Most common 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer problems
Share of the 91 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 →
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer recalls (5)
Structure › Frame and members
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, 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…
Visibility › Sun/moon roof assembly
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.
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sunroof glass assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and associated pulleys
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.
Remedy: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the drive belt with a rubber belt. Drive pulleys that are excessively worn will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
Mitsubishi is recalling model year 2008-2009 lancer and lancer evolution vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode…
Remedy: Dealers will install new front airbag sensors that have improved corrosion resistance. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on November 27, 2009.
Service brakes, air › Supply › Check valve
Mitsubishi is recalling 39,711 my 2008-2009 outlander and lacer vehicles. Incorrect material composition of the brake booster check valve May cause the check valve to stick closed when the engine is shut off.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake booster check valve free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during April 2009. Owners May contact Mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.
What 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer owners say
Suspension all 23 →
The contact owns a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. The contact stated while her daughter was driving 45 mph, the vehicle began to roll out of the road and she was unable to steer back into the road. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle rolled over into a ditch. The contact stated no air bags deployed. The contact stated the driver hit her head and sought medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The VIN was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V279000 (Structure, Suspension). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.
Our car crashed after getting off the highway in NJ. This appears to be related to Safety Recall Report 20V-279. The cross member has completely rusted and the driver side control arm came off, crashing the car and severely damaging the car, with loss of control. I have contacted Mitsubishi Motors but have received no response from them. There was no warning sign, and the car was on the highway at highway speeds before an exit ramp was taken when the car crashed.
Engine & cooling
I was driving the car to my desired destination when all of a sudden the car started to smell like something was burning. When the passenger when to check, while we where waiting for the light to change, she noticed that fire was coming from under the hood. All we could do was get out of the car and take the kids out when the fire started to get bigger. A man who was near the place help controlling the fire with some extinguishers until the firemen arrived. When the firemen arrived at the scene, and manage to control the fire, they declared the car to be total lost.
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer oil transmission cooler has corroded from normal use. The car was making a waning noise while driving because all the fluid had leaked out from the transmission cooler due to corrosion. No sensors or anything went off, only noticed upon inspection of the car once I arrived home. Similar recall was made on the 2010 Mitsubishi galant (http://www.mitsubishisucks.com/cars/recalls/USA/201003.html) so it is no doubt that the Lancer most likely had a similar issue with a similar part.
Steering
At 50 km/h, when turning the steering wheel to the left of 90 degree, the vehicle was not turning and going straight forward. Some sound of tire-metal was being heard from the front left wheel. With someone outside, we were seeing at low speed that the wheel was rotating off axis and even touching the car body. After being towing to a canadian tire, the technician mentioned that the cross member was so rotten it was actually breaking in two parts and it was so dangerous, he could not let me go without part replacement. The mechanic technician told me that other Lancer had the problem even a 2009 Lancer. They referred me to the transport Canada recall # 2016317, however this one is only for Lancer 2003 to 2006 (and also outlanders). Note that my problem was the same car part as the recall mentioned above. …
I was driving my car to work this morning and all of a sudden I felt a drastic pull to the left. I get out of the car and look at all sides of the vehicle and don't notice anything right away. Then I notice my left front wheel is turned slightly while the steering wheel is straight. I look under the vehicle to find the sub frame rotted and rusted away from the control arm. This is a huge safety issue as this car has 123K miles and being a 2008 car, just 1 year later than the recalls currently up to 2007 for the same exact issue. The recall should be extended to the 2008 vehicles as well due to the insane amount of complaints on this specific sub frame rotting issue.
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | 22 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer a good car?
Based on 91 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Lancer rates avoid: 2.5× 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 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer?
The suspension — 23 complaints, 25% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front. Next are the engine & cooling (16) and steering (12).
How many recalls does the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer, the most recent from May 18, 2020 (frame and members). 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 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 33,000 miles; 54% 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.