2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Owner Complaints

My Mitsubishi vehicle has an open recall related to a drive belt issue. Mitsubishi confirmed the recall, but the company have not completed the repair or scheduled an appointment, even after several attempts to contact them. The vehicle has stalled multiple times while driving, including on city roads. When it stalls, the check engine light comes on, and the car loses all power. I have to restart it to keep driving. This is a serious safety risk because it happens suddenly and could lead to an accident. The alternator and battery were both tested and are in good condition, so the problem appears related to the recalled belt or electrical system. The issue was confirmed by an independent mechanic, but Mitsubishi has not provided a repair or timeline. The problem continues and makes the vehicle unsafe to drive, especially in cold or highway conditions.

NHTSA ID

11692172

Incident

Sep 29, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, she observed a rubbing noise emanating from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that on one of those occasions, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, while driving over bumps in the roadway the vehicle was not driving smoothly. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the drive belt was cracked on the ribs of the belt, the sway bar links, and front and rear CV boots were torn, the tie rod end replacement boots were torn, and the lower front and lower control arms, ball joints, and rear bushings were torn, the motor mount front bushings had started to tear, motor mount was torn, and the shock absorbers needed to be replaced due to rear shocks leaking and that all the listed parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,148.

NHTSA ID

11608802

Incident

Mar 25, 2023

Mileage

134,148 mi

The car's airbag system service required came on without any incidents to the car. It used to be on and off but now, it is consistently on. The seat detect very lightweight things like a book or a bag and gives the warning of seatbelt not on. The airbag system and the pressure sensor of the passenger seat is faulty. With this warning, airbags will not deploy. I saw multiple incidents with other Mitsubishi Outlander owners who have the same issue.

NHTSA ID

11567379

Incident

Dec 20, 2023

I was driving speed limit, on a sunny day, when my car began to veer to the left. I eased back into the right lane and suddenly the car made a quick jerk to the left; then, another to the right. I slid on the bank and missed the ditch before becoming airborne and landing in a corn field. I was able to drive to a safe location when the traction control light appeared on the dashboard.

NHTSA ID

11516984

Incident

Apr 13, 2023

The seat belt has started to fail. It sounds like it clicks in and the warning light turns off. Once I start to drive the seat belt will come off. This has happened approximately 5 times in the last month.

NHTSA ID

11497515

Incident

Dec 1, 2022

2012 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER SPORT. CONSUMER WRITES SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR VEHICLE REPAIRS MADE RELATED TO SAFETY RECALL. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR RECALLS 20V-279, C1614Z, AND SR-18-004REV.

NHTSA ID

11464505

Incident

May 13, 2022

Lower control arm wasn't fixed it's detached its self and the belt tensioner wasn't fixed like it said it was fixed and control module needs fixed as well

NHTSA ID

11460225

Incident

Apr 4, 2022

The transmission prematurely fails and begins to shine and locks up

NHTSA ID

11433279

Incident

Sep 16, 2021

THE VEHICLE STOPS RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING- USUALLY WHILE GOING 60 MPH AND REDUCING THE SPEED IN THE EXPRESS WAY, IT JUST AUTOMATICALLY TURNS OFF. IT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED TO ME TWICE.

NHTSA ID

11386334

Incident

Nov 26, 2020

Mileage

5,500 mi

THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT CHANGE ALL THE TIME TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND SAID THEY WAS A RECALL IN 2014,15 FOR THIS PROBLEM. AND WAS SEE IF ANY OTHER 2012 HAD THE SAMD PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11372647

Incident

Sep 10, 2019

Mileage

160,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION CAUSES THE POWERTRAIN TO STOP WORKING MAKING THE CAR IMPOSSIBLE TO REMAIN IN MOTION. THIS WILL HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. THE TRANSMISSION WILL HOWL AND SQUEAL RIGHT BEFORE IT NO LONGER WORKS. WAS TOLD BY MITSUBISHI THAT THE CVT TRANSMISSION WAS NOT BUILT FOR LONG DISTANCE DRIVING, TOWING(EVEN THOUGH IT IS OFFERED WITH A TOWING PACKAGE), MOUNTAINOUS DRIVING OR UPHILL ACCELERATION. THIS IS UNSAFE AS IT CAUSES A SUDDEN STOP IN HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC WITH A CAUSE FOR SERIOUS INJURY IF ANOTHER VEHICLE WERE TO HIT THE STALLED VEHICLE

