Most common 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer problems
Share of the 148 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mitsubishi Lancer complaints by model year
Best Lancer years: 2007, 2013, 2017. Years to avoid: 2003, 2002, 2009, 2008, 2004. Compare all years →
2002 Mitsubishi Lancer recalls (2)
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower arm
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 Lancer, 2004 Lancer Wagon, 2003-2006 Lancer Evolution, 2003-2006 Outlander and 2007-2013 Outlander V-6 vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland,…
Remedy: 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…
Equipment › Other › Labels
Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the bilingual english/spanish removable air bag warning labels affixed to the dash and to the sunvisor do not meet the size requirements of the standard.
Remedy: Mitsubishi caribbean will mail a customer notification letter containing a written description and a graphic of the bi-lingual dashboard air bag warning label.
What 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer owners say
Air bags all 23 →
My husband was in an accident and over corrected hit an embankment and a tree and this pushed him back into the road and spin shooting him into another embankment and this resulted in him being forced backwards and into another ditch on the other side of the road hitting a mailbox and another ditch. The airbag never deployed and the seat broke as if he was laying down to sleep but it was broke into this position. He hit his face on the steering wheel and injured his eye some how and the hospital said that it was due to the airbag not deploying. Why did his seat get throwed back like that and break please explain. I could have lost my husband..
I was driving down a street in my 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer and as I approached a green light I noticed that the driver of an Acura was not stopping for his red light. I slammed on the brakes but unfortunately I hit the passenger side of his car. The accedent caused my car to turn 90 degrees to the right. I got out of my vehicle after checking on my passenger and thats when I realized that the airbags in my vehicle didn't deploy. My passenger and I were both injured and are being treated for injuries. I am not very happy with the performance of my vehicle in that it failed to provide the protection that the airbags were designed to provide. If the airbags had deployed my passenger and I wouldn't have been thrown around like ragdolls in the vehicle. My car was totaled as a result of the accident.
Engine & cooling all 22 →
Vehicle accelerates on it's own. I have informed mitshubishi of the problem however according to mitshubishi they could not reproduce the problem by computer so as far as they were concerned there was no problem. I recently had an accident in the car and of course mitshubishi is trying to wiggle out of it. I guess I have to get killed in their vehicle before anything will be done. All I want is for mitshubishi to take their defective merchandise and give me the money that I have invested in this death trap so that I can purchase another vehicle. I am very sorry that I ever bought this car. It is a serious death trap!!!!!!!
Was going to the gas station to get gas and car accelerated on it's own. Then engine seized. There was no power steering then. Ran into a ditch. Car started smoking from engine. I didn't know there were recalls on these cars or I wouldn't have bought one. Biggest pain I've ever owned! The engine is wrecked. I spent a lot of money on this car. I have no car now, what am I supposed to do?
Transmission & drivetrain all 22 →
2002 Mitsubishi Lancer es . Have had four (4) accidents with this vehicle from date of purchase to present approximately 13 months in 2/2004 the automobile started stalling, and during the stall it would accelerate, and the brakes would not function during this. Also, the transmission made revving sounds periodically.I made an appointment at the Mitsubishi dealer ?bellsouth Mitsubishi? In sayreville njin feb 04? And explained the problem to the service dept.the put the car on a machine for tests and no errors were found. I then notified the sales person that sold me the car they requested me to leave it for 4 hours to run tests etc? They could not duplicate the problem. 12/17/04 when the vehicle stalled at a stop sign and accelerated into the truck ahead of me causing significant damage to the front ,the bumper, and hood of my car. …
I bought a new 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer and after one month started having problems with surges from the transmission. I took it back to the dealership but since it wasnt doing it at regular occurences, they found nothing wrong by driving it. About 6 months later the problem worsened so I took it back to the dealership. Again the car was driven but they could find nothing wrong and blamed it on the tires. I felt insulted as though I couldnt tell what was going on in my car. I finally gave up and decided if the problem caused damage, maybe then they would listen to me. The problem continued for 2 years until I gave up and once again took it to the dealership. They told me that I would need to have the transmission and fluid changed before checking it for further problems covered by the warranty. The cost of this would be $170.00. …
2002 Mitsubishi Lancer engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 24 / 30 / 26 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 23 / 30 / 25 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 26 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 27 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer a good car?
Based on 148 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Lancer rates avoid: 5.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Lancer at the same age. It is one of the Lancer years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer?
The air bags — 23 complaints, 16% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the engine & cooling (22) and transmission & drivetrain (22).
How many recalls does the 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer, the most recent from June 23, 2016 (lower arm). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mitsubishi Lancer?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007, 2013 and 2017. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2003, 2002, 2009, 2008 and 2004. See the full Mitsubishi Lancer years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 68,000 miles; 40% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.