MODELYEARINDEX

Which Mitsubishi Outlander years to avoid

Across 10 scored model years, the 2016, 2018 and 2017 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Mitsubishi Outlander Full report
F
Grade 2010–2020
2016 vs model median 2.8×
Model median3× median
Drivetrain 20
Body & Interior 17
Lights & Visibility 12
Avoid

2016 · 2018

Best

2013 · 2020

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
0.46× 14 B
2011
0.47× 24 B
2013
0.39× 14 B
2014
1.20× 40 C
2015
1.46× 58 D
2016
2.82× 105 F
2017
1.68× 56 D
2018
2.40× 78 F
2019
0.80× 23 C
2020
0.54× 19 B
2022 P
7.12× 308 F
2023 P
1.52× 69 C
2024 P
1.09× 42 B
2025 P
0.89× 23 B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2016 F 105 reports · median 40,000 mi

  1. Drivetrain 20

    Ever sense I have purchased this vehicle it has had a noise in the front. It sounds as if it is coming from the control arm. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Body & Interior 17

    The paint on the hood is chipping only after 2,000 miles and its second car wash! I park my new car in the garage and don't even take it to work, it's only my weekend vehicle. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Lights & Visibility 12

    With just 2,000 miles on the SUV, the driver's side low beam headlight burned out. Replaced it. At 20,000 miles, both low beams burned out at the same time. Replaced them. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

16 crash · 3 fire · 10 injuries

2018 F 78 reports · median 13,000 mi

  1. Engine 9

    When reversing the vehicle if you switch it into drive to fast the vehicle completely stalls out, requiring you to put the vehicle in park, shut it off, restart the vehicle then go. This is completely dangerous. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Electrical 9

    Started vehicle and immediately got multiple warnings including the service engine soon light. When I tried to drive the car, it had almost no acceleration. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Brakes 8

    On multiple occasions I have received a brake alert when nothing was in my way. Today, when driving down a side street at about 20 miles per hour, I was given a brake warning and then the automatic brakes turned on and… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

16 crash · 2 fire · 11 injuries

The best year for the Outlander

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2020 is the best-scoring Outlander model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 79.1 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations. On complaint rate alone the lowest is 2013 at 0.39× this model’s median, against 0.54× for 2020.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2020 0.54× 19 B
2013 0.39× 14 B
2010 0.46× 14 B

Recalls

29 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
25V369000 BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE 2022–2024 198,940
16V458000 SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM 2010–2013 194,674
20V403000 SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY 2014–2019 177,000
18V070000 PARKING BRAKE 2014–2016 170,354
14V562000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS 2010, 2011 165,923
20V279000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS 2010–2013 141,200
18V069000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS 2010, 2011 141,053
17V609000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:RELAY 2015–2017 132,552
25V507000 STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT 2014–2020 121,529
26V252000 STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT 2014–2020 108,046
17V461000 VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR 2010–2013 100,082
16V791000 VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES 2010–2013 100,082

+ 17 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2016 were reported at a median of 40,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Mitsubishi Outlander years should you avoid?
2016, 2018, 2017 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Mitsubishi Outlander model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Mitsubishi Outlander?
2020 is the best-scoring Mitsubishi Outlander model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 79.1 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Mitsubishi Outlander have?
29 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Mitsubishi Outlander model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2016 Outlander
Complaints in window
105
Severity-weighted
178.5
Model median (weighted)
63
vs model median
2.82×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
8
Open investigations
0
Score 14.5 F