The defect
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.
The risk
THE CONNECTOR TERMINAL MAY CORRODE AND ALLOW CURRENT TO FLOW, RESULTING IN THE GRADUAL HEATING AND MELTING OF THE CONNECTOR AND MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL RELOCATE THE FLOOR HARNESS FROM BENEATH BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SEATS TO ABOVE THE CARPET AND AWAY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE FLOORBOARD TO PREVENT CONTACT WITH ANY FUTURE MELT SOLUTION. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 7, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Outlander | 2007, 2008 |
Components: SEATS
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Outlander | 2007 | 125 | 9 |
| Mitsubishi Outlander | 2008 | 58 | 12 |
Other seats recalls in 2008
7 of the 683 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2008 concerned the seats; MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA, INC. filed 32 campaigns in all.
| 08V597000 17 Nov 2008 | PREVOST CARS, INC. |
| 08V334000 23 Jul 2008 | AIRSTREAM, INC. |
| 08V287000 1 Jul 2008 | BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY |
| 08V187000 24 Apr 2008 | NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 08V160000 9 Apr 2008 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. |
| 08V096000 28 Feb 2008 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2008