2012 Mitsubishi Lancer: Problems & Reliability
BEST2012 Mitsubishi Lancer: BEST — 19 owner complaints, 0.5× the Lancer median year by raw count.
CarWhere's verdict score for the 2012 is 0.69, where 1.00 is a typical Lancer year once complaints are weighted for severity and spread over time on the road; 0.75 or lower rates best. Severity drives it: 74% of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury or involve a safety-critical system (engine, powertrain, steering, brakes or fuel).
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), recall campaigns and manufacturer service bulletins, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Model years 2006–2017 compared · Updated 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
19
NHTSA complaints
0.5×
vs. median Lancer year
88
Service bulletins
1
Recall campaigns
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer recalls
1 recall campaign on federal record for the 2012; the campaign list is on NHTSA's record for the 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer.
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer service bulletins
The manufacturer has filed 88 technical service bulletins with NHTSA for the 2012 — close to the 76 of the median Lancer year from 2006 to 2017. Coded bulletins most often cover electrical system (23), engine & cooling (18), powertrain / transmission (12). Bulletins are repair instructions for dealer technicians, not recalls.
The 2012 vs. the year before and after
From the 2011 to the 2012, owner complaints fell by more than half (49 → 19) — an improvement. The 2013 that followed fell by more than half (19 → 0), so the 2013 has the lighter record so far.
| Model year | Verdict | Complaints | Bulletins | Recalls | Avg. buyer-paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Lancer | AVOID | 49 | 99 | 3 | — |
| 2012 (this page) | BEST | 19 | 88 | 1 | — |
| 2013 Lancer | TOO FEW REPORTS | 0 | 67 | 0 | — |
Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year). Full year-by-year table: Mitsubishi Lancer years to avoid.
Nearby Lancer years with a better rating: 2014.
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FAQ
Is the 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer reliable?
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer: BEST — 19 owner complaints, 0.5× the Lancer median year by raw count. CarWhere's verdict score for the 2012 is 0.69, where 1.00 is a typical Lancer year once complaints are weighted for severity and spread over time on the road; 0.75 or lower rates best.
What are the most common 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer problems?
The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer has 19 NHTSA owner complaints and 88 manufacturer service bulletins on file; the component breakdown is on NHTSA's record for this model year.
How many recalls does the 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer have?
1 recall campaign on federal record for the 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer. Recall completion is VIN-specific, so check the exact car.
How do I check a specific 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for the exact VIN — recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for this model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Sources & method
Complaint, recall and service-bulletin counts for the 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer come from NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; the verdict is CarWhere’s severity-weighted, time-on-road-adjusted score compared with the model’s own median year. The live complaint feed was unavailable at render, so the complaint count is the verdict engine’s stored count. Complaints are owner allegations, not verified defects. Full methodology.