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2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Compare all Lancer Evolution years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 8 of 14 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Steering. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

14 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 23, 2006
SteeringCrashInjury

PRIOR TO THE AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT ON DECEMBER 27,2005 THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE TO MY KNOWLEDGE. IT WAS PURCHASED IN JULY 2005 , DEMO-USED CAR. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AS FOLLOWS: IT WAS VERY COLD THAT EVENING, I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN GOING WEST INTO THE MIDDLE LANE, UNFORTUNATELY MY CAR DID NOT GO STRAIGHT, BUT C…

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PRIOR TO THE AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT ON DECEMBER 27,2005 THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE TO MY KNOWLEDGE. IT WAS PURCHASED IN JULY 2005 , DEMO-USED CAR. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AS FOLLOWS: IT WAS VERY COLD THAT EVENING, I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN GOING WEST INTO THE MIDDLE LANE, UNFORTUNATELY MY CAR DID NOT GO STRAIGHT, BUT CONTINUE TO TURN. I CROSSED OVER TO THE FAR RIGHT LANE, THEN THE SIDE WALK INTO AN UTILITY POLL. COULD NOT CONTROL THE WHEEL OF THE CAR, THE WHEEL LOCKED, COULD NOT TURN THE CAR. THE CAR CRASHED INTO AN UTILITY POLL, IMPLODING BOTH AIR BAGS. MY INSURANCE COMPANY'S ADJUSTER DEEMED IT A TOTAL LOSS, NON-REPAIRABLE. NOT SURE IF THERE WERE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL AT ALL, JUST WANTED TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP TO INFORMED THEM OF WHAT HAPPEN THAT IT WOULD BE ON THEIR RECORDS, JUST IN CASE ANOTHER INCIDENT HAPPEN WITH THIS MODELED CAR TO SOMEONE ELSE, THAT WAS ALL, BUT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT ASSIST ME. I WANTED TO SEE IF THERE COULD BE AN INVESTIGATION DONE TO LOOK AT THE CAR TO SEE WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE WHEEL TO LOCK AND FOR ME NOT TO HAVE CONTROL OF THE CAR. I DO NOT KNOW IF THERE WAS ANYTHING ON THE ROAD THAT EFFECTED THE TIRES, NOT SURE AT ALL BECAUSE EVERYTHING HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY THAT NIGHT. IF YOU NEED ANY DOCUMENTATION ON THE INCIDENT, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT [XXX]. I KNOW THIS IS A VERY SMALL CASE, BUT I JUST WANTED THIS ON FILE TO LET YOU KNOW. THANK YOU.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10148361

Mileage unknown · Jan 23, 2006
SteeringCrashInjury

PRIOR TO THE AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT ON DECEMBER 27, 2005 THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. WAS PURCHASED IN JULY OF 2005 (DEMO CAR-USED). THE ACCIDENT HAPPEN AS FOLLOWS, IT WAS COLD THAT NIGHT I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN GOING WEST INTO THE MIDDLE LANE. UNFORTUNATELY MY CAR DID NOT GO STRAIGHT BUT CONTINUE TO TURN. I CROSSED OV…

Read full complaint

PRIOR TO THE AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT ON DECEMBER 27, 2005 THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. WAS PURCHASED IN JULY OF 2005 (DEMO CAR-USED). THE ACCIDENT HAPPEN AS FOLLOWS, IT WAS COLD THAT NIGHT I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN GOING WEST INTO THE MIDDLE LANE. UNFORTUNATELY MY CAR DID NOT GO STRAIGHT BUT CONTINUE TO TURN. I CROSSED OVER FAR RIGHT LANE, THEN THE SIDE WALK INTO AN UTILITY POLL. COULD NOT CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL OF THE CAR. THE WHEEL LOCKED, COULD NOT TURN THE CAR AT ALL. THE CAR CRASHED INTO AN UTILITY POLL IMPLODING BOTH AIR BAGS. MY INSURANCE COMPANY'S ADJUSTER DEEMED IT A TOTAL LOSS NON-REPAIR. NOT SURE IF THERE WERE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL OF CAR AT ALL, JUST WANTED TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP TO INFORMED THEM OF WHAT HAPPEN, SO THAT IT WOULD BE ON THEIR RECORDS, JUST IN CASE ANOTHER INCIDENT HAPPEN WITH THIS MODELED CAR TO SOMEONE ELSE THAT WAS ALL, BUT THEY DID NOT ASSIST ME. I WANTED TO SEE IF THERE COULD BE A INVESTIGATION TO LOOK AT THE CAR TO SEE WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE WHEEL TO LOCK AND FOR ME TO NOT HAVE CONTROL OF THE CAR. JUST WANTED THIS ON FILE TO LET YOU KNOW.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10148355

