123 of the
1,874 complaints filed about the Mitsubishi Outlander
are about the braking system —
7% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2016.
I own a 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander that I purchased new on December 21, 2024. Since shortly after purchase, the vehicle has experienced ongoing problems involving the brakes, electrical system, and fuel fumes entering the passenger cabin. The most serious issue is the brake system. I have experienced hard braking, inconsistent brake response, brake warning lights, and at least one incident where the brakes suddenly failed and I had to take emergency action to stop the vehicle. The dealership has attempted multiple repairs, including replacing the brake booster, master cylinder, and other brake components, but the problem continues. The vehicle has also had repeated electrical problems, including warning lights, low-voltage issues, radio malfunctions, and steering wheel controls that stopped working. In addition, fuel fumes continue to enter the cabin while driving and when the vehicle is parked. The dealership has already replaced the fuel vapor canister and fuel filler neck, but the fuel odor persists. On June 13, 2026, I went to the emergency room because of symptoms related to inhaling the fuel vapors. I have reported these issues to both the dealership and Mitsubishi Motors North America on multiple occasions since the problems first began. Despite repeated repair attempts and ongoing communication, the defects remain unresolved. Based on the repeated failures, the number of repair visits, and the amount of time the vehicle has been out of service, I believe this vehicle qualifies as a lemon. The vehicle has been in the repair shop numerous times and has been out of service for approximately 45 days. I am filing this complaint because I am concerned that the brake failures and fuel vapor intrusion could put me, my passengers, and other drivers at risk. I am seeking assistance in resolving this issue as soon as possible to prevent further safety and health risks.
NHTSA complaint #11744193 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2024 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV brake-by-wire failure during a downhill U-turn at 100% battery state of charge. Pedal went completely soft to the floor, unable to stop, causing a crash.
NHTSA complaint #11742234 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Automatic Emergency Breaking sometimes occurs while driving in rainy weather even when there are no obstructions in the front of the vehicle. This causes spinouts and exccessive wear and tear on break pads and rotors. Also, many shops and dealerships are having issues with putting 2022 year model outlanders in "maintenance mode" to be able to change rear ebs brakes. Due to this you cannot drive your vehicle and/or rish not having proper break functions. THIS IS URGENT!!!
NHTSA complaint #11736359 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
"Mi Outlander 2024 tiene falla de frenos desde 8/1/26. Está en [XXX] Mitsubishi Thornton. El dealer negó garantía. Hoy 8/4/26 llamé a Mitsubishi 3 veces a las 7am, 8am y 8:20am pidiendo español por ser falla de seguridad. Me negaron español y me colgaron 2 veces. La tercera vez me dejaron 15 minutos en espera sin contestar. Pido número de caso, grúa pagada a [XXX] que está más cerca de mi casa, y contacto del Gerente de Zona. Esto es discriminación de idioma en defecto de seguridad." INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11735484 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle wobbled and failed to respond. The contact stated that upon forcefully depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle responded as intended. There was no warning light illuminated. The failure mostly occurred while driving at highway speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed, and determined that the braking system needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the repair was not covered under the two-year warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond intermittently while attempting to drive from a complete stop on the roadway. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
NHTSA complaint #11732754 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The rear braking system failed due to a sticking/seizing brake caliper. An independent inspection confirmed a severe thickness discrepancy: the outer pad was worn down to 3mm, while the inner pad remained at 7mm. This occurred at only 7,343 miles. I have the physical brake pads provided by the dealer; however, I have photographic proof that the dealer provided fraudulent, evenly worn pads upon vehicle pickup to tamper with evidence. Both the fraudulent pads and the original photos of the defective pads are available for inspection. The sticking caliper causes uneven braking force, increased stopping distances, and premature brake failure. This is a severe safety risk that could lead to a loss of vehicle control or a collision, especially under emergency braking conditions. Furthermore, the dealership's attempt to conceal this defect by swapping parts prevents proper safety documentation and potential recall actions. An independent service center (certified technician) confirmed the 3mm/7mm wear delta on March 19, 2026. The dealer (Northstar Mitsubishi) also initially confirmed the defect and processed it as a $0.00 warranty repair (Invoice #6048308) before rescinding the coverage and demanding payment. The vehicle was inspected by the authorized dealer (Northstar Mitsubishi) and an independent repair facility. I am currently requesting a formal inspection by Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) corporate. There were no dashboard warning lamps. The primary symptom was an excessive amount of brake dust accumulating on the rear wheels compared to the front, and a noticeable physical thickness difference between the inner and outer brake pads. These symptoms were first observed around 7,000 miles during a routine inspection. The defect was confirmed by an independent technician's measurement of 3mm (outer) vs 7mm (inner).
NHTSA complaint #11726382 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving my vehicle, the roads were snowy so was traveling slowly. I attempted to slow down a little more, when I pushed on the brake there was absolutely no response, usually you can feel and even hear the brakes (abs) functioning, there was nothing. I also tried to steer, again, no response, the vehicle continued straight, we went into a ditch and rolled on our side. I tried to put down a window but all dash lights, etc were off and car was not running. I pushed the "start button" dash lights came on, could roll down windows, etc... and the car even starts and runs now. It seems as though there was no "control" of any kind, we were going slow and I even had time to tell my passenger, "be prepared, hold on"...
NHTSA complaint #11702513 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that upon manually activating the parking brake, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The vehicle was taken to Jack's Independent Service Inc, where it was diagnosed and determined that the parking brake operating shafts were corroded. The dealer related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V741000 (Parking Brake); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.
