2017 Mitsubishi Outlander problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Service Brakes (11) · Power Train (7) · Electrical System (4)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Mitsubishi Outlander model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
28 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (6)
Structure:body:hatchback/Liftgate:support Device/Strut 2026-04-20 · campaign 26V252000 · 108,046 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Outlander PHEV and 2014-2020 Outlander vehicles. The liftgate gas spring cylinders may corrode and lose pressure, which can result in a gas spring cylinder rupture or the liftgate falling unexpectedly.
Risk: A gas spring cylinder rupture or a liftgate falling unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: MMNA will replace the left and right liftgate gas springs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 17, 2026. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-26-001. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov June 3, 2026. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V507.
Structure:body:hatchback/Liftgate:support Device/Strut 2025-08-07 · campaign 25V507000 · 121,529 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Outlander PHEV and 2014-2020 Outlander vehicles sold and/or currently registered in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The liftgate gas spring
Risk: A gas spring cylinder rupture or a liftgate falling unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: MMNA will replace the left and right liftgate gas springs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 6, 2025. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-25-002
Seat Belts: Rear/Other:buckle Assembly 2020-07-13 · campaign 20V403000 · 177,000 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Outlander and 2018-2019 Outlander PHEV vehicles. The second-row center seat belt buckle may interfere with the right-side seat belt buckle when the seat backs are folded down. The interference may cause the right-side seat belt buckle cover to come off, making the buckle latch inoperable and unable to restrain an occupant.
Risk: An unrestrained occupant has an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will modify the second-row center seat belt buckle cover, install a new warning label to the second-row seat support base, and provide a new warning label insert for the owner's manual, free of charge. The recall began September 1, 2020. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-20-004.
Forward Collision Avoidance:software:pedestrian/Cyclist/Object/Obstacle/ Recognition 2018-09-14 · campaign 18V620000 · 9,166 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Outlander Sport, 2018-2019 Eclipse Cross, and 2017-2018 Outlander vehicles equipped with a Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system that detects pedestrians. Due to incorrect software, the FCM-ECU (Electronic Control Unit) may apply braking for longer than needed, even after a pedestrian is no longer detected.
Risk: If the FCM-ECU software activates the brake for longer than necessary, the driver may react by applying additional braking. The resulting rapid deceleration of the vehicle can increase the risk of a rear-end collision.
Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the FCM-ECU software with updated software, free of charge. The recall is began October 16, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-007.
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control 2018-09-14 · campaign 18V621000 · 58,916 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport vehicles equipped with a Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system and 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Eclipse Cross vehicles and 2017-2018 Outlander vehicles equipped with an Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system and/or an Electric Parking Brake (EPB) system. The software for the Hydraulic Unit Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may be incorrect, possibly preventing the intervention of a safety syste
Risk: If the safety systems do not function as intended, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will update the Hydraulic Unit-ECU software, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-008.
Electrical System:starter Assembly:relay 2017-09-29 · campaign 17V609000 · 132,552 vehicles
Defect: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Outlander, 2015-2016 Lancer and Outlander Sport, and 2015 Lancer Evolution vehicles. These vehicles may have defective relays that can result in an engine stall, reduced engine power or the engine overheating.
Risk: If the engine stalls, there is an increased the risk of a crash.
Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected relays, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2017. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-17-005.
Service bulletins (139)
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.
Visibility/Wiper 2026-02-12 · TSB-23-55-001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this revised technical service bulletin provides instructions on how to remedy noise from the hvac system (heater, air conditioner, ventilation vents) when the blower motor is turned on.
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.
Structure:body 2025-10-08 · TIN-25-SR-002A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this technical information notice informs dealers that mmna is investigating the field performance of certain liftgate gas springs outside the population of vehicles covered by safety recall no. sr-25-002.
Electrical System 2024-07-23 · TSB-20-54-002REV · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this technical service bulletin instructs the dealer to update the smartphone link display audio software to resolve poor sound quality during hands-free phone calls.
Electrical System 2024-07-23 · TSB-19-54-013REV · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this technical service bulletin instructs the dealer to update the smartphone link display audio software to resolve several issues.
Electrical System 2024-07-23 · TSB-18-54-006REV · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this technical service bulletin provides instructions for a software update to correct an issue of the rear view camera displaying on the display audio unit while driving forward.
Showing the 6 most recent of 139 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-05-04 · Unknown Or Other“the cvt transmission went out at 115k and has to be replaced and can not be repaired…”
2026-05-04 · Lane Departure: Warning“fcm/ service required camera. camera/braking assistance. electric srs /airbag of…”
2026-03-11 · Power Train · 129,000 mi“the contact owns a 2017 mitsubishi outlander. the contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the vehicle was shuddering, and it was difficult to stabilize the steering wheel before the vehicle shut off. the check transmission message was displayed. the vehicle was towed to the residence. the local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagno…”
2025-08-23 · Electrical System“i keep getting the 4wd system service pop up and my vehicle stalls at 40 and jerks a lot.…”
2025-03-06 · Power Train“cvt transmission bad at 81,000 miles as well as the transfer case causing delay in shifting and rough shifting.…”
2024-11-15 · Service Brakes“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 …”
2024-10-07 · Power Train“i would that it's too early for my vehicle with 64900 miles already has an oil pan gasket that causes a leak to my vehicle every time i do oil change on time and also that i have a cooler hose of the transmission leaked and for the transmission to be in service every 60000 miles. so i filed a complaint against the manufacturer who is the cause for …”
2023-09-07 · Visibility/Wiper“failure of driver side exterior mirror. 3 years after purchase of vehicle the mirror would no longer move in and out. dealer replaced with oem quality mirror july 2021. 2 years later (august 2023)mirror now has the exact same malfunction/defect. mitsubishi is unable to tell me why the failure happened in the first place or why it has again happened…”
2022-12-10 · Service Brakes · 💥 crash“12/08/22 my breaks malfunctioned prior to impact i could not stop and i rear ended another car the other persons car wasn't nearly as bad as mine ..my outlander however is totaled. even though i was only doing 30. they were replaced in september 2022 as well but the problem had happened a few times before but i didn't know if there was a recall on …”
2022-11-14 · Engine“i’ve changed the battery at least once or twice within the first 2 years of purchasing the vehicle from the dealer with zero miles on it. lately (in the past 2 months) i’ve changed the battery at least four times or more. some expensive batteries as well. in the past 2 months, it’s been giving me problems including stalling on me, slowing down on t…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.