Problems · NHTSA complaints

2008 Mitsubishi Outlander problems

Owners filed 58 complaints about the 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander with NHTSA between Apr 2008 and May 2026. The most-cited component is suspension (10).

Complaints
58
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Suspension10
  2. Power train9
  3. Exterior lighting8
  4. Visibility/wiper7
  5. Electrical system7
  6. Service brakes5
  7. Engine5
  8. Structure5
  9. Engine and engine cooling4
  10. Steering3
  11. Vehicle speed control3
  12. Air bags2
  13. Equipment2
  14. Visibility2

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 10, 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
20085
20092
20102
20111
20121
20132
20146
20154
20160
201712
201811
20192
20203
20215
20220
20230
20241
20250
20261

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

Suspension

10 reports1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, she heard an abnormal coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to her residence. The contact took the vehicle to independent mechanic and was informed that the rear driver’s side sub-frame cross member was corroded. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 10, 2021SuspensionODI 11420380

Power train

9 reports
“THE CAR IS A MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER E.S 2008 WITH 42000 MILES ON IT ,AND THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING. I CONTACTED MITSUBISHI MOTORS BUT SINCE 10 YEARS PASSED NOTHING COULD BE DONE.I HAD BEEN SURFING INTERNET AND THERE ARE TOO MANY ISSUES RELATED TO THIS TYPE VEHICLES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 19, 2021Suspension, Power train, Visibility/wiperODI 11412885

Exterior lighting

8 reports2 related recalls
“WHILE BRAKING, THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT IS ONLY WORKING WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT TURNED ON. I READ UP ON MITSUBISHI RECALLING BRAKE LIGHTS ON OUTLANDERS AND WHEN I LOOK UP MY VIN FOR A RECALL THERE IS NOT ONE ON THERE FOR THAT. THIS IS AN EXTREME ISSUE. LAST YEAR WE HAD IT LOOKED AT, THE WHOLE LIGHT ASSEMBLY REPLACED, THE FUSE REPLACED AND YET NOTHING WORKED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 30, 2020Exterior lightingODI 11377107

Visibility/wiper

7 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V791000 (VISIBILITY); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER (SKYLAND AUTO GROUP LOCATED AT 255 SMOKEY PARK HIGHWAY, ASHEVILLE, NC 28806; (828) 667-5213) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 12, 2017Visibility/wiperODI 11004772

Electrical system

7 reports1 fire
“WE HAVE A 2008 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER THAT WE PURCHASED IN 2010. I WAS FOLLOWING MY WIFE DOWN THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES THE BRAKE LIGHTS SOMETIMES DID NOT COME ON. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM. WHEN WE GOT HOME I TESTED IT AND FOUND THAT ABOUT 20% OF THE TIME NO BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE TO SEE HOW DIFFICULT IT WOULD BE TO FIX AND DISCOVERED THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. IT ALSO EFFECTS THE SHIFT INTERLOCK WHICH PREVENTS SHIFTING THE CAR OUT OF PARK EVEN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. MY WIFE CONFIRMED SHE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM TOO. WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE 2010 AND HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. I CALLED OUR LOCAL MITSUBISHI DEALER TO FIND OUT IF THIS WAS PART OF A RECALL. THEY SAID THE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON OUR CAR IN 2009 AND IF IT NEEDED REPLACEMENT AGAIN IT WOULD BE AT OUR EXPENSE SINCE IT HAD BEEN MORE THAN A YEAR SINCE THE WORK WAS DONE. THIS MAKES NO SENSE TO ME. THE CAR WAS RECALLED WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY TO HAVE A DEFECTIVE PART REPLACED. NOW THE PART HAS PROVEN TO BE DEFECTIVE AGAIN. THE DEALER CONTACTED MITSUBISHI TO SEE IF THEY…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2014Power train, Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10652194

Service brakes

5 reports
“Rusted suspension crossbody unsafe to drive. The brakes and calibers seem to always seize as well making this vehicle a death trap no matter how many times I get it fixed.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 9, 2024Unknown or other, Service brakesODI 11618906
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

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