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Mitsubishi · NHTSA safety record

2011 Mitsubishi Lancer

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

34

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer have filed 34 safety complaints with NHTSA between October 2011 and November 2022. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 8 of them (24%). The typical failure was reported at 50,606 miles, the median across the 20 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (3)

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS

18V069000 · January 26, 2018

The defect
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.
The risk
If the drive belt detaches, the battery will discharge and the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the belt tensioner with one that has an improved shape, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 27, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-001.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. · up to 141,053 vehicles across all model years covered

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR

15V233000 · April 20, 2015

The defect
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Lancer vehicles manufactured March 16, 2009, to March 30, 2011, 2010-2011 Lancer Sportback vehicles manufactured June 17, 2009, to December 1, 2010, 2010-2011 Lancer Evolution vehicles manufactured July 14, 2009, to January 7, 2011, 2009-2011 Outlander vehicles manufactured February 10, 2009, to June 22, 2011, and 2011 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured August 26, 2010, to November 19, 2010. In the affected vehicles, the blower motor may fail.
The risk
Failure of the blower motor may reduce the performance of the windshield defroster, diminishing the driver's visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace a suspect blower motor, free of charge. The recall began on June 15, 2015. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-15-003.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. · up to 76,958 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS

14V562000 · September 12, 2014

The defect
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.
The risk
If the drive belt detaches, the battery may discharge, resulting in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the drive belt with a rubber belt. Drive pulleys that are excessively worn will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 15, 2014. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-14-009.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. · up to 165,923 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 34.

ENGINE 8 24%
POWER TRAIN 6 18%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 4 12%
STRUCTURE 4 12%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 3 9%
SEAT BELTS 3 9%
STEERING 3 9%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 9%
AIR BAGS 2 6%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 6%
SUSPENSION 2 6%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 2 6%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 6.

2011 2019 2022
2011 to 2022

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · 46,711 miles

I GOT TO WORK AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED THE MOTOR OFF. A CO-WORKER SHOWED UP, I WAS TALKING TO HIM WHEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG, BY THE TIME I LOOKED THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG DEPLOYED. I LIFTED MY ARM UP TO COVER MY FACE. IT BURNT MY LEFT SIDE ARM AND BRUISED MY FACE. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10515375. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

crash · towed · 90,000 miles

THIS CAR WE OWN WAS IN A ACCIDENT THE WHOLE FRONT END WAS PUSHED IN CAUSE IT HIT A MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE GEICO ADJUSTER COULDNT BELEIVE THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR THE SEATBELT RETRACTED! THE ONLY THING THAT SAVED MY WIFE WAS THE SEATBELT FOR A SEC AND HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE ADJUSTER ALSO HAD SAID THAT THE SENSORS FOR THE AIR BAGS WERE TRIPPED AND IT DID NOT WORK. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE! GEICO IS FILING A SUBROGATION CLAIM AGAINST MITSUBISHI SINCE WE CALLED MISTSUBISHI AND THEY DIDNT WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. MARIAS AT MISTUBISHI JUST SAID TO FILE A CLAIM WITH OUR INSURANCE WITHOUT EVEN SENDING THEIR OWN PEOPLE TO CHECK OUT THE VEHICLE. MARIEAS CAN BE REACHED AT

NHTSA complaint 10816176, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving the vehicle the headlights will turn off at random intervals. The passenger side rear tail light is out and remains out despite changing the bulb. Water leaks through a gap in the body into the light and the trunk. Headlights need to be reliable in order to ensure safety and visibility, especially at night and during inclement weather. My father is a retired auto mechanic and has been doing his best to troubleshoot the problem. I am experiencing financial hardship at the moment and I cannot afford to bring my vehicle anywhere that would charge. There are no warnings, the lights just stop working periodically and the tail light stopped working about a week ago.

NHTSA complaint 11494649. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
I got a service needed warning for the electric power steering and I lost all power steering... As it turned out, the rack and pinion was bad because the subframe rotted out where the rack and pinion mounts up and a custom built subframe and rack and pinion had to be installed on the car at a cost of almost $5,000...

NHTSA complaint 11484709. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION:FRONT

72,000 miles

The contact owns a 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer. The contact stated that while having the vehicle inspected, the front crossmember was corroded. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000. Consumer called the local dealer back for an estimate, part to be replaced and was given $1150.19. Dealer would get the parts in a week.

NHTSA complaint 11428725. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
Routine service at 112 Mitsubishi Dealer/Service Center noted that my front crossbar was severely corroded and “coming apart in chunks”. They noted that this defect is known and was recalled on later model years of my car, but not my 2011. Considering it was recalled already and is the same issue, I would recommend and hope the 2011 model year can also be included in the recall. It is available for inspection through mid September when I expect to repair it. There were no warnings leading up to this discovery of the defect, as it is structural. I am not an expert, but I would expect this advanced corrosion could fully compromise the car structure in a catastrophic way, resulting in an

NHTSA complaint 11428338, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

90,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2011 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE DEFOGGER FAILED TO OPERATE AS AIR STOPPED FLOWING THROUGH THE VENTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATER, AIR CONDITIONER AND DEFOGGER FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. DON HERRING NORTH MITSUBISHI (4225 W PLANO PKWY, PLANO, TX 75093) WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V233000 (VISIBILITY). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

NHTSA complaint 11366664. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

54,500 miles

CAR WAS PARKED ON THE PARKING SPOT IN THE EVENING. NEXT MORNING CAR DID NOT START FOR NO REASON. ETAC ECU FAILURE CAUSED A RETURN SIGNAL TO BE BLOCKED ON A COMMUNICATION CHANNEL WIRE. ALSO WHAT WAS FOUND LATER AFTER A COMMUNICATION CHANNEL WIRE CONNECTIONS CLEAN UP, THAT A COOLING FAN STARTED TO RUN CONTINUOUSLY ALL THE TIME EVEN WHEN THE CAR ENGINE SHUT OFF.

NHTSA complaint 11283069. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Mitsubishi Lancer

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2016 30 2
2015 23 1
2014 16 0
2012 19 1
2010 51 6

Other 2011 Mitsubishi models

Every Mitsubishi on this site — 45 vehicles, 119 recall campaigns and 0 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

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