IllustrationFRONT LOWER ENGINE SUPPORT & CRADLE ARE RUSTED OUT ALONG WITH THE CROSS MEMBER. I CAN FURNISH PICTURES IF NECESSARY.
2002 Mitsubishi Lancer
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Lancer years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer are substantially higher than the model-year median of 27.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Lancer 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
160–25K
1825–50K
1050–75K
1475–100K
16100–150K
12150K+
86 reports with mileage · 62 unknown
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.
- Visibility. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
32 crash reports1 fire reports17 injury reports
Structure complaints
7 reportsRECALL INFO: "THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE SURFACES OF THE FRONT CROSS MEMBERS USED ON CERTAIN VEHICLES IF EXPOSED LONG TERM TO SNOW MELT WATER AND ANTI-FREEZING AGENTS MAY CORRODE DUE TO INSUFFICIENT PERFORMANCE OF THE RUST PROTECTION. SHOULD CORROSION OCCUR, A LOWER CONTROL ARM COULD BECOME DETACHED RESULTING IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CO…
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RECALL INFO: "THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE SURFACES OF THE FRONT CROSS MEMBERS USED ON CERTAIN VEHICLES IF EXPOSED LONG TERM TO SNOW MELT WATER AND ANTI-FREEZING AGENTS MAY CORRODE DUE TO INSUFFICIENT PERFORMANCE OF THE RUST PROTECTION. SHOULD CORROSION OCCUR, A LOWER CONTROL ARM COULD BECOME DETACHED RESULTING IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND POTENTIAL COLLISION. IN MAY 2016 WE HAD TO HAVE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM REPLACED ALONG WITH THE FRONT SWAY BARK LINK ASSEMBLY." I BELIEVE THIS IS ALL PART OF THE CORROSION MENTIONED ABOVE IN THE RECALL. CAR WAS MOVING WHEN LOWER CONTROL ARM BECAME DETACHED. $285.00 TO REPLACE LOWER CONTROL ARM & FRONT SWAY BAR LINK. *TR
I OWN A 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER (OZ RALLY) THAT WAS PURCHASED IN 2002. DURING THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF 2009, I NOTICED MY TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB WAS BECOMING HARDER AND HARDER TO TURN. ON MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2010 IT BROKE COMPLETELY OFF, LEAVING A PARTIAL STUB OF PLASTIC IN THE CONSOLE AND THE REMAINING PLASTIC INSIDE THE KNOB. I…
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I OWN A 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER (OZ RALLY) THAT WAS PURCHASED IN 2002. DURING THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF 2009, I NOTICED MY TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB WAS BECOMING HARDER AND HARDER TO TURN. ON MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2010 IT BROKE COMPLETELY OFF, LEAVING A PARTIAL STUB OF PLASTIC IN THE CONSOLE AND THE REMAINING PLASTIC INSIDE THE KNOB. I FIRST WENT TO TWO AUTO PARTS STORES TO SEE IF THEY CARRIED THIS REPLACEMENT PIECE, AND THEIR PERSONNEL INFORMED ME I NEEDED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED A MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP. I THEN WENT TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY INFORMED ME THE PART COULD NOT BE REPLACED INDIVIDUALLY, BUT IT WOULD COST $311 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE CONSOLE IN ADDITION TO THE $150 OR MORE IN LABOR COSTS. I REFUSED TO PAY SUCH AN OUTLANDISH PRICE, CONSIDERING THAT MY CONSOLE WAS IN PERFECTLY WORKING ORDER. I ONLY NEED THE BROKEN PLASTIC MECHANISM REPLACED, NOTHING MORE. AND PAYING APPROXIMATELY $500 TO REPLACE A PLASTIC PIECE IS RIDICULOUS. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, I REALIZED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER LANCER OWNERS AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE INFORMED OF THIS DEFECT. *TR
PAINT IS CHIPPING ALL OVER THE BODY, ESPECIALLY ON THE HOOD. THE COMPANY REFUSES TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CHEAP PAINT. THE PAINT WILL CHIP FOR NO REASON OR WHENEVER BIRD DROPPINGS OR TREE SAP COME IN CONTACT, EVEN IF YOU CLEAN IT RIGHT OFF. I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH BAD PAINTG. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE CONTROL ARM POPPED OFF THE WHEEL . HOWEVER, DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT. VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED DUE TO BENT CHASSIS. *AK
HAVING A PROBLEM WITH REAR SUSPENSION. THE ENTIRE BACK END SOUNDS AS IF THE FRAME IS BROKEN. WAS ASSURED BY MITSU SERVICE THAT IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED BEARINGS AND BUSHINGS AND PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER. THIS IS A 2002 LANCER OZ WITH 30000 MILES THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A CAR OF THIS AGE. I AM FILING…
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HAVING A PROBLEM WITH REAR SUSPENSION. THE ENTIRE BACK END SOUNDS AS IF THE FRAME IS BROKEN. WAS ASSURED BY MITSU SERVICE THAT IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED BEARINGS AND BUSHINGS AND PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER. THIS IS A 2002 LANCER OZ WITH 30000 MILES THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A CAR OF THIS AGE. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE I FEEL IF THERE ARE TWO COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE THERE ARE MOST CERTAINLY DOZENS MORE OUT THERE OR MORE TO COME.*AK
VEHICLE IS RUSTING AT FACTORY SEAMS/WELDS FOR FRONT FRAME RAILS & APRON. DT
Official recalls
216V458000 · 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.
04V428000 · Equipment:other:labels
Sep 1, 2004
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Remedy: MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL CURRENT 2000-2004 NATIVA OWNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ALERT LABELS FOR THE SUN VISORS. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH OR APRIL 2005. THE NOTIFICATION TO THE NATIVA OWNERS IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL OR MAY 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.