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Mitsubishi OutlanderModel year report

2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Problems

Compared with other Mitsubishi Outlander years

Typical for this model

53/100 1.1× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2013

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
53filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
35,000miles, 33 complaints with mileage
Recalls
5campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
4–5 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
27 mpgcombined, 2.4L 4-cyl FWD · 25 city / 30 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander most often report hesitation or jerking when pulling away or accelerating at low speed, mostly described as transmission or CVT problems. Some say the symptoms returned after transmission replacements or recall repairs, and a smaller group describes sudden engine power loss or shutdown. Where mileage is given, it ranges from very low to over 100,000 miles, and complaints were filed mostly between 2015 and 2023.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Hesitation or jerking when pulling away or accelerating

    • 22 complaints (42%)
    • median 36,000 mi at 3.6 yrs old (12 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2015–2026

    Owners describe hesitation, jerking or shaking when pulling away from a stop or accelerating at low speed, and some describe it while climbing a hill. Some say the vehicle would not move until the accelerator was pressed again, and others describe the transmission or CVT shuddering or stuttering. Some say the dealer could not duplicate the symptom, or that the transmission was flushed and the filters changed. Where mileage is given, it ranges from very low to over 100,000 miles, and many complaints describe the problem at low speeds, at stop signs or lights, or after a stop.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Ask whether a dealer checked for the CVT shudder or surge bulletin, and test pulling away from a stop and climbing a hill. Ask for any transmission service records, including fluid and filter work.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My 2015 Mitsubishi outlander transmission, cvt has gone out at 11700 thousand miles,, I was told there's no warranty nor recall , I was driving up hill it started jerking really hard , there was a car coming up behind me almost hitting me because of it lagging , please put a recall on these vehicles , be for someone dies because of the cvt failer.”

    NHTSA complaint #11446707, filed 2022-01

    “We purchased our 2015 Outlander in feb 2017 with only 25,000 miles. It was manufactured in july 2015 with a 2.0 liter engine. There is a recall for shuddering engines for this vehicle during this time, however out VIN did not appear on the recall list. When I am stopped at a red light or slow down, then try to speed up, the transmission shutters and jumps forward. There is now another issue resulting in the vehicle to increase RPM's without gaining speed. With further inspection, there was no transmission fluid in the reserve. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11097121, filed 2018-05, 34,000 miles
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Symptoms return after transmission or recall repairs

    • 23 complaints (43%)
    • median 76,000 mi at 3.8 yrs old (13 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2026

    Some owners say a transmission was replaced or rebuilt, and the same shaking or hesitation returned after a short time. Others say the problem continued after recall campaign repairs were completed, with some describing the vehicle still losing power or jerking. Some complaints describe repeated transmission failures over the vehicle's life, with replacements needed more than once. Where mileage is given, it ranges from very low to about 76,000 miles, and some say the symptoms returned soon after a repair.

    What to check: Ask for transmission and recall repair records, including whether a test drive reproduced the symptom. Check the VIN against NHTSA recall records, since some complaints say their vehicle was not included in a recall.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Original transmission gone at 55k mil 2nd transmission gone at 150k ... I'm gonna change 3rd one now (no more guarantee) I'm not sure next transmission problem when is coming?! I lost money,time etc. Everybody saying you pass 100k mileage... 150k mil car change 3rd time transmission!!! Pls stop selling Mitsubishi car in the us”

    NHTSA complaint #11041315, filed 2017-10

    “Took my vehicle in on a recall it was hesitating when you entered the freeway or even taking off from red light the problem still exist this issue need to fixed it is a safety concern for myself also others on the road also my car give off false fuel readings brakes are horrible please someone help...”

    NHTSA complaint #10909512, filed 2016-09
  3. Engine

    Engine power loss, shaking or shutdown while driving

    Mentioned in 5 of 48 sampled complaints

    Owners describe the engine shaking violently, losing power, or cutting out while driving, sometimes at highway speed. Some say the vehicle slowed or shut down on its own, sometimes with a check engine or reduced-power warning, and a complaint describes smoke and a fire from the engine compartment afterward. Diagnoses in the complaints range from a fuel injector and low cylinder compression to a computer fault, and some vehicles needed an engine rebuild or replacement. Where mileage is given, these complaints range from about 60,000 to 200,000 miles, and they are often sudden and at highway speed.

