2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Other / unspecified133.3%
- Suspension133.3%
- Visibility133.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
I BOUGHT A 2004 LANCER OZ RALLY BRAND NEW, STILL DRIVE IT DAILY AND I'VE ALWAYS HAD THIS PROBLEM TOO. IT WAS HARD TO TURN TO THE HEAT AND THE KNOB BROKE OFF. I CAN'T USE THE HEAT ANYMORE BECAUSE I CAN'T GET IT TO TURN AT ALL. I EVEN TRIED USING NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS (MINE STILL HAS SOME OF THE WHITE PLASTIC PART ATTACHED), WHICH WORKED A FEW TIMES BUT NOW I CAN'T GET IT TO TURN AT ALL. IN 2006, WHEN THE KNOB BROKE OFF, I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID IT WOULD COST AT LEAST $800 TO REPAIR. I ASKED WHY, IT'S JUST A KNOB? THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD TO TAKE MY WHOLE DASH APART TO FIX IT AND IT WAS MOSTLY LABOR COSTS. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THIS FOR A FAULTY MECHANISM. I ALSO COULDN'T USE MY DEFROSTER THIS MORNING AND REALLY NEEDED IT. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO WIPE MY WINDOWS... NOT SAFE MITSUBISHI!!!! PLEASE RECALL THIS NOW!!! *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK OF MY 2004 LANCER RALLIART. I HAD THE REAR SWAY BAR REPLACED, AND THEN I ALSO HAD THE STRUTS REPLACED IT WAS GOOD FOR 2 DAYS AND NOW IT IS SQUEAKING AGAIN. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING SINCE I HAD TO PAY ALOT OF MONEY TO HAVE IT FIXED AND NOW IT IS SQUEAKING AGAIN. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
I BOUGHT A 2004 LANCER OZ RALLY BRAND NEW, STILL DRIVE IT DAILY AND I'VE ALWAYS HAD THIS PROBLEM TOO. IT WAS HARD TO TURN TO THE HEAT AND THE KNOB BROKE OFF. I CAN'T USE THE HEAT ANYMORE BECAUSE I CAN'T GET IT TO TURN AT ALL. I EVEN TRIED USING NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS (MINE STILL HAS SOME OF THE WHITE PLASTIC PART ATTACHED), WHICH WORKED A FEW TIMES BUT NOW I CAN'T GET IT TO TURN AT ALL. IN 2006, WHEN THE KNOB BROKE OFF, I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID IT WOULD COST AT LEAST $800 TO REPAIR. I ASKED WHY, IT'S JUST A KNOB? THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD TO TAKE MY WHOLE DASH APART TO FIX IT AND IT WAS MOSTLY LABOR COSTS. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THIS FOR A FAULTY MECHANISM. I ALSO COULDN'T USE MY DEFROSTER THIS MORNING AND REALLY NEEDED IT. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO WIPE MY WINDOWS... NOT SAFE MITSUBISHI!!!! PLEASE RECALL THIS NOW!!! *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .