Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
CAR HAS BEEN OWNED FOR 10+ YEARS AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED VERY WELL. GAS MILEAGE HAS DROPPED SINCE 2014. CAR THREW A P420 CODE IN THE YEARS AFTER. CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES IN A YEAR. OXYGEN SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED AND NEW EXHAUST HAS BEEN INSTALLED. WE HAVE NOW SEEN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS A CRACK IN IT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURER ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ALSO WHILE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND THE AIR CONDITIONER BLEW HOT AIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAN CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAN CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
WHEN I BOUGHT MY CAR SOME TIME LAST YEAR EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE BUT AFTER A FEW MONTHS THINGS STARTED TO GO WRONG ON THE CAR. IT BEGAN WITH ME CONSTANTLY HAVING TO GET THE OIL CHANGED THE TIRES WERE BAD THE CAR STARTED MAKING NOISES THAT I COULDN'T EXPLAIN AND THE TIRES IN THE TIRES IN THE BACK WERE CONSTANTLY BUSTING. THE ENGINE IS NOW GOING BAD AND I HAVE BOUGHT AT LEAST 10 SETS OF TIRES FOR THE BACK IN THIS YEAR ALONE. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO KEEP PUTTING IN THIS CAR AND CONTINUE TO PAY THE LEASE OFF FOR IT AS WELL. ITS GETTING ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. ONE YEAR AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE SHE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, RADIATOR, GASKETS, AND WATER PUMP. SHE IS CURRENTLY UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HER THAT THE COOLANT FAN WAS REPLACED TWICE PER THE RECALL WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER. THEY ALSO STATED THAT SINCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED SHE COULD NOT RECEIVE A FREE REMEDY. NONE OF THE REPAIRS HAVE REMEDIED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,500.
THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIR ISSUES WITH THIS 2003 OUTLANDER. THERE HAVE BEEN NO COOLANT OR ANY FLUID LEAKS WITH THIS CAR. THE CAR SUDDENLY FILLED WITH SMOKE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE; SMOKE POURED FROM THE ENGINE; PRIOR TO THAT - FIVE MINUTES EARLIER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND ACCELERATION WAS DIFFICULT; THERE WAS AN ODD ODOR AS WELL AS A METAL ON METAL TYPE SOUND. 911 WAS CALLED AS THE SMOKE WAS HEAVY. THE DEALERSHIP WAS ASKED BY MITSUBISHI CORP. TO PULL THE ENGINE TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS THE ENGINE - WARRANTIED OR OUR FAULT- A RADIATOR ISSUE. THIS WAS A 400$ COST TO US UNLESS THEY FOUND IN OUR FAVOR..THIS WAS IN ADDITION TO THE 80$ DIAGNOSTIC FEE TO BEGIN THE PROCESS. THEY ARE SAYING THAT THERE IS A CRACK IN THE RADIATOR WHERE THE ENGINE CONNECTS BY A HOSE TO THE RADIATOR AND THAT IT IS "NORMAL" WEAR. THERE IS NOTHING NORMAL ABOUT THIS. IT WAS IMMEDIATE AND CATASTROPHIC. THEY WANT TO CHARGE US $3600 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. I AM ARGUING THAT THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT - WE HAVE 100,000/7 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE DRIVETRAIN. MY CAR ONLY HAS 57,000 MILES AND HAS RUN PERFECTLY FINE UP TO LAST WEEK. I HAVE ASKED MITSUBISHI TO RECONSIDER AND HAVE BEEN PROMISED AN ANSWER BY A CASE MANAGER BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS TOMORROW -6/25. I HOLD LITTLE HOPE THAT THEY WILL COVER THE COST OF AN ENGINE YET I FEEL THAT THE WAY IN WHICH THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND THEN DIED IS NOT ALL NORMAL FOR A CAR WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE AND ONE WHICH HAS NO HISTORY OF REPAIRS. WE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON A RADIATOR FAN CONTROL PART AND WONDER IF THAT IS WHAT CAUSED THIS SERIES OF EVENTS TO OCCUR. IF SO, ARE THEY NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR? I CURRENTLY HAVE ONLY FOUR PAYMENTS LEFT ON THE CAR FOR A TOTAL OF A BIT UNDER 2000$. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT WITHOUT REPLACING THE ENGINE, THEY COULD ONLY GIVE ME 500$ TOWARD A TRADE! I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR INTERVENTION AND HELP. *TR
I HAD THE COOLING FAN CONTROLLER REPLACED TWO TIMES/FANS COMING ON IMMEDIATELY WHEN STARTING THE CAR/ I HAD TO REPLACE THE THIRD ONE ON MY DIME/ NOW ITS CUTTING OUT @ CERTAIN SPEEDS/ I HAVE REPLACED THE MASS AIR FLOW METER/BOTH COILS /SPARK PLUGS/ PLUG WIRES STILL THE PROBLEM CONTINUES.*TR
I WAS STUCK IN TRAFFIC FOR 45 MINUTES AND MY VEHICLE (2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER) OVERHEATED. AS A RESULT OF THIS I BLEW THE SEAL IN THE RADIATOR. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE COOLING FANS BUT THE DEALERSHIP HAD MY ADDRESS AND DID NOT NOTIFY ME. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY STATED THAT THE NOTICES ARE MAILED FROM MITSUBISHI AND NOT THEIR DEALERSHIP. *TR
