Problems · NHTSA complaints

2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid problems

Owners filed 15 complaints about the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid with NHTSA between Oct 2018 and Sep 2020. The most-cited component is power train (5).

Complaints
15
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
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 train5
  2. Vehicle speed control4
  3. Electrical system4
  4. Service brakes4
  5. Fuel/propulsion system3
  6. Visibility/wiper2
  7. Electronic stability control (esc)1
  8. Exterior lighting1
  9. Structure1
  10. Seats1
  11. Engine1
  12. Other / unknown3

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 Oct 31, 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
20183
20198
20204

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

5 reports1 crash1 fire
“STARTED UP THE CAR AND STARTED BACKING UP OUT OF MY GARAGE. WHEN I PUT MY CAR INTO REVERSE I SAW MY CHARGING PORT DOOR OPEN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR AT THIS POINT MY CARS BACK END WAS PARTIALLY STICKING OUT OF THE GARAGE I PUT THE CAR INTO PARK BY PUSHING THE PARK BUTTON, I OPENED THE DOOR GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND LEFT THE DOOR OPEN AND STARTED TO WALK DOWN THE DRIVER SIDE TOWARDS THE BACK END OF THE CAR I GOT OUTSIDE THE GARAGE RIGHT NEXT TO THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT, AND THE CAR WENT INTO REVERSE AND DROVE OUT OF THE GARAGE IT TOOK THE DOOR AND BENT IT BACK TO THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT FENDER AND KEPT GOING ALMOST RAN ME OVER I HAD TO RUN AND JUMP IN THE CAR AND SLAM ON THE BRAKES. I CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY HAD A TOW TRUCK PICK IT UP THE NEXT DAY AND BRING IT UP TO THE DEALERSHIP MY FRIEND PICKED ME UP AND BROUGHT ME TO THE DEALERSHIP SO I COULD TELL THEM WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE AND TO CALL MITSUBISHI CORPORATE SO I DID. THE DEALERSHIP HAD MY VEHICLE FOR A TOTAL OF 46 DAYS BETWEEN THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND HAVING THE BODY REPAIRED WHICH MY INSURANCE PAID FOR AND I HAD TO PAY THE DEDUCTIBLE MITSUBISHI WOULD NOT PAY…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 6, 2019Power train, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc)Crash reportedODI 11287508

Vehicle speed control

4 reports
“THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN TO 20 MPH WHEN THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS NEAR 95 DEG F AND THE ROAD SLIGHTLY UPHILL. A MESSAGE CAME ON THE DASHBOARD THAT READ LIMITED PROPULSION. IT HAPPENED ON I-15 ON THE WAY TO VEGAS LAST SEPTEMBER. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH BBB AND THE ANSWER I GOT FROM MITSUBISHI WAS THAT IT IS DESIGNED THAT WAY. I HAVE A COPY OF THE MITSUBISHI MANUAL STATING THAT. I WROTE LETTERS WITH NO ACTION. THIS ALREADY HAPPENED TWICE. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR IN HOT WEATHER. SEE THE ATTACHED 5 DETAILED FILES FOR INFO. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 30, 2020Vehicle speed controlODI 11331865

Electrical system

4 reports1 crash1 related recall
“I PICKED UP THE CAR FROM THE BODY SHOP CODE ON DASHBOARD EV SYSTEM SERVICE REQUIRED NO GAS OR BATTERY SO WENT TO GAS STATION AND VEHICLE WOULDN'T GO INTO PARK WENT HOME CALLED MY WIFE AND HAD HER COME OUTSIDE SHE HAD TO PUT GAS IN. THEN DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP I HAD MY WIFE GET OUT AND GO GET HELP SHE CAME OUT WITH A SALESMAN. HE SAW WHAT WAS GOING ON SO HE CALLED THE MANAGER AND ASKED HIM WHAT TO DO. HE TOLD HIM TO TAKE THE CAR AND GIVE ME A LOANER. THE ONLY WAY TO SWITCH WAS EMERGENCY BRAKE. WOULDN'T GO INTO PARK/NEUTRAL. WENT INSIDE ASKED MANAGER COME OUTSIDE AND SEE THE CAR AND HE SAID THAT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME, WHAT THE F*** DO I CARE ABOUT THAT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME! SO I WENT BACK OUTSIDE THE SALESMAN DROVE INTO SERVICE GIVE LOANER. THE NEXT DAY THE SALESMAN TOLD ME NOTHING'S WRONG WITH THE CAR PICK IT UP. I HAVE VIDEOS OF THIS EVENT HAPPENING AND CORPORATE CLOSED MY CLAIM AND TOLD THE DEALERSHIP THERE IS NOTHING FOR THEM TO DO BECAUSE ITS FINE AND THE VIDEO FOOTAGE WAS NOT ENOUGH PROOF AND NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR. I REOPENED THE CLAIM, I WANTED TO TALK TO A HIGHER UP MEMBER OF MANAGEMENT, I ASKED CORPORATE IF I COULD KEEP THE LOANER UNTIL RESOLUTION…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 6, 2019Power train, Electrical system, Unknown or otherODI 11287561

Service brakes

4 reports
“THE FORWARD COLLISION MITIGATION SYSTEM ACTIVATED BRAKING WHEN A MOTORCYCLIST PASSED BETWEEN LANES ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH IN MEDIUM TRAFFIC. THE MOTORCYCLIST PASSED ON MY LEFT AND BRAKES WERE APPLIED BY THE CAR WHEN THE MOTORCYCLIST WAS APPROXIMATELY 20-25FT IN FRONT OF ME.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 6, 2019Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11218316

Fuel/propulsion system

3 reports1 fire
“WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, THE PROPULSION REDUCED WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WENT FROM 70 MPH TO 10 MPH. I WAS DRIVING UP A GRADE IN THE LATE EVENING. I HAD A FULL TANK OF GAS BUT NO MILES LEFT ON THE ELECTRIC CHARGE INDICATOR. AFTER I PULLED OVER AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND INSISTED I COME GET THE CAR. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE A CAR IF IT REDUCES ITS SPEED/ POWER FOR NO REASON.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 3, 2020Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11352950

Visibility/wiper

2 reports
“PUT CAR IN DRIVE TOOK OFF ON IT'S OWN WENT UP TO 40 MPH AND STAYED THERE SHOUT IT DOWN AND RESTARTED RAN OK REST OF THE DAY. NEXT MORNING DID SAME THING. I DID THE SOMETHING I DID THE DAY BEFOR. CALLED SERVICE AND MITSUBISHI USA BOTH SAID BRING IT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SO I STARTED UP THE ROAD AND ON THE INTERSTATE I PUT IT IN CRUISE CONTROL. THERE WASN'T ANYONE IN FRONT OF ME AND THE BRAKES SLAMMED ON. GOOD THING NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME .SO I TOOK IT OUT OF CRUISE CONTROL DROVE ON UP THE ROAD AND THE WIPERS CAME ON IT WASNT RAINING. JUST GOT IT BACK AND THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO IT. SAID COULDN'T GET IT TO DUPLICATE WHAT I SAID IT DID. SO GUESS I'M THERE TEST DUMMY FOR THIS CAR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 24, 2019Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Visibility/wiperODI 11203437
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 31, 2026

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