2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Phev problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Vehicle Speed Control (3) · Power Train (3) · Visibility/Wiper (2)
Safety recalls (5)
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.
Service bulletins (99)
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.
Unknown Or Other 2026-07-08 · DEALER LETTER 260708 · Other
this dealer letter informs dealers that the second edition of the high voltage safety online course is now available.
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.
Visibility/Wiper 2026-02-12 · TECH TALK 290 · 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.
Structure:body 2025-01-29 · TECH TALK 284 · 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-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.
Showing the 6 most recent of 99 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2020-09-03 · Fuel/Propulsion System · 32,000 mi“while driving my vehicle, the propulsion reduced warning light came on and the car went from 70 mph to 10 mph. i was driving up a grade in the late evening. i had a full tank of gas but no miles left on the electric charge indicator. after i pulled over and waited a few minutes the light went off and i was able to drive the vehicle home. i took…”
2020-08-08 · Unknown Or Other · 8,500 mi“call volume is set for 11 and can't be heard over common road noise. this causes distracted driving as the driver attempts to turn off bluetooth or worse to transfer the call to the phone - which is illegal in most states requiring hands free calls. this is a long known problem and was supposed to be fixed in earlier models. it still isn't. dea…”
2020-06-30 · Vehicle Speed Control · 10,000 mi“the vehicle slowed down to 20 mph when the outside air temperature was near 95 deg f and the road slightly uphill. a message came on the dashboard that read limited propulsion. it happened on i-15 on the way to vegas last september. i filed a complaint with bbb and the answer i got from mitsubishi was that it is designed that way. i have a copy…”
2020-02-25 · Vehicle Speed Control · 26,535 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2018 mitsubishi outlander. the contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the vehicle failed to shift into park. the contact was able to shift the vehicle into other gears however, the vehicle failure to shift into park persisted. the contact turned the vehicle off and restarted the vehicle however, the failure…”
2019-12-06 · Power Train · 10,328 mi · 💥 crash“started up the car and started backing up out of my garage. when i put my car into reverse i saw my charging port door open on the passenger side of the car at this point my cars back end was partially sticking out of the garage i put the car into park by pushing the park button, i opened the door got out of the car and left the door open and start…”
2019-12-06 · Unknown Or Other · 10,330 mi“i picked up the car from the body shop code on dashboard ev system service required no gas or battery so went to gas station and vehicle wouldn't go into park went home called my wife and had her come outside she had to put gas in. then drove to the dealership i had my wife get out and go get help she came out with a salesman. he saw what was going…”
2019-12-06 · Unknown Or Other · 1,843 mi“i bought my car in march of 2019 and after my first car wash i realized there was a paint defects little divots down to the primer all over on the hood and other places on the vehicle the dealership attempted to repaint vehicle paint due to factory defect three times to a non-mitsubishi body shop and dealership did not inform mitsubishi corporate a…”
2019-09-16 · Seats · 13,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2018 mitsubishi outlander phev. while driving at low speeds, the front parking sensors erroneously activated and a beeping sound was heard although no objects were present in front of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to corner stone mitsubishi (580 main st, wilmington, ma) where the front parking sensor was replaced, but th…”
2019-06-06 · Vehicle Speed Control · 8,600 mi“the forward collision mitigation system activated braking when a motorcyclist passed between lanes on the highway. i was traveling about 45 mph in medium traffic. the motorcyclist passed on my left and brakes were applied by the car when the motorcyclist was approximately 20-25ft in front of me.…”
2019-04-24 · Visibility/Wiper · 1,600 mi“put car in drive took off on it's own went up to 40 mph and stayed there shout it down and restarted ran ok rest of the day. next morning did same thing. i did the something i did the day befor. called service and mitsubishi usa both said bring it to the service department so i started up the road and on the interstate i put it in cruise control. …”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.