Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Suspension10
- Power train9
- Exterior lighting8
- Visibility/wiper7
- Electrical system7
- Unknown or other5
- Service brakes5
- Structure5
- Engine5
- Engine and engine cooling4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 6 2008 Outlander vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 1 person died inside them. 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 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander failed the safety check 3.89% of the time — 57% more often than the average 2008 passenger car (2.48%). Median odometer at inspection: 134,843 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander cars on Dutch roads are the 2.4 petrol (125 kW, 168 hp), 2.0 petrol (100 kW, 134 hp) and 2.4 petrol (118 kW, 158 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4 petrol | 125 kW 168 hp | 766 |
| 2.0 petrol | 100 kW 134 hp | 495 |
| 2.4 petrol | 118 kW 158 hp | 37 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
1,333 first registered in 2008 are on Dutch roads; 3% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €43,570.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde752
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt470
- Band onvoldoende profiel434
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)398
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse315
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld308
- Licht- donkerscheiding dimlicht onduidelijk304
- Stofhoes fuseekogel beschadigd en dicht niet af296
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
947 cars built in 2008 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 363 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, 1,893 of these cars first registered in 2008 took their annual MOT test. 55% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2008 the figure was 57%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2008 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 22.6% | 17.2% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 18.8% | 19.8% |
| Brakes | 13.2% | 11.3% |
| Steering | 10.2% | 3.2% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.3% | 6.2% |
| Tyres | 6.6% | 7.6% |
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
298 of these cars first registered in 2008 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 305,000 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
3,276 2008 cars are on the New Zealand register; 69% arrived as used imports, 29% 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 3 variants: combined 10.6–12.1 L/100 km (about 19–22 mpg US), CO₂ 244–278 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outlander · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 11.6 | 9.4 | 10.6 |
| Outlander 4X4 · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 11.8 | 9.5 | 10.8 |
| Outlander 4X4 · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 13.8 | 10.1 | 12.1 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
13 Transport Canada recalls for the 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander.
| 2020216 15 May 2020 | Structure Issue: On certain vehicles, road salt can corrode the front cross-member (subframe). As a result, a lower control arm could eventually detach from the cross-m… |
| 2018054 26 Jan 2018 | Accessories On certain vehicles, the sunroof may not have been bonded properly and could separate from the vehicle. This could pose a risk to other road users, increasing t… |
| 2018052 26 Jan 2018 | Electrical On certain vehicles, the flange of the drive belt automatic tensioner may crack over time due to repetitive high load operations and stress concentration. This … |
| 2017364 20 Jul 2017 | Visual System On certain vehicles, water may drain from the windshield cowl area and potentially collect in the area of the wiper motor breathing hole. If the wiper motor is … |
| 2016529 27 Oct 2016 | Visual System On certain vehicles, water may drain from the windshield cowl area onto the front wiper link ball joint. Over time, this could result in corrosion and/or wear t… |
| 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… |
| 2014397 15 Sept 2014 | Engine On certain vehicles, the drive belt material may cause abnormal pulley wear. If the vehicle is driven under this condition, the drive belt may become damaged f… |
| 2014398 15 Sept 2014 | Electrical On certain vehicles, a defect in the brake light switch could cause the brake lights to become inoperative. Failure of the brake lights to illuminate when the … |
| 2014247 25 Jun 2014 | Steering Certain 2013 model year vehicles with a 6-speed automatic transmission may have been manufactured with insufficient clearance between the power steering pressur… |
| 2014248 25 Jun 2014 | Powertrain On certain 2012 to 2014 model year vehicles, due to improper manufacturing of the oil seal boss in certain transfer assemblies, the oil seal can become out of p… |
| 2009072 6 Mar 2009 | Brakes On certain vehicles, the brake booster check valve may stick closed when the engine is shut off. When the vehicle is re-started and put into motion, under cert… |
| 2008453 22 Dec 2008 | Lights And Instruments On certain vehicles, the stop lamp switch may have been contaminated with silicone grease during vehicle assembly. This could prevent proper brake lamp operati… |
| 2008063 21 Feb 2008 | Electrical On certain vehicles not equipped with the power seat option, the unused harness connector for the power seat feature is placed directly on the floorboard, under… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
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.
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2007-2013 Outlander vehicles. In the affected vehicles, water may drop between the hood and the windshield and leak into the wiper motor breathing hole. The water may cause internal corrosion of the windshield wiper motor and the possible failure of the motor.
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2007-2013 Outlander vehicles manufactured September 8, 2006, to March 29, 2013. In the affected vehicles, water may enter between the hood and windshield and cause the front wiper link ball joint to corrode, possibly resulting in the wiper link separating and the wipers becoming inoperative.
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.
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Outlander vehicles manufactured December 15, 2006, to October 31, 2007, and April 16, 2008, to August 22, 2009. In the affected vehicles, the brake light switch may malfunction causing the brake lights to not illuminate during brake application.
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Lancer, Lancer Evolution, and Outlander; 2009-2011 Lancer Sportback, Lancer Rilliart, and Lancer Sportback Ralliart; and 2011 Outlander Sport vehicles. The affected vehicles, manufactured with 4B1 engines, have an engine pulley and belt arrangement for turning the alternator, the cooling fan and the power steering pump (if equipped). These pulleys may experience unusual wear and allow for belt detachment.
