Problems · NHTSA complaints

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution problems

Owners filed 59 complaints about the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution with NHTSA between Aug 2008 and Apr 2019. The most-cited component is power train (40).

Complaints
59
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. Power train40
  2. Electronic stability control (esc)23
  3. Structure5
  4. Fuel system, gasoline4
  5. Steering3
  6. Equipment adaptive/mobility2
  7. Service brakes1
  8. Engine1
  9. Engine and engine cooling1
  10. Electrical system1
  11. Suspension1
  12. Air bags1
  13. Tires1
  14. Vehicle speed control1

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 7, 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
20084
20095
20101
20114
20123
201317
201416
20152
20162
20171
20183
20191

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

Power train

40 reports1 related recall
“ALL MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION X FROM YEARS 2008 THROUGH THE CARS FINAL GEAR IN 2015 SUFFER FROM A DESIGN FLAW TO THE S-AWC SYSTEM. THE ACTIVE YAW CONTROL / ACTIVE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL SYSTEM RELIES ON A PUMP IN ORDER TO OPERATE . THE LOCATION IS UNPROTECTED FROM THE ELEMENTS AND THOUSANDS OF THEM HAVE FAILED TO DATE. . MINE FAILED WHICH RENDERED MY CAR TO NO LONGER DRIVE IN A PREDICTABLE OR SAFE MANNER. THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE AND STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM WAS COMPROMISED AND TRACTION CONTROL NO LONGER FUNCTIONS AS EXPECTED. INSTEAD OF THIS BECOMING A RECALL MITSUBISHI EXTENDED A WARRANTY TO REPLACE THIS EXACT COMPONENT RATHER THAN ADMITTING FAULT FOR AN OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW. THEY REFUSED TO WARRANTY MINE AS THIS EXCEPTION WAS ONLY MADE AFTER MY WARRANTY HAD ALREADY EXPIRED EVEN THOUGH MY PUMP FAILED BEFORE I HIT 100K MILES. THE ACD / AYC PUMP IS CRITICAL COMPONENT TO THE SAFETY AND STABILITY OF THE LANCER EVOLUTION 10 . EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO ONLY COVER A SMALL PORTION OF FAILURES IS UNACCEPTABLE AND DISHONEST. THE DESIGN IS UNSAFE AND THE REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF THIS AND OTHER AFFECTED COMPONENTS IS EXTREMELY COSTLY. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. ALL PUMPS WILL…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 4, 2019Steering, Power train, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11193740

Electronic stability control (esc)

23 reports
“VEHICLE WAS IN COLD WEATHER, AYC SYSTEM LIGHT TURNED ON. I CHECKED THE FORUMS AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE THAT INDICATES THE PUMP IS BAD. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 8, 2014Power train, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10662884

Structure

5 reports
“PURCHASE MY 2008 MITSUBUSHI EVOLUTION X ABOUT ONE MONTH AGO WITH 2,900MILES. I DON'T DRIVE IT OFTEN SINCE I HAVE A COMPANY CAR. MY CURRENT MILES IS 4,400MILES. I AM BEGINNING TO NOTICE ALOT OF SMALL CHIPS TOWARD THE BACK DOORS BOTTOM CORNER NEAR QUARTER PANEL ON BOTH SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. BEEN ON MANY FORUMS AND ALOT OF EVO X OWNER ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PAINT PROBLEM.THE ROAD CONDITION HERE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE, SO I DON'T SEE WHY THE PAINT IS CHIPPING AWAY. IM AFRAID WHEN I REACH 10,000MILES, THE CAR INTERIOR WOULD STILL BE FAIRLY NEW BUT THE EXTERIOR WOULD HAVE PAINT CHIPPED EVERYWHERE. ANOTHER ISSUE ARE THE RECARO SEAT FABRIC ARE COMING OUT NEAR THE HEAD REST PART. THE FABRIC ARE CONING OUT RIGHT WHERE THE FABRIC TUCK UNDER INTO THE CARBON FIBER LOOKING PLASTIC PIECE NEAR THE HEADREST. YOU ARE ABLE TO SEE THE STAPLES THAT ARE COMING OUT. THIS IS HAPPENING TO BOTH SEATS, DRIVER AND PASSENGER. I HAVE READ SEVERAL FORUMS BUT OWNERS WHO HAVE SPOKE TO MITSUBISHI ABOUT THE PAINT ISSUE WERE TURN DOWN.THOSE OWNER SAID MITSUBISHI ARE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 6, 2009Structure, SeatsODI 10286586

