CSR

Mitsubishi · NHTSA safety record

2015 Mitsubishi Outlander

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

52

Complaints

5

Crashes

1

Fires

3

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander have filed 52 safety complaints with NHTSA between February 2015 and November 2025. The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 25 of them (48%). The typical failure was reported at 35,000 miles, the median across the 33 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 5 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (5)

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT

26V252000 · April 20, 2026

The defect
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Outlander PHEV and 2014-2020 Outlander vehicles. The liftgate gas spring cylinders may corrode and lose pressure, which can result in a gas spring cylinder rupture or the liftgate falling unexpectedly.
The risk
A gas spring cylinder rupture or a liftgate falling unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury.
The remedy
MMNA will replace the left and right liftgate gas springs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 17, 2026. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-26-001. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov June 3, 2026. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V507.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. · up to 108,046 vehicles across all model years covered

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT

25V507000 · August 7, 2025

The defect
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Outlander PHEV and 2014-2020 Outlander vehicles sold and/or currently registered in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The liftgate gas spring cylinders may corrode and lose pressure, which can result in a gas spring cylinder rupture or the liftgate falling unexpectedly.
The risk
A gas spring cylinder rupture or a liftgate falling unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury.
The remedy
MMNA will replace the left and right liftgate gas springs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 6, 2025. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-25-002

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. · up to 121,529 vehicles across all model years covered

SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

20V403000 · July 13, 2020

The defect
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Outlander and 2018-2019 Outlander PHEV vehicles. The second-row center seat belt buckle may interfere with the right-side seat belt buckle when the seat backs are folded down. The interference may cause the right-side seat belt buckle cover to come off, making the buckle latch inoperable and unable to restrain an occupant.
The risk
An unrestrained occupant has an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The remedy
MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will modify the second-row center seat belt buckle cover, install a new warning label to the second-row seat support base, and provide a new warning label insert for the owner's manual, free of charge. The recall began September 1, 2020. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-20-004.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. · up to 177,000 vehicles across all model years covered

PARKING BRAKE

18V070000 · January 26, 2018

The defect
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Outlander and 2013-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles. Water may enter the rear brake calipers causing the parking brake actuator shafts to corrode and possibly bind.
The risk
If the parking brake actuator shaft binds, the parking brake may not engage or disengage fully. If the parking brake does not engage properly, the vehicle may move unexpectedly if it is parked on a slope, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear brake calipers and replace the parking brake boot and lever or the brake caliper body, as necessary. Dealers will also replace the piston assembly of the rear brake caliper. These repairs will be performed 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-18-002.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. · up to 170,354 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:RELAY

17V609000 · September 29, 2017

The defect
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Outlander, 2015-2016 Lancer and Outlander Sport, and 2015 Lancer Evolution vehicles. These vehicles may have defective relays that can result in an engine stall, reduced engine power or the engine overheating.
The risk
If the engine stalls, there is an increased the risk of a crash.
The remedy
MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected relays, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2017. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-17-005.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. · up to 132,552 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 52.

POWER TRAIN 25 48%
ENGINE 12 23%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 6 12%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 6 12%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 6 12%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 8%
SERVICE BRAKES 4 8%
AIR BAGS 3 6%
WHEELS 3 6%
STRUCTURE 2 4%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 2%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 2%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2016 at 13.

2015 2016 2025
2015 to 2025

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

2 injured · crash · towed · 45,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY SWERVED TO THE SHOULDER LANE. THE REAR DRIVER SIDE COLLIDED WITH THE GUARDRAIL, THE VEHICLE SWERVED BACK INTO THE TRAVEL LANE, AND THEN BACK TO THE SHOULDER LANE WHERE THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE COLLIDED WITH THE GUARDRAIL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEAT BELTS WERE LATCHED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT ARM AS THE WINDOW WAS OPEN AND HER ARM WAS CUT BY THE GUARDRAIL. THE CONTACT ALSO SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED

NHTSA complaint 11034107, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 20,000 miles

THE SENSOR FOR THE AIRBAGS WAS OUT DURING THE CRASH BUT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY

NHTSA complaint 11071836. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

fire · towed · 200,000 miles

The contact owned a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, a warning message displayed reading "Transmission Failure Reduced Power', prompting the contact to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. After which the contact observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment. By the time the contact and her family were able to exit the vehicle and move to a safe distance, the vehicle had become engulfed in flames that were originating from the engine compartment. Local emergency services arrived and were able to extinguish the fire. All warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard but had yet to be deemed a total loss by the contact's

NHTSA complaint 11615618, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

crash · towed

Engine and yes available for inspection. I had been driving then all of a sudden the Service Engine Immediately light started rapidly flashing and the car would hardly go. Turned around parked at home, towed to dealership where they said the engine compressor was not working and I would need a rebuilt engine for over $5000. Towed it back home and now looking for a new car. There were no warning lights or any other symptoms prior to this happening. It was an all of a sudden warning. If I had been on the freeway, my safety would have been at risk as it just died without warning.

NHTSA complaint 11696348. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
The cvt transmissions are terrible and fail

NHTSA complaint 11671396. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The backup camera view is not shown on the infotainment system. The screen goes blank. Checking the hidden menu, the backup camera view is available. This impacts reverse packing and hence safety of the pedestrians and passengers.

NHTSA complaint 11629794. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
While driving in the city limits around 35 miles an hour I had to stop abruptly to avoid a collision with a driver who didn’t stop at the intersection. I had to come to a complete stop for this driver. When I took my foot off of the brake and tried to drive on my car would not move. I had to shift gears put it in park and try again. I could hear the engine responding but the car wouldn’t move. When it did start to move forward slowly it was shaking very hard and I was only able to get 10 miles an hour. I had to be towed. And I kept thinking what if I was on the highway that day where the speed limit is 75mph.

NHTSA complaint 11557190. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

towed · 140,000 miles

The contact owns a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated while driving at approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle started to independently decelerate. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced due to a cylinder with low compression. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA complaint 11536490. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Mitsubishi Outlander

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2024 26 1
2023 45 2
2022 209 7
2020 31 3
2019 29 5
2018 55 6
2017 51 6
2016 142 8
2014 45 4
2013 26 5
2012 22 6
2011 58 8
2010 60 10

Other 2015 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.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst