2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 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 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, 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
- Powertrain (other)2046.5%
- Driver assistance920.9%
- Engine49.3%
- Fuel system49.3%
- Steering37.0%
- Brakes24.7%
- Electrical12.3%
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
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION. WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS ABOVE 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME VERY UNSTABLE AND 'FOUR WHEEL DRIVE DISABLED' DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NIMAY MITSUBISHI (1011 KENNEDY AVE, KILOMETER 2.5, 787-622-0200) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALL WHEEL CONTROL HYDRAULIC UNIT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.
BAD INJECTOR CAUSED CYLINDER FAILURE OR VALVR CONSTANT VALVE TICK. BLOWN SPARK PLUGS CAUSED PISTON MELTDOWN CAUSING FOR THE PISTONG ROD TO SHOOT THROUGHT THE BLOCK CAUSE A FIRE TO THE ENGINE.. LUCKLY I STOP THE FIRE TOOK IT TO A DELAERSHIP TO VERIFY THE CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE BUT THE TECHNICINAS TOLD ME THAT THERES NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THE BATTERY DIE THERE FOR IT RESET THE COMPUTER MODULE ERASING ALL THE DATA WITH THE PROBABLE CAUSE AND NOTHING WAS DONE AFTER THAT.. BOUGHT A NEW ENGINE AND NOW AFTER 20,000 MILES I GET THE SAME ISSUE BUT MITSUBISHI DOSE NOT WANNA BE RESPOSIBLE FOR A REPLACE ENGINE TO WHICH THEY REPLACE.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAD SOME WARNING LIGHTS COME ON FOR THE ASC AND ABS SYSTEMS BEING DISABLED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THE ABS PUMP WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR OVER $3000. I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE OF THE BRUSHES IN THE ABS PUMP STICKING. THAT SAME ABS PUMP IS USED IN SOME BMW AND JEEP MODELS WITH NUMEROUS PEOPLE REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE. THE ASC AND ABS SYSTEMS SEEM LIKE CRITICAL SAFETY SYSTEMS THAT SHOULD BE COVERED FOR REPAIRS DUE TO THE FAILURE OF A DEFECTIVE COMPONENT. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOMEONE LOOKING INTO THIS OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THANK YOU.
ON-DASH WARNING LIGHT OF "4WD SYSTEM SERVICE REQUIRED" CAME ON. THIS WARNING IS INDICATIVE OF A ACTIVE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL (ACD) PUMP FAILURE, GENERALLY DUE TO CORROSION FROM TREATED WINTER ROAD SURFACES AND/OR THE INABILITY TO HANDLE COLD-WEATHER CLIMATES. CAR WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) TO DELAY ACTIVATION OF THE ACD PUMP FOR THIS EXACT REASON 2 YEARS PRIOR TO FAILURE. MITSUBISHI HAS YET TO CORRECT THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND IS CURRENTLY REFUSING TO HONOR WARRANTY SERVICE OF FAILED PUMPS UNDER THEIR 5-YEAR / 36,000-MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, STATING THAT THE PUMP IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THE VEHICLE TO OPERATE SAFELY AND PROPERLY. IN CONTRAST, A WORKING ACD PUMP DIRECTLY EFFECTS THE VEHICLE'S HANDLING, TRACTION & STEERING - AND ALL 3 DRIVING PARAMETERS IMMEDIATELY BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY WHEN THE PUMP SHUTS DOWN IN SELF-PROTECTION MODE OR HAS FAILED COMPLETELY. THIS VEHICLE HAS A DRIVER-SELECTED SETTING FOR TARMAC (PAVEMENT), GRAVEL/RAIN & SNOW CONDITIONS - THESE SETTINGS ARE COMPLETELY DISABLED WHEN THE ACD PUMP HAS FAILED, OR IS FAILING (ON-DASH WARNING WITH PUMP IN SELF-PROTECTION MODE). THIS ISSUE EFFECTS SEVERAL MODELS (LANCER, LANCER EVOLUTION, RALLIART, ETC.) FROM MODEL YEAR 2008 TO 2014, AND HUNDREDS OF INSTANCES OF THIS ISSUE HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED IN ONLINE FORUMS (AND PROBABLY SEVERAL-FOLD THAT AMOUNT THAT HAVEN'T BEEN DISCUSSED ONLINE). PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY, THANK YOU.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
BAD INJECTOR CAUSED CYLINDER FAILURE OR VALVR CONSTANT VALVE TICK. BLOWN SPARK PLUGS CAUSED PISTON MELTDOWN CAUSING FOR THE PISTONG ROD TO SHOOT THROUGHT THE BLOCK CAUSE A FIRE TO THE ENGINE.. LUCKLY I STOP THE FIRE TOOK IT TO A DELAERSHIP TO VERIFY THE CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE BUT THE TECHNICINAS TOLD ME THAT THERES NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THE BATTERY DIE THERE FOR IT RESET THE COMPUTER MODULE ERASING ALL THE DATA WITH THE PROBABLE CAUSE AND NOTHING WAS DONE AFTER THAT.. BOUGHT A NEW ENGINE AND NOW AFTER 20,000 MILES I GET THE SAME ISSUE BUT MITSUBISHI DOSE NOT WANNA BE RESPOSIBLE FOR A REPLACE ENGINE TO WHICH THEY REPLACE.
BAD INJECTOR CAUSED CYLINDER FAILURE OR VALVR CONSTANT VALVE TICK. BLOWN SPARK PLUGS CAUSED PISTON MELTDOWN OR CHANGING OF SPARK PLUGS EVERY 20K MILES TRANSMISSION IS NOTTY WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR SOMETIMES, DIFF PINS IN TRANSMISSION JUST COME OUT AND THE CAR WILL NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR. HERE IS A POLL THATS ON THE FORUMS FOR THE EVO'S VIEW POLL RESULTS: EVO X TRANSMISSION PROBLEM POLL NOTCHY, GRINDING, OR DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE GEARS (ALL THE TIME) 471V OTES 41.72% NOTCHY, GRINDING, OR DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE GEARS (ONLY WHEN CAR IS COLD) 389 VOTES 34.46% DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE REVERSE GEAR (COLD OR WARM) 79 VOTES 7.00% NO PROBLEMS AT ALL 190 VOTES 16.83% VOTERS: 1129. YOU MAY NOT VOTE ON THIS POLL ALL THESE PROBLEMS ARE COSTING COUNTLESS EVO OWNERS TO BUY A NEW MOTOR CAUSE IT BLEW, BUY A NEW TRANSMISSION OR HAVE JACK;S TRANSMISSION REBUILD IT FOR THEM. THE ARTICLES IS DOWN BELOW ABOUT THE CRUNCH OF THE TRANNY AND HOW THEY FIX IT. HTTP://WWW.JACKSTRANSMISSIONS.COM/COLLECTIONS/PERFORMANCE-REBUILD-EVO. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
BAD INJECTOR CAUSED CYLINDER FAILURE OR VALVR CONSTANT VALVE TICK. BLOWN SPARK PLUGS CAUSED PISTON MELTDOWN CAUSING FOR THE PISTONG ROD TO SHOOT THROUGHT THE BLOCK CAUSE A FIRE TO THE ENGINE.. LUCKLY I STOP THE FIRE TOOK IT TO A DELAERSHIP TO VERIFY THE CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE BUT THE TECHNICINAS TOLD ME THAT THERES NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THE BATTERY DIE THERE FOR IT RESET THE COMPUTER MODULE ERASING ALL THE DATA WITH THE PROBABLE CAUSE AND NOTHING WAS DONE AFTER THAT.. BOUGHT A NEW ENGINE AND NOW AFTER 20,000 MILES I GET THE SAME ISSUE BUT MITSUBISHI DOSE NOT WANNA BE RESPOSIBLE FOR A REPLACE ENGINE TO WHICH THEY REPLACE.
BAD INJECTOR CAUSED CYLINDER FAILURE OR VALVR CONSTANT VALVE TICK. BLOWN SPARK PLUGS CAUSED PISTON MELTDOWN OR CHANGING OF SPARK PLUGS EVERY 20K MILES TRANSMISSION IS NOTTY WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR SOMETIMES, DIFF PINS IN TRANSMISSION JUST COME OUT AND THE CAR WILL NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR. HERE IS A POLL THATS ON THE FORUMS FOR THE EVO'S VIEW POLL RESULTS: EVO X TRANSMISSION PROBLEM POLL NOTCHY, GRINDING, OR DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE GEARS (ALL THE TIME) 471V OTES 41.72% NOTCHY, GRINDING, OR DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE GEARS (ONLY WHEN CAR IS COLD) 389 VOTES 34.46% DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE REVERSE GEAR (COLD OR WARM) 79 VOTES 7.00% NO PROBLEMS AT ALL 190 VOTES 16.83% VOTERS: 1129. YOU MAY NOT VOTE ON THIS POLL ALL THESE PROBLEMS ARE COSTING COUNTLESS EVO OWNERS TO BUY A NEW MOTOR CAUSE IT BLEW, BUY A NEW TRANSMISSION OR HAVE JACK;S TRANSMISSION REBUILD IT FOR THEM. THE ARTICLES IS DOWN BELOW ABOUT THE CRUNCH OF THE TRANNY AND HOW THEY FIX IT. HTTP://WWW.JACKSTRANSMISSIONS.COM/COLLECTIONS/PERFORMANCE-REBUILD-EVO. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
STARTED UP ONE DAY AND WENT TO DRIVE IT AND THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE PUMP HAD FAILED, CAUSED A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE HANDLING OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
ON-DASH WARNING LIGHT OF "4WD SYSTEM SERVICE REQUIRED" CAME ON. THIS WARNING IS INDICATIVE OF A ACTIVE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL (ACD) PUMP FAILURE, GENERALLY DUE TO CORROSION FROM TREATED WINTER ROAD SURFACES AND/OR THE INABILITY TO HANDLE COLD-WEATHER CLIMATES. CAR WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) TO DELAY ACTIVATION OF THE ACD PUMP FOR THIS EXACT REASON 2 YEARS PRIOR TO FAILURE. MITSUBISHI HAS YET TO CORRECT THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND IS CURRENTLY REFUSING TO HONOR WARRANTY SERVICE OF FAILED PUMPS UNDER THEIR 5-YEAR / 36,000-MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, STATING THAT THE PUMP IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THE VEHICLE TO OPERATE SAFELY AND PROPERLY. IN CONTRAST, A WORKING ACD PUMP DIRECTLY EFFECTS THE VEHICLE'S HANDLING, TRACTION & STEERING - AND ALL 3 DRIVING PARAMETERS IMMEDIATELY BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY WHEN THE PUMP SHUTS DOWN IN SELF-PROTECTION MODE OR HAS FAILED COMPLETELY. THIS VEHICLE HAS A DRIVER-SELECTED SETTING FOR TARMAC (PAVEMENT), GRAVEL/RAIN & SNOW CONDITIONS - THESE SETTINGS ARE COMPLETELY DISABLED WHEN THE ACD PUMP HAS FAILED, OR IS FAILING (ON-DASH WARNING WITH PUMP IN SELF-PROTECTION MODE). THIS ISSUE EFFECTS SEVERAL MODELS (LANCER, LANCER EVOLUTION, RALLIART, ETC.) FROM MODEL YEAR 2008 TO 2014, AND HUNDREDS OF INSTANCES OF THIS ISSUE HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED IN ONLINE FORUMS (AND PROBABLY SEVERAL-FOLD THAT AMOUNT THAT HAVEN'T BEEN DISCUSSED ONLINE). PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY, THANK YOU. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAD SOME WARNING LIGHTS COME ON FOR THE ASC AND ABS SYSTEMS BEING DISABLED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THE ABS PUMP WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR OVER $3000. I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE OF THE BRUSHES IN THE ABS PUMP STICKING. THAT SAME ABS PUMP IS USED IN SOME BMW AND JEEP MODELS WITH NUMEROUS PEOPLE REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE. THE ASC AND ABS SYSTEMS SEEM LIKE CRITICAL SAFETY SYSTEMS THAT SHOULD BE COVERED FOR REPAIRS DUE TO THE FAILURE OF A DEFECTIVE COMPONENT. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOMEONE LOOKING INTO THIS OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THANK YOU.
DROVE OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND WITHIN 5 SECONDS ABS MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS STABILITY CONTROL. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR ABS SENSOR WAS FAULTY DUE TO THE SENSOR NOT BEING SEALED CORRECTLY BY THE MANUFACTURER WHICH LED TO CORROSION AND THE SENSOR FAILING. MITSUBISHI WOULD NOT WARRANTY THIS ITEM EVEN THOUGH ITS KNOWN TO BE FAULTY, MITSUBISHI EVEN HAS A NEW PART NUMBER FOR THE SENSOR. THIS SHOULD OBVIOUSLY BE A SAFETY RECALL. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
REQUESTED DEALER TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY A PROBLEM WHICH CAN CAUSE VEHICLE TO BECOME INOPERABLE AT TEMPERATURES OF 20 BELOW ZERO AS DOCUMENTED IN MITSUBISHI TSB-10-13-002. WAS ADVISED BY DEALER AND LATER BY MITSUBISHI CUSTOMER RELATIONS THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY SINCE THE PROBLEM HAS NOT OCCURRED ON THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE. I RECOMMEND THAT THIS TSB BE CONSIDERED FOR A POSSIBLE RECALL IN THOSE PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE THE TEMPERATURE REGULARLY GOES TO 20 BELOW ZERO. HAVING A DISABLED VEHICLE AT THAT TEMPERATURE IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *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 .