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2013 Outlander vehicles equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Additionally, Mitusbishi is recalling certain 2007-2012 Outlander vehicles that received replacement 6-speed automatic transmissions during servicing. The transmissions in these vehicles have insufficient clearance between the power steering pressure tube and the converter housing of the automatic transmission. As a result of the contact, the power steering pressure tube may develop a hole and leak power steering fluid.
MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING 39,711 MY 2008-2009 OUTLANDER AND LACER VEHICLES. INCORRECT MATERIAL COMPOSITION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER CHECK VALVE MAY CAUSE THE CHECK VALVE TO STICK CLOSED WHEN THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RE-STARTED AND PUT INTO MOTION, UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS (VERY SLOW VEHICLE MANEUVERS), THERE MAY BE INSUFFICIENT INITIAL BRAKING ASSIST.
MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING 21,493 MY 2007-2008 OUTLANDER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH LED TYPE STOP LAMPS AND DISTRIBUTED IN THE UNITED STATES AND PUERTO RICO. THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION AND CAUSE THE STOP LAMPS TO NOT ILLUMINATE DURING BRAKE APPLICATION.
MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING 5,400 MY 2007-2008 OUTLANDER PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF 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. FOR VEHICLES WITHOUT AN ELECTRIC POWER SEAT, THE FLOOR HARNESS CONNECTOR FOR THE POWER SEAT IS PLACED DIRECTLY ON THE FLOORBOARD UNDERNEATH THE CARPETING (VEHICLES WITH POWER SEATS ALREADY HAVE THE HARNESS ELEVATED). IF A VEHICLE OCCUPANT ENTERS THE VEHICLE WITH A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF SNOW ON THEIR FEET CONTAINING ROAD SALT, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE MELTED SNOW MIXTURE TO SOAK THE CARPET AND ALLOW THE SALT-WATER SOLUTION TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE UNUSED POWER SEAT HARNESS CONNECTOR.
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 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11003536 | Service Manual Revision - This Technical Service Bulletin provides corrections to the description of special tools used to install the oil seal within the Automatic Transaxle sections of the applicable Service Manuals. |
| 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. |
| 10234004 | This Technical Service Bulletin instructs dealers to replace the seat adjuster assembly and power seat harness in affected vehicles with improved countermeasure parts. |
| 10231410 | This TSB provides revisions to the Removal and Installation procedures for the rocker cover due to changes in the quantity of mounting bolts for vehicles equipped with 4B1 series engine. (Service Manual Revision) |
| 10228919 | Tech Talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. It covers various topics and reviews the previous months publications. |
| 10226082 | Tech Talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. It covers various topics and reviews the previous months publications. |
| 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. |
| 10208837 | This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers informing them to replace the Power Seat Side Shield and apply felt tape when customers complain the Power Seat Side Shield is coming off while entering/exiting the vehicle. |
| 10207798 | This Technical Service Bulletin instructs dealers to apply Nonwoven Fabric Tape between the Seat Back and Urethane Pad when customers report a condition where an abnormal rubbing noise is heard from the Seat Back when a driver and/or passenger is seated in the front seat(s). |
| 10203270 | This Technical Service Bulletin instructs dealers to replace the seat adjuster assembly and power seat harness in affected vehicles with improved countermeasure parts. Due to a change in the reclining motor, the new longer harness and connector are necessary. |
| 10203267 | This Technical Service Bulletin instructs dealers to replace the seat adjuster assembly and power seat harness in affected vehicles with improved countermeasure parts. Due to a change in the reclining motor, the new longer harness and connector are necessary. |
| 10200351 | This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers informing them a shock absorber oil leak may result in replacement of absorbers unnecessarily when trace amounts of oil are noted to have adhered to the shock absorber. |
| 10199125 | This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers informing them a shock absorber oil leak may result in replacement of absorbers unnecessarily when trace amounts of oil are noted to have adhered to the shock absorber. |
| 10191961 | This Technical Information Notice provides additional instructions to dealers when replacing the Valve Cover Gasket due to a customer concern of oil leaking. |
| 10182303 | This Technical Service Bulletin was sent informing dealers an abnormal rubbing noise is heard from the Seat Back when a driver and/or passenger is seated in the front seat(s) and instructs dealers to apply Nonwoven Fabric Tape between the Seat Back and Urethane Pad. |
| 10181899 | Revision to previous TSB SR-20-003 for the Crossmember recall. Added Warranty information for instances where subframe may fail and cause additional damage to unrelated parts. This bulletin provides directions for inspection and repair of affected vehicles' Crossmembers. |
| 10181898 | Technical Information Notice sent to dealerships to advise ofrevision changes to TSB "SR-20-003REV_2" |
| 10180973 | Revision to previous TSB SR-20-003 for the Crossmember recall. Added Warranty information for instances where subframe may fail and cause additional damage to unrelated parts. This bulletin provides directions for inspection and repair of affected vehicles' Crossmembers. |
| 10180972 | Technical Information Notice sent to dealerships to advise ofrevision changes to TSB "SR-20-003REV_2" |
| 10179680 | This Technical Information Notice was sent to dealerships to notify of a revised Safety Recall Bulletin SR-20-003REV_2 update regarding warranty information and entry of claims. |
| 10179679 | This TSB was sent to dealers as an update to SR-20-003REV_1 issued in July 2020 and provides updates to the warranty information. |
| 10179672 | This Technical Information Notice was sent to dealers informing that a recall campaign was released on July 22, 2020 (SR-20-003) for the Crossmember Corrosion. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)