IllustrationTHE FRONT CONTROL ARM WHERE IT BOLTS TO THE K FRAME RUSTED AWAY COMPLETLY RESULTING IN THE FRONT DRIVERS TIRE TO COME OFF. WAS IN A GET IN GO PARKING LOT TURNING WHEN THIS HAPPENED LUCKLY NO ONE WAS HURT.
2004 Mitsubishi Outlander
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 47.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Outlander 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
100–25K
725–50K
550–75K
475–100K
6100–150K
7150K+
39 reports with mileage · 13 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.
- Suspension. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports0 fire reports5 injury reports
Steering complaints
5 reportsVEHICLE VIBRATED BADLY AND HAD A TENDENCY TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. VERY BAD ACCIDENT OCCURRED JULY 12, 2006. ONE CAR ACCIDENT. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM HOUSTON, TEXAS. A WOMAN DRIVING BEHIND HER SAID THEY HAD BEEN DRIVING NORMALLY, NO SPEEDING OR WEAVING, WHEN MY WIFE'S OUTLANDER SUDDENLY PULLED HARD TO THE RIGHT, HIT A LA…
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VEHICLE VIBRATED BADLY AND HAD A TENDENCY TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. VERY BAD ACCIDENT OCCURRED JULY 12, 2006. ONE CAR ACCIDENT. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM HOUSTON, TEXAS. A WOMAN DRIVING BEHIND HER SAID THEY HAD BEEN DRIVING NORMALLY, NO SPEEDING OR WEAVING, WHEN MY WIFE'S OUTLANDER SUDDENLY PULLED HARD TO THE RIGHT, HIT A LARGE CURB AND FLEW THROUGH THE AIR, LANDING AND ROLLING ON TO THE SIDE. *JB
THERE IS A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST IS ENGINE NOISE (LOUD "TICKING, " CLICKING" NOISE) THIS ALL THE TIME. IT WAS TAKEN IN A NUMBER OF TIMES AND EVERY TIME SOMETHING WAS CHANGED AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS FIXED. THE NOISE IS STILL THERE! THE KEYLESS ENTRY MODULE WAS REPLACED FOR ERRATIC LOCK AND LIGHT FUNCTION…
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THERE IS A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST IS ENGINE NOISE (LOUD "TICKING, " CLICKING" NOISE) THIS ALL THE TIME. IT WAS TAKEN IN A NUMBER OF TIMES AND EVERY TIME SOMETHING WAS CHANGED AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS FIXED. THE NOISE IS STILL THERE! THE KEYLESS ENTRY MODULE WAS REPLACED FOR ERRATIC LOCK AND LIGHT FUNCTION, HOWEVER IT HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND "SCUFFS" THE TIRES ( WE HAVE ROTATED THE TIRES AT ABOUT EVERY 1500 MILES TO TRY TO PREVENT THIS). I HAVE TAKEN IT IN FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD ALIGNMENT WAS OK, AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE! THERE IS ALSO A CONSTANT "THUMPING,CLUNKING" NOISE FROM FRONT END OVER BUMPS(WAS TOLD UNABLE TO FIX OR DUPLICATE). LASTLY, THIS VEHICLE HAS A INTERMITTENT SEVERE HESITATION OR SOMETIMES NO POWER. I WAS TOLD "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE" AND EVERY THING WAS OK WITH THE VEHICLE. ALL THE WORK WAS DONE BY THE DEALER WERE I PURCHASED IT, AND I BELIEVE THEY ARE TIRED OF SEEING ME! *NM
(1) STEERING IS LOOSE. VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT EITHER TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. EXCESSIVE VIBRATION EVEN THOUGH THE DEFECT DID NOT CAUSE ANY ACCIDENT OR NEED ANY PARTS REPLACEMENT, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE MANUFACTURER DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM IN ASIA. I AM SURPRISED NORTH AMERICA IS NOT NOTIFIED. *LA
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A STEERING PROBLEM. THE STEERING IS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. *AK
Official recalls
416V458000 · 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.
04V197000 · Trailer Hitches
Apr 26, 2004
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH DEALER-INSTALLED TRAILER HITCH WIRING HARNESS AND CONTROL MODULE. THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE CAN OVERHEAT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: OVERHEATING OF THE TRAILER HITCH WIRING HARNESS MODULE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: OWNERS ARE BEING REQUESTED TO STOP USING THE HARNESS UNTIL A NEWLY DESIGNED REPLACEMENT IS PROVIDED AND CAN BE INSTALLED BY THE DEALER. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 28, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-888-648-7820.
03V429000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Nov 3, 2003
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES LOCATED IN THE CARIBBEAN, DUE TO A SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING ERROR IN THE ELECTRONIC TIMING AND CONTROL SYSTEM (ETACS), WHILE USING THE INTERMITTENT WIPER MODE, THE INTERMITTENT WIPER SWEEP TIME INTERVAL MAY INCREASE AS MUCH AS 6.8 SECOND BETWEEN WIPER SWEEPS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS DURING SEVERE WEATHER AND DURING VEHICLE'S HIGH-SPEED OPERATION, THE DRIVER VISIBILITY WOULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ETACS MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 14, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-800-981-0452.
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.