Fuel system, gasoline

4 reports
“ACD PUMP WENT OUT ON MY CAR. NO REAL REASON OTHER THAN THE LIE OF IT BEING COLD.... 20 DEGREES ISN'T TO COLD TO ME. EITHER WAY, WITHOUT THE ACD PUMP THE CARS AWD DOESN'T WORK TO STANDARD. WHAT AWD CAR ISN'T MADE FOR COLD. RIDICULOUS. HAPPENS TO ALOT OF EVOS. NEEDS RECOGNIZED AND RECALLED. ALSO MY TIMING CHAIN WENT AT 36K. NO TIMING CHAIN SHOULD GO OUT THAT EARLY NO MATTER WHAT. THEY TOLD ME ITS BECAUSE I DIDN'T CHANGE THE OIL TILL THEY DROPPED THE OIL PAN AND SAW THAT THEY WERE WRONG. THE CHAIN ISN'T MEANT TO HANDLE THE TORQUE OF THE CAR. THAT'S A MANUFACTURE MESS UP. ANOTHER ONE THAT SHOULD BE A RECALL WITH THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE/HAD THE ISSUE. AND ONE MORE, THE P.O.S. FUEL RELAY THAT DIES ON YOU AND COULD POSSIBLY BLOW YOUR MOTOR. THE FUEL PUMP AND TIMING CHAIN HAVE BOTH BEEN UPDATED YET NOT RECALLED. WHY? DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT THEY NOTICE THE PROBLEM, MAKE A NEW PART FOR THE PROBLEM, BUT DON'T FIX IT UNDER THEIR MISTAKE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 5, 2014Fuel system, gasoline, EngineODI 10567112

Steering

3 reports
“RECALL FOR DEFECT, NOTICE OCTOBER 2014. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 13, 2015SteeringODI 10672203

Equipment adaptive/mobility

2 reports
“WHEN STARTING MY 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION GSR, I RECEIVED A WARNING MESSAGE ON THE CLUSTER DISPLAY SHOWING A YELLOW-ORANGE SYMBOL THAT SHOWS 4 WHEELS CONNECTED BY AXLES AND THE MIDDLE-SHAFT, WHERE THE FRONT TWO WHEELS ARE FACING AT AN ANGLE TO THE SIDE. THE ERROR CODE READ AS C161E: DTC C161E: ELECTRIC PUMP RELAY CIRCUIT SYSTEM (STUCK). THIS HAS BECOME A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION. SO COMMON THAT WHEN YOU SEARCH FOR THE CODE C161E, YOU CAN FIND COUNTLESS FORUM DISCUSSIONS ON MULTIPLE WEBSITES COMMENTING ON THE FREQUENCY OF THIS ISSUE. INCLUDING MYSELF, A SINGLE DISCUSSION IDENTIFIES AT LEAST 48 UNIQUE CARS, 42 OF WHICH ARE THE 2008 MODEL YEAR, WHERE THE ACD PUMP FAILED, ALL OF WHICH HAVING DRIVEN FEWER THAN 75,000 MILES AND NEARLY 60% WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES (HTTP://WWW.EVOXFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=58221&HIGHLIGHT=C161E&PAGE=1). SEVERAL OF THESE VEHICLES REQUIRED MULTIPLE REPLACEMENTS OF THE SAME PART. THIS PROBLEM AFFECTS THE SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE VEHICLE'S ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE SYSTEM, LIKELY INCLUDING THE VEHICLE'S TRACTION CONTROL AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 2, 2014Power train, Equipment adaptive/mobility, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10640971
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026

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