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MITSUBISHI · vehicle model

MITSUBISHI LANCER

1,136 NHTSA complaints and 19 safety recalls across model years 1996–2017.

Complaints
1,136
Recalls
19
Model years
18

The MITSUBISHILANCER appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 1,136 consumer safety complaints and 19 recall campaigns across 18 model years (1996–2017). That averages roughly 63 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 14 investigation files tied to this model. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
20177
201638
201536
201423
20139
201226
201151
201066
2009139
2008126
20073
200652
200527
200496
2003241
2002194
20001
19961

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 282 in 2017-2021 to 74 in 2022-2026, a fall of 73.8%. That is the 23th percentile of change across the 772 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

1
’00
19
’02
47
’03
60
’04
45
’05
53
’06
53
’07
59
’08
51
’09
70
’10
44
’11
33
’12
43
’13
72
’14
61
’15
69
’16
65
’17
57
’18
71
’19
57
’20
32
’21
31
’22
24
’23
14
’24
4
’25
1
’26

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare MITSUBISHILANCER to Similar Vehicles

MITSUBISHILANCER vs CHRYSLER300M → MITSUBISHILANCER vs BMW335I → MITSUBISHILANCER vs HYUNDAISONATA HYBRID → MITSUBISHILANCER vs FORDMUSTANG MACH E →

NHTSA Investigations

RQ19002Recall QueryClosed2019-05-10

Brake Vacuum Pump Failure

PE15009Preliminary EvaluationClosed2015-03-23

Extended Stopping Distance

PE14013Preliminary EvaluationClosed2014-05-19

Clutch Interlock Switch Malfunction

PE09056Preliminary EvaluationClosed2009-12-30

GASOLINE LEAKS

EA08011Engineering AnalysisClosed2008-07-01

PASSENGER DOOR FIRE

PE08014Preliminary EvaluationClosed2008-03-04

PASSENGER DOOR FIRE

PE06041Preliminary EvaluationClosed2006-09-18

BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER HOSE COLLAPSES

RQ06007Recall QueryClosed2006-05-24

BRAKE BOOSTER ACCUMULATOR FAILURE

PE99008Preliminary EvaluationClosed1999-02-01

BALL JOINT

RQ98007Recall QueryClosed1998-05-11

TRANSFER CASE LEAKAGE

View all 14 investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the MITSUBISHI LANCER?▼
The MITSUBISHI LANCER has received 1,136 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1996 to 2017, with 19 recalls. That averages about 63 complaints per model year.
What years of MITSUBISHI LANCER are available?▼
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the MITSUBISHI LANCER from 1996 to 2017 (18 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the MITSUBISHI LANCER have safety ratings?▼
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many MITSUBISHI LANCER model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common MITSUBISHI LANCER complaints?▼
NHTSA complaints for the MITSUBISHI LANCER are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my MITSUBISHI LANCER has been recalled?▼
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. MITSUBISHI LANCER totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.