Problems · NHTSA complaints

2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution problems

Owners filed 3 complaints about the 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution with NHTSA between Nov 2013 and Apr 2016. The most-cited component is power train (2).

Complaints
3
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 train2
  2. Seats1
  3. Electronic stability control (esc)1

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
20131
20141
20150
20161

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

2 reports1 related recall
“2012 EVO X GSR - FROM JBA MITSUBISHI (GLEN BURNIE, MD). AT 31,651 MILES - I WAS IN A FAST-FOOD DRIVE THRU LINE ORDERING BREAKFAST. THAT IS, 0MPH. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HEAR A CHIME AND SEE MY INSTRUMENT PANEL FLASH. MY DRIVING-MODE/STATUS LIGHT (WHICH SHOWS TARMAC/SNOW/GRAVEL) HAD TURNED OFF. ANOTHER LIGHT ILLUMINATED, SAYING '4WD SERVICE REQUIRED'. MY EVO IS 100% BONE STOCK, NO MODS/TUNE. I CALL AROUND AND DO SOME RESEARCH. I CHECK MY FLUIDS, TIRES (ALL 4, BRAND NEW, PROPERLY BALANCED), ETC. A LITTLE WHILE LATER, I DISCOVER THAT IT IS MY AYC PUMP. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH EVO'S AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. LUCKILY, MINE WENT OUT JUST BEFORE WARRANTY. OTHERWISE, IT'D COST BETWEEN $2500-$3K TO FIX ON MY OWN DIME. I LIVE IN MD - WE GET SNOW EVERY SINGLE YEAR. APPARENTLY, THE SALT AND WEATHER CHANGES CAN CAUSE CORROSION AND DAMAGE TO THE PUMP. MITSUBISHI OFFERS A REPLACEMENT (WITH 1YR, 12K MILE WARRANTY). BUT I'VE SEEN FOLKS IN CANADA WHO BURN THRU 3-4 PUMPS A YEAR. MEANING JUST BECAUSE OF THIS 1 PART, AN EVO IS A TERRIBLE CAR TO HAVE IN COLD-WEATHER STATES. MITSUBISHI NEEDS TO RECALL THIS PART - OR OFFER TO REPAIR FREE WHENEVER THE PUMP GOES OUT. EVEN WITH PROPER…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 25, 2014Power train, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10616432

Seats

1 report
“THE DRIVER'S SEAT SIDE LEG BOLSTER BROKE. UPON REMOVING THE SEAT FROM THE VEHICLE IT WAS FOUND THAT METAL HAD BROKEN WHICH ALLOWED THE BOLSTER TO BREAK. SEEMS DANGEROUS TO ME CONSIDERING THE CARS CAPABILITIES AND THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN AFFECT THE DRIVER IN A TURN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 8, 2016SeatsODI 10854498

Electronic stability control (esc)

1 report
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.