Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Problems & Known Issues

If your 2018 Outlander Sport is equipped with the Forward Collision Mitigation system that detects pedestrians, it may be covered by NHTSA recall 18V620000. The FCM electronic control unit was programmed with incorrect software that can command braking for longer than needed -- the system may keep the brakes applied even once a detected pedestrian has left the vehicle's path. NHTSA's concern is the driver's reaction: startled by braking that will not release, the driver may press the pedal further, and the resulting rapid deceleration raises the risk of being struck from behind. The 9,166-unit figure NHTSA lists applies to the entire campaign across several Mitsubishi models, not to the Outlander Sport alone.

This recall applies specifically to 2018 Outlander Sport vehicles equipped with the Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system. On those cars, the software in the Hydraulic Unit Electronic Control Unit — the module that commands the brake hydraulics — may be the wrong version. With incorrect software installed, a safety system may fail to intervene when it is called on, including automatic emergency braking, Anti-lock Braking (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and the Brake Auto Hold function. Nothing about the hardware is defective; it is purely a programming error, so an Outlander Sport can drive normally for years and only reveal the problem at the moment a safety system was supposed to act. Mitsubishi reported 58,916 vehicles across the entire campaign, which also includes other 2017-2018 Mitsubishi models. NHTSA's stated consequence is an increased risk of a crash.

The Jatco-built CVT used across most Outlander Sport years is prone to shuddering, jerking, hesitation when shifting from park to drive/reverse, whining or whirring noise during acceleration, and slipping (engine revs without proportional acceleration). Degraded CVT fluid and belt/chain wear are the primary drivers, and neglected fluid accelerates failure. Powertrain is consistently the most-complained-about area in NHTSA data for this model.

Mitsubishi recall bulletin SR-22-004 and NHTSA recall 22V563000 cover certain 2019-2022 Outlander Sport vehicles with a CVT and mechanical-key ignition. A temporary ignition-power-supply signal loss of at least 0.1 second can create an erroneous gear-ratio setting; above 62 mph, the CVT can drop to its lowest ratio, produce engine over-rev and engine damage, and the engine can stall. The bulletin limits the affected build window to July 31, 2018 through May 11, 2022 and requires VIN confirmation.

NHTSA recall 18V069000 covers certain 2011-2012 Outlander Sport vehicles equipped with 4B11 or 4B12 engines. The drive-belt automatic-tensioner flange may crack and let the accessory belt detach; the battery can discharge and the engine can stall. Recall 14V562000 separately covers unusual drive-pulley wear and belt detachment on certain 2011 vehicles.

NHTSA recall 18V070000 covers certain 2013-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles whose rear-caliper lever boots can admit water, corroding and binding the parking-brake actuator shafts so the brake may not engage or disengage fully. Recall 20V741000 adds a bounded 2016 population whose shaft coating may have peeled during assembly, enabling the same corrosion and binding risk. An improperly engaged parking brake can permit rollaway on a slope.

Mitsubishi SR-21-001 and NHTSA recall 21V144000 cover certain 2013-2015 Outlander Sport vehicles currently or previously registered in specified road-salt jurisdictions. Insufficient front-crossmember rust protection can allow corrosion after long exposure to snowmelt water and anti-freezing agents; a front lower control arm may detach and cause loss of vehicle control. The campaign expands 20V279000 (SR-20-003), which covers certain 2011-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles in the same states, and both remain VIN- and registration-history controlled.

On 2011-2016 Outlander Sports sold or registered in salt-belt states, road salt can corrode the front suspension cross member. With enough corrosion, a front lower control arm can detach from the cross member, which can cause loss of vehicle control. Mitsubishi recalled these vehicles under NHTSA campaign 20V-279 (MMNA SR-20-003). Campaign 21V-144 (SR-21-001) later added more 2013-2015 vehicles.

Owners of 2015-era Outlander Sport models report repeated dead batteries, including the vehicle failing to start after sitting for a weekend and batteries needing replacement multiple times within low mileage. Owner-reported dealer findings include a battery with a dead cell and a battery that had never been fully charged; a parasitic electrical drain is a possible cause to rule out, alongside the usual battery/alternator/starter failures.

NHTSA recall 16V792000 covers certain 2011-2015 Outlander Sport vehicles whose wiper-motor breathing hole can admit water from the hood-to-windshield area and cause internal motor corrosion and failure. Recall 18V103000 separately covers certain 2011-2016 vehicles whose front wiper-link ball joint can corrode, separate and make the wipers inoperative. Both conditions reduce visibility, but their populations and remedies must remain distinct.

AWD Outlander Sport models use a two-lobe fuel tank shaped around the rear driveline, with a main sending unit and a separate sub sending unit measuring the second lobe. Mitsubishi's ECM does not simply watch the sub sender's voltage - it runs a consumption rationality test. Mitsubishi's published service data for this generation sets DTC P2066 when fuel consumption calculated from injector operation reaches 10 litres (2.6 gallons) while the level derived from the fuel level sensor has changed by less than 2 litres (0.5 gallon); that consumption threshold rises to 20 litres (5.2 gallons) when the sub sender's resistance is 13 ohms or below or 70 ohms or above (earlier calibrations used a 30-litre consumption threshold). NHTSA recall 13V112000 documents the manufacturing defect behind this on 2013 AWD cars: certain Outlander Sport AWD vehicles manufactured June 11 through December 11, 2012 were built without the fuel sending unit harness for the sub sending unit, producing a false fuel tank level reading. With the sub sender never reporting a changing level, the gauge shows far more fuel than the tank holds, and the ECM's rationality monitor flags the implausible sub-sender data. The real-world consequence is the serious one for this code family: the driver may believe fuel remains when the tank is empty, and the engine stalls while driving. Outside the recall population the same monitor is set by an aged or contaminated sub level sensor, a corroded sub-sender connector, or a failed fuel pump module assembly.

Some 2014-2015 Outlander Sport owners report that the A/C compressor fails at moderate mileage, after the factory warranty has ended. One 2014 owner had a clutch that only engaged some of the time at 93,800 miles. The cause turned out to be a damaged compressor bearing, and the compressor was replaced. Two 2015 owners were told by their mechanic or dealer that the compressor needed replacing, one at about 67,000 miles and one at about 76,000 miles. Their quotes were close to $2,000 and about $2,200, and neither repair was covered by warranty. One of the 2015 owners first noticed the engine RPM dropping and surging while stopped in Drive, before the dealer pointed to the compressor.