NHTSA complaint #11700107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Excess play with front axles, manufacture defect improperly torqued axles, under or no grease for axles. Loud clunk noise when braking, rotors and brakes were replaced noise still exists, dealership claims it was the rotors and brakes from harsh driving which is false. Issues with axle, premature wear of front and rear rotors and brakes caused by front axles and suspension failure & defects dealership is refusing to honor warranty.
NHTSA complaint #11690533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I had the car for less than a month. It had about 850 miles on it. I was driving on a flat service going between 25-30 mph. I was NOT using the Adaptive Cruise Control. Without any warning, the car suddenly accelerated and I immediately felt like I had no control. I do not know how fast the car was going at that point. I tried to brake - I was practically standing on the brake pedal. It all happened very quickly but knew that I had no control over the car. The Forward Collision Warning system did not activate and I hit the car in front of me, which in turn, hit the car in front of her. The airbags on the driver's side deployed. The car was deemed a total loss by the insurance adjuster. I informed the dealer. It is also mentioned in the police report.
NHTSA complaint #11689034 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was making a turn out of a driveway across a three-lane streets into the left turn lane on the street in front of my children's School, while pulling out of the driveway and crossing the lanes, having clear distance to cross the lanes and visual confirmation from the oncoming drivers as they were waiting for me to proceed, my car abruptly stopped, it breaks on its own and left me across the three lanes sideways exposed to be t-boned. It would not start or move out of the stopped position. I tried to put the car in park and again in drive to no avail the car still would not budge. I had to completely turn off my vehicle and restart it in order to get out of the way of oncoming traffic.
NHTSA complaint #11680254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
For the past 3 winters since I had this vehicle when it is cold outside the vehicle starts hard or will not start at all requiring a jump. It will not shift gears, or accelerate. The battery light comes on after the vehicle is running. I have called the local dealership and was told this happens when it is cold. I was told to bring the car in and let it sit there when it's cold so they can try and re create the problems they stated the battery is fine. As of today the vehicle started to leak oil after it started hard. When i purchased the vehicle i had noticed the hood shakes and bounces when driving. I mentioned this to the sales agent and they stated it was a known issue and they would recall the hood but it was a timely process. It is unsafe to drive a vehicle that will not accelerate or change from reverse to park and then roll It is also.unsafe to drive with oil leaking in your car I have made my vehicle available each time there is a situation The battery light comes on but has been tested at the dealership in the last 2 months This happens every time it's cold i call and they tell me itsa known issue when it's cold. When i purchased the vehicle I noticed the hood bouncing I asked the sales person about it and they said it was a known issue and they would fix it when the parts came in. I should have been more careful as it was a vehicle right off the truck.
NHTSA complaint #11637299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My parking brake has stopped working/is completely locked up (like what is descrived in the recall, but my vin isn't included in thr recall list), and the airbags were missing at time of sell.
NHTSA complaint #11630023 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The emergency brake suddenly failed to function. Applied the brake but there was no tension on the lever & no brake function occuring. I understand there was a VIN specific recall on this vehicle and just wondering how my vehicle that falls under the year, make & model does not qualify for the recall but is suffering from the same exact issue?
NHTSA complaint #11626381 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The brakes keep giving out, this is the second Mitsubishi and the brakes gave out [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11626314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The electric parking break was stuck and alarm going off. Only used ebrake maybe 5 times in the years I have had my car. This time was I used it while parked on a hill. The ebrake would not disengage properly. Dealer says need a new one, even though the electric parking brake now engages and releases ok, just the alarm won't go off. Then I learned that there was a recall for the 2016 Outlanders for the parking brake not engaging/disengaging properly. Why is there not a recall for the 2017 Outlanders with this problem?
NHTSA complaint #11625635 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
“Since April, I’ve had an issue with the caliper in my car, and as of today, October 16, Victory Mitsubishi still hasn’t resolved it. I went back on July 4, and they told me they ordered the parts, but they’ve been on backorder since then. I’m still waiting, and my car’s brakes feel rough, plus the noise is really annoying.”
NHTSA complaint #11620074 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rusted suspension crossbody unsafe to drive. The brakes and calibers seem to always seize as well making this vehicle a death trap no matter how many times I get it fixed.
NHTSA complaint #11618906 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving down the highway at 70 mph, my 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander SEL suddenly shut off without warning, causing the entire dashboard and instrument cluster to go dark. In a matter of seconds, the vehicle unexpectedly braked on its own, decelerating from 70 to 0 mph in an extremely short distance. This abrupt stop nearly caused an 18-wheeler behind me to rear-end my vehicle. Thankfully, the truck driver was able to swerve just in time, narrowly avoiding a catastrophic collision. The situation could have resulted in severe injuries or fatalities. During the incident, all power to the vehicle was lost. The brakes became unresponsive and impossible to press, and the steering became extremely difficult to control, making it nearly impossible to maneuver the vehicle safely. This is the fifth time my vehicle has experienced this issue, with the past three instances almost ending in serious accidents due to the car’s complete failure to respond. After a few seconds of total power loss, the vehicle inexplicably starts back up on its own and operates as if nothing had happened. Despite this recurring and life-threatening malfunction, the dealership has been unable to identify or fix the problem after four repair attempts. Each time, they’ve tried different fixes: 1. Initially, a software update was performed. 2. Next, the ADAS controller was replaced. 3. Then, the body computer was swapped out. 4. Now, they are attempting to replace a power distribution system. Even after these numerous interventions, the problem persists, and the dealership has no clear understanding of the underlying cause. They have viewed a video of the incident that I provided, but no actual solution has been identified. The dealership has resorted to seeking advice from other brand technicians in an attempt to resolve the issue, but to date, there is no resolution in sight. This defect poses an imminent danger to my safety and the safety of others on the road.
NHTSA complaint #11617627 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.