1,847 miles · Dec 28, 2005
Power Train

I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2005 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION, AND TWO MONTHS LATER @ 1847 MILES, THE CLUTCH WENT OUT. MITSUBISHI REFUSED TO WARRANTY REPAIR THE FAILURE, SO I STARTED INVESTIGATING THEIR CLUTCHES. IT TURNS OUT SIX LOCAL REPAIR SHOPS AS WELL AS 4 MITSUBISHI TECHNICIANS ADVISED ME THE CLUTCHES ARE WEAK/DEFECTIVE FROM TH…

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I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2005 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION, AND TWO MONTHS LATER @ 1847 MILES, THE CLUTCH WENT OUT. MITSUBISHI REFUSED TO WARRANTY REPAIR THE FAILURE, SO I STARTED INVESTIGATING THEIR CLUTCHES. IT TURNS OUT SIX LOCAL REPAIR SHOPS AS WELL AS 4 MITSUBISHI TECHNICIANS ADVISED ME THE CLUTCHES ARE WEAK/DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY, AND MITSUBISHI IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM ON MY MODEL, BUT REFUSES TO RECALL THEM OR REPAIR THEM. I ALSO WENT ON-LINE AND FOUND SEVERAL WEB-SITE COMPLAINTS ABOUT EVOLUTION CLUTCHES, INCLUDING "WWW.MITSUBISHISUCKS.COM" I CONTACTED MITSUBISHI'S CONSUMER COMPLAINT DEPT, WHO GENERATED FILE#[XXX] AND I WAS NEVER CONTACTED AGAIN. THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR PRODUCT FAILURE! MY VIN# [XXX]. I ENDED UP HAVING TO PAY $606.80 TO DAYTONA MITSUBISHI OR THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME MY CAR BACK! THEY HEAD SERVICE MANAGER RON, TOLD ME "ITS A LITTLE CAR, WITH TOO MUCH POWER, SO MITSUBISHI HAD TO DESIGN IT IN A WAY WHERE SOMETHING WOULD HAVE TO BREAK, AND UNFORTUNATELY ITS THE CLUTCH". WITH HUNDREDS OF EXISTING COMPLAINTS, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST MITSUBISHI HAVE TO RECALL ALL LANCER EVOLUTION CLUTCHES, AND REPLACE THEM WITH A UNIT THAT WILL NOT FAIL. *JB UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #10146262

9,661 miles · Sep 23, 2005
Power Train

I OWN A 2005 MITSUBISHI EVOLUTION LANCER THAT HAS 9,661 MILES ON IT AND THE CLUTCH IS ALREADY NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. MITSUBISHI ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM THAT DATES BACK TO THE 2003 LANCER, BUT YET THEY STILL REFUSE TO CONFRONT THE ISSUE AND TAKE CARE OF IT. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10137410

Official recalls

2

16V458000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm

Jun 23, 2016

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 Lancer, 2004 Lancer Wagon, 2003-2006 Lancer Evolution, 2003-2006 Outlander and 2007-2013 Outlander V-6 vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, the front lower control arms may detach due to the front cross member corroding from salt water exposure such as from road salt use.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A detached front control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front cross members. Depending on the level of existing corrosion, either a sealing/anti-corrosion agent will be applied or the front cross member will be replaced with a new one that has a sealing/anti-corrosion agent applied to it. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began January 2017. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-16-003.

05V335000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:hoses/lines/piping/fittings

Jul 27, 2005

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE TURBO CHARGER COOLANT HOSE WAS INCORRECTLY MANUFACTURED, AND MAY ALLOW COOLANT LEAKAGE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF A LEAK OCCURS, DURING VEHICLE OPERATION WHEN THE MANIFOLD IS HOT, COOLANT MAY IGNITE AND CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TURBO CHARGER COOLANT HOSE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 15, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 888-648-7820.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.