RoadVitals

2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Feb 16, 2018
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
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InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview

Our database contains 10 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, most frequently naming the transmission, driver assistance and electrical categories. 25 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Driver assistance
Filed Feb 16, 2018

MY ACTIVE CENTRAL DIFFERENTIAL PUMP FAILED. ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO ALL OF THE FLUID WAS GONE SO I REFILLED IT. LAST WEEK IT WAS EMPTY AGAIN SO I FILLED IT AND THE FLUID JUST DUMPED OUT ON MY DRIVEWAY. THE CAR ONLY HAS 82000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID
11073203
Incident
Sep 30, 2017
Mileage
82,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 2, 2010

I FIRST NOTICED THAT MY 2006 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION MR STARTED TO MAKE A GRINDING/SCRAPPING NOISE THAT SEEMED TO BE GENERATING FROM THE TIMING BELT AREA. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 30,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IT SEEMED TO BE A NOISE THAT WAS PRESENT AT IDLE AND UPON COLD START UPS. I STARTED TO RESEARCH THIS ON VARIOUS FORUMS AND INTERNET, ONLY TO FIND THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH A CLEAR SOLUTION. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW DEALERSHIPS WHO HAVE SEEMED TO HAVE RESOLVED THIS ISSUE BUT EACH FIX SEEMED TO VARY WITHIN THE TIMING BELT AREA. THE TIMING BELT, SENSOR BLADE, TENSIONER, TENSIONER PULLEYS, ETC. HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO CAUSE THIS ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP THAT "FIXED" MY TIMING BELT AREA GRINDING NOISE SUGGESTED THAT I REPLACE THE TIMING BELT ONLY, WHICH I DID. ONLY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RESURFACE ABOUT 2500 MILES LATER. I AM UNWILLING TO KEEP PUTTING TIMING BELTS IN MY CAR TO TEMPORARILY FIX THE PROBLEM. IT SCARES ME THAT THE DEALER KEEPS TRYING TO GO DOWN THIS SAME ROAD WITH THE SAME CONCLUSION. THIS CAR IS MY DAILY DRIVER AND ABOUT 90% OF THE TIMES MY KIDS ARE IN THIS CAR WITH ME. IT WOULD BE TERRIBLE IF MY ENGINE BRAKES DOWN ON ME WHILE DRIVING AROUND WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. THIS CAN BE A DANGEROUS PROBLEM. I URGE MITSUBISHI TO STRONGLY CONSIDER A RECALL FOR THIS. WITH SUCH AN AMAZING CAR I WOULD HOPE MITSUBISHI WOULD STANDBY IT AND DO THE RIGHT THING! *TR

NHTSA ID
10368619
Incident
Feb 10, 2010
Mileage
38,726 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 6, 2008

1. SRS LIGHT, HORN GOING OFF FOR NO REASON, ANY AND ALL DASH FUNCTIONS GOING OFF FOR NO REASON. 2. WATER LEAKING IN CABIN DUE TO IMPROPER SEAL OF A WIRING HARNESS THAT GOES THROUGH FIREWALL. CAUSED WIRING HARNESS TO BE CORRODED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. 3. DEALER REPLACED ALL WIRING HARNESSES IN INTERIOR OF CAR AND SEALED UP LEAKING AREA. *TR

NHTSA ID
10237238
Incident
Mar 1, 2008
Mileage
40,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Apr 16, 2008

I HAVE A 2006 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION SE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 13,000 MILES AND THE CLUTCH HAS FAILED. ITS A $2,600 REPAIR. MITSUBISHI REFUSES TO FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10224658
Incident
Apr 11, 2008
Mileage
13,180 mi
Transmission
Filed Mar 13, 2008

2006 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION IX AT 35,000 HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH AND REFURBISH THE FLYWHEEL. OVER $1100 AND IT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THE CLUTCH WAS WORN NOT DEFECTIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10221094
Incident
Mar 13, 2008
Mileage
35,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 21, 2007

I OWN A 2006 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION IX WITH APPROXIMATELY 14,500 MILES. THE CLUTCH SEEMS TO HAVE WORN OUT FAR TOO SOON; FURTHERMORE SHIFTING IS VERY ROUGH FROM 1ST THROUGH 3RD GEAR AND CAUSES THE CAR TO PULSATE. IT IS AT ITS WORST IN FIRST GEAR. APPARENTLY, THIS QUITE COMMON WITH THE EVO CLASS MUST BE ADDRESSED. MANY ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THE FACT THAT THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO TAKE ANY CONSIDERATION TO A WORN OUT CLUTCH AND EXPLAINS THAT IT IS A "WEAR ITEM" THEREFORE EXEMPTING THEM FROM ANY LIABILITY OF THE MATTER AND IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THE CLUTCH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO WEAR OUT, BUT THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THEM TO WEAR OUT THIS EARLY WHEN THE OPERATOR DRIVES AT A STANDARDIZED PACE. THIS IS EVEN EXCLUDING THE FACT THAT THIS IS A HIGH PERFORMANCE VEHICLE CLAIMING TO WITHSTAND AVERAGE DRIVER ABUSE. MANY COMPLAINTS FROM LANCER EVOLUTION OWNERS EXIST, AND MANY ARE MUCH WORSE THAN WHAT I HAVE DESCRIBED. THESE ISSUES CAN CAUSE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES TO ANY DRIVER DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE OPERATOR HAS NO CONTROL OF THE CARS ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. THIS MUST BE ADDRESSED AND BE CAUSE FOR A RECALL ON ALL MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTIONS. PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW MANY DILIGENT CONSUMERS PAY WITH THEIR LIVES FOR MITSUBISHIS FAILURE TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS BLATANT PROBLEM. PLEASE REFERENCE, HTTP://WWW.MITSUBISHISUCKS.COM/CARS/COMPLAINTS/USA/PARTS/POWER-TRAIN/LANCER.HTML FOR MORE COMPLAINTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10212495
Incident
Dec 19, 2007
Mileage
14,493 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 5, 2007

OWNED 1 2006 LANCER EVOLUTION, AND TRANSMISSION FAILED 4 TIMES. MANUFACTURE BOUGHT BACK, PURCHASED 2ND LANCER EVO, SAME DEALERSHIP, TRANSMISSION PROBLEM S AGAIN AFTER 15 K MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10210851
Incident
Nov 23, 2007
Mileage
15,970 mi
Transmission
Filed Nov 29, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 40-65 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT GEARS, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD GRIND. THE DEALER STATED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED BECAUSE THE SRYNCO FAILED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 16,000.

NHTSA ID
10210293
Incident
Nov 25, 2007
Mileage
16,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

DEALER LETTER

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has launched the 3rd quarterly technician quiz for 2023.

TSB-23-00-004

STRUCTURE

This Technical Service Bulletin provides instructions and material safety data sheets for removal of rap-film adhesive residue.

TSB-23-00-001

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This Technical Service Bulletin reviews the regulations that require a label showing the reduction in load carrying capacity be affixed to vehicles when the total net weight of accessories is more than 1.5 percent of the vehicle's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or 100 lbs.

DEALER LETTER

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has launched the 2nd quarterly technician quiz for 2023.

TIN-22-00-015

AIR BAGS

This is a Technical Information Notice informing dealers that with permission from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles notification letters are being sent to vehicle owners with New York addresses to inform of open Takata recalls.

TSB-22-54-003

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between normal dew condensation, which is a natural phenomenon, and water penetration caused by improper sealing or a defective/broken part.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2008230027.8
2006Viewing100030.8
2005200
2004200
2003100

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.