Problems · NHTSA complaints

2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution problems

Owners filed 2 complaints about the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution with NHTSA between Oct 2008 and Dec 2010. The most-cited component is visibility (1).

Complaints
2
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Visibility1
  2. Equipment1
  3. Suspension1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20081
20090
20101

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Visibility

1 report
“I BOUGHT A 2004 LANCER OZ RALLY BRAND NEW, STILL DRIVE IT DAILY AND I'VE ALWAYS HAD THIS PROBLEM TOO. IT WAS HARD TO TURN TO THE HEAT AND THE KNOB BROKE OFF. I CAN'T USE THE HEAT ANYMORE BECAUSE I CAN'T GET IT TO TURN AT ALL. I EVEN TRIED USING NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS (MINE STILL HAS SOME OF THE WHITE PLASTIC PART ATTACHED), WHICH WORKED A FEW TIMES BUT NOW I CAN'T GET IT TO TURN AT ALL. IN 2006, WHEN THE KNOB BROKE OFF, I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID IT WOULD COST AT LEAST $800 TO REPAIR. I ASKED WHY, IT'S JUST A KNOB? THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD TO TAKE MY WHOLE DASH APART TO FIX IT AND IT WAS MOSTLY LABOR COSTS. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THIS FOR A FAULTY MECHANISM. I ALSO COULDN'T USE MY DEFROSTER THIS MORNING AND REALLY NEEDED IT. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO WIPE MY WINDOWS... NOT SAFE MITSUBISHI!!!! PLEASE RECALL THIS NOW!!! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 17, 2010Visibility, EquipmentODI 10371130

Equipment

1 report

Suspension

1 report1 related recall
“I HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK OF MY 2004 LANCER RALLIART. I HAD THE REAR SWAY BAR REPLACED, AND THEN I ALSO HAD THE STRUTS REPLACED IT WAS GOOD FOR 2 DAYS AND NOW IT IS SQUEAKING AGAIN. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING SINCE I HAD TO PAY ALOT OF MONEY TO HAVE IT FIXED AND NOW IT IS SQUEAKING AGAIN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 9, 2008SuspensionODI 10245006
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.