Mitsubishi Outlander Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 1,248 NHTSA complaints, the Mitsubishi Outlander years to avoid are 2011, 2015, 2016, 2022 and 2023 — the worst logged up to 8.5× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by transmission failures. Updated July 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of July 2026 · How we rate model years
No standout best year
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 58 | 27 | 12 | CAUTION |
| 2009 | 46 | 21 | 13 | SOLID |
| 2010 | 60 | 33 | 10 | CAUTION |
| 2011 | 88 | 54 | 8 | AVOID |
| 2012 | 36 | 17 | 6 | SOLID |
| 2013 | 68 | 31 | 5 | CAUTION |
| 2014 | 45 | 20 | 4 | SOLID |
| 2015 | 233 | 185 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2016 | 167 | 112 | 8 | AVOID |
| 2017 | 51 | 25 | 6 | CAUTION |
| 2018 | 55 | 22 | 6 | CAUTION |
| 2019 | 29 | 21 | 5 | SOLID |
| 2020 | 29 | 10 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2022 | 208 | 72 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2023 | 40 | 20 | 2 | AVOID |
| 2024 | 22 | 10 | 1 | CAUTION |
| 2025 | 13 | 5 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Mitsubishi Outlander. Full methodology.
Common Mitsubishi Outlander problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Mitsubishi Outlander are transmission, drivetrain, suspension. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
CVT transmission overheating and failure
· Mitsubishi Outlander 2014–2017Corroborated by 29 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 224 transmission complaints across 2014–2017, typically 30,000–200,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $5,000–$9,000.
Accelerator unresponsive after engine warm-up
· Mitsubishi Outlander 2016–2017Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 75 drivetrain complaints across 2016–2017, typically 50,000 miles.
Suspension crossmember corrosion
· Mitsubishi Outlander 2008–2011Corroborated by 24 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 25 suspension complaints across 2008–2011, typically 42,000–171,240 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $359–$2,000.
Why these years stand out
2011 Mitsubishi Outlander: 88 owner complaints on federal record, 54 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mitsubishi Outlander.
2015 Mitsubishi Outlander: 233 owner complaints on federal record, 185 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mitsubishi Outlander.
2016 Mitsubishi Outlander: 167 owner complaints on federal record, 112 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mitsubishi Outlander.
2022 Mitsubishi Outlander: 208 owner complaints on federal record, 72 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mitsubishi Outlander.
2023 Mitsubishi Outlander: 40 owner complaints on federal record, 20 of them severe, plus 2 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Mitsubishi Outlander.
Know what to pay for the right Mitsubishi Outlander — then negotiate it
Years-to-avoid tells you which year. Search live listings to see the target price and what verified buyers actually paid for it.
- Verified buyer-paid target price for your exact make, model & trim
- DealDrive AI negotiator reads any dealer quote and writes your counteroffer
- Comparable real deals near you, from verified transactions
FAQ
What years of the Mitsubishi Outlander should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Mitsubishi Outlander years to avoid are 2011, 2015, 2016, 2022 and 2023 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by transmission issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Mitsubishi Outlander?
No single Mitsubishi Outlander year stands out as a clear "best" in the federal data yet; the year-by-year table shows the full spread of verdicts.
How is the Mitsubishi Outlander verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Mitsubishi Outlander's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Mitsubishi Outlander before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Mitsubishi Outlander reliable?
The Mitsubishi Outlander's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 1,248 NHTSA owner complaints, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2022 and 2023 rate "avoid" — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Mitsubishi Outlander?
The most-reported problem area for the Mitsubishi Outlander is transmission, followed by drivetrain and suspension. Confirmed failures include cvt transmission overheating and failure, accelerator unresponsive after engine warm-up, suspension crossmember corrosion. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Mitsubishi Outlander across every model year on record. Retrieved July 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Mitsubishi Outlander, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.