2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags (9) · Structure:body (4) · Electrical System (4)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Mitsubishi Outlander Sport model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
30 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (10)
Structure:frame And Members 2021-03-05 · campaign 21V144000 · 15,347 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Outlander Sport vehicles originally sold, 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 w
Risk: A detached front control arm can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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, free of charge. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-21-001. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 20V-279. Owners not previously notified under 20V-279 were notified on March 22, 2021.
Structure:frame And Members 2020-05-18 · campaign 20V279000 · 141,200 vehicles
Defect: 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 c
Risk: A detached front control arm can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Visibility:windshield Wiper/Washer:linkages 2018-02-09 · campaign 18V103000 · 158,651 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2011-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles. Water may enter between the hood and windshield and cause the front wiper link ball joint to corrode, possibly resulting in the wiper link separating and the wipers becoming inoperative.
Risk: Loss of wiper function can reduce visibility and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rod of the wiper link and the wiper motor crank arm, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 10, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-004.
Parking Brake 2018-01-26 · campaign 18V070000 · 170,354 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Outlander and 2013-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles. Water may enter the rear brake calipers causing the parking brake actuator shafts to corrode and possibly bind.
Risk: If the parking brake actuator shaft binds, the parking brake may not engage or disengage fully. If the parking brake does not engage properly, the vehicle may move unexpectedly if it is parked on a slope, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear brake calipers and replace the parking brake boot and lever or the brake caliper body, as necessary. Dealers will also replace the piston assembly of the rear brake caliper. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 27, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-002.
Visibility:windshield Wiper/Washer:motor 2016-10-31 · campaign 16V792000 · 93,801 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2011-2015 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured August 26, 2010, to January 5, 2015. In the affected vehicles, water may drop between the hood and the windshield and leak into the wiper motor breathing hole. The water may cause internal corrosion of the windshield wiper motor and the possible failure of the motor.
Risk: Failure of the wiper motor can cause a loss of visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiper motor, free of charge. The manufacturer has begun the recall, but parts are not yet available; a second notice will be sent when parts are available. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-16-010.
Seat Belts 2014-11-21 · campaign 14V744000 · 54,779 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured July 20, 2012, to July 23, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the front passenger seat belt lap end attachment fastener may not be torqued to specification, and the fastener may loosen with time.
Risk: A loosened and weakened fastener may not be capable of withstanding the load forces associated with a vehicle crash, leaving the seat occupant insufficiently restrained and increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt lap end attachment fastener, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2014. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-714-372-6000. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-14-011.
Air Bags 2014-02-04 · campaign 14V031000 · 733 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2013 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured July 20, 2012, through May 29, 2013 and equipped with leather seats. In the affected vehicles, the driver side seat mounted air bag wiring may have been improperly routed during the leather seat cover installation process.
Risk: If the wiring is routed incorrectly, using the seat height adjustment may damage the wiring resulting in illumination of the air bag warning light. Subsequently, in the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the driver side seat mounted air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners and dealers will inspect the wiring of the driver side seat mounted air bag and re-route the wire if necessary, free of charge. If the wire is damaged, the seat mounted airbag will be replaced, free of chagre. The recall began on February 28, 2014. Owners may contact Mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-14-001.
Suspension:front 2013-07-08 · campaign 13V300000 · 305 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2013 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured January 17, 2013, through January 25, 2013. The stabilizer link bracket on the left front strut was improperly welded. As a result, the link may detach and cause damage to the tire and/or brake hose.
Risk: If the stabilizer link bracket damages the tire and/or brake line, the driver may have more difficulty controlling the steering of the vehicle, or the vehicle may require a longer stopping distance to come to a complete and controlled stop. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the front left strut assembly free of charge. The recall began on July 30, 2013. Owners may contact MMNA at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's recall number is SR-13-008.
Electrical System 2013-03-29 · campaign 13V112000 · 3,724 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2013 Outlander Sport AWD vehicles manufactured June 11, 2012, through December 11, 2012. These vehicles may have been built without a fuel sending unit harness for the sub-sending unit. This may result in a false fuel tank level reading.
Risk: The vehicle operator may believe they have fuel when the tank is actually empty. This could cause the engine to stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will install the proper fuel sending harness, free of charge. The recall began on April 18, 2013. Owners may contact Mitsubishi at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's campaign recall number is SR-13-005.
Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch 2013-03-29 · campaign 13V116000 · 4,539 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2013 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured June 11, 2012, through September 11, 2012. These vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment," and FMVSS number 114, "Theft Protection." The brake stop lamps may illuminate continuously or intermittently. The shift lever could also be moved out of Park wit
Risk: If the brake lamps do not illuminate properly other vehicles may not know when the vehicle is stopping. This could increase the risk of a crash. If the shift lever is moved from park without using the brake, the vehicle may roll causing personal injury.
Fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will correct the installation of the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The recall BEGAN ON April 18, 2013. Owners may contact Mitsubishi at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's campaign recall number is SR-13-004.
Service bulletins (166)
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.
Seat Belts 2025-11-21 · TECH TALK 289 · Other
tech talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. it covers various topics and reviews the previous months publications.
Visibility/Wiper 2024-08-07 · TECH TALK 281 · Other
tech talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. it covers various topics and reviews the previous months publications.
Electrical System 2024-07-23 · TSB-16-54-001REV · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this technical service bulletin instructs the dealer to update the hands free module software to improve the bluetooth connection when certain devices are connected to wi‐fi.
Power Train 2024-06-03 · TSB-24-23-004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service manual revision - this technical service bulletin provides corrections to the description of special tools used to install the oil seal within the automatic transaxle sections of the applicable service manuals.
Equipment:other:owners/Service/Other Manual 2023-07-21 · DEALER LETTER · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this is a dealer letter sent to dealers informing that mitsubishi technical training has launched the 3rd quarterly technician quiz for 2023.
Structure 2023-04-24 · TSB-23-00-004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this technical service bulletin provides instructions and material safety data sheets for removal of rap-film adhesive residue.
Showing the 6 most recent of 166 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-06-23 · Suspension · 100,000 mi“the contact owns a 2013 mitsubishi outlander sport. the vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 21v144000 (suspension, structure); and it was determined the undercarriage was extremely rusted. the vehicle was not repaired due to the rust. the manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was prov…”
2025-02-18 · Unknown Or Other“the lights on my clutch are not coming on. i’m concerned there are other electrical issues affecting the cluster and the odometer display…”
2024-10-14 · Air Bags“airbag system service required message appears on dash. occurred on 09/20/2018 and again on 09/29/2023. both times required service to fix. has now happened again on 10/14/2024. secondary issue was reported by another driver for same vehicle for nhtsa id number: 11339357 and nhtsa id number: 11567379…”
2024-03-29 · Suspension · 💥 crash“in 2020 i got a recall for engine support from mitsubishi. we took it in and told me that the support was find that i didn’t need to be replace even tho the recall called for it. they ended up putting rust paint on the support. 4 weeks ago that part broke on my wife when she was driving down the road. the steering wheel was taken out of my wife’s h…”
2023-11-15 · Electrical System“my electrical system and/or computer brain is not operating properly. about a year and 1/2 ago the low beam passenger light stopped working. i had the bulb replaced at walmart. 2 months later it went out again. walmart checked and said the bulb was not the problem so i went to firestone and was told the wiring was melted. firestone said my options …”
2023-02-20 · Structure:body“hello: i purchased this vehicle last nov. the rear hatch was opening fine," but after a couple of months it has stopped and the only way to open it," is from the lever on the inside. you have to use a screw driver or prying tool of some sort to remove the cover in order to get to the lever and you have to lay the back seats down and crawl back ther…”
2023-02-07 · Suspension · 140,000 mi“the contact owns a 2013 mitsubishi outlander sport. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, his wife indicated that the vehicle was not driving in a straight line. upon inspection, it was discovered that the front driver’s side suspension lower control arm had fractured due to subframe rust and corrosion. the local dealer and manuf…”
2022-11-10 · Air Bags“airbag service system light is on in my car and the codes ran and it popped up sr-14-001 they gave me paperwork saying its a recall on my driver seat mounted airbag wiring has been improperly installed. dealership is saying its not a recall. …”
2022-08-24 · Power Train · 52,000 mi“the contact owns a 2013 mitsubishi outlander sport. the contact stated while driving at various speeds, the "transmission overheating" message was displayed on the instrument panel as the vehicle lost motive power. the contact stated that the vehicle would restart after waiting approximately 10 minutes and would resume normal operation. the contact…”
2022-06-09 · Power Train · 96,793 mi“the contact owns a 2013 mitsubishi outlander sport. the contact stated while driving 65 mph, the transmission started overheating. there was a message displayed on the instrument panel to slow down. the vehicle then started to decelerate independently. the contact was able to park the vehicle and waited 10-15 minutes before restarting the vehicle. …”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.