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Mitsubishi Outlander 2014–2020
3rd generation · GF/GG
NHTSA data through 12 August 2026595 complaints, 344 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 12,000 and 74,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 2 complaints (0.6%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 1,700
- 25%
- 12,000
- Median
- 34,500
- 75%
- 74,000
- 90%
- 105,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 77 | 22.4% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 47 | 13.7% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 31 | 9.0% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 31 | 9.0% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 26 | 7.6% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 18 | 5.2% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 24 | 7.0% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 21 | 6.1% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 10 | 2.9% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 16 | 4.7% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 10 | 2.9% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 10 | 2.9% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 8 | 2.3% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 5 | 1.5% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 3 | 0.9% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 5 | 1.5% |
| 200,000+ | 2 | 0.6% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 595 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014–2020 Mitsubishi Outlander, and 344 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 12,000 and 74,000 miles. The median is 34,500 miles.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (18.2% of complaints, typically around 71,000 