Mitsubishi Outlander engine failure problems

Filed May 9, 2026 · Engine · TX

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle experienced an apparent engine failure involving the engine cooling system and possible head gasket and/or engine damage. Prior to failure, the vehicle had a strong sweet coolant smell and was later diagnosed by the servicing dealership as having a coolant leak and possible engine-related damage requiring engine replacement. The vehicle is currently located and available for inspection at Don Herring Mitsubishi. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? While driving after leaving the dealership, the vehicle began jerking, hesitating during acceleration, and losing power unexpectedly. A flashing check engine light briefly appeared and disappeared. The sudden loss of normal engine performance created a serious safety hazard because the vehicle could have stalled in traffic, increasing the risk of an accident or collision. I also have eight children, including [XXX] twins, and the loss of transportation has prevented me from reliably getting my children to school, medical appointments, and obtaining necessities. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. Don Herring Mitsubishi inspected the vehicle and identified a coolant leak and possible major engine damage. The dealership advised that the engine may need replacement. The warranty company, CNA Extended Warranty, stated the dealership’s submitted notes referenced a blown head gasket and requested further teardown and inspection before approving repairs. The vehicle remains unrepaired while awaiting further action and/or engine replacement. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been inspected by Don Herring Mitsubishi and reviewed through CNA Extended Warranty as part of the repair claim process. Prior to the failure, the vehicle was also inspected on Marc INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF

Filed Apr 19, 2026 · Engine · MD

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection? The engine experienced catastrophic internal failure. A connecting rod broke and punctured the engine block, rendering the vehicle completely inoperable. This failure is consistent with overheating and internal engine damage. The vehicle is currently available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The failure occurred suddenly while driving, without warning. The vehicle lost power immediately, which could have resulted in loss of control, inability to accelerate, and exposure to traffic hazards. This created a serious safety risk to myself and others on the road. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? An independent mobile mechanic inspected the vehicle and confirmed catastrophic engine failure. Based on the condition of the engine and damage observed, the failure is consistent with severe overheating and internal mechanical breakdown. Full written diagnosis may be pending. Dealer inspection: UNKNOWN”) Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer. Insurance has been notified and may conduct an inspection. The MD state trooper deemed the car inoperable and tagged it. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or symptoms prior to the failure? There were no warning lights, messages, or indications of an issue prior to the failure. The incident occurred suddenly and without warning the same day the vehicle was purchased. At the time of failure, the vehicle had an open and unremedied safety recall (SR-18-001 – Drive Belt Auto Tensioner, the federal safety agency Campaign #18V069). This defect can cause the drive belt to detach, disabling the water pump and leading to rapid engine overheating. The failure I experienced is consistent with this defect. . The incident occurred day of pur

Filed Jan 2, 2026 · Engine · LA

At about 52,000 miles August 26, 2025- September 2, 2025 for rpm going low and high in idle and check engine light came on replaced engine coil #4 Sept 4, 2025- October 9, 2025 Coolant in engine Failed 2 compression test Needs head gasket repair Instructed to take head off Send head to machine shop to have valves checked Never sent valves to machine shop Replacing engine December 26, 2025 Engine sounds like a jet plane and after calling Mitsubishi it will need to be towed 2 hours away because they shut my local dealership down. I have tried for goodwill assist, buyback, etc but I’m treated horribly. I just found another person that it happened to at 50,000 miles also

