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Mitsubishi · NHTSA safety record

2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

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

15

Complaints

1

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV have filed 15 safety complaints with NHTSA between October 2018 and September 2020. The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 5 of them (33%). The typical failure was reported at 10,000 miles, the median across the 15 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

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

18V621000 · September 14, 2018

The defect
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport vehicles equipped with a Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system and 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Eclipse Cross vehicles and 2017-2018 Outlander vehicles equipped with an Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system and/or an Electric Parking Brake (EPB) system. The software for the Hydraulic Unit Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may be incorrect, possibly preventing the intervention of a safety system such as automatic emergency braking, Anti-lock Braking (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), or the Brake Auto Hold (BAH) function when any of these systems are in use.
The risk
If the safety systems do not function as intended, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will update the Hydraulic Unit-ECU software, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-008.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. · up to 58,916 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

18V620000 · September 14, 2018

The defect
Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Outlander Sport, 2018-2019 Eclipse Cross, and 2017-2018 Outlander vehicles equipped with a Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system that detects pedestrians. Due to incorrect software, the FCM-ECU (Electronic Control Unit) may apply braking for longer than needed, even after a pedestrian is no longer detected.
The risk
If the FCM-ECU software activates the brake for longer than necessary, the driver may react by applying additional braking. The resulting rapid deceleration of the vehicle can increase the risk of a rear-end collision.
The remedy
MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the FCM-ECU software with updated software, free of charge. The recall is began October 16, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-007.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. · up to 9,166 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Pedestrian alert sounds

DP22005

Closed defect petition · opened January 27, 2023 · closed August 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000

the electrical system

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 15.

POWER TRAIN 5 33%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 4 27%
SERVICE BRAKES 4 27%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 4 27%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 3 20%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 20%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 2 13%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 7%
ENGINE 1 7%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 7%
SEATS 1 7%
STRUCTURE 1 7%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 8.

2018 2019 2020
2018 to 2020

In owners' own words

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

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

fire · 35,000 miles

THE CHARGER SUPPLIED BY MITSUBISHI MELTED DURING NORMAL CHARGING. MITSUBISHI HAS STATED THAT THE CORD IS NOT DEFECTIVE AND WILL NOT COVER THE COST OF REPLACEMENT NOR ARE THEY INTERESTED ON THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE CAUSED BY THE LOOSE PLUG TERMINAL AND HOT SPOT.

NHTSA complaint 11166055. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

crash · towed · 10,328 miles

STARTED UP THE CAR AND STARTED BACKING UP OUT OF MY GARAGE. WHEN I PUT MY CAR INTO REVERSE I SAW MY CHARGING PORT DOOR OPEN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR AT THIS POINT MY CARS BACK END WAS PARTIALLY STICKING OUT OF THE GARAGE I PUT THE CAR INTO PARK BY PUSHING THE PARK BUTTON, I OPENED THE DOOR GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND LEFT THE DOOR OPEN AND STARTED TO WALK DOWN THE DRIVER SIDE TOWARDS THE BACK END OF THE CAR I GOT OUTSIDE THE GARAGE RIGHT NEXT TO THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT, AND THE CAR WENT INTO REVERSE AND DROVE OUT OF THE GARAGE IT TOOK THE DOOR AND BENT IT BACK TO THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT FENDER AND KEPT GOING ALMOST RAN ME OVER I HAD TO RUN AND JUMP IN THE CAR AND SLAM ON THE

NHTSA complaint 11287508, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

towed · 1,600 miles

PARKED ON A 25% GRADED POINTING DOWN HILL, WHEN I TRIED TO START THE OUTLANDER, THE SCREEN PRODUCED A RBS ERROR. THE GAS BASED ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE EV MOTORS SEEMED TO COME ON WITH VERY LITTLE POWER. WHEN I CALLED MITSUBISI TO TOW THE CAR THEY SAID, OUOTE"THAT DOESN'T NORMALLY START THIS SOON" , THIS TELLS ME THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM. MY PHEV HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE MONDAY, I'M BEING TOLD THEY RESET THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ERROR AND THEY DON'T SEE A PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT A FIX. I TOOK PICTURES AFTER I RESTARTED IT THE THIRD TIME. THE ONE THING THAT REMAINED WAS THE DRIVING RANGE FOR BOTH GAS AND EV ONLY HAD DASHES, THEY SHOULD SHOW HOW MANY MILES ARE AVALIABLE FOR EV AND GAS.

