2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport recalls & complaints

1. Suspension

What's wrong, in plain English: Parts can break and cause loss of control. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Outlander Sport vehicles originally sold, 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 l…

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

The fix: 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, free of charge. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's n…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 OUTLANDER SPORT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mitsubishi dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 21V144000 (manufacturer code SR-21-001).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-888-648-7820.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

2. Body / structure

What's wrong, in plain English: Body panels, frame, doors, hood, trunk or latches. 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,…

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

The fix: 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. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2020.…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 OUTLANDER SPORT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mitsubishi dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 20V279000 (manufacturer code SR-20-003).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-888-648-7820.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

3. Visibility (wipers / glass)

What's wrong, in plain English: You may not be able to see the road clearly. Water may enter between the hood and windshield and cause the front wiper link ball joint to corrode, possibly resulting in the wiper link separating and the wipers becoming inoperative.

What could happen: Loss of wiper function can reduce visibility and increase the risk of a crash.

The fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rod of the wiper link and the wiper motor crank arm, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 10, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-004.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 OUTLANDER SPORT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mitsubishi dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V103000 (manufacturer code SR-18-004).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-888-648-7820.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

4. Visibility (wipers / glass) — fix not yet available

What's wrong, in plain English: You may not be able to see the road clearly. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2011-2015 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured August 26, 2010, to January 5, 2015. In the affected vehicles, water may drop between the hood and the windshield and leak into the wiper motor breathing hole. The water may cause internal corrosion of the windshield wiper motor and the possible failure of the motor.

What could happen: Failure of the wiper motor can cause a loss of visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiper motor, free of charge. The manufacturer has begun the recall, but parts are not yet available; a second notice will be sent when parts are available. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-16-010.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 OUTLANDER SPORT.
2. The fix is not available yet. Register your contact details with the dealer so they call you when parts arrive.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-888-648-7820.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

5. Brakes

What's wrong, in plain English: Anything that slows the car down. Treat brake recalls as urgent. Water may enter the rear brake calipers causing the parking brake actuator shafts to corrode and possibly bind.

What could happen: If the parking brake actuator shaft binds, the parking brake may not engage or disengage fully. If the parking brake does not engage properly, the vehicle may move unexpectedly if it is parked on a slope, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear brake calipers and replace the parking brake boot and lever or the brake caliper body, as necessary. Dealers will also replace the piston assembly of the rear brake caliper. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin Mar…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 OUTLANDER SPORT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mitsubishi dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 18V070000 (manufacturer code SR-18-002).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-888-648-7820.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

6. Airbags

What's wrong, in plain English: The airbag system — the part that is supposed to protect you in a crash. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2013 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured July 20, 2012, through May 29, 2013 and equipped with leather seats. In the affected vehicles, the driver side seat mounted air bag wiring may have been improperly routed during the leather seat cover installation process.

What could happen: If the wiring is routed incorrectly, using the seat height adjustment may damage the wiring resulting in illumination of the air bag warning light. Subsequently, in the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the driver side seat mounted air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of in…

The fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners and dealers will inspect the wiring of the driver side seat mounted air bag and re-route the wire if necessary, free of charge. If the wire is damaged, the seat mounted airbag will be replaced, free of chagre. The recall began on February 28, 2014. Owners may contact Mitsubishi at 1-80…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 OUTLANDER SPORT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mitsubishi dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 14V031000 (manufacturer code SR-14-001).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-222-0037.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

7. Seat belts

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat belts may not hold you in a crash. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured July 20, 2012, to July 23, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the front passenger seat belt lap end attachment fastener may not be torqued to specification, and the fastener may loosen with time.

What could happen: A loosened and weakened fastener may not be capable of withstanding the load forces associated with a vehicle crash, leaving the seat occupant insufficiently restrained and increasing the risk of injury.

The fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt lap end attachment fastener, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2014. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-714-372-6000. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-14-011.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 OUTLANDER SPORT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mitsubishi dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 14V744000 (manufacturer code SR-14-011).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-714-372-6000.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

8. Transmission / drivetrain

What's wrong, in plain English: The parts that send engine power to the wheels. Failure can mean a sudden loss of power or the car rolling away. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2013 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured June 11, 2012, through September 11, 2012. These vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment," and FMVSS number 114, "Theft Protection." The brake stop lamps may illuminate conti…

What could happen: If the brake lamps do not illuminate properly other vehicles may not know when the vehicle is stopping. This could increase the risk of a crash. If the shift lever is moved from park without using the brake, the vehicle may roll causing personal injury.

The fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will correct the installation of the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The recall BEGAN ON April 18, 2013. Owners may contact Mitsubishi at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's campaign recall number is SR-13-004.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 OUTLANDER SPORT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mitsubishi dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 13V116000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-888-648-7820.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

9. Fuel system

What's wrong, in plain English: Fuel lines, tank or pump. Fuel problems usually mean a leak, and leaks mean fire risk. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2013 Outlander Sport AWD vehicles manufactured June 11, 2012, through December 11, 2012. These vehicles may have been built without a fuel sending unit harness for the sub-sending unit. This may result in a false fuel tank level reading.

What could happen: The vehicle operator may believe they have fuel when the tank is actually empty. This could cause the engine to stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will install the proper fuel sending harness, free of charge. The recall began on April 18, 2013. Owners may contact Mitsubishi at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's campaign recall number is SR-13-005.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 OUTLANDER SPORT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mitsubishi dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 13V112000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-888-648-7820.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

10. Suspension

What's wrong, in plain English: Parts can break and cause loss of control. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2013 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured January 17, 2013, through January 25, 2013. The stabilizer link bracket on the left front strut was improperly welded. As a result, the link may detach and cause damage to the tire and/or brake hose.

What could happen: If the stabilizer link bracket damages the tire and/or brake line, the driver may have more difficulty controlling the steering of the vehicle, or the vehicle may require a longer stopping distance to come to a complete and controlled stop. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.

The fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the front left strut assembly free of charge. The recall began on July 30, 2013. Owners may contact MMNA at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's recall number is SR-13-008.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 OUTLANDER SPORT.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mitsubishi dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 13V300000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-888-648-7820.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Most complained-about parts: Airbags (14), Electrical system (14), Engine (9), Visibility (wipers / glass) (9), Unknown Or Other (8).

Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.