RoadVitals

2003 Mitsubishi Outlander Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints 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.
14
Latest Jan 17, 2017
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
12%
of 116 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. 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. 14 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.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Steering
Filed Jan 17, 2017

RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE IN AUGUST 2016. AS OF THIS DATE THE PART TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IS NOT AVAILABLE. HAVE CALL MITSUBISHI SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY KEEP SAYING THE PART IS BEING PROCESSED. CONFUSION AS TO WHETHER THE PARTS ARE SENT TO A DEALER FOR REPAIR OR IF THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE INSPECTED FIRST AND THEN THE PART IS ORDERED BY THE DEALER. THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE INSPECTED FIRST THEN THE PART IS ORDERED IF NECESSARY. MITSUBISHI STATES THAT THEY WILL DETERMINE HOW MANY PARTS TO SEND TO WHAT DEALERS. CONFUSION. NEAREST DEALER TO ME IS 3 TO 4 HOURS ONE WAY TRIP. IF THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE INSPECTED FIRST BEFORE THE PART IS ORDERED THEN IF WILL HAVE TO MAKE TWO 6 TO 8 HOUR ROUND TRIPS. HOW THE DEALER KNOWS HOW MANY PARTS TO SEND TO WHAT DEALERS DOES'T MAKE SENSE. THIS PART IS NEEDED TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE'S STEERING FROM FAILING. THE PART IS THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. PLEASE CLEAR THIS UP FOR ME.

NHTSA ID
10945663
Incident
Aug 1, 2016
SteeringSuspension
Filed Aug 29, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT IT NEEDED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND THE TIE ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V458000 (SUSPENSION); HOWEVER,THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,432.

NHTSA ID
10899311
Incident
Feb 15, 2016
Mileage
45,432 mi
Steering
Filed May 4, 2016

THE CAR STEERS TO THE RIGHT ON HIGHWAY., UNABLE TO REPAIR.

NHTSA ID
10863243
Incident
May 15, 2015
Mileage
6 mi
SteeringVisibility
Filed May 22, 2009
Crash reported2 injuries reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SMALL STONES FELL OFF OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AND STRUCK THE SUNROOF OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, DEBRIS AND GLASS SHATTERED INSIDE OF HER VEHICLE. TWO PASSENGERS WERE MODERATELY INJURED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER WITHOUT AN IMPACT OR CRASH OCCURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000. UPDATED 6/18/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE SUN ROOF WAS NOT TEMPERED. UPDATED 06/22/09. *JB

NHTSA ID
10269738
Incident
Mar 31, 2009
Mileage
100,000 mi
Steering
Filed Nov 10, 2007

11/08/07 MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR FAMILY TO MY SONS FOOTBALL PRACTICE WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE STEERING WHEEL WAS SHIFTING LEFT TO RIGHT IN THE DASH BOARD. 11/09/07 MY HUSBAND LOOKED AT THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT WAS LITERALLY FLOPPING AROUND IN THE DASH BOARD, WHEN HE REMOVED THE DASH THE STEERING COLUMN FELL IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN BROKE FREE FROM WERE IT IS BOLTED TO THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10208572
Incident
Nov 9, 2007
Mileage
113,000 mi
Steering
Filed Sep 11, 2005
Crash reported1 injury reported

ON SEPT 3 MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER WHEN IT VEERED TO THE RIGHT SO SHARPLY THAT IT ALMOST PULLED THE STEERING WHEEL FROM HER GRASP. THE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE OCCURRENCE,WE DECIDED WE WOULD GET IT CHECKED OUT NEXT WEEK. BEFORE WE COULD GET THE VEHICLE CHECKED OUT,DUE TO HURRICANE KATRINA,ON SEPT.9 MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER WAS JUST LEAVING SCHOOL, HAD ONLY GONE A FEW HUNDRED YARDS WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT,CAUSING HER TO GO OFF THE ROAD AND FLIP THE CAR. A WITNESS SAID SHE SAW SOMETHING FLY OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR JUST BEFORE THE CRASH. WITH THE CAR UPSIDE DOWN WE ALL SAW THE CV JOINT BROKEN. I LOOKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DOWN FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE AND FOUND A PART THAT MAY BE THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH,I AM CHECKING THIS OUT,BUT HAVE ALSO FOUND OUT THROUGH INTERNET RESEARCH THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE AN INVESTIGATION IS DONE CONCERNING THIS SERIOUS FLAW IN CONSTRUCTION.

