2008 Mitsubishi Outlander Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe recall repairs delayed because parts were unavailable, and rust in the crossmember or subframe. Where mileage is given, crossmember and subframe rust reports cluster at about 115,000 to 160,000 miles. Owners also describe the gear selector sticking in Park or Drive, engine hesitation or stalling, and brake lights or low beams going out.

1. 1
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Recall repair delayed because parts were unavailable

   • 17 complaints (29%)
   • median 65,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2011–2019

   Owners describe receiving recall notices for wiper, lighting, engine belt and suspension parts, and being told the parts for the repair were not available for months. Some complaints say the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable time for the recall repair, and a dealer confirmed that parts were not available. Many of these owners report no failure at the time of the complaint, while a complaint also describes a stall that was not diagnosed. Most of these reports do not give mileage, and the few with mileage fall between about 65,000 and 100,000 miles.

   Recall 14V562000Recall 14V564000Recall 16V791000Recall 16V458000

   What to check: Ask whether the open recall repairs on this vehicle have been completed and whether parts are now available, and check the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup. If a recall is still open, ask the dealer for a written repair date.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I received a recall notice in december of 2016, that indicated they did not have the parts yet to make the repair but would send a second notice when they were received. I called today7/7/17 seven months after getting the notice and was told they still do not have the parts to mrepair the problem?”

   NHTSA complaint #11003661, filed 2017-07

   “I received an interim important safety recall letter in december 2016 regarding the wiper link ball joint , potential corrosion and separation causing windshield wipers to stop operating. The letter indicated that no parts were available for the repair and that I would be contacted when the remedy parts were available. Approximately 6 months later, in early june, I received a bright orange urgent recall repairs postcard from my dealership about the same issue. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11001658, filed 2017-06
2. 2
   Suspension

   Crossmember or subframe rust or breakage

   • 13 complaints (22%)
   • median 147,750 mi at 11.2 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2013–2024

   Owners describe rust or corrosion in a crossmember or subframe, sometimes found during exhaust work, scheduled maintenance, or a recall visit. Some say the metal rusted through or rotted at a weld, with wobbling front wheels, shuddering, or banging from underneath, and a report says a mechanic advised against driving the vehicle. Some owners describe a recall covering only certain crossmember vehicles, such as V6 models or salt-belt states, and say the four-cylinder model was not included. Some owners who paid for crossmember repairs before a recall say reimbursement was denied. Where mileage is given, reports range from about 115,000 to 160,000 miles, and a report ties the rust to a salty coastal location.

   Recall 20V2790004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have a mechanic inspect the front and rear crossmember and subframe for rust or cracks at the welds, and ask whether the crossmember recall was checked for this VIN. Ask for records of any crossmember repair, since some owners report that repairs made before a recall were not reimbursed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Took car in for safety recall found out that my engine cross member has been rusting there is a safety recall on this issue but was not notified dealership told me that it would be 970.00 to replace this is not my responsibility it's Mitsubishi s should have been recalled before the rust and sealed coated please get back on this issue could have lead to my steering failure and possibly a fatality for me and my family”

   NHTSA complaint #11054742, filed 2017-12, 150,000 miles

   “I received a recall notice from Mitsubishi related to a cross member of the frame. There was a problem with the vehicle and I took it in for service and they discovered a corrosion issue which I had they service garage fix and I paid for the repair. Mitsubishi is denying the claim because they say that there was no deflection of the cross member. There was no deflection of the cross member because I had it repaired before Mitsubishi's recall notice. I would like to be reimbursed for $358.51 the cost of the repair per the recall notice. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11399996, filed 2021-03, 160,504 miles
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Gear selector sticks in Park or Drive

   Mentioned in 5 of 51 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the shifter staying locked in Park, or being hard to move out of Park or Drive, sometimes when the brake pedal is pressed to shift. A report says the shift interlock is affected, so the car cannot be shifted out of Park. A complaint notes the brake light switch had been replaced in an earlier recall, and the shifting problems continued afterward. According to complaints, the dealer asked for the vehicle to be brought in for diagnosis. Reported at about 14,000 to 99,000 miles, usually after starting the vehicle or when pressing the brake to shift.