Filed Oct 8, 2025 · Engine · TN

Initial Oil Change Visit: Brought leased vehicle under full warranty to the dealership for its first oil change. No issues were mentioned at this time. First Return (After 5 Minutes Driving): After leaving the dealership, warning lights and unusual sounds began within 5 minutes of driving. Returned immediately. The service team claimed the issue was due to the 'oil gun not being recalibrated' and that they had topped the oil off using a jug. This was later revealed to be a lie. Second Return (After Another 5 Minutes Driving): The same warning lights and noises returned after driving only 5 minutes. Returned again to the dealership. This time, they admitted that no oil had ever been put into the vehicle after the oil was drained. The service manager stated that the engine was 'cooked' and would need to be replaced. Admission by Service Manager: The service manager personally drove me to the rental car location. During this time, he admitted that the technician had simply forgotten to refill the oil after draining it, stating they had 'just gotten busy.' He had no explanation for why the dealership had lied during the first return visit. Safety Concerns: This negligence could have had catastrophic consequences. If the engine had blown up while driving, I could have crashed, potentially injuring or killing myself, my pregnant fiancée who was with me, and our unborn child. This was not just an inconvenience but a severe, reckless breach of safety and trust. Dealer’s Resolution: The dealership later acknowledged fault and offered to replace the engine with a new one. However, given the severity of the negligence and the safety risk, we refused and ultimately walked away from the lease when they would not provide an equivalent vehicle under the same terms. They instead paid off the remaining lease balance ($42,286.94). -Sent certifed formal demand letters to dealer and manufacturer -sent follow up emails to both -have not received response to my complaints.

Filed Jan 15, 2024 · Engine · FL

Mechanics said when they replaced the engine coolant an air bubble entered the line and caused the module to fail. The car overheated when I got on the interstate 5 minutes after leaving the dealership.

Filed Aug 1, 2023 · Brakes · 30,000 miles · PA

The contact owns a 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle independently slowed without driver input. The vehicle was shaking and seized momentarily but then returned to normal functionality. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

Filed Jul 18, 2022 · Electrical, Transmission · 140,040 miles · PA

The contact owns a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle decelerated and accelerated unintendedly. Additionally, the steering wheel seized. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway and restarted the vehicle after several activation and deactivation of the starter. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle and driving, the vehicle was jerking. The vehicle was taken to three different independent mechanics and diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact attempted to inform the manufacturer of the failure but was unable to speak with a representative. The approximate failure mileage was 140,040.

Filed Jul 12, 2021 · Engine · MN

I purchased the 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander in 2015. In January 2018 the engine seized up while driving and was not repairable. Thankfully I was able to pull over and no one was hurt. The vehicle was only 7 years old with only 112,846 miles and I still had a loan on the vehicle for approxiamtly $10,000. The vehicle was at the time worth the cost left to pay it off. I consulted many Mitsubishi dealerships around the country and the only fix as a new engine for the vehicle which was an additional $10,000 and there were no engines anywhere in the country that could be found. The reason is that Mitsubishi decommissioned this Outlander model in 2013 due to the issue with the engine - essentially it was built like a snowmobile engine. The belt snapped and there was no repairing it - only replacing the entire engine. Mitsubishi knew this was an issue with this model - they decommissioned it only after 2 years on the market and they didn't issue a recall until 2018 - 5 years later! In the mean time I had found others around the coutnry with the same issue and we were all left with auto loans and no working vehicle. This is extremely poor business tactics and dishonest and very unsafe. I was lucky I was not driving on a freeway at the time when the engine seized up and the vehicle bucked like wild horse - it could have resulted in a major accident. It is dishonest to issue a recall 5 years after the company knew the vehicle had an issue and most likely all of the models had been sold or abandoned by this time so they don't have to pay for many repairs since there are not many that have lasted until 2018 to be repaired. A complaint has also been filed with the Minnesota State Attorney General. I was stuck with the $10,000 loan on a car that was now worth $0 and Mitsubishi at that time acted they had no idea what was wrong with it or why this happened. All lies.

Filed Oct 27, 2020 · Body, Suspension · 198,000 miles · WI

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mitsubishi outlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-35 MPH, there was an abnormal loud clunking sound coming from the front of the vehicle near the driver's feet. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway. The contact attempted to move the vehicle and noticed that the left wheel had seized. The contact stated that the tire was cambered in and resting on the front fender. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the control arm detached from extreme corrosion. The contact was also informed that the subframe was also corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 198,000.*dt*bf*jb the consumer stated that the vheicle is now repaired.

Filed Aug 25, 2016 · Acceleration · 23,000 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2014 mitsubishi outlander. While driving 30 MPH, the acceleration seized and would not respond after a stop. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the acceleration was normal. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure occurred everyday since the vehicle was purchased from a used car lot. The approximate failure mileage was 23,000.