US vehicle recalls and complaint patterns, explained
Mitsubishi Lancer SportBack recalls and complaints by year
Comprehensive recall and complaint data for the Mitsubishi Lancer SportBack,
sourced from official National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) records.
Stats focus on model years from 1960 onwards.
Earlier years appear in the detailed table below where data exists.
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Mitsubishi Lancer SportBack. Powered by AI, backed by NHTSA data.
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Important: This assistant provides context from aggregated NHTSA data.
Always check your specific VIN on
NHTSA.gov
for vehicle-specific recall information.
Key Takeaways
A quick scan of where recalls and complaints concentrate for the Mitsubishi Lancer SportBack,
based on aggregated NHTSA counts and campaign metadata.
Coverage spans model years 2004–2013 with 12 recall campaigns and 19 complaints in NHTSA data.
Years with the most recall activity: 2010 (6), 2011 (3), and 2009 (2).
Years with the most complaint volume: 2004 (14), 2013 (3), and 2010 (2).
Top recall themes: Engine and cooling, Visibility and lighting, and Electrical.
Most reported complaint areas (across all years): Electrical system, Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system, Engine and engine cooling:cooling system.
Complaints are not proof of a defect, but repeated themes can be useful signals when researching a used vehicle.
Always check your specific VIN for open recalls (open recalls are VIN-specific and can change over time).
Recall Themes
Instead of listing long campaign narratives, this groups recall campaigns into a few recurring areas.
Each theme links back to official notices as evidence.
Engine and cooling
2 campaigns · Years: 2009–2012
These campaigns relate to engine or cooling components where failures can lead to stalling or overheating risk.
Official notices (evidence):
18V069000
· Engine and engine cooling: Belts and associated pulleys
14V562000
· Engine and engine cooling: Belts and associated pulleys
Visibility and lighting
2 campaigns · Years: 2010–2011
These campaigns relate to lighting, glass, or visibility components (lamps, wipers, and related systems).
Across all model years, the most frequently reported areas for the
Mitsubishi Lancer SportBack in NHTSA complaint data are
Electrical system, Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system, Engine and engine cooling:cooling system.
Jump to Model Year
Year-by-Year Overview
Each row shows how often this model appears in NHTSA recalls and consumer
complaints for a given model year. These are counts of campaigns and
complaints, not risk predictions.
Model Year
Recalls
Complaints
Details
2013
0
3
Complaints recorded; no recall campaigns issued.
Top complaint areas: Power train.
2012
1
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
2011
3
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
2010
6
2
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Structure:body.
2009
2
0
Recall campaign(s) issued; no grouped complaints in summary.
2004
0
14
Complaints recorded; no recall campaigns issued.
Top complaint areas: Electrical system, Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system, Engine and engine cooling:cooling system.
What to Do Next
Check open recalls by VIN on the official NHTSA site (open recalls are VIN-specific).
If buying used, ask for proof of recall remedy completion (dealer paperwork helps).
If symptoms match common complaint themes, consider a mechanic inspection before purchase or long trips.
A compact evidence view of recall campaigns that include this model.
The default text is an original summary line, with official notice text available on demand.
Most common areas involved:
Engine and engine cooling
, Visibility
and Structure
Show recall evidence by year
2012
Engine and engine cooling: Belts and associated pulleys:
Safety recall involving the engine and engine cooling area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Lancer, 2008-2012 Outlander, 2010-2012 Lancer Sportback, and 2011-2012 Outlander Sport vehicles equipped with either a 4B11 or 4B12 engine. The drive belt automatic tensioner flange may crack, allowing the accessory drive
2011
Engine and engine cooling: Belts and associated pulleys:
Safety recall involving the engine and engine cooling area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Lancer, Lancer Evolution, and Outlander; 2009-2011 Lancer Sportback, Lancer Rilliart, and Lancer Sportback Ralliart; and 2011 Outlander Sport vehicles. The affected vehicles, manufactured with 4B1 engines
Visibility: Fan/motor:
Safety recall involving the visibility area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Lancer vehicles manufactured March 16, 2009, to March 30, 2011, 2010-2011 Lancer Sportback vehicles manufactured June 17, 2009, to December 1, 2010, 2010-2011 Lancer Evolution vehicles manufactured July 1
Engine and engine cooling: Belts and associated pulleys:
Safety recall involving the engine and engine cooling area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Lancer, 2008-2012 Outlander, 2010-2012 Lancer Sportback, and 2011-2012 Outlander Sport vehicles equipped with either a 4B11 or 4B12 engine. The drive belt automatic tensioner flange may crack, allowing the accessory drive
2010
Engine and engine cooling: Belts and associated pulleys:
Safety recall involving the engine and engine cooling area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Lancer, Lancer Evolution, and Outlander; 2009-2011 Lancer Sportback, Lancer Rilliart, and Lancer Sportback Ralliart; and 2011 Outlander Sport vehicles. The affected vehicles, manufactured with 4B1 engines
Electrical system:
Safety recall involving the electrical system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Mitsubishi Lancer vehicles manufactured January 12, 2009, to July 6, 2010, 2009-2010 Outlander vehicles manufactured January 12, 2009, to August 27, 2010, 2010 Lancer Sportback vehicles manufactured June
Visibility: Fan/motor:
Safety recall involving the visibility area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Lancer vehicles manufactured March 16, 2009, to March 30, 2011, 2010-2011 Lancer Sportback vehicles manufactured June 17, 2009, to December 1, 2010, 2010-2011 Lancer Evolution vehicles manufactured July 1
Engine and engine cooling: Belts and associated pulleys:
Safety recall involving the engine and engine cooling area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Lancer, 2008-2012 Outlander, 2010-2012 Lancer Sportback, and 2011-2012 Outlander Sport vehicles equipped with either a 4B11 or 4B12 engine. The drive belt automatic tensioner flange may crack, allowing the accessory drive
Visibility: Sun/moon roof assembly:
Safety recall involving the visibility area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Outlander, 2008-2010 Lancer, 2009-2010 Lancer Evolution, and 2010 Lancer Sportback vehicles equipped with sunroofs. The sunroof glass may detach from the sunroof assembly, becoming a road hazard to other vehicles.
Structure: Frame and members:
Safety recall involving the structure area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: 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
2009
Engine and engine cooling: Belts and associated pulleys:
Safety recall involving the engine and engine cooling area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Lancer, Lancer Evolution, and Outlander; 2009-2011 Lancer Sportback, Lancer Rilliart, and Lancer Sportback Ralliart; and 2011 Outlander Sport vehicles. The affected vehicles, manufactured with 4B1 engines
Structure: Frame and members:
Safety recall involving the structure area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: 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
Other Mitsubishi Models
Explore recall and complaint data for other Mitsubishi models.
Recall Explained provides independent analysis of official NHTSA data.
This site does not replace the official NHTSA VIN lookup and should not be
treated as legal or safety advice for your specific vehicle.
For any safety concerns: Always check your VIN on the official
NHTSA site and contact an authorized dealer.
