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Research · Small Station Wagons · 3 NHTSA variants

2010 Mitsubishi Lancer SportbackRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 56 owner complaints for the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback. Most complaints involve engine (13) and engine and engine cooling (8). The EPA rates it 20–23 mpg combined.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
20–23mpg
EPA · 3 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
6campaigns
Latest May 2020
Owner complaints
56
Top: engine
Fuel cost / yr
$2,600est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

6 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Structure: frame and members

Free remedy

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2008-2010 Lancer, 2009-2010 Lancer Sportback, 2008-2013 Outlander, and 2011-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The front lower control arms may detach due to the front cross member corroding from salt water exposure such as from road salt use.

StructureReported May 18, 2020NHTSA 20V279000

Engine and engine cooling: belts and associated pulleys

Free remedy

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Lancer, 2008-2012 Outlander, 2010-2012 Lancer Sportback, and 2011-2012 Outlander Sport vehicles equipped with either a 4B11 or 4B12 engine. The drive belt automatic tensioner flange may crack, allowing the accessory drive belt to detach.

Engine and engine coolingReported Jan 26, 2018NHTSA 18V069000

Visibility: sun

Free remedy

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Outlander, 2008-2010 Lancer, 2009-2010 Lancer Evolution, and 2010 Lancer Sportback vehicles equipped with sunroofs. The sunroof glass may detach from the sunroof assembly, becoming a road hazard to other vehicles.

VisibilityReported Jan 26, 2018NHTSA 18V071000
See all 6 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 12, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

56 complaints filed with NHTSA · Oct 2010 – Aug 2023
  1. Engine13
  2. Engine and engine cooling8
  3. Power train7
  4. Electrical system6
  5. Exterior lighting5
  6. Service brakes4
  7. Visibility4
  8. Steering3
  9. Service brakes, hydraulic3

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

By model year

Complaints for each Lancer Sportback model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
20048
200998
201056
20133
201416
Crashes reported
5
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
4
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 12, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Engine

13 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

8 reports
“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

Power train

7 reports1 crash
“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
All 2010 Lancer Sportback problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

3 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Station Wagons
Engines
2.4L 4-cyl · 2.0L 4-cyl turbo
Transmissions
Automatic (AV-S6) · Manual 5-spd · Automatic (AM6)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline · Premium Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 12, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Lancer Sportback
Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L · Front-Wheel Drive
212723$2,600386
Lancer Sportback
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L · Front-Wheel Drive
202722$2,750404
Lancer Sportback
Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive
172520$3,750444
  • Lancer Sportback
    Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L
    21 city · 27 hwy · $2,600/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • Lancer Sportback
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L
    20 city · 27 hwy · $2,750/yr
    22
    mpg comb.
  • Lancer Sportback
    Auto (AM6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo
    17 city · 25 hwy · $3,750/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 12, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

1 tested variant
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback as of Nov 12, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 12, 2026Vehicle 5620
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2010 Lancer Sportback questions

How many recalls does the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback have?

6 safety recalls as of Nov 12, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback problems?

Owners filed 56 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine (13), engine and engine cooling (8), power train (7). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback get?

The EPA rates the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback at 20–23 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (3 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 12, 2026