2012 Mitsubishi I-Miev problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Service Brakes (7) · Power Train (2) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic (1)
Safety recalls (6)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum 2019-11-08 · campaign 19V804000 · 2,108 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2012-2017 i-MiEV vehicles. Water may penetrate the brake assist vacuum pump, causing corrosion and a failure of the brake vacuum pump.
Risk: Without the brake vacuum pump, the driver will experience a sudden loss of braking assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake vacuum pump, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-19-002.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2017-01-10 · campaign 17V022000 · 1,964 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2012 and 2014 i-MiEV vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on March 10, 2017. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-17-001.
Air Bags 2015-09-23 · campaign 15V594000 · 13,558 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage vehicles manufactured July 27, 2013, to November 20, 2013, and 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV vehicles manufactured October 28, 2011, to September 7, 2012. Due to an increased resistance in the impact sensor for the air bag system, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal, side and/or curtain air bags when the SRS warning is illuminated, the frontal air bag may have a delayed
Risk: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not deploy or deploys late, increases the risk of occupant injury.
Fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected impact sensors, free of charge. The recall began on November 5, 2015. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-15-011.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum 2014-09-02 · campaign 14V522000 · 1,810 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 i-MiEV electric vehicles manufactured September 15, 2009, to March 25, 2014. Due to either software programming or corrosion caused by road salt, the brake vacuum pump may stop functioning.
Risk: If the brake vacuum pump stops functioning, the distance needed to stop the vehicle may be lengthened, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and depending on the affected vehicle, dealers will either reprogram the brake vacuum pump controller, replace the brake vacuum pump or do both, free of charge. The recall began on October 24, 2014. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-14-007.
Service Brakes 2013-01-25 · campaign 13V031000 · 1,402 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America is recalling certain model year 2012 i-MiEV electric vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011, through September 7, 2012. The brake system vacuum pump may fail, causing the vacuum pump to be inoperable.
Risk: If the vaccum pump system fails, it will reduce available brake power which would result in lengthened stopping distances, which may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected vacuum pumps free of charge. The recall began on February 28, 2013. Owners may contact Mitsubishi at 1-888-648-7820.
Air Bags:frontal:sensor/Control Module-Inactive 2012-08-01 · campaign 12V372000 · 261 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi is recalling certain model year 2012 i-MiEV vehicles manufactured between November 4, 2011, and December 22, 2011. Incompatibility between the air bag sensors and the self-diagnostic software may deactivate the frontal and side airbag system. Should this occur, the SRS warning lamp would illuminate to alert the driver.
Risk: The side and curtain air bags may not deploy in a crash for which those air bags were intended to deploy, increasing the risk of personal injury to the vehicle occupants.
Fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the incompatible air bag sensors with new, compatible units, free of charge. The safety recall began on during August 2012. Owners may contact Mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.
Service bulletins (127)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Air Bags 2025-11-10 · TIN-25-00-013 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this technical information notice informs dealers that with permission from the puerto rico traffic safety commission, notification letters are being sent to vehicle owners with puerto rico addresses to inform them of open takata recalls.
Air Bags 2025-09-08 · TIN-25-00-011 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this technical information notice informs dealers that with permission from the texas department of motor vehicles (dmv), notification letters are being sent to vehicle owners with texas addresses to inform them of open takata recalls.
Air Bags 2025-04-11 · TIN-25-00-005 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this technical information notice informs dealers that with permission from the ohio bureau of motor vehicle, notification letters are being sent to vehicle owners with ohio addresses to inform them of open takata recalls.
Air Bags 2025-04-11 · TIN-25-00-004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this technical information notice informs dealers that with permission from the louisiana motor vehicle division, notification letters are being sent to vehicle owners with louisiana addresses to inform them of open takata recalls.
Air Bags 2024-12-09 · TIN-24-00-011 · Service Campaign
this is a technical information notice informing dealers that mmna is launching a social media campaign targeting vehicle owners with open takata recalls.
Air Bags 2024-10-21 · TIN-24-00-008 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this technical information notice informs dealers that with permission from the arizona motor vehicle division, notification letters are being sent to vehicle owners with arizona addresses to inform them of open takata recalls.
Showing the 6 most recent of 127 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2021-06-22 · Service Brakes“takata recall. the contact owns a 2012 mitsubishi i-miev. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 19v804000 (service, brake, hydraulic), 17v022000 (air bags), and 15v594000 (air bags) however, the contact stated there was no local dealer in their area to do the recall repairs. when they reached out to the manufacturer, they wer…”
2020-03-31 · Unknown Or Other · 89,804 mi“mitsubishi announced a recall for on board charger (obc) defects per attached letter and advised replacement or refund if part was already replaced. also attached repair invoice 301408 for $5080.82 was paid by warranty company. mitsubishi is offering refund of $100.00 deductible instead of total costs. please intervene to get the complete refund …”
2020-02-26 · Power Train · 60,000 mi“on multiple occasions vehicle will accelerate at half charge under load will deaccelerate from 50 to below 30 miles an hour. causing disruptions in traffic and people passing you. the power steering seems to shut down with the turtle light.…”
2020-02-04 · Service Brakes“tl* the contact owns a 2012 mitsubishi i-miev. the contact stated that the vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 19v804000 (brake assist vacuum pump). the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the vehicle was taken to oakland kia mitsubishi, 2424 webster street, oakland, ca 94612 w…”
2019-03-18 · Service Brakes · 22,141 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2012 mitsubishi i-miev. after the vehicle was repaired per nhtsa campaign number: 14v522000 (service brakes, hydraulic), the brake pressure began losing power. in addition, the brake indicator illuminated intermittently. the contact called sims mitsubishi (2908 medina rd, medina, oh 44256, (330) 722-8000) and was informed to…”
2019-01-22 · Power Train · 50,000 mi“on 11/20/18, we took our 2012 i-miev into the roger beasley mitsubishi at 1120 shelby ln, austin, 78745 after the car rapidly lost power while driving at highway speeds on at least 2 occasions. the first time he was driving 65 mph and the car slowed to about 15 mph. the outdoor temperature was 50 degrees. he immediately pulled over and turned…”
2019-01-21 · Service Brakes · 26,517 mi“brakes suddenly became very difficult to operate. the problem was the brake vacuum pump. the dealer reported to me that the brake vacuum pump has been replaced in 2013 as a safety recall. apparently the replacement pump does not fix the problem. the replacement brake vacuum pump replacement is not durable. i was charged $1,300 to have it replaced…”
2018-11-15 · Fuel/Propulsion System · 41,800 mi“two transmissions have seized and sheared gears or sheared gears respectively. additionally the traction battery retains 61% of advertised capacity after 5.5 years and 41,xxx miles.…”
2018-03-13 · Service Brakes · 36,000 mi“brake vacuum pump has failed there have been 2 previous recalls relating to this vacuum pump. my pump has been replaced once under the first recall. it was not replaced under the second recall (nhtsa id: 14v522), during which "dealers will either reprogram the brake vacuum pump controller, replace the brake vacuum pump or do both, free of cha…”
2014-12-30 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic“2012 mitsubishi i-miev. complaint related to second recall of i-miev. *mw the consumer stated at 12,000 miles, the front brake pads disintegrated for no reason. the technician stated the vacuum pump related and the brake pads disintegrating were related. the consumer stated mitsubishi would not pay to have the vehicle shipped honolulu from hawa…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.