Total Complaints
4 filings
MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO · model year
2004 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2004MITSUBISHILANCER EVO carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2004 LANCER EVO is suspension:front with 1 filings, followed by suspension:rear (1) and equipment (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 2004 LANCER EVO. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20101217EQUIPMENT
I BOUGHT A 2004 LANCER OZ RALLY BRAND NEW, STILL DRIVE IT DAILY AND I'VE ALWAYS HAD THIS PROBLEM TOO. IT WAS HARD TO TURN TO THE HEAT AND THE KNOB BROKE OFF. I CAN'T USE THE HEAT ANYMORE BECAUSE I CAN'T GET IT TO TURN AT ALL. I EVEN TRIED USING NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS (MINE STILL HAS SOME OF THE WHITE PLASTIC PART ATTACHED), WHICH WORKED A FEW TIMES BUT NOW I CAN'T GET IT TO TURN AT ALL. IN 2006, WHEN THE KNOB BROKE OFF, I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID IT WOULD COST AT LEAST $800 TO REPAIR. I ASKED WHY, IT'S JUST A KNOB? THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD TO TAKE MY WHOLE DASH APART TO FIX IT AND IT WAS MOSTLY LABOR COSTS. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THIS FOR A FAULTY MECHANISM. I ALSO COULDN'T USE MY DEFROSTER THIS MORNING AND REALLY NEEDED IT. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO WIPE MY WINDOWS... NOT SAFE MITSUBISHI!!!! PLEASE RECALL THIS NOW!!! *TR
20101217VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
I BOUGHT A 2004 LANCER OZ RALLY BRAND NEW, STILL DRIVE IT DAILY AND I'VE ALWAYS HAD THIS PROBLEM TOO. IT WAS HARD TO TURN TO THE HEAT AND THE KNOB BROKE OFF. I CAN'T USE THE HEAT ANYMORE BECAUSE I CAN'T GET IT TO TURN AT ALL. I EVEN TRIED USING NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS (MINE STILL HAS SOME OF THE WHITE PLASTIC PART ATTACHED), WHICH WORKED A FEW TIMES BUT NOW I CAN'T GET IT TO TURN AT ALL. IN 2006, WHEN THE KNOB BROKE OFF, I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID IT WOULD COST AT LEAST $800 TO REPAIR. I ASKED WHY, IT'S JUST A KNOB? THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD TO TAKE MY WHOLE DASH APART TO FIX IT AND IT WAS MOSTLY LABOR COSTS. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THIS FOR A FAULTY MECHANISM. I ALSO COULDN'T USE MY DEFROSTER THIS MORNING AND REALLY NEEDED IT. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO WIPE MY WINDOWS... NOT SAFE MITSUBISHI!!!! PLEASE RECALL THIS NOW!!! *TR
20081009SUSPENSION:FRONT
I HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK OF MY 2004 LANCER RALLIART. I HAD THE REAR SWAY BAR REPLACED, AND THEN I ALSO HAD THE STRUTS REPLACED IT WAS GOOD FOR 2 DAYS AND NOW IT IS SQUEAKING AGAIN. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING SINCE I HAD TO PAY ALOT OF MONEY TO HAVE IT FIXED AND NOW IT IS SQUEAKING AGAIN. *TR
Mileage: 52,000
20081009SUSPENSION:REAR
I HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK OF MY 2004 LANCER RALLIART. I HAD THE REAR SWAY BAR REPLACED, AND THEN I ALSO HAD THE STRUTS REPLACED IT WAS GOOD FOR 2 DAYS AND NOW IT IS SQUEAKING AGAIN. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING SINCE I HAD TO PAY ALOT OF MONEY TO HAVE IT FIXED AND NOW IT IS SQUEAKING AGAIN. *TR
Mileage: 52,000
Compare 2004MITSUBISHILANCER EVO to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2004 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO have?▼
The 2004 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO?▼
The most-complained component for the 2004 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO is SUSPENSION:FRONT with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION:REAR and EQUIPMENT.
Is the 2004 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.