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Mitsubishi LancerModel year report

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Problems

Compared with other Mitsubishi Lancer years

More complaints than typical for this model

86/100 2.3× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2011

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
98filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
75,000miles, 67 complaints with mileage
Recalls
8campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
24 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 22 city / 28 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2009 Lancer most often describe headlights that switch off on their own, brakes that feel weak or slow to respond, and CVT transmission trouble signaled by a "slow down" warning. Reports arrive across a wide mileage span, from under 20,000 miles to well past 130,000, and many owners say dealers could not reproduce the fault or that their vehicle was excluded from a related recall by VIN or build date.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    CVT "slow down" warning and loss of acceleration

    • 13 complaints (13%)
    • median 81,000 mi at 4.9 yrs old (13 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2009–2020

    Owners describe a "slow down" warning with a thermometer icon appearing at highway speed, followed by reduced power or the car dropping speed until it stops, then recovering after a cooldown. Some were told the CVT needed replacement, and a few mention replacement units failing again later. Others report whining noises, hesitation, or jerking during acceleration, and some point to service bulletins on transmission fluid level and control module programming. Typically reported between roughly 60,000 and 130,000 miles, often after sustained highway driving.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for transmission service records and whether the TCM software update was applied; on a test drive, listen for whining or humming and watch for a "slow down" message during a highway run.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I purchased my vehicle in 2009 from the Mitsubishi dealership in ga, brand new. I travel often and long distances so I have accumulated a lot of mileage on my vehicle within a short period of time. I maintain the vehicle with all the proper inspections and services and the suggestion times (oil change every 3k miles, brakes and tires at 50k,...). I began having issues with my transmission in august 2012 with this whining noise everytime I accelerated. My service engine soon light came on shortly after the noise started. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10503938, filed 2013-03, 81,000 miles

    “I was driving northbound on the ca is-15 north at approximately 5:55 pm pst between the exits of 138/wrightwood and the route 395/joshua street exit. I was traveling in the fast lane going about 68-72 MPH. I got a service required error light flashing, then the slow down light came on with a picture of a thermometer. I checked the temperature gauge (which is displayed on the LED screen by the speedometer, not the usual independent gauge) and the temperature showed that it was right in the middle, which should be working great. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10535378, filed 2013-08, 79,885 miles
  2. Exterior lighting

    Low-beam headlights cut out while driving

    • 10 complaints (10%)
    • median 112,296 mi at 10.1 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2023

    Owners describe low beams, and sometimes high beams and daytime lights, turning off or flickering at random while the car is moving, then coming back on. Several say they replaced relays or the multifunction switch repeatedly, and some were told the ETACS/headlight control unit was at fault. A number report their vehicle was not covered by the electrical system recall based on build date or part number, even though the symptoms matched. Mostly reported between roughly 70,000 and 200,000 miles, often during night driving.

    Recall 15V2320003 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the ETACS ECU recall (15V232000) was performed and whether the build date falls inside the covered range. Test the headlights at night and check for any repaired or replaced relays.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Low beam headlights will randomly turn off while driving. This is a recall on 2009 lancers manufactured between jan 12, 2009 and july 6, 2010. My car was manufactured on march 18, 2008. I feel this recall needs to be revised as my car has the same issue as what others have reported that were part of the recall. This seems more than just a coincidence.”

    NHTSA complaint #10994614, filed 2017-06, 98,000 miles

    “The ecu is bad and the headlights will turn off while driving there is many complaints on the internet about this but they refuse to acknowledge its an issue and want near 1000 $ to fix the issue. We have had the light turn off while driving several time causing my wife to panic and causing alarm that could have resulted in an accident”

    NHTSA complaint #11162622, filed 2018-12, 90,000 miles
  3. Brakes

    Brakes slow to respond or fail to engage

    • 16 complaints (16%)
    • median 65,000 mi at 4.1 yrs old (14 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2009–2022

    Complaints describe the brake pedal going down without the car slowing as expected, sometimes needing the parking brake, and ABS warning lights coming on beforehand. Some owners link it to the brake booster check valve recall or to a failed ABS modulator, and a few describe caliper or pad wear that reduced braking. Dealers in several cases found no fault or quoted high repair costs. Reported from about 12,000 to 97,000 miles, in some cases shortly after a brake-related recall repair.

