Most common 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer problems
Share of the 51 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 →
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer recalls (6)
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. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Lancer, 2008-2012 Outlander, 2010-2012 Lancer Sportback, and 2011-2012 Outlander Sport vehicles equipped with either a 4B11 or 4B12 engine. The drive belt automatic tensioner flange may crack, allowing the accessory drive belt to detach.
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the belt tensioner with one that has an improved shape, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 27, 2018.
Electrical system
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Mitsubishi Lancer vehicles manufactured January 12, 2009, to July 6, 2010, 2009-2010 Outlander vehicles manufactured January 12, 2009, to August 27, 2010, 2010 Lancer Sportback vehicles manufactured June 17, 2009, to June 8, 2010, and…
Remedy: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected ECU, free of charge. The recall began on June 15 ,2015. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820.
Visibility › Defroster/defogger/HVAC system › Fan/motor
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Lancer vehicles manufactured March 16, 2009, to March 30, 2011, 2010-2011 Lancer Sportback vehicles manufactured June 17, 2009, to December 1, 2010, 2010-2011 Lancer Evolution vehicles manufactured July 14, 2009, to January 7, 2011,…
Remedy: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace a suspect blower motor, free of charge. The recall began on June 15, 2015. Owners may contact Mitsubishi 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.
What 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer owners say
Engine & cooling all 21 →
The car started flashing a warning sign and loosing power. When trying to accelerate it stops. Eventually it puts the car into a limp mode and will stall altogether. This happens any long distance trip. My car year and model is not the only Lancer being effected by this computer glitch. It's very dangerous due to the fact that the cars loosing power while you're driving. It doesn't matter if you're in the middle of the highway it will just stop working. All research I have done points to an error within the computer that tells the car when to cool down the transmission. I have seen many blogs, forums and actually know another Lancer owner who's model is a 2012 and has the exact same issue. I don't know why this hasn't been addressed yet when it's affecting more than just one Lancer here or there. Bad for the engine bad for the transmission bad for my travel. …
Warning message "too hot slow down" appears when inclining uphill in above 70 degrees (f) at 45mph or more. Transmission begins to lose power, deceleration occurs, temperature gauge reads normal on dashboard menu, vehicle transmission runs on high RPM above 3000, transmission sounds are louder than normal, and when vehicle reaches complete stop, vehicle warning message does not go away. When vehicle is manually shut off, message will still appear. When the vehicle is turned on to electrical only, message will still appear. After 5 minutes or more in power off, vehicle will restart like normal, message is cleared, and gauges for temperature and oil pressure is normal range. No error codes are discovered when pulling codes when issue occurs. Emissions is okay and vehicle is regularly maintained according to vehicle's suggested maintenance plans. …
Brakes
My ABS and asc lights have been on for a while. Took it to a mechanic and was told it wasnt a problem, just a faulty electrical system. One day, I was coming off an exit ramp trying to brake so I could turn but my brakes wouldnt engage so I slam on my brake and they locked up and my car slid and crashed into a median. Tired to steer away but it wouldnt turn.
My complaint is on the anti lock brake pump/motor on 2010 Mitsubishi lancers. Iv read alot and talked to alot of people about this issue where at anytime the car ends up having a low or bad battery, and or any other issues causing lower then normal voltage. It sends a code to the ABS module causing it to fail. Making your ABS and engine light come on the dash. With that failure it stores the code and even after the electrical problems are fix you still can not clear the ABS/brake code. The only fix to get ride of the lights and to get your ABS pump/motor working again is to replace it with a brand new unit costing almost $3,000 dollars to Mitsubishi. Hearing from other people with this issue, it is a defect from Mitsubishi. …
Windows, wipers & sunroof
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer. While driving various speeds, the windshield wipers failed to operate without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure recurred several times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.
After about 6 weeks use, sun visors in my new 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer malfunction during use, drifting downward obstructing forward vision. Visors were replaced at dealer. After 4 to 6 weeks, again the new visors drift downward when in use, obstructing vision. When driving toward the sun, driver must have one hand holding the visor in position and other hand on steering wheel - dangerous to shift gears or use turn signals. At this point Mitsubishi seems uninterested in fixing the problem.
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | 23 / 30 / 26 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 31 / 25 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | 22 / 29 / 25 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 28 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed dual-clutch | AWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | AWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer a good car?
Based on 51 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2010 Lancer rates use caution: 2.0× 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 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer?
The engine & cooling — 21 complaints, 41% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the brakes (7) and windows, wipers & sunroof (6).
How many recalls does the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2010 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 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 48% 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.