NHTSA complaint 11142788. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

32,000 miles

WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, THE PROPULSION REDUCED WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WENT FROM 70 MPH TO 10 MPH. I WAS DRIVING UP A GRADE IN THE LATE EVENING. I HAD A FULL TANK OF GAS BUT NO MILES LEFT ON THE ELECTRIC CHARGE INDICATOR. AFTER I PULLED OVER AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND INSISTED I COME GET THE CAR. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE A CAR IF IT REDUCES ITS SPEED/ POWER FOR NO REASON.

NHTSA complaint 11352950. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

8,500 miles

CALL VOLUME IS SET FOR 11 AND CAN'T BE HEARD OVER COMMON ROAD NOISE. THIS CAUSES DISTRACTED DRIVING AS THE DRIVER ATTEMPTS TO TURN OFF BLUETOOTH OR WORSE TO TRANSFER THE CALL TO THE PHONE - WHICH IS ILLEGAL IN MOST STATES REQUIRING HANDS FREE CALLS. THIS IS A LONG KNOWN PROBLEM AND WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FIXED IN EARLIER MODELS. IT STILL ISN'T. DEALERS CAN'T DO ANYTHING. YET I CAN'T CRANK THE MUSIC UP VOLUME WITHOUT ISSUE. THIS TYPICALLY OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION ON EITHER STREETS OR HIGHWAY.

NHTSA complaint 11344067. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

10,000 miles

THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN TO 20 MPH WHEN THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS NEAR 95 DEG F AND THE ROAD SLIGHTLY UPHILL. A MESSAGE CAME ON THE DASHBOARD THAT READ LIMITED PROPULSION. IT HAPPENED ON I-15 ON THE WAY TO VEGAS LAST SEPTEMBER. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH BBB AND THE ANSWER I GOT FROM MITSUBISHI WAS THAT IT IS DESIGNED THAT WAY. I HAVE A COPY OF THE MITSUBISHI MANUAL STATING THAT. I WROTE LETTERS WITH NO ACTION. THIS ALREADY HAPPENED TWICE. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR IN HOT WEATHER. SEE THE ATTACHED 5 DETAILED FILES FOR INFO. *TR

NHTSA complaint 11331865. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

26,535 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO PARK. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO OTHER GEARS HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILURE TO SHIFT INTO PARK PERSISTED. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,535.

NHTSA complaint 11311361. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY

1,843 miles

I BOUGHT MY CAR IN MARCH OF 2019 AND AFTER MY FIRST CAR WASH I REALIZED THERE WAS A PAINT DEFECTS LITTLE DIVOTS DOWN TO THE PRIMER ALL OVER ON THE HOOD AND OTHER PLACES ON THE VEHICLE THE DEALERSHIP ATTEMPTED TO REPAINT VEHICLE PAINT DUE TO FACTORY DEFECT THREE TIMES TO A NON-MITSUBISHI BODY SHOP AND DEALERSHIP DID NOT INFORM MITSUBISHI CORPORATE ABOUT THIS MATTER INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP IN MAY I WAS NOT GOING TO EXCEPT THIS CAR BACK AND WOULD LIKE A NEW CAR BECAUSE I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE MY BRAND NEW CAR PAINTED BY SOMEONE AFTER A MONTH OR TWO OF OWNING THE VEHICLE AND ESPECIALLY THREE TIMES AND STILL NOTHING THEY SAID THEY WOULD TRADE IT OUT AND THEY WILL FIND SOMETHING COMPARABLE FOR

NHTSA complaint 11287539, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other 2018 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