    Recall 09V077000

    What to check: Confirm the brake booster check valve recall (09V077000) was completed, and have the ABS modulator and brake fluid condition checked. Ask for any records of caliper or pad replacement.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have a 09 Lancer I had the brake recall done a month later I was driving to work just got off the expressway was on a side street doing 30 miles per hour the speed limit the brakes failed causing me to rearend another car I am injured and in therapy also none of the air bags went off there is over $6000 dollars in damage on just my car.”

    NHTSA complaint #10280237, filed 2009-08, 15,000 miles

    “I have 09 Mitsubishi Lancer. While driving at about 35 MPH applied the brakes to slow down to make a right turn on a green light, brakes never engaged so I pulled the e-brake, the cr got out of controlled and crashed into a light pole.”

    NHTSA complaint #10415579, filed 2011-07, 25,000 miles
  4. Engine

    Engine stalling, overheating, and rough running

    • 27 complaints (28%)
    • median 70,000 mi at 6.0 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2013–2020

    Owners report stalling or overheating while driving at various speeds, shaking and jerking, and in one case a catalytic converter replacement that did not stop the symptoms. Some complaints involve accessory drive belt recalls for the 4B1 engines, with parts unavailable for months, and others describe oil leaks from the front crank seal or valve cover. A few report the engine failing at relatively low mileage. Spread from about 30,000 to 167,000 miles, with several reports around 70,000 miles.

    Recall 14V562000Recall 18V0690004 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the drive belt tensioner and pulley recalls (14V562000, 18V069000) were completed, and check for oil residue around the front crank seal and valve cover.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I went to a recall service for sunroof and drive belt on april 09,2018.today, after one year I'm waiting yet for the Mitsubishi call because the parts was unavailable, so they ordered them. I called many times, they said the drive belt arrived but not the sunroof. They have the drive belt and did not call me to install it. My A/C compressor stop working, I'm not sure but somebody told that this drive belt and A/C compressor works together. Today I received a postal letter from Mitsubishi to warning about the sunroof again. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11195879, filed 2019-04, 116,000 miles

    “Bought 2009 Lancer for daughter for school only had 70,000 miles on engine one owner car, paid 10,000 dollars 3 months later engine blew please do not buy car engine are bad.”

    NHTSA complaint #10648303, filed 2014-10, 70,000 miles
  5. Body and structure

    Front crossmember and subframe rust

    Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe heavy corrosion of the front and rear crossmembers and subframe, found during inspections or routine service, in some cases severe enough that owners were advised not to drive the car. Several owners say their vehicle was excluded from the crossmember corrosion recall, often because it was not registered in a salt-belt state, even though the rust was present. Mostly reported between about 78,000 and 155,000 miles, typically on vehicles used where road salt is applied.

    Recall 20V2790002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Have the front and rear crossmembers inspected on a lift for scaling rust, and check with a dealer whether the crossmember recall (20V279000) applies to the specific VIN.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Subframe has rusted and corroded to the point that the dealer has suggested I tow the vehicle home, stating I am a pothole away from a major safety issue and it structurally falling apart. This is a issue that is under recall for up to 07 lancers that needs to be extended to include mine and others since it is a issue they clearly failed to address in later models. Vehicle has 92,000 miles on it. I have other pictures that show the extent of the rust.”

    NHTSA complaint #11254746, filed 2019-09, 92,000 miles

    “Vehicle failed inspection due to rust on cross members whihc is a recall item sr-20-003 for lancers. Currently my wehicle is not listed as a part of this but should be. Same problem as recall same years....”

