Most common 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer problems
Share of the 199 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 →
2003 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer:
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
What 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 51 →
I purchased a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer ls, frm the mmsa co. Used parking lot, with only a 100 miles. Car seemed to run fine, and then it started to randomly revv and them stall. It wasnt that bad at first, but 06/04 it became a problem. Id stall about 8-12 x a day (avg.), id taken it to the mitsu dealers who all said: they fixed it, couldnt replicate the problem, or there was nothing wrong. While on the freeway, I started to brake and then realized that I had no power to my car- it had stalled in motion. All lights were on on dashboard and the lenght between me and the other car was inevitable. Even when I had taken it to a dealer only 4 days before who said they fixed it. I ended up totally my car and recieved many injuries, and Mitsubishi didnt even help me. At the time of my crash I had just hit 10000 miles- I should not have had a problem like this with a brand new (basically) car.
At around 9500 miles the car began sticking, slipping gears, jamming into gear. It was diagnosed as a failed body valve, which they ordered and sent me home for 10 days waiting for the part--meanwhile the car progressively became worse, making entering the freeway questionable, etc. After 10 days it began doing the same thing--took car back in--they sent me home while they tried to reach Mitsubishi...when I demanded rental stating I did not feel safe (I called Mitsubishi, who intervened and had me take car back to dealer until it is fixed). Dealer told me they are ordering 6 more transmission parts based on Mitsubishi's advice. …
A/C & heater all 44 →
This is a health issue for us because my husband has ms and is sensitive to heat especially, but also can be sensitive to cold. The heater knob on my vehicle broke. It had been sticking for a while. I had to turn the knob pretty hard to push from cold to hot or hot to cold. In researching a way to fix it I was appalled by the number of people that had the same problem with the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer but no recall has been initiated by Mitsubishi. At this point we just need to replace one small shaft for the knob to slip onto, but the dealership claims we have to buy the whole unit - $215 plus shipping and labor. With my husband having ms, we are always paying medical bills. We went to a salvage yard and the heater assembly was missing from the only Lancer on the lot and according to one person every Lancer he saw come through had the left knob broken off the heater temp controller. …
The A/C knob on this car has been an ongoing problem and has now broke off. It has always been very stiff when going from A/C to heat and now due to being used with such force repeatedly it has broke off, the vent selector has never been an issue its smooth and transitions easily after all these features are supposed to make the vehicle more comfortable and safe and warm on cold nights... I just went to a site where at least 150 people complained of the same problem. The part is over 200$ from a dealer and the dealer charges over 700-800$ to replace the part(talk about a racket) and yet with soooo many complaints I feel bad for people with serious health problems that are stuck in this vehicle driving under miserable and yes unsafe conditions especially for those who can't defrost their windshield or people who have a hard time maintaining body temperature... …
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 35 →
The temperature control knob broke off. Vehicle was stationary. The arm inside can be turned with a needle nose pliers, but only towards the cold/ac side. It stops when turned towards the heat side and will not go- feels as though it could break if it was forced. This is extremely concerning as it is about to be winter in minnesota and with no heat, there is no defroster for windshield or rear window. I am very worried. Upon further investigation online with other owners of the 2003 Lancer, I found out there are many other people with the same issue and I am lead to believe it is a problem with Mitsubishi's design that should have been recalled. If I do not have a defroster I am in danger and I am very worried. It is also a safety issue in this state to not have heat. Temperatures drop below -10f degrees every year and often as low as -30f. …
The temperature knob broke easily because it was hard to turn making the defroster impossible to use which is a safety hazard. Furthermore the cruise control was always faulty to begin with but now it isn't even usable. Automatic transmission also loves to lurch into 3rd gear while slowing down at the same time and then jumping back into the speed I was previously going. This issue usually happens at speeds lower than 50 MPH.
2003 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 / 26 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 28 / 24 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer a good car?
Based on 199 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Lancer rates avoid: 7.1× 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 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer?
The transmission & drivetrain — 51 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the a/c & heater (44) and windows, wipers & sunroof (35).
How many recalls does the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2003 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 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 50% 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.