172 of the
1,874 complaints filed about the Mitsubishi Outlander
are about the suspension —
9% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2007.
This vehicle recieved the [XXX] recall treatment in 2019 but the crossmember snapped anyway in april 2026. It snapped all the way through on the driverside causing the wheel to go completely sideways pulling out the cv axle with it, smashing into the wheel well and fender making the driverside door inoperable, and causing the TOTAL loss of control and needed emergency towing off the roadway. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11757335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I’ve had it looked at twice at two different places and they don’t see anything wrong with it but when you hit bumps, especially going high rate of speed, it feels like you’re gonna lose control of the backend. When I looked online, there’s multiple people with the exact same issues and they take it in and they see that everything‘s tight and nothing’s worn out but even my daughter doesn’t like driving our car going down the highways because it feels like you’re gonna lose control. My car doesn’t even have 50,000 miles on it and I just bought it. The back end feels like it kicks out to the side.
NHTSA complaint #11741966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear of the vehicle would move independently. The contact stated that it felt as if the vehicle were going to slide and eventually would lose control. No warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that an unknown rear chip had failed. The shock absorbers had water, the rear brake pads were worn down to zero, and the rear differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted and was worsening. In addition, the contact stated an abnormal grinding sound could be heard coming from the rear differential. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the differential gauge had failed to function as intended. The warning light for the 4-wheel drive was illuminated. The brakes and calipers were replaced. The rear differential was not repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the pole where the breather pipe is inserted on the rear differential carrier is off spec, allowing water intrusion. And that the new rear tires were badly worn on the inside and had high spots on the center. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.
NHTSA complaint #11735926 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was coming to a stop from 40 mph and CLUNK!!! The cross member on my suspension is rusted so severely that the wheel and steering column are in danger of being ripped apart. The car has 104,927 miles on it and is well cared for. Mitsubishi has recalls on this cross member part for 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander and other years in states that use salt on the roads. I feel this part is defective and I should have a recall that gets my car repaired. I believe my driving conditions mimic northern salted roadway conditions. I lived in upstate NY for 39 years. I now live in Florida and drive directly on the beach sand in New Smyrna Beach. I tow a boat in and out of salt water. My car is sprayed off with my boat and trailer after every trip. I know how to fight salt. The cross member is defective. My car is a V6 and fits the parameters of the recall perfectly except I'm not living in the North. My car engine is in perfect running condition. My car is too dangerous to drive because of the faulty cross member. I am lucky I had enough sense to take it to a local garage or I could have literally been killed trying to make it 25 miles to my dealership. I was going 40 mph and coming up to a red light I put my foot on the brake and CLUNK!! IT WAS SCARY SCARY!!! I drove directly to my local garage. They examined it on the 10th. They called my husband and I and said you need to see this damage. IT IS BAD! The cross member is rusted on the driver's side of the car and is a hairs breath away from complete failure. The passenger side is fine.
NHTSA complaint #11717603 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1. On hot/warm days when I start my vehicle it will run then die and give me the code for Mass air sensor which I replaced but it keeps doing it; the check engine will stay on for a while then turn off until it does it again. 2. When driving and I go over a speed bump the suspension grinds or does a hard squeaking noise. 3. The USB in the center console stops working at times or when move the charging cord it disconnects for a few seconds. 4. Internal lights work when they want to, I thought the bulbs where burnt out and replaced them but they still come on when they want to not everytime a door is opened.
NHTSA complaint #11716927 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mitsubishi Motors has been contacted several times in the past about the ETACS system being faulty. The windshield wipers on this particular car went out in February, 2017, at which time they were contacted and rudely refused culpability. The car has had recall-related services completed: 2 windshield wiper recalls and a corrosion-related recall. I was told by the Mitsubishi tech in Asheville, NC that the recall on the wipers did not cover the faulty ETACS, "which is a common repair on 06-11 Mitsubishis." He was more than happy to give me a quote for more than $1,000 to replace the defective ETACS. We've replaced coil springs that snapped in two as I pulled out from my driveway with my children in tow - NOT covered by the recall because the mileage on the vehicle was 3,800 miles OVER Mitsubishi's pre-set mileage limit. I have had numerous problems out of the vehicle: coil springs snapped in two, ETACS failure, (still) non-functioning windshield wipers, corroded/rotted exhaust that cost nearly $1,000 to repair - not REPLACE but to REPAIR -, electrical failures related to headlights/interior lights/Bluetooth/cruise control, and severe cross member corrosion. I have reached out to Mitsubishi Motors several times since purchasing the vehicle, and other than speaking to extremely rude representatives three times by phone, no one has ever responded to me about my concerns. Most concerning right now: The anti-corrosion that was applied by the Mitsubishi dealership should have been a complete replacement of the front and back subframes, as BOTH are completely ROTTEN and CRUMBLING from rust! My daughter had been driving this vehicle with her baby in tow until recently! It is completely unacceptable that Mitsubishi Motors has not been held accountable and forced to fix these issues!
