Mitsubishi Outlander Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls ā NHTSA data
Comparing used Mitsubishi Outlander options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017ā2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Mitsubishi Outlander has 482 owner complaints and 32 safety recalls across model years 2017ā2026. The most reported issue area is STRUCTURE. 2022 drew the most complaints; 2025 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Mitsubishi
- Model
- Outlander
- Model years analyzed
- 2017ā2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 482
- Safety recall campaigns
- 32
- Crash-related complaints
- 46
- Fire-related complaints
- 2
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2022 (210 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2025 (14 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- STRUCTURE
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Mitsubishi Outlander: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used ā lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record ā lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER has 482 NHTSA complaints and 32 recalls on record. 46 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 482 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 32 federal recall campaigns
- 46 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Aug 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
32 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:RELAY
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017ā2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 482 NHTSA complaints ā these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
482 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
The brand new from the factory transmission that got replaced at a dealership to āfixā the initial recall stalled and went into limp mode while driving at under 50,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The contact stated that the catalytic converter was stolen from the vehicle, and a new catalytic converter was installed. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle with catalytic converter failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called the dealer, but no assistance was provided. The failure persisted. The contact recently received an Extended Warranty for the infotainment touch screens due to common software and connectivity failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
I was turning out of my neighborhood and as I accelerated to merge with traffic my car started jerking. My dashboard āDā symbol only started flashing on and off and then my transmission service required light came on, (just had it done 8/25 and it is 11/25) and the BSW service required light came on as well. As I continued down the street everytime I pressed on the gas pedal the car kept jerking backwards and forward.
Driving home with no other cars around the forward collision warning goes off for no reason losing power and slowing down on it's own. This has been an ongoing situation since the car was new, I've made numerous attempts to have my local dealership look into this situation and all they tell me is to take video when it happens.
I have 40,000 miles on my vehicle, only owner and drive 28 miles to and from work a day. The entire Infotainment center is not usuable, I called the dealership I purchased it from and they said the warranty is 36,000 miles. How on a brand new car do you get 36,000 for a system that controls everything inside your car.
Multiple and random Cylinder misfires. fixed more than three times and continuously, same issue. many issues with revving up. safety risk while driving due to stalling.
Read 14 more owner reports
Infotainment system failed. Touchscreen does not work incurring a major distraction when trying to change to navigation or utilize android auto.
The contact owns a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, the Service Engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local AutoZone where it was diagnosed and determined that the catalytic convertor needed to be replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.
I had a recall on this vehicle for the CVT software update which i got fixed by mitsubishi at the dealership but now its doing the same thing and seems worse, everytime I push on the gas it does not excelerate and usually gets stuck at 30-45MPH no matter how much i press on the gas, and the rpms get stuck at 3-4 thousand rpms which causes a safety threat when we are driving. I did some research and found out that this a well known issue with mitsubishi and its outlander sports vehicles Iām not sure what to do from here.
Driver side seat belt is not locking.
The software system in regard to the BSW and FCM. The car tried to put itself in reverse while we were driving. Yes, the problem has been reproduced on the computer only. The vehicle is currently at the dealership being looked at now. The transmission service light came on, the FCM temporarily not available, came on, and the BSW light came on.
The contact owns a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the automotive power started fluctuating, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle coasted off the roadway and was shifted into park; however, several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle would not accelerate above 30 MPH with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle back to the residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure had been intermittent but gradually became a recurring failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V563000 (Power Train). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Since March 2023 my car has being to Bell Mitsubishi for AC problems the compressor stops working starts making noises and every time the compressor the failed the vehicle stalled. As of right now Mitsubishi does not know why this is happening I have not being provided with a loaner car or rental. today 6/8/2023 my car has being at the dealer for almost 2 weeks they claimed they put a brand new A/C system but is not working. They don't have an ETA for my car to be done. I depend on my vehicle to commute to work. I commute every day 17 miles each trip.
The contact owns a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine misfired and the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was notified of the failure but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V563000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 900.
I was driving approximately 35MPH on a 4-lane road with no vehicles in front of me. The car came to a hard stop. The stop was so hard that my purse flew from the passenger seat to the floor. I was wearing my seat belt which tightened up but my body still moved forward causing me neck pain. I did notice briefly that a flashing yellow light was on the dashboard. There were no objects in front of me. The driver of the car behind me had to slam on their brakes and almost hit my car. My car stayed still for about 15 seconds and then the automatic brake was released.
The contact owns a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle was stalling and not accelerating as needed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for an unknown recall repair. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 22,000.
This was in a rental from National Car Rental from the Las Vegas airport. I was driving down the road at about 65-70 MPH when the vehicle's brakes just slammed on, and everything about the car just died. There was a huge groaning sound as it happened - kind of like when you are in 'park' and push the gas pedal and it revs really high. I tried shifting into neutral, nothing changed, and all the lights and functions of the car went out. I did my best to "direct" (couldn't steer) the car to the edge of the road. It was a busy remote highway, I was in the 'fast' lane. so could move over as far as I could to the other side of the white line while basically groaning to a halt. When I stopped all of the power shut down, the car would not restart and at first the battery and "service engine now" lights came off, then everything stopped. After a bit the battery came back on so I could at least charge my phone to use it to call for assistance. I have an email from National saying it appeared to be an engine malfunction. When this happened I was on Highway 93 between Las Vegas and Kingman Arizona (right around mile marker 30). It is a split highway with a dirt median. I was on the inside of the median. Fortunately when it happened there was no one directly behind me or they would have hit me. This is the main thoroughfare between NV and northern AZ here, so it is basically semi trucks going >70 mph the whole stretch. I had to sit in the car for 2 hours waiting for the tow truck to arrive. I did not get out of the car because I was more scared of distracting a driver and veering into me, whereas sitting in the car I was just as scared, but I thought at least I had an airbag if I was crashed into. I was honestly terrified the whole time. I sent numerous emails and made numerous calls that document all of this. I have pictures and video of the situation. The car was picked up by Jone's Towing from Kingman AZ.
The contact owns a 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low beam headlights were significantly dim and progressively worsened and became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer several times, where unknown repairs were performed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving on the interstate at an undisclosed speed, there was wind underneath the hood, and the hood was vibrating. The contact was concerned about the hood becoming ajar. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was associated with TSB: 21-42A-001. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was test-driven, and the dealer was able to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 95,730.
The contact owns a 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at 25 MPH, a "be careful due to icy roads" message appeared, but it was the middle of May and there was no ice or cold weather in sight. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
Showing 20 of 482 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Mitsubishi Outlander
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations ā hereās what each number actually tells you about a used Mitsubishi Outlander, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is ā but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Mitsubishi Outlander has 482 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Mitsubishi Outlander has 32 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 46 of the Mitsubishi Outlander's 482 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions ā a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable ā simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Mitsubishi Outlander vehicles on the road ā not any specific car. Two Mitsubishi Outlander vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage ā NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Mitsubishi Outlander has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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By state
Check a Mitsubishi Outlander by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Mitsubishi Outlander.
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Keep researching before you buy
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Mitsubishi Outlander reliability ā frequently asked questions
Is the Mitsubishi Outlander reliable?
Poor. The Mitsubishi Outlander has 482 NHTSA owner complaints and 32 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is STRUCTURE. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Mitsubishi Outlander years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2022 (210 complaints), 2018 (55 complaints), 2017 (51 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Mitsubishi Outlander problems?
Top reported issues: STRUCTURE (90 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (88 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (76 complaints).
Does the Mitsubishi Outlander have recalls?
Yes ā 32 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Mitsubishi Outlander. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.