2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
Safety ratings, recalls, and consumer complaints from NHTSA
NHTSA Safety Ratings
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer 4-DR w/SAB (Later release)
- Overall
- Not Rated
- Front Crash
- Not Rated
- Side Crash
- Not Rated
- Rollover
- ★★★★☆
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer 4-DR w/SAB (Early release)
- Overall
- Not Rated
- Front Crash
- Not Rated
- Side Crash
- Not Rated
- Rollover
- ★★★★☆
Recalls(5)
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2008-2010 Lancer, 2009-2010 Lancer Sportback, 2008-2013 Outlander, and 2011-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The front lower control arms may detach due to the front cross member corroding from salt water exposure such as from road salt use.
Campaign: 20V279000
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Outlander, 2008-2010 Lancer, 2009-2010 Lancer Evolution, and 2010 Lancer Sportback vehicles equipped with sunroofs. The sunroof glass may detach from the sunroof assembly, becoming a road hazard to other vehicles.
Campaign: 18V071000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Lancer, Lancer Evolution, and Outlander; 2009-2011 Lancer Sportback, Lancer Rilliart, and Lancer Sportback Ralliart; and 2011 Outlander Sport vehicles. The affected vehicles, manufactured with 4B1 engines, have an engine pulley and belt arrangement for turning the alternator, the cooling fan and the power steering pump (if equipped). These pulleys may experience unusual wear and allow for belt detachment.
Campaign: 14V562000
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:CHECK VALVE
MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING 39,711 MY 2008-2009 OUTLANDER AND LACER VEHICLES. INCORRECT MATERIAL COMPOSITION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER CHECK VALVE MAY CAUSE THE CHECK VALVE TO STICK CLOSED WHEN THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RE-STARTED AND PUT INTO MOTION, UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS (VERY SLOW VEHICLE MANEUVERS), THERE MAY BE INSUFFICIENT INITIAL BRAKING ASSIST.
Campaign: 09V077000
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 LANCER AND LANCER EVOLUTION VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN AREAS WHERE HEAVY ROAD SALT IS USED IN THE WINTER, A LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO A MIXTURE OF MELTED SNOW WITH SALT THROWN UP BY THE OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD MAY CAUSE A WATER-SALT MIXTURE TO ADHERE TO THE FRONT IMPACT SENSORS.
Campaign: 09V435000
Consumer Complaints(91 total, showing 10)
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. The contact stated that after a while the system would erase any safety information used to track mileage and only show the GPS feature on the digital screen with information from 2004. The contact stated he used the digital screen for the safety features. Upon further inspection, the battery would be drained at an abnormal rate while using the Bluetooth features, and the Bluetooth would not work outside of the local dealer parking lot. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the digital screen and transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.
STRUCTURE
We had car at a car dealer and the manufacturer declined doing the recall on the car for corrison on the front crossmember, telling us due to car has a total loss record on Carfax. The vehicle total loss record was for a accident that didn't effect that part of the car that's under recall, it was due to vehicle repairs were more then what car was worth. The piece I think they call it crossmember has rust holes through it and is about to come apart at the rusted holes on the part. We buy the car JA3AU86U18U016308 in 2022 for our daughter to drive to college. Just finding out when we took it into the car place to perform this recall they won't do the recall because of Mitsubishi. I filled this out for my dad, he bought car for me.
ENGINE
The dealership that is repairing the drive belt recall, is attempting to charge me for the replacement of a damaged pulley.
SUSPENSION
The contact owns a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. The contact stated while her daughter was driving 45 mph, the vehicle began to roll out of the road and she was unable to steer back into the road. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle rolled over into a ditch. The contact stated no air bags deployed. The contact stated the driver hit her head and sought medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The VIN was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V279000 (Structure, Suspension). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.
SUSPENSION
Our car crashed after getting off the highway in NJ. This appears to be related to Safety Recall Report 20V-279. The cross member has completely rusted and the driver side control arm came off, crashing the car and severely damaging the car, with loss of control. I have contacted Mitsubishi Motors but have received no response from them. There was no warning sign, and the car was on the highway at highway speeds before an exit ramp was taken when the car crashed.
AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES
The airbags light came on after I bought the car and I am afraid of I get in an accident they will not deploy my mechanic said I would have to go to a car dealership about it... The brakes also fail if I try to stop abruptly they go to the floor and do not stop the vehicle... The brakes are the worst when I am driving slowly and try to come to a stop. I have taken my car to the dealership and was told that my brakes are in good condition and the mechanic didn't understand why the car was having issues stopping.
AIR BAGS
Air bag light turn on and off
SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING AT 25 MPH, WHEN THE CROSS MEMBER SNAPPED AND DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND JUMPED THE CURB. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A DISLOCATED RIGHT THUMB AND DID NOT SEEK MEDICATION ATTENTION. NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THE CROSS MEMBER, UNKNOWN TIE ROD AND BALL JOINT WAS NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V279000 (STRUCTURE, SUSPENSION), HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED TO UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS
STEERING,SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN
FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS -TEARING BUSHINGS, TORN BOOTS BOTH OUTER TIE ROD ENDS - TORN BOOTS TIMING COVER SEPARATE
STEERING,SUSPENSION,WHEELS
I HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE. PARKED AND FOUND ROTTEN PARTS ON TIRE. MECHANIC SAID IT CANNOT BE FIXED. EVERYTHING ROTTED. NEEDS WHOLE NEW FRAME. WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED.THANK GOD I WAS CLOSE TO HOME. NOW I HAVE NOTHING BUT AN EXISTING CAR LOAN FOR IT.
Decode a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer VIN
Enter your 17-character VIN to get complete specs, safety equipment details, and production information.
Open VIN Decoder