NHTSA ID

11270402

Incident

Oct 17, 2018

Mileage

77,000 mi

AIRBAGS NO LONGER WILL DEPLOY ACCORDING TO COLLISION REPAIR SHOP. HAD SOME HAIL DAMAGE REPAIRS AFTER THAT THE DASHBOARD LIGHT FOR AIRBAGS CAME ON THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND THEN STAYED ON PERMANENTLY. I WAS DRIVING ON A STREET AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT JUST CAME ON AND FROM THAT POINT HAS NOT WENT OFF.

NHTSA ID

11231431

Incident

Jul 4, 2019

Mileage

70,000 mi

FOLLOWING I JUST SENT TO MITSUBISHI HEADQUARTERS I SEE RECALLS FOR TRANSMISSIONS FOR MY MAKE AND MODEL AND YEAR THAT STATES TRANSMISSION FAIL PREMATURELY BETWEEN THE MILES OF 114,000! AND 179,000 AND MINE DID AT 137,000 IT IS NOW STATING FOR 4 MODEL YEARS 2 OF WHICH ARE 2011&2013. WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE FOR 2012 TRANSMISSION WHEN YES INDEED MY YEAR OF 2012 TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY? IT DID JUST AS YOUR RECALL STATES AND THEN WHEN I PUT IN MY VIN# I AM TOLD IT WASN'T MY SKIPPED YEAR THAT WAS PART OF THE RECALL. LATER DOWN THE ROAD MONTHS LATER I RECHECK AND MY YEAR NEWLY BECAME SKIPPED FOR THIS TRANSMISSION RECALLS. I BELIEVE THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE REASON FOR YOUR RECALL. CAN YOU DO THE RIGHT BY THE CAR I BOUGHT FROM YOU FOLKS AND REPLACE THE FAULTY TRANSMISSION THAT WAS PUT IN MY CAR? YOU: I HAVE A 2012 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. I BROKE DOWN ON THE INTERSTATE AND HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALER AND THEIR SERVICE DEPT SAID MY TRANSMISSION IS SHOT DUE TO A SECONDARY CODE THAT THE CVT HAS NON OPERATIONAL PRESSURE WITH AN INTERNAL WEAK OIL PUMP WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. AND IT WOULD BE 7,500$ JUST FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION AND AN ADDITIONAL 800$ TO PUT IT IN. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A RECALL SKIPPING MY YEAR CAR BEING A 2012 OUTLANDER. I BOUGHT IT NEW AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD DIFFERENT PROBLEMS WITH IT. ONE OF WHICH BACK IN 2016 THE PINION SEAL FOR THE TRANSFER CASE WAS FAULTY AND IT TOOK ME TO DEMAND CHECKING WHY I WAS GETTING A LEAK OF OIL LEFT ON MY CLEAN GARAGE FLOOR. I BRING THAT UP AS TO COULD THIS BE ONE OF THE CAUSES OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE? I DID HAVE IT REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY WHICH NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I DIDN'T NOTICE THE LEAK MYSELF. WHILE I AM AT IT MY HEAT AND AC HAVE BEEN BARELY BEEN ACCEPTABLE FOR KEEPING US WARM IN THE COLD WINTERS HERE AND AC NOT PERFORMING VERY WELL EITHER. MY CAR IS NOW STRANDED AT THE BURLINGTON MITSUBISHI DEALER

NHTSA ID

11124483

Incident

Sep 1, 2018

Mileage

137,000 mi

TRANSMISSION IS FAILING TO CHANGE GEARS. THE CAR WON'T SHIFT THROUGH 3RD GEAR. WE WERE ON THE INTERSTATE GOING65 WHEN IT HAPPENED.

NHTSA ID

11124074

Incident

Sep 2, 2018

Mileage

137,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WOULD WOBBLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DAYTONA MITSUBISHI (LOCATED AT 510 N NOVA RD, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32114), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER A FEW YEARS AGO FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT A FLAT SPOT FROM THE TIRE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE DEALER PERFORMED AN ALIGNMENT, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

NHTSA ID

11082555

Incident

Jan 17, 2018

Mileage

86,000 mi

THE REAR BRAKES GET SO HOT THAT WHEN THEY GET SNOW OR RAIN THEY SMOKE AND SMELL REAL BAD THAT I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO OPEN DOORS. IT IS REAL BAD ONCE YOU STOP. I CANT DO MY TRANSPORTATION JOB BECAUSE OF IT. THE DEALER TELLS IT IS NORMAL.

NHTSA ID

11066960

Incident

Oct 1, 2016

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V791000 (VISIBILITY) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER (LARRY JAY MITSUBISHI, 8415 SOUTH BLVD, CHARLOTTE, NC 28273, (866) 237-9670) DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11006722

Incident

Oct 26, 2016

I HAVE A RECALL # 16V791, AND NOTHING HAPPEN FOR FIX THE PROBLEM

NHTSA ID

10980029

Incident

Oct 26, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V791000 (VISIBILITY); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10959748

Incident

Mar 1, 2017

ONE DAY I NOTICED A SCREW MISSING FROM THE PIECE THAT HOLDS THE VISOR TO THE ROOF AND IT WON'T BE LONG UNTIL THE VISOR FALLS ALL TOGETHER. *JS

NHTSA ID

10579398

Incident

Jan 1, 2014

WHILE IN MOTION, AN ANCHORING SCREW HOLD THE PASSENGER SIDE VISOR TO THE ROOF PANEL FELL OUT INTO MY LAP. AS THE PASSENGER AT THE TIE, I CHECKED THE VISOR, NOTICING THE SCREW FELL FROM ABOVE AND NOTICED THE SECOND OF THE TWO ANCHORING SCREWS WAS NEAR FALLING OUT, ALSO. PREVIOUSLY, A SIMILAR SCREW HAD BEEN FOUND ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR AREA, BUT THE LOCATION IT CAME FROM WAS NOT APPARENT AS THE VISOR MOUNT FROM WHICH IT FELL WAS HIDDEN BY THE POSITION OF THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR. CHECKING THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR, I NOTICED THE SECOND AND LAST ANCHOR SCREW WAS ALSO VERY LOOSE AND MOSTLY OUT OF THE TIGHTENING POSITION IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN. I ENVISION THAT IN A CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE AN AVERAGE DRIVER DID NOT NOTICE THE ANCHOR SCREWS WERE LOOSE FROM THE VISOR MOUNT OVERHEAD, THE VISOR COULD FALL ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE POSSIBLY CAUSING INABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE OR SURPRISING THE DRIVE ENOUGH TO CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT APPEARS THE TORQUE ON THE SCREWS WAS INCORRECT TO KEEP THEM SECURED, OR THE THREAD OF THE SCREW IS NOT CORRECT TO HOLD THEM TIGHT INTO THE VISOR MOUNTS, ALLOWING VIBRATIONS DURING NORMAL DRIVING USE TO ALLOW THE SCREWS TO BECOME LOOSE AND EVENTUALLY FALL OUT OF THE VISOR MOUNT BRACKET ALTOGETHER. I RESEATED THE SCREWS USING A SILICONE BASED GASKET SEALER TO PREVENT THE SCREWS FROM VIBRATING OUT OF THE BRACKET MOUNTS. HOWEVER, I CAN ENVISION THE SITUATION TO BE ONE THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE TO A CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10508705

Incident

Apr 4, 2013

Mileage

6,915 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT SNOW WAS BUILDING IN THE RIMS, CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE RIMS WERE CLEANED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED EACH SUBSEQUENT TIME THAT IT WOULD SNOW. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,400.

NHTSA ID

10498258

Incident

Nov 14, 2012

Mileage

5,400 mi