Most common 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander problems
Share of the 116 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mitsubishi Outlander complaints by model year
Best Outlander years: 2012, 2013, 2019. Years to avoid: 2022, 2016, 2023, 2024, 2025. Compare all years →
2003 Mitsubishi Outlander recalls (6)
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.
Trailer hitches
Certain sport utility vehicles May have been equipped with dealer-installed trailer hitch wiring harness and control module. The electronic control module can overheat.
Remedy: Owners are being requested to stop using the harness until a newly designed replacement is provided and can be installed by the dealer. The recall began on May 28, 2004.
Equipment › Other › Owners/service/other manual
Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles fail to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the owner's manual does not contain a step-by-step description for headrest adjustment when installing a child restraint system (crs) tether strap.
Remedy: A letter outlining the problem will be sent to owners along with a sticker containing the correct instructions as well as instructions on where to affix the sticker in the owner's manual.
Electrical system › Wiring › Interior/under dash
On certain sport utility vehicles, water could enter the front floorboard area from openings in the side sill or upper dash area. This water could collect under the seat and cause electrical corrosion to occur in the harness connectors that contain the wiring for the seat belt pre-tensioner, side air bag impact sensor, and stop…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the side sills and dash panel for openings that May allow water leakage into the vehicle cabin. In addition to sealing any openings that May be found, the wiring connectors will be inspected for…
Vehicle speed control
On certain sport utility vehicles, during extremely low temperature conditions, ice can build up inside the engine throttle valve. This ice build-up could cause the accelerator pedal to stick or not to return to idle after accelerating.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the engine control computer to eliminate this condition. Owner notification began on January 29, 2003.
What 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander owners say
Suspension all 28 →
The contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle came to an immediate stop and did not return to normal operation. The contact noticed that the front control arm had detached. No warning light was illuminated. The contact researched and became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V458000 (Suspension). The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to the residence. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was included in the recall but already had been serviced under the recall; however, the failure occurred. The failure mileage was 188,000.
Car taken to dealership, anderson Mitsubishi, 8162790354), January 2017, for NHTSA recall 16V458. Crossmember not replaced or rust treated. Crossmember failed 4-20-2019. Repaired at my expense $2161.70. Made claim for reimbursement through Mitsubishi dealer and Mitsubishi of north America. Have a Mitsubishi file number [redacted]. Mitsubishi of na has verbally agreed to settle, but has not contacted me since August of 2019. I have not been able to get my calls returned since. The crossmember broke while my wife was driving on city streets which caused the car to veer into oncoming traffic lane, without accident. Car was towed and repaired at my expense. I need help getting my reimbursement paid. I am the original owner of the car.
Lights
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander. While driving various speeds at night, the headlights intermittently illuminated. The contact coasted the vehicle to the side of the road, waited a while, and was able to resume driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in a recall. In addition, the contact crashed into another vehicle while driving 30 MPH. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained head injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander. While driving approximately 30 MPH on normal road conditions, the rear brake lights activated without the brake pedal being depressed. The failure occurred spontaneously whenever the vehicle was in operation. In addition, the SRS warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel and remained lit until the engine was turned off. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing and they stated that the failure was related to the electrical system. The vehicle was previously repaired according to NHTSA campaign id number 03V194000 (electrical system;wiring,interior/under dash); however, the recall remedy did not correct the failure. On a separate occasion, the instrument cluster failed and the contact noticed a burning smell inside the passenger compartment. …
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander. While driving at various speeds and also while in park, the vehicle began to overheat and the air conditioner blew hot air. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the fan control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer multiple times where it was diagnosed that the fan control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired numerous times. The failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 20,000.
Car has been owned for 10+ years and has been maintained very well. Gas mileage has dropped since 2014. Car threw a p420 code in the years after. Catalytic converter has been replaced four times in a year. Oxygen sensor has been replaced and new exhaust has been installed. We have now seen the exhaust manifold has a crack in it. This appears to be a manufacturer issue.
2003 Mitsubishi Outlander engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 24 / 21 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 23 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander a good car?
Based on 116 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Outlander rates use caution: 1.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Outlander at the same age. It is one of the Outlander 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 Outlander?
The suspension — 28 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about rear. Next are the lights (19) and engine & cooling (16).
How many recalls does the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander, 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 Outlander?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2012, 2013 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2022, 2016, 2023, 2024 and 2025. See the full Mitsubishi Outlander years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 69,000 miles; 39% 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.