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2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Recalls & Complaints

5

open safety recalls on record

Critical

126 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.52 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical14V562000

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys

If the drive belt detaches, the battery may discharge, resulting in an engine stall, raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the drive belt with a rubber belt. Drive pulleys that are excessively worn will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 15, 2014. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-14-009.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Lancer, Lancer Evolution, and Outlander; 2009-2011 Lancer Sportback, Lancer Rilliart, and Lancer Sportback Ralliart; and 2011 Outlander Sport vehicles. The affected vehicles, manufactured with 4B1 engines, have an engine pulley and belt arrangement for turning the alternator, the cooling fan and the power steering pump (if equipped). These pulleys may experience unusual wear and allow for belt detachment.

Serious20V279000

Structure:Frame And Members

detached front control arm can result in a loss of vehicle control, raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

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. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2020. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-20-003.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2008-2010 Lancer, 2009-2010 Lancer Sportback, 2008-2013 Outlander, and 2011-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The front lower control arms may detach due to the front cross member corroding from salt water exposure such as from road salt use.

Serious18V071000

Visibility:Sun/Moon Roof Assembly

If the sunroof glass detaches from the assembly while driving, it can become a road hazard, raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sunroof glass assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-003.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Outlander, 2008-2010 Lancer, 2009-2010 Lancer Evolution, and 2010 Lancer Sportback vehicles equipped with sunroofs. The sunroof glass may detach from the sunroof assembly, becoming a road hazard to other vehicles.

Serious09V077000

Service Brakes, Air:Supply:Check Valve

THIS MAY TEMPORARILY INCREASE THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF THE VEHICLE AND THEREFORE raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE BOOSTER CHECK VALVE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037.

MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING 39,711 MY 2008-2009 OUTLANDER AND LACER VEHICLES. INCORRECT MATERIAL COMPOSITION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER CHECK VALVE MAY CAUSE THE CHECK VALVE TO STICK CLOSED WHEN THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RE-STARTED AND PUT INTO MOTION, UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS (VERY SLOW VEHICLE MANEUVERS), THERE MAY BE INSUFFICIENT INITIAL BRAKING ASSIST.

Serious09V435000

Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module-Inactive

THIS COATING OVER TIME MAY CAUSE CORROSION OF THE SENSOR.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FRONT AIRBAG SENSORS THAT HAVE IMPROVED CORROSION RESISTANCE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MITSUBISHI CUSTOMER RELATIONS DEPARTMENT AT 1-888-648-7820.

MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 LANCER AND LANCER EVOLUTION VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF 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 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN AREAS WHERE HEAVY ROAD SALT IS USED IN THE WINTER, A LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO A MIXTURE OF MELTED SNOW WITH SALT THROWN UP BY THE OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD MAY CAUSE A WATER-SALT MIXTURE TO ADHERE TO THE FRONT IMPACT SENSORS.

Complaint volume

126 this model-year 9 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

12Crashes
2Fires
9Injuries
0Deaths

Across 126 complaints. Severity Index 0.52.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Suspension22 · 17%Engine13 · 10%Steering12 · 10%Electrical System7 · 6%Structure · Body7 · 6%Power Train7 · 6%Air Bags6 · 5%Tires4 · 3%
  1. Suspension — 22 reports
  2. Engine — 13 reports
  3. Steering — 12 reports
  4. Electrical System — 7 reports
  5. Structure:Body — 7 reports
  6. Power Train — 7 reports
  7. Air Bags — 6 reports
  8. Tires — 4 reports
  9. Wheels — 3 reports
  10. Structure — 3 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2002 (4) · 2003 (6) · 2004 (7) · 2005 (6) · 2006 (7) · 2007 (3) · 2008 · 2009 (8) · 2010 (6) · 2011 (3) · 2012 (1) · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 (1) · 2016 (2) · 2017

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.