    NHTSA complaint #11331534, filed 2020-06, 78,000 miles

Buying note. Have a 2009 Lancer inspected for crossmember rust and confirm which open recalls apply to the VIN before purchase. A test drive at highway speed is worth doing to check for transmission warnings.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 98 consumer complaints for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer. 67 of the complaints include a mileage, and 28% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 75,000 miles. Of all complaints, 11 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 10 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns and 107 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 4 Mitsubishi Lancer model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 86 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Seat belts (5), Vehicle speed control (5), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (4), Equipment (2), Fuel system (2), Tires (2), Electronic stability control (1), Steering (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Engine: “As I was driving up the i5 going up the grapevine in ca at 65-70mph my vehicle made a beeping noise and dash showed thermometer that said slow down. I slowed down to 60mph and went into the left lane or (slow lane where semi trucks drive). All of a sudden the car started to slow down more and more until a semi truck got extremely close and had to veer into a faster lane because my car was only going 40mph. I found an exit and exited the freeway. I came to a stop, when it was my turn to go, my car would not accelerate. The car was on and it was in drive but would not move. …”

NHTSA complaint #10533969, filed 2013-08, 58,923 miles

Electrical system: “The brake lights were no longer functioning, but the tail lights were still operating. The car failed inspection due to brake lights not functioning and the vehicle was taken to the dealership for diagnostics. The ecu, part number 8637c096 is what is in my vehicle. There is a safety recall for a 2009 Lancer, sr-15-002, for the ecu but because of the part number (8637a826) difference the dealership will not replace my ecu that is faulty. …”

NHTSA complaint #11361090, filed 2020-09, 135,093 miles

Brakes: “Shortly after starting the engine; take a turn left and then made; I turn on the ABS light shortly after engine light lit too and, days later, the ABS light went out. The next day I started the engine; running the car at 15 to 35 miles, sounds a hit; in the transmission and ABS light comes on again. This has been doing so far.”

NHTSA complaint #10651258, filed 2014-10, 65,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “2009 Lancer, clutch went out at under 20,000 miles. I have been reading of many clutch problems in past models, is there a trend here. I have owed 15 cars, half have been manual transmission. I have only had to replace 2 clutches: Mitsubishi 3000 gt at 40,000 and the Lancer at 18,000. I have a 10 year old jeep wrangler manual that my kids learned to drive on with about 70,000 miles with it's original clutch.”

NHTSA complaint #10277407, filed 2009-07, 18,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

28% of the 67 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 45,000 and 110,000 miles.

4%0–1012%10–2512%25–5021%50–7522%75–10022%100–1506%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (67 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 75,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’09’11’1316’15’17’19’21’23
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Lancer · sedan FWD/AWDnot rated5 / 4——4 · 12.1% risk

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Lancer FWD2.0L 4-cyl5-speed manual223025$2,700
Lancer FWD2.0L 4-cylCVT222824$2,800
Lancer 4WD/AWD2.0L 4-cyl6-speed automatic172520$4,100
Lancer FWD2.4L 4-cylCVT212723$2,900
Lancer FWD2.4L 4-cyl5-speed manual212823$2,900

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 8 recalls for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 107 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 107 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mitsubishi Lancer

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20176—0430—Not enough data
20163063,50024280 · FewerFalling
20152321,0001428—Stable
20141675,0000427—Stable
2013583,0000428—Not enough data
20121955,0001428—Falling
20113450,6063—2720 · FewerFalling
20105170,0006—2550 · TypicalFalling
20099875,0008—2486 · MoreFalling
20089133,0005—2487 · MoreFalling
200637100,0004—23Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20052470,0003—23—Stable
20048060,0004—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200319949,0002—26Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200214868,0002—25Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Mitsubishi Lancer model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer?

Owners of the 2009 Lancer most often describe headlights that switch off on their own, brakes that feel weak or slow to respond, and CVT transmission trouble signaled by a "slow down" warning. The issues reported most often: CVT "slow down" warning and loss of acceleration; Low-beam headlights cut out while driving; Brakes slow to respond or fail to engage.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer have?

NHTSA recorded 98 consumer complaints for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 22 complaints (22% of the total), followed by electrical system with 19.

Has the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer been recalled?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer get?

The EPA rates the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer (Lancer, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 24 mpg combined, 22 city and 28 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,800 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer reported?

Among the 67 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 75,000 miles and the middle half falls between 45,000 and 110,000 miles; 28% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.