Steering complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 7% | — |
| 2024 | 2 | 8% | 0 miles |
| 2023 | 5 | 10% | 10,000 miles |
| 2022 | 9 | 4% | 25,000 miles |
| 2020 | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2019 | 1 | 3% | 20,000 miles |
| 2017 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2016 | 5 | 3% | 13,000 miles |
| 2015 | 1 | 2% | 19,000 miles |
| 2013 | 1 | 4% | 1,000 miles |
| 2012 | 1 | 5% | — |
| 2011 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2010 | 1 | 2% | 9,000 miles |
| 2009 | 3 | 7% | 190,000 miles |
| 2008 | 3 | 5% | 179,000 miles |
| 2007 | 11 | 9% | 120,000 miles |
| 2005 | 2 | 11% | 110,000 miles |
| 2004 | 5 | 10% | 2,000 miles |
| 2003 | 14 | 12% | 8,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle drove over a rock or a manhole cover, the rear end of the vehicle was fishtailed, and the contact lost control of the vehicle. Additionally, during rainy weather, the vehicle would hydroplane. The vehicle was taken to a dealer several times however, the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
I took this car 2 times to the dealership about the same issue the steering wheel it has a lose parts inside keep giving a weird noise and the second issue the gas smell inside the cabin if you stop the vehicle on hot day and the ac running they are a very bad gas smell coming inside the cabin throw the ac vents i looked on this issue online alot of people have this issue dealership said can't smell nothing they don't want to put the work in to this issue i need help please even last night we smelled it its very bad alot they said On line other people that the gas tank vents on hot day the vent out the gas and its get in to the ac thats why we smell it but when you are driving you dont smell nothing but if you stop and keep the car running come back it will be inside the cabin full of gas smell coming from the vents i have a disabled son i can't keep going throw this issue and some …
The contact owns a 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 15-20 MPH on a steep incline, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond and felt firm. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact's wife engaged the electronic parking brake but the vehicle continued rolling onto a two-lane highway. The contact's wife turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact's wife then veered to the side of the road. The contact 's wife was able to continue driving. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing electrical failures. The contact stated that the Forward Collision Avoidance chime would engage and the message "Crash Detection" would display erroneously while driving. …
The contact owns a 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal clonking sound was coming from the vehicle while turning the steering wheel. The contact stated that the sound was heard while steering to the right while in drive. Additionally, the sound was heard while steering to the left with the vehicle in reverse. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and diagnosed; however, the part to repair the vehicle was on backorder. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering column vibrated and made an abnormally loud sound. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed but not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 95,961.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander. On two occasions, while driving approximately 65 MPH, the steering wheel and brakes locked up without warning. The service engine warning indicator illuminated. As a result, the contact crashed into a guardrail and damaged the bumper. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. On another occasion, while driving, the engine locked up and the brakes failed to respond. As a result, the vehicle rolled backwards into a telephone pole. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to skyland auto group (255 smokey park highway, asheville, nc 28806 [phone]), but the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not offer any assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 27,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Front cross member corrosion caused driver side lower control arm to detach. Lost control of vehicle at low speed after pulling away from a stop sign. It could have caused a serious accident at higher speed. I have contacted Mitsubishi and although sympathetic, no assistance was offered and I was informed that no applicable recalls or safety notices apply to my VIN, the vehicle is not driveable. Repairs will be costly, perhaps more than it is worth.
Front crossmember rusted through causing the vehicle to lose control. Through luck/skill managed to get to the side of the road without incident but basically the core support that holds the wheels experienced rust rot. This seems to be a big problem with many Mitsubishi cars from 2003-2013 but for some reason my vehicle was excluded from this recall.
Related recalls (1)
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2013 Outlander vehicles equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Additionally, Mitusbishi is recalling certain 2007-2012 Outlander vehicles that received replacement 6-speed automatic transmissions during servicing.
Remedy: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering pressure tube and return tube, free of charge. The recall began in August 2014.
Frequently asked questions
Which Mitsubishi Outlander years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (14), 2007 (11), 2022 (9), 2004 (5) and 2016 (5) model years. Steering complaints make up 12% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Mitsubishi Outlander steering problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 14V-366 (hose, piping, and connections, Jun 25, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Mitsubishi Outlander steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 55,000 miles; 55% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the linkages (2 mentions), followed by the rack and pinion › rack (1).
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.