NHTSA complaint #11714835 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while the front tires were being replaced, corrosion was found underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving over 60 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. In addition, the vehicle vibrated abnormally while driving over 60 MPH. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the shocks, struts, and lower control arm were replaced due to corrosion. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11696135 — 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.
Clunking/Rattling noise coming from passenger rear of vehicle when hitting bumps and rear of vehicle swaying/swerving. Can hear noise while shaking the car side to side while parked. Only 35000 miles. Rear suspension of vehicle seems soft. Took to the dealer rear was misaligned didn't find any other problems. Continue to have the problem swaying/swerving is still there but not as bad. This could possibly cause driver to loose control.
NHTSA complaint #11684655 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Engine malfunctions. powered reduced when trying to turn from a dead stop. Flutters. Doesn't accelerate. Just sounds like its grinding. Plus premature brake wear.
NHTSA complaint #11664552 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal and attempting to make a left turn, the cross member attached to the control arm failed. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent center to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V279000 (STRUCTURE, SUSPENSION); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 205,000.
NHTSA complaint #11656030 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH over a bump in the road, and the front passenger’s side tie rod was fractured due to a corroded cross member, and the vehicle was undrivable. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the front cross member and tie rod assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact stated that the VIN was included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V458000 (SUSPENSION). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 120,000.
NHTSA complaint #11648918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When visiting local dealership for a state inspection it was found the rear subframe of my 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander, 2WD Model XLS has rusted completely through. I an internet search it was found that this was a common occurrence and a highly dangerous issue and it would not pass for a safety inspection. It appears from the number of complaints posted on various message boards it is widely known that this inferior component exists in a number of years for this and other models in the Mitsubishi brand. While its was noted in posting that the Mitsubishi dealership recognized this defect as a recall item, it was not showing up in the NTSB safety recall list for my VIN [XXX] . Please advise as to the investigation into this serious component failure and the recall status via return email. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11629728 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I only had my car 6 months, this is second set of tires I have put on it and it the back ones right off. Also the hood shakes and wobbles while driving the vehicle down the road. I have consulted a lawyer because the rear suspension was fixed once with only 19,000 miles on the car.
NHTSA complaint #11615088 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle came to an immediate stop and did not return to normal operation. The contact noticed that the front control arm had detached. No warning light was illuminated. The contact researched and became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V458000 (Suspension). The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to the residence. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was included in the recall but already had been serviced under the recall; however, the failure occurred. The failure mileage was 188,000.
NHTSA complaint #11611129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, she observed a rubbing noise emanating from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that on one of those occasions, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, while driving over bumps in the roadway the vehicle was not driving smoothly. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the drive belt was cracked on the ribs of the belt, the sway bar links, and front and rear CV boots were torn, the tie rod end replacement boots were torn, and the lower front and lower control arms, ball joints, and rear bushings were torn, the motor mount front bushings had started to tear, motor mount was torn, and the shock absorbers needed to be replaced due to rear shocks leaking and that all the listed parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,148.
NHTSA complaint #11608802 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
At 15,000 miles the car began to exhibit a loud “knocking” and / or “clunking” sounds upon turning the steering wheel. Three dealerships later I’ve learned it is called a “strut bearing”, and that it’s covered under a “special coverage”. Which special coverage means that this is a widely known issue after the cars have be sold. This should be a total recall. They dealer a fixing it. Had to order parts. Of course no loaner car. Won’t be using the selling dealer any longer.
NHTSA complaint #11599323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the suspension. Additionally, the contact stated that the steering wheel was uncontrollable while driving. The contact stated that while turning the steering wheel to the right, the front wheels shifted in the opposite direction. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic. The contact stated that the vehicle was scheduled to be taken to the dealer within the next several days. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8.
NHTSA complaint #11592649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.