Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Visibility71
- Power train51
- Unknown or other16
- Structure13
- Equipment13
- Electrical system12
- Suspension10
- Air bags8
- Vehicle speed control7
- Visibility/wiper6
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 13 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 17 2003 Lancer vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 17 people died inside them, and 4 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer failed the safety check 1.63% of the time — 22% less often than the average 2003 passenger car (2.11%). Median odometer at inspection: 127,560 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
77 first registered in 2003 are on Dutch roads; 12% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde36
- Band onvoldoende profiel29
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt23
- Licht- donkerscheiding dimlicht onduidelijk20
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen20
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm20
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm15
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse15
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
42 cars built in 2003 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 93 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 256 of these cars first registered in 2003 took their annual MOT test. 85% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2003 the figure was 57%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2003 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 9.8% | 21.6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.3% | 7.4% |
| Suspension | 3.9% | 16.4% |
| Brakes | 3.5% | 13.9% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 2.3% | 9.4% |
| Visibility | 2.3% | 7.7% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
54 of these cars first registered in 2003 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 249,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
1,075 2003 cars are on the New Zealand register; 31% arrived as used imports, 65% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 9.1–9.9 L/100 km (about 24–26 mpg US), CO₂ 209–228 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancer · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.2 | 7.8 | 9.1 |
| Lancer · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.1 | 8.6 | 9.9 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer.
| 2016317 21 Jun 2016 | Structure On certain vehicles, road salt can corrode the front crossmember assembly, which may ultimately lead to separation of the control arm at the mounting point. Th… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 Lancer, 2004 Lancer Wagon, 2003-2006 Lancer Evolution, 2003-2006 Outlander and 2007-2013 Outlander V-6 vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, the front lower control arms may detach due to the front cross member corroding from salt water exposure such as from road salt use.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mitsubishi told its dealers about the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 636860 | BULLETIN REVIEW REGARDING TSB-02-42A-010 - PROVIDES NEW BODY REPAIR INFORMATION TO BE ADDED TO BODY REPAIR MANUAL. *TT |
| 636846 | BULLETIN REVIEW OF TSB-02-00-008 - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS. *TT |
| 634701 | SUBJECT REGARDING TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS. *JG |
| 10240443 | This is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has launched the 3rd quarterly technician quiz for 2023. |
| 10235609 | This Technical Service Bulletin provides instructions and material safety data sheets for removal of rap-film adhesive residue. |
| 10235608 | This Technical Service Bulletin reviews the regulations that require a label showing the reduction in load carrying capacity be affixed to vehicles when the total net weight of accessories is more than 1.5 percent of the vehicle's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or 100 lbs. |
| 10235606 | This is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has launched the 2nd quarterly technician quiz for 2023. |
| 10211530 | This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between normal dew condensation, which is a natural phenomenon, and water penetration caused by improper sealing or a defective/broken part. |
| 10170852 | This Technical Service Bulletin updates the door adjustment procedure in the Body Section of the applicable service manuals. |
| 10170100 | This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers. |
| 10170099 | This is an index of Tech Talk newsletter articles released in 2012. |
| 10170097 | This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers. |
| 10170096 | This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers. |
| 10170087 | This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers. |
| 10170086 | This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers. |
| 10170074 | This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers. |
| 10170071 | This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers. |
| 10170070 | This TSB contains troubleshooting steps for diagnosis of various customer complaints relating to the audio system speakers in Mitsubishi vehicles equipped with original equipment audio components. |
| 10169006 | This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers. |
| 10163703 | This is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes TSB-18-00-003, issued April, 2018, to add updated information for Carrying Capacity Reduced Label. |
| 10130469 | This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers. |
| 10130468 | This is a message sent to dealers, to inform them that an update for MEDIC will be available. |
| 10030330 | MITSUBISHI: ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT BRACKET TORQUE SPEC. CHANGED; SERVICE MANUAL REVISION. TO PROVIDE CORRECTED TIGHTENING TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT MOUNTING BRACKET FASTENERS. *PE |
| 10026795 | MITSUBISHI: A TIE ROD FREE PLAY CHECK HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE APPLICABLE SERVICE MANUALS. *PE |
| 10021743 | REPROGRAMMING THE PCM DRIVABILITY OR SENSITIVITY ISSUES CAN BE CORRECTED. *KB |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation