Total Complaints
1 filings
MITSUBISHI LANCER SPORTSBACK · model year
2012 MITSUBISHI LANCER SPORTSBACK
1 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2012MITSUBISHILANCER SPORTSBACK carries 1 consumer safety complaint 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 2012 LANCER SPORTSBACK is electrical system with 1 filings. 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 2012 LANCER SPORTSBACK. 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.
1
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20121018ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MITSUBISHI LANCER SPORTSBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COLORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CHANGED FROM ORANGE TO YELLOW ERRONEOUSLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE PANEL CHANGED TO YELLOW, THE TIRE SERVICE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ALSO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO CHANGE THE TIRES FROM AIR TO NITROGEN GAS. THE CONTACT PERFORMED THE SWITCH AS INSTRUCTED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE VEHICLE WAS TEST DRIVEN FOR 80 MILES HOWEVER, THE WARNING LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRE SENSORS AS A PRECAUTION BUT THE TIRE SERVICE WARNING LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,816 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,900. ..UPDATED 12/11/12 *BF UPDATED 12/12/12*JS UPDATED 12/14/12*LJ UPDATED 12/18/2012*JS
Mileage: 16,816
Compare 2012MITSUBISHILANCER SPORTSBACK to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2012 MITSUBISHI LANCER SPORTSBACK have?▼
The 2012 MITSUBISHI LANCER SPORTSBACK has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 MITSUBISHI LANCER SPORTSBACK?▼
The most-complained component for the 2012 MITSUBISHI LANCER SPORTSBACK is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2012 MITSUBISHI LANCER SPORTSBACK 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.