2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Reliability Report

The liftgate drops without warning after it is opened and hits people on the head as they reach into the cargo area. Worn liftgate gas springs come up, with one failure reported at 132,324 miles. A separate complaint says the power liftgate keeps closing when it meets an obstruction and gives no audible warning. Corrosion is another theme: one exhaust snaps in half from rust at 110,000 miles. One report concerns a slow manufacturer reimbursement for springs that were replaced early.

Headlights burn out over and over on both sides. Owners describe low beams replaced 3 to 7 times in a single year, and dealer replacements fail again soon after. Drivers often do not notice a dead headlight until someone else, sometimes the police, points it out, which leaves the car poorly lit at night. One complaint filed here actually describes delayed braking during a multi-car collision on a city highway and has nothing to do with lighting.

Engines stall or shut down without warning. Shifting quickly from reverse to drive kills the engine, and the car needs a full restart. This happens from under 50 miles on a new car. Another car dies over a parking-lot bump at 34K miles and will not crank afterward. On the highway at 70 mph, one engine shuts off in traffic after a camshaft failure, ends up needing a replacement engine, and waits on a backordered part. Sudden power loss at speed is a serious crash risk.

The driver's seat comes loose and wobbles or rocks back and forth under acceleration and braking. Some owners notice it within days of buying a new car, and one says the power seat gets looser over time. Hard braking can throw the seat forward, which unsettles the driver and can affect control. Dealer fixes are unsuccessful: one dealer says Mitsubishi told it not to repair the seat yet, and another damages the car while trying.

A camshaft phaser shatters and loses a chunk of metal, which is a serious internal engine failure. Other reports describe slow starts, stalling while driving, and flickering warning lights at startup, with one case at about 65,000 miles. The lower engine heat shield also cracks at its bolt inserts and comes loose, reported at 28,000 miles. The dealer in that case calls for replacement, and the manufacturer offers no help.

Corrosion under the car leads to replacement of the shocks, struts, and lower control arm. In that case, the car also vibrates and makes abnormal noise above 60 mph. Another complaint describes grinding or loud squeaking from the suspension over speed bumps. The same owner reports stalling on hot days with a mass air flow sensor code that returns after the part is replaced, along with a center-console USB port and interior lights that work only some of the time.

The second-row middle seat belt locks up after it is fastened, then keeps tightening and presses hard on the passenger's chest. The other complaint in this category is about getting a recall repair done rather than a belt defect. Dealers in the owner's state will not do recall work, so the owner has to drive to a dealer in another state, which costs time and fuel.