I PURCHASED A MITSHBISHI OUTLANDER IN 2003. IT RECENTLY OVERHEATED AND I TOOK TO MY REGULAR AUTO SHOP. HE CHANGED THE RADIATOR BECAUSE OF THE HEATING DAMAGE HOWEVER, WHEN HE CHECKED THE FAN SYSTEM , HE REALIZED THAT THE POWER MOTOR WAS BURNT OUT. HE LOOKED THE VEHICLE UP AND NOTIFIED ME THAT THERE WAS A DEALER RECAL L ON THE 2003-2006, COOLING FAN SYSTEM. BECAUSE HE HAD ALREADY WORKED ON THE CAR, I PAID HIM ~$400 (I CAN'T RECALL THE EXACT AMOUNT AT THIS TIME). I TOOK THE CAR TO MITSUBISHI AND THEY DID INFORM ME OF THE RECALL HOWEVER, STATED THAT THEY NEEDED HEADQUARTERS APPROVAL FOR THE REPAIR. SEVERAL DAYS I WAS CONTACTED AND THE REPAIRS WERE NOT APPROVED BECAUSE, THEY STATED THAT I WAS SENT A RECALL NOTICE IN 2007. I EXPLAINED THAT I NEVER RECEIVED SUCH NOTICE BUT THEY STILL REFUSED TO ASSIST WITH ANY REPAIRS, OR ANY REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS. I THINK THIS IS UNFAIR AND WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR ASSISTANCE. *TR
ON 12/21/07 I HAD MY CAR SERVICED FOR THE 75,000 MILE SERVICE AT THE DEALER. THEN ON 2/14/08 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER STARTING SHAKING AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY TELEPHONED THE DEALER TO SEE WHAT THEY RECOMMEND I WAS ASKED TO BRING THE CAR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. THE VERY NEXT DAY I BARELY MADE IT TO DEALER WHICH IS ONLY 7MINUTES AWAY FROM MY HOME (IN THE SAME TOWN). AS SOON AS I PULLED INTO THE DEALERSHIP THE CAR TURNED OFF. I WAS TOLD THAT THE HEATING COIL BURNED OUT WHICH CAUSED MY SPARK PLUGS TO BURN OUT AND THE CAR TO MISFIRE. I AM BEING TOLD THAT I MAY NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE IF ANY OF THE PISTONS WERE DAMAGED IF NOT THEN I ONLY HAVE TO REPLACE THE PARTS WHICH WERE DAMAGED. WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN TO A VEHICLE WHICH HAS HAD EVERY RECOMMENDED SERVICE PERFORMED TO IT ON OR BEFORE THE RECOMMENDED MILEAGE?! *TR
THIS IS FOR A MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER 2003. THERE WAS A LOT OF WATER UNDER THE SEATS, DON'T KNOW HOW, AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON DUE TO BAD OXYGEN SENSOR AND THERE MIGHT BE CORROSION IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, THIS CAN CAUSE A FIRE, REAR STOP LIGHT STOP WORKING, THE SEAT BELT TENSIONER CAN GO BAD. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE MANUFACTURER SAID THAT I ONLY HAVE 1 RECALL WHEN THE NHTSA SAYS THAT THERE'S A RECALL FOR THIS,=NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 03V194000. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE COOLING FAN DID NOT ENGAGE COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FAN WAS A DEFECTIVE PART. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, THE REPAIRS WOULD NOT BE MADE. THERE WERE NO IMMEDIATE REPAIRS MADE.
THE RADIATOR BLEW APART WHILE DRIVING ON THE HWY CAUSING THE ENGINE TO QUICKLY OVERHEAT. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS TO INDICATE THERE WAS A PROBLEM. UPON INSPECTION BY MY MECHANIC IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD ALSO CRACKED. HE WAS AWARE OF A POSSIBLE KNOWN ISSUE AND CONTACTED MITSUBISHI WHO VERIFIED A PROBLEM WITH THE COOLING FAN CONTROLLER. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD BY THEM THAT THEY WOULD ONLY COVER THE COST OF THE PARTS AND NOT THE LABOR. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT IF A DEFECTIVE PART CAUSED THESE PROBLEMS THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING MUCH LESS OVER $1,100 IN LABOR.
LOUD TICKING NOISE, INTERNITENT AT IDLE SPEED. SOUNDS LIKE VALVE STICKING.*AK
6 MONTHS AFTER VEHICLE PURCHASED. THE TWO FANS (RADIATOR AND COOLING) FAN STARTED TO COME ON AT THE SAME TIME. THE COOLING FAN ONLY NEEDS TO COME ON WHEN VEHICLE'S ENGINE IS HOT. BUT THE FAN COMES ON WHEN A TURN ON THE CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME. I DRIVE IT AND THE FANS KEEP ON RUNNING. IT SOUNDS LIKE I'M FLYING A PLAN AND NOT DRIVING A CAR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT IF I HAVE THE DEFROSTER AND ON, THEN THE FANS WOULD COME ON. BUT THE FANS COME ON EITHER WAY. NO PROBLEMS FOUND BY DEALERSHIP AND SAID IT'S NORMAL. WELL, I DON'T THINK SO. *JB
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT ENGINE PROBLEMS. STATED THAT VEHICLE WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND HAD FIXED IT A COUPLE OF TIMES.*AK
THE CONSUMER MADE A LEFT TURN AND THE ENGINE HAD RUN AWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FOUR DEALERSHIPS AND WAS TOLD THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. THE WIPERS DID NOT CLEAR THE WINDOWS OR OPERATE ON HIGH SPEED, THE KEYLESS REMOTE SYSTEM DID NOT OPERATE WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE ENGINE, AND THE FUEL CAP DID NOT LOCK. RECALL#03V0S8000-THE PCM WAS REPROGRAMMED. MR SCC *JB
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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