CSR

Mitsubishi · NHTSA safety record

2015 Mitsubishi Outlander

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

Owners have filed 53 safety complaints about the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander with the US government. Of those, 5 describe a crash, 1 mentions a fire, 3 people were injured and no death is recorded. 5 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 25 complaints, 47% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 35,000 miles, the median across the 33 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers February 2015 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

53 complaints on file

53

Complaints

5

Describe a crash

1

Mention fire

3

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
POWER TRAIN 25 · 47%
ENGINE 12 · 23%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 6 · 11%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 6 · 11%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 6 · 11%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 · 8%
SERVICE BRAKES 4 · 8%
AIR BAGS 3 · 6%
STRUCTURE 3 · 6%
WHEELS 3 · 6%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 · 2%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 · 2%
0 12 23

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 53.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

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

16 12 8 4
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2015 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2015 Mitsubishi OUTLANDER, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SUV AWD SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 16.4% 18.5%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

5 on file

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

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

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.

SUSPENSION
The front subframe crossmember on my vehicle is severely rusted out. There is currently a hole measuring about 2"x1". I previously had two other holes on the bottom welded as a temporary fix, but the rust just kept eating through the metal and it's now beyond saving. Because of this structural damage, the car is unsafe to drive and cannot pass a NYS safety inspection. I know Mitsubishi recalled earlier Outlanders for this exact crossmember rust issue, but later model years like mine seem to share the same defect and are currently excluded. There were no warning lights on the dash—I only found out how bad the failure was during an underbody inspection. It also looks like the AC condensate

NHTSA complaint 11766862, quoted in part. 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.

Compare

Other years of the Mitsubishi Outlander

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 15 1 —
2024 26 1 —
2023 47 2 —
2022 216 7 —
2020 31 3 —
2019 29 5 —
2018 57 6 —
2017 51 6 —
2016 145 8 —
2014 45 4 —
2013 26 5 —
2012 22 6 —
2011 58 8 —
2010 60 10 —

Other 2015 Mitsubishi models

Outlander Sport 182 Mirage 39 Lancer 23

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Mitsubishi on this site — 46 vehicles.

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. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

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