Suspension complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 1 | 4% | 55,000 miles |
| 2014 | 2 | 13% | 40,000 miles |
| 2012 | 1 | 5% | 123,000 miles |
| 2011 | 2 | 6% | 72,000 miles |
| 2010 | 1 | 2% | 20,000 miles |
| 2009 | 6 | 6% | 94,000 miles |
| 2008 | 23 | 25% | 117,000 miles |
| 2006 | 9 | 24% | 116,000 miles |
| 2005 | 2 | 8% | 170,000 miles |
| 2004 | 8 | 10% | 148,000 miles |
| 2003 | 10 | 5% | 137,000 miles |
| 2002 | 15 | 10% | 30,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I was driving down the road and spun out of control because my rack and pinion steering inner and outer tie rod snapped in half, because of rust from salt water and corrosion on the metal, resulting in my loss of control and front passenger wheel turned 90 degrees inward and nearly ripped the front tire off and under the car, brought the car home and inspected it tthoroughly, and saw the immediate problem
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer. The contact stated that the front subframe experienced severe corrosion. The vehicle was taken to biggers Mitsubishi (1325 e chicago st, elgin, il 60120) where it was confirmed that the vehicle corrosion was severe. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified and stated that the VIN was excluded from NHTSA campaign number: 16V458000 (suspension). The failure mileage was approximately 94,199.
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.
The contact owns a 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, she heard abnormal loud grinding sounds coming from underneath the front passenger's side of the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring increasingly while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that her mother had informed her that she had seen an unknown part hanging underneath the front passenger's side of the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that she would need to take the vehicle to their location for recall repair under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V458000 (Suspension). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 164,550.
Recall.the front lower control arm detach at the cross-member. Sub fram snaped while driving over speed bump at 4 MPH if that. On city st . I was on my way to go on express way when car wheel went crazy hurd loud boom like I hit son thing but I was only rolling over speed bump at aboutv4 miles cuz it was a big bump and did not want to mess my car up I did not even make it passes my back tiers. So LED bump was now between the car and I could not move or tire was gonna come off. I was not speeding. I was in my way to go on express way. Me and my kids could of died.
I was going to replace the front control arms on my own but now I am only going to be able to replace the front passenger control arm because the driver side control arm is corroded and the bolt does not come out. I was going to buy the crossmember myself but than a family member showed me a link that says this crossmember on my model could be a recall. Before I realized how corroded it was I took it to a dealership due to a recall on the passenger air bag and the dealership replace it and they sprayed some anti-corrosion on the crossmember but forgot to mention the hole the crossmember had. The vehicle was stationary at home
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer. The contact stated that the vehicle was pulling to one side and the tires were worn down. The vehicle was taken to an independent tire facility where it was diagnosed that the cross member needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 16V458000 (suspension). No further assistance was provided. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 148,000.
Related recalls (1)
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…
Frequently asked questions
Which Mitsubishi Lancer years have suspension problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2008 (23), 2002 (15), 2003 (10), 2006 (9) and 2004 (8) model years. Suspension complaints make up 25% of all complaints for the 2008.
Is there a recall for Mitsubishi Lancer suspension problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 16V-458 (lower arm, Jun 23, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Mitsubishi Lancer suspension problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 102,000 miles; 41% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the rear (5 mentions), followed by the front (3).
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.