DEFECTIVE AUTOMOBILE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10013795

Mileage unknown · Mar 29, 2003

Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

CAR WAS HIT ON SIDE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED RESULTING IN DEATH OF PASSENGER. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10013663

18,700 miles · Mar 25, 2003

Power Train

CAR ACCELERATED TO FULL THROTTLE AND TOOK OFF WHILE TRANSMISSION WAS IN PARK. LOCAL DEALERSHIP MITSUBISHI OF ORANGE PARK JACKSONVILLE FLA KEPT CAR FOR FROM 3/11/03 UNTIL 3/25/03 TO TRY TO MAKE CAR DUPLICATE SITUATION BUT TO NO AVAIL. THEY KEPT IN TOUCH WITH MITSUBISHI TECH SUPPORT BUT NOTHING COULD BE DETERMINED TO WHY CAR DID S…

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NHTSA ODI #10011035

Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2003

Vehicle Speed Control

THE ENGINE REVVED, AND THEN EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10011647

Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2003

EquipmentVehicle Speed Control

WITH THE AIR CONDITION ON, THE WINDOWS FOGGED UP, WHICH WAS BELIEVED TO BE FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE WINDOWS, ALSO THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DESIGNED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. SCC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10006186

9,280 miles · Feb 4, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

CAR SHAKES WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED... WHAT IS CAUSING HAS NOT BEEN FOUND...

NHTSA ODI #10005267

Official recalls

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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.