Problems · NHTSA complaints

2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution problems

Owners filed 79 complaints about the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution with NHTSA between Jul 2010 and Aug 2023. The most-cited component is power train (24).

Complaints
79
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train24
  2. Engine14
  3. Engine and engine cooling11
  4. Electronic stability control (esc)10
  5. Electrical system6
  6. Steering6
  7. Service brakes6
  8. Exterior lighting4
  9. Visibility4
  10. Vehicle speed control3
  11. Service brakes, hydraulic3
  12. Fuel system, gasoline3
  13. Visibility/wiper2
  14. Fuel/propulsion system2

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
20103
20114
20128
20138
201421
20158
20167
20175
20184
20195
20203
20211
20221
20231

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

24 reports1 crash1 related recall
“ALL MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION X MODELS ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE AYC ACD PUMPS, THIS AFFECTS THE STABILITY AND THE HANDLING OF THE VEHICLE SPECIALLY IN BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS BECAUSE THE SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY IN CASE OF A SLIPPERY OR BAD ROAD. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS PUMPS BEGIN WITH IT'S LOCATION BECAUSE IT RECEIVES DIRT,WATER, SNOW AND OTHER ELEMENTS THAT HARM THE PUMP. THIS SHOULD HAVE A RECALL FROM MITSUBISHI BECAUSE IT FAILED DUE TO A BAD DESIGN AND LOCATION OF IT AND IT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEMS FOR DRIVERS SPECIALLY IN BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS, I WILL LIKE THIS CONCERN COULD BE TAKEN IN CONSIDERATION FOR ALL OF US THAT ARE MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION OWNERS, THANKS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 22, 2021Steering, Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 11397295

Engine

14 reports1 fire
“The car started flashing a warning sign and loosing power. When trying to accelerate it stops. Eventually it puts the car into a limp mode and will stall altogether. This happens any long distance trip. My car year and model is not the only Lancer being effected by this computer glitch. It’s very dangerous due to the fact that the cars loosing power while you’re driving. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the middle of the highway it will just stop working. All research I have done points to an error within the computer that tells the car when to cool down the transmission. I have seen many blogs, forums and actually know another Lancer owner who’s model is a 2012 and has the exact same issue. I don’t know why this hasn’t been addressed yet when it’s affecting more than just one Lancer here or there. Bad for the engine bad for the transmission bad for my travel. And the worst part is that any mechanic is unable to detect the issue unless the car is actively coding. I’ve had this car for 3 years now and I feel it’s a big safety concern and needs to looked into. First occurrence was on a trip down to a local lake car stalled on the side of a highway this was in 2018.…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 20, 2022Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11485374

Engine and engine cooling

11 reports1 fire1 related recall
“2011 MITSUBISHI LANCER DUE TO THE BUILD MATERIAL OF THE DRIVE BELT, THE PULLEYS IN THE DRIVE BELT SYSTEM CAN EXPERIENCE UNUSUAL WEAR, RESULTING IN POSSIBLE DETACHMENT OF THE DRIVE BELT. *MW THE CONSUMER STATED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO SATISFY THE RECALL. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 10, 2015Engine and engine coolingODI 10663872

Electronic stability control (esc)

10 reports1 crash
“MY ABS AND ASC LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ON FOR A WHILE. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD IT WASNT A PROBLEM, JUST A FAULTY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. ONE DAY, I WAS COMING OFF AN EXIT RAMP TRYING TO BRAKE SO I COULD TURN BUT MY BRAKES WOULDNT ENGAGE SO I SLAM ON MY BRAKE AND THEY LOCKED UP AND MY CAR SLID AND CRASHED INTO A MEDIAN. TIRED TO STEER AWAY BUT IT WOULDNT TURN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 3, 2020Steering, Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11323112

Electrical system

6 reports1 related recall
“2010 MITSUBISHI LANCER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE FAILS EMISSIONS DUE TO SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT INDICATES CATALYTIC CONVERTER/SENSOR CIRCUIT SLOW RESPONSE MALFUNCTION ALSO PASSENGER WINDOWS AND KEY FOB BATTERY PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE 02 SENSORS AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PASSENGER'S WINDOW WAS INOPERABLE. THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW WAS SLOW TO OPEN. THE KEY FOB ALSO IS INOPERABLE. UPDATED 06/21/2017*JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 21, 2017Electrical system, Visibility, EngineODI 10909213

Steering

6 reports1 crash
“ON-DASH WARNING LIGHT OF "4WD SYSTEM SERVICE REQUIRED" CAME ON. THIS WARNING IS INDICATIVE OF A ACTIVE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL (ACD) PUMP FAILURE, GENERALLY DUE TO CORROSION FROM TREATED WINTER ROAD SURFACES AND/OR THE INABILITY TO HANDLE COLD-WEATHER CLIMATES. CAR WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) TO DELAY ACTIVATION OF THE ACD PUMP FOR THIS EXACT REASON 2 YEARS PRIOR TO FAILURE. MITSUBISHI HAS YET TO CORRECT THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND IS CURRENTLY REFUSING TO HONOR WARRANTY SERVICE OF FAILED PUMPS UNDER THEIR 5-YEAR / 36,000-MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, STATING THAT THE PUMP IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THE VEHICLE TO OPERATE SAFELY AND PROPERLY. IN CONTRAST, A WORKING ACD PUMP DIRECTLY EFFECTS THE VEHICLE'S HANDLING, TRACTION & STEERING - AND ALL 3 DRIVING PARAMETERS IMMEDIATELY BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY WHEN THE PUMP SHUTS DOWN IN SELF-PROTECTION MODE OR HAS FAILED COMPLETELY. THIS VEHICLE HAS A DRIVER-SELECTED SETTING FOR TARMAC (PAVEMENT), GRAVEL/RAIN & SNOW CONDITIONS - THESE SETTINGS ARE COMPLETELY DISABLED WHEN THE ACD PUMP HAS FAILED, OR IS FAILING (ON-DASH WARNING WITH PUMP IN SELF-PROTECTION MODE). THIS ISSUE EFFECTS SEVERAL MODELS…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 19, 2013Steering, Power train, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10536142
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.