2003 Mitsubishi Outlander recalls and problems

The 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander has 6 recalls and 116 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is suspension.

How the 2003 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 23 Outlander model years — 4th most.

6recalls

116complaints

10crashes

2fires

8injuries

69,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

6 recalls

Suspension

Jun 23, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V458000 · 194,674 vehicles

Problem: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 Lancer, 2004 Lancer Wagon, 2003-2006 Lancer Evolution, 2003-2006 Outlander and 2007-2013 Outlander V-6 vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, 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 the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, the front lower control arms may detach due to the front cross member corroding from salt water exposure such as from road salt use.

Risk: A detached front control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy & notes

MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front cross members. Depending on the level of existing corrosion, either a sealing/anti-corrosion agent will be applied or the front cross member will be replaced with a new one that has a sealing/anti-corrosion agent applied to it. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began January 2017. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-16-003.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Equipment

Sep 1, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V428000 · 100,432 vehicles

Problem: Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the bilingual english/spanish removable air bag warning labels affixed to the dash and to the sunvisor do not meet the size requirements of the standard.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy & notes

Mitsubishi Caribbean will mail a customer notification letter containing a written description and a graphic of the bi-lingual dashboard air bag warning label. In addition, all current 2000-2004 nativa owners will also receive replacement air bag alert labels for the sun visors. This recall is expected to begin during March or April 2005. The notification to the nativa owners is expected to begin during April or May 2005. Owners should contact Mitsubishi Caribbean at 1-787-251-8715.

The manufacturer's petition which requested that NHTSA determine this FMVSS noncompliance does not create an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety was partially denied on January 26, 2005. Therefore, this manufacturer is obligated to conduct an owner notification and remedy campaign.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

Trailer Hitches

Apr 26, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V197000 · 2,175 vehicles

Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles May have been equipped with dealer-installed trailer hitch wiring harness and control module. The electronic control module can overheat.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH DEALER-INSTALLED TRAILER HITCH WIRING HARNESS AND CONTROL MODULE. THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE CAN OVERHEAT.

Risk: Overheating of the trailer hitch wiring harness module could result in a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

OVERHEATING OF THE TRAILER HITCH WIRING HARNESS MODULE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Owners are being requested to stop using the harness until a newly designed replacement is provided and can be installed by the dealer. The recall began on May 28, 2004. Owners should contact Mitsubishi at 1-888-648-7820.

Mitsubishi recall no. Sr-04-004.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Equipment

Feb 11, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V067000 · 134,000 vehicles

Problem: Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles fail to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the owner's manual does not contain a step-by-step description for headrest adjustment when installing a child restraint system (crs) tether strap.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT CONTAIN A STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION FOR HEADREST ADJUSTMENT WHEN INSTALLING A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM (CRS) TETHER STRAP.

Risk: If the tether strap is improperly installed to the tether anchor, the child safety seat May not be sufficient restrained. In the event of a crash, the child could be injured.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THE TETHER STRAP IS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED TO THE TETHER ANCHOR, THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT RESTRAINED. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE CHILD COULD BE INJURED.

Remedy & notes

A letter outlining the problem will be sent to owners along with a sticker containing the correct instructions as well as instructions on where to affix the sticker in the owner's manual. The recall began on March 29, 2004. Owners should contact Mitsubishi at 1-888-648-7820.

Mitsubishi recall no. Sr-04-002.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Electrical System

May 20, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V194000 · 43,649 vehicles

Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, water could enter the front floorboard area from openings in the side sill or upper dash area. This water could collect under the seat and cause electrical corrosion to occur in the harness connectors that contain the wiring for the seat belt pre-tensioner, side air bag impact sensor, and stop lamps.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, WATER COULD ENTER THE FRONT FLOORBOARD AREA FROM OPENINGS IN THE SIDE SILL OR UPPER DASH AREA. THIS WATER COULD COLLECT UNDER THE SEAT AND CAUSE ELECTRICAL CORROSION TO OCCUR IN THE HARNESS CONNECTORS THAT CONTAIN THE WIRING FOR THE SEAT BELT PRE-TENSIONER, SIDE AIR BAG IMPACT SENSOR, AND STOP LAMPS.

Risk: Electrical corrosion of the harness could cause the seat belt pre-tensioner to malfunction, the side air bag not to deploy and/or the brake lamps not to illuminate or to falsely illuminate.

Original NHTSA wording

ELECTRICAL CORROSION OF THE HARNESS COULD CAUSE THE SEAT BELT PRE-TENSIONER TO MALFUNCTION, THE SIDE AIR BAG NOT TO DEPLOY AND/OR THE BRAKE LAMPS NOT TO ILLUMINATE OR TO FALSELY ILLUMINATE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the side sills and dash panel for openings that May allow water leakage into the vehicle cabin. In addition to sealing any openings that May be found, the wiring connectors will be inspected for signs of electrical corrosion. The floor harness will be replaced if it has any signs of water damage or electrical corrosion. Owner notification began June 23, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Mitsubishi america at 1-800-222-0037 or Mitsubishi Caribbean at 1-787-251-8715.

Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Vehicle Speed Control

Jan 30, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V028000 · 31,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, during extremely low temperature conditions, ice can build up inside the engine throttle valve. This ice build-up could cause the accelerator pedal to stick or not to return to idle after accelerating.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DURING EXTREMELY LOW TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS, ICE CAN BUILD UP INSIDE THE ENGINE THROTTLE VALVE. THIS ICE BUILD-UP COULD CAUSE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO STICK OR NOT TO RETURN TO IDLE AFTER ACCELERATING.

Risk: Failure to return to idle could result in a vehicle crash without warning.

Original NHTSA wording

FAILURE TO RETURN TO IDLE COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will reprogram the engine control computer to eliminate this condition. Owner notification began on January 29, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.

Mitsubishi recall bulletin no. Sr-03-001. Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Engine16

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2003 vs. other Mitsubishi Outlander years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2003. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns covering the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander, the latest from Jun 23, 2016 (suspension). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention suspension (28), exterior lighting (19), engine (16). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.