   What to check: Ask a mechanic to check the brake switch and shift interlock on this vehicle. Confirm whether the brake switch was replaced under an earlier recall, since some owners say the problem continued afterward.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This vehicle was recalled in 2009 for a failure of the switch which activates the brake lamps. Mitsubishi records indicate that we had the switch replaced in march, 2009, along with another recall item. However, throughout the first half of 2011, my wife and I had problems getting the car to come out of 'park', and with the traction control computer indicating malfunctions. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10465586, filed 2012-07, 60,000 miles

   “Brake switch recall - when the vehicle is in park, turned on, and the brake is pressed to shift from park to any other position, the shifter remains locked in the park position.”

   NHTSA complaint #11035509, filed 2017-10, 99,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Engine hesitation, stalling, or loss of power

   • 7 complaints (12%)
   • median 102,500 mi at 8.3 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2008–2021

   Owners describe hesitation when accelerating, including from a stop, or stalling while driving at about 30 to 65 mph. In some reports the warning light came on, and a report describes a vehicle that would not move forward until the engine was restarted. According to complaints, no codes were found in some cases, and in another the dealer said nothing could be done without a bulletin from the manufacturer. Reported at about 1,200 to 131,000 miles, and some owners say it happens suddenly and cannot be duplicated.

   What to check: Ask whether the engine computer has been checked for stored codes and whether any drivability bulletin was applied. Test the throttle response on a safe road by accelerating gently from a stop, and ask for any repair records.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Intermittently the vehicle hesitates when accelerating then catches up. This has been looked into numerous times and they tell me no codes appear so there isn't a problem. I can not duplicate this and do not know when it is going to happen. It is frightful when it happens on the expressway.”

   NHTSA complaint #10326765, filed 2010-04, 19,400 miles

   “##1st problem==I was the car and got an speed of 25mph and sudennly the car wont moved forward even im trying to depressed the gas pedal but the same it wont moved forward but when I shot off the engine and re start again its trhe time that will moved forward=== ##2nd problem==my wife went to pick up our son from the school as she was driving the car to the intersection with traffic lights this afternoon when suddenly the car stops and the wheel is hard to turn from left or right and got panicked and then she called me for the rescue, as I …”

   NHTSA complaint #11252151, filed 2019-08, 131,000 miles
5. 5
   Exterior lighting

   Brake lights or low beam headlamps going out

   Mentioned in 4 of 51 sampled complaints

   Owners describe brake lights that do not come on when the brake pedal is pressed, sometimes working only when the headlights are off. Some say the light assembly, fuse, or brake light switch was replaced without fixing the problem. A report describes low beam headlamps going out while driving on a highway, and says repairs often lasted only about three to four weeks. Reported at about 60,000 to 200,000 miles, with brake lights failing during braking and headlamps going out while in motion on a highway.

   Recall 14V564000Recall 08V680000

   What to check: Ask whether the brake light switch recall was completed on this vehicle, and check that both brake lamps and low beams work with the headlights on and off. Ask for records of any light assembly or relay repairs, since some owners report the problem returned after repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While braking, the driver side brake light is only working when the headlights are not turned on. I read up on Mitsubishi recalling brake lights on outlanders and when I look up my VIN for a recall there is not one on there for that. This is an extreme issue. Last year we had it looked at, the whole light assembly replaced, the fuse replaced and yet nothing worked.”

   NHTSA complaint #11377107, filed 2020-11, 176,104 miles

   “We have a 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander that we purchased in 2010. I was following my wife down the road and noticed that when she applied the brakes the brake lights sometimes did not come on. This is a huge safety problem. When we got home I tested it and found that about 20% of the time no brake lights would illuminate. I did some research online to see how difficult it would be to fix and discovered this is a very common problem with several recalls associated with it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10652194, filed 2014-11, 94,000 miles

Buying note. Recall repair delays and crossmember rust are the most noted concerns in this sample, so ask for a crossmember inspection and the VIN's recall status before buying. Confirm that any open recall repair is scheduled or completed, and ask whether the gear selector and brake light problems were checked.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 51 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.