    Recall 17V609000

    What to check: Ask whether the starter relay recall was completed and whether any stored trouble codes were reviewed. Ask for engine repair records, including compression test or injector work.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Engine and yes available for inspection. I had been driving then all of a sudden the Service Engine Immediately light started rapidly flashing and the car would hardly go. Turned around parked at home, towed to dealership where they said the engine compressor was not working and I would need a rebuilt engine for over $5000. Towed it back home and now looking for a new car. There were no warning lights or any other symptoms prior to this happening. It was an all of a sudden warning. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11696348, filed 2025-10

    “The contact owned a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, a warning message displayed reading Transmission Failure Reduced Power', prompting the contact to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. After which the contact observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment. By the time the contact and her family were able to exit the vehicle and move to a safe distance, the vehicle had become engulfed in flames that were originating from the engine compartment. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11615618, filed 2024-09, 200,000 miles

Buying note. Prospective buyers may want to ask whether the transmission or CVT has been repaired or replaced and whether the symptoms returned afterward. Some complaints say recall repairs did not stop the symptoms, so checking recall status by VIN and a test drive from a stop are practical steps before deciding.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 48 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 53 consumer complaints for the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander. 33 of the complaints include a mileage, and 67% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 35,000 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 116 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 13 Mitsubishi Outlander model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 53 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (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: Electronic stability control (1), Exterior lighting (1), Seat belts (1), Steering (1), Suspension (1), Tires (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “This happens almost all the time - when driving at city street speed of 25 MPH and under my car shakes so much and does not accelerate and feels like it is going to shut down. On 3 occasions I was rear ended because of this and one time was with a huge sanitation truck with my children inside the car. I have taken this car to the dealer and the Mitsubishi dealer to be looked at and help to no avail it still does it. I have reported this to Mitsubishi motors and was given a case number but to date no one has contacted me nor helped me. …”

NHTSA complaint #11256329, filed 2019-09, 43,683 miles

Engine: “Driver proceeded to stop the vehicle in traffic and the brakes failed and did not engage. The vehicle did not come to a stop and hit the car in front of it. According to an of-duty police officer directly behind my vehicle, the brake lights were lit up as if the brakes were functioning but no slowing of the vehicle occurred.”

NHTSA complaint #10680382, filed 2015-02, 2,700 miles

Electrical system: “New vehicle purchased nov 16 2015. Two weeks after bought, vehicle began to slow down, then hesitate, stall out. The vehicle was put into shop due to a computer chip issue that occurred on 'the line.' got vehicle back and same problem. Mitsubishi put back in shop and replaced the transmission in dec 2015. Now same issue, stalling in lighted intersections, at stop signs, won't speed up, decelerates. Mitsubishi's answer? Put back in shop and going back in today, jan 12, 2016. Three times in less than three months I have had vehicle. …”

NHTSA complaint #10819691, filed 2016-01, 300 miles

Other or unknown: “When I took my car to the mission mitsubusi in san antonio tx. In the glove box of the car was a wedding ring and it was stolen while they did the oil change. I was told by management that since it was in the car, they were not responsible. I asked do the your people always go into the glove box? He said no, but they were not responsible. I reported it to the police and nothing happen. I will never buy another car from these thieves.”

NHTSA complaint #10865561, filed 2016-05, 5,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

67% of the 33 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 14,500 and 60,000 miles.

21%0–1024%10–2521%25–509%50–7512%75–1009%100–1503%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (33 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 35,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

20161320182020202220242026
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 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander. 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
Outlander · SUV AWD★★★★★4 / 5554 · 16.4% risk
Outlander · SUV FWD★★★★☆4 / 5554 · 18.5% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2015 model year: forward collision warning optional, lane departure warning optional, automatic emergency braking not available.

Neighbouring years: 2014: same overall rating; 2016: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

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

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander 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
Outlander 2WD2.4L 4-cylCVT253027$2,500
Outlander 4WD2.4L 4-cylCVT242926$2,600
Outlander 4WD3.0L 6-cyl6-speed automatic202723$3,550

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

Recall details for the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander → · 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. 116 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 116 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mitsubishi Outlander

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20251519,0001—27—Too new
2024265,0001427Too new to compareToo new
20235033,000242750 · TypicalToo new
202221710,0007—27100 · MoreStable
20203266,00034–52725 · FewerRising
20192920,00054–52751 · TypicalRising
20185727,50064–52766 · MoreRising
20175134,00064–52762 · TypicalFalling
201614560,51884–52786 · MoreFalling
20155335,00054–52753 · TypicalRising
20144530,00044–52750 · TypicalFalling
20132661,40054258 · FewerFalling
20122286,0006425—Falling
20115864,0008—2537 · TypicalRising
20106062,00010—2433 · FewerFalling
20094692,50013—2215 · FewerRising
20085899,00012—2221 · FewerFalling
200712588,7899—20Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200621100,0001—22—Stable
20051988,0001—22—Falling
20045263,2504—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200311668,2506—21Not compared (before 2008)Rising

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

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander?

Owners of this 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander most often report hesitation or jerking when pulling away or accelerating at low speed, mostly described as transmission or CVT problems. The issues reported most often: Hesitation or jerking when pulling away or accelerating; Symptoms return after transmission or recall repairs; Engine power loss, shaking or shutdown while driving.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander have?

NHTSA recorded 53 consumer complaints for the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 25 complaints (47% of the total), followed by engine with 12.

Has the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander 4–5 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander get?

The EPA rates the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander (Outlander 2WD, 2.4L 4-cyl) at 27 mpg combined, 25 city and 30 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,500 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander reported?

Among the 33 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 35,000 miles and the middle half falls between 14,500 and 60,000 miles; 67% 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.