NHTSA ID
10136135
Incident
Sep 9, 2005
Steering
Filed Oct 18, 2004

VEHICLE IN FOR SECOND REPAIR OF STEERING RACK. FIRST TIME THE RACK WAS REPLACED. REQUESTED REPLACEMENT AGAIN. VERY RARE FAILURE, YET TWICE WITHIN 30 K MILES? THERE IS A VARIABLE PULSING AND UNEQUAL PRESSURE WITHIN THE STEERING RACK HYDRAULICS. FIRST INSTANCE 16000, SECOND 31K MILES. ADDITIONALLY FAILED TIE ROD IN THIS SECOND INSTANCE. BEING REPAIRED AT UNIVERSITY MIT. IN BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA, AS IN THE FIRST INSTANCE. CALLED MIT. CUST SVC AND REQUESTED NEW RACK AND REPAIR OF TIE ROD AS WELL AS ALIGNMENT. THEY STATE THIS TO BE AN ISOLATED, TWICE STRUCK, DEFECT ISSUE AND NOT A CROSS PLATFORM/VEHICLE MODEL PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10095972
Incident
Oct 10, 2004
Mileage
32,000 mi
Steering
Filed May 18, 2004

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WANDERED OFF ON ITS OWN. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE DRIVER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THE PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10073852
Incident
May 18, 2004
Steering
Filed Mar 29, 2004

VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT FROM THE DAY I RECEIVED IT, RETURNED FOR SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES, STILL PULLS TO THE RIGHT. FRONT TIRES ARE WORN AFTER 29,000 MILES. LAST VISIT TIRES WERE ROTATED AND NOW THE VEHICLE PULLS VERY HARD TO THE LEFT. NOW I AM BRINGING IT BACK TO ROTATE THE TIRES BACK SO NOW IT WILL CONTINUE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AGAIN I'M SURE. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10064077
Incident
Mar 18, 2004
Steering
Filed Feb 24, 2004

DRIFTS TO RIGHT-BEEN BACK 4 TIMES FOR THIS- NOW LAST TIME THEY SAY NOTHING IS WRONG AND IT NO LONGER DRIFTS-AS I DROVE OUT OF DEALER I LET GO OF WHEEL AND OFF IT GOES TO THE RIGHT...AGAIN..*AK

NHTSA ID
10058876
Incident
Jan 20, 2004
Mileage
1 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed Sep 17, 2003

OUTLAND CONTINUES TO PULL VERY HARD TO THE RIGHT. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED THREE TIMES AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. DEALERSHIP SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND THE PULLING IS NORMAL. *JB

NHTSA ID
10039043
Incident
Jul 20, 2003
SteeringSuspension
Filed Sep 6, 2003

STEERING/SUSPENSION OUTLANDER XLS CAR PULLS AND DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT, CAR HAS BEEN TO AUTO SERVICE 3 TIMES AND PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *AK

NHTSA ID
10037336
Incident
Aug 12, 2003
Mileage
1,500 mi
Steering
Filed Jul 24, 2003

AFTER REPAIR, THE AUTOMOBILE (MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER 2003 XLS) CONTINUES TO VEER AND DRIFT.*AK

NHTSA ID
10029084
Incident
Jul 24, 2003
Mileage
8,000 mi
Steering
Filed Mar 27, 2003

VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT. THE DEALER SAYS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS VEHICLE DOING SAME AND THE REPAIRS THE FACTORY SUGGESTED TO THE DEALER ARE NOT WORKING. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10013549
Incident
Mar 23, 2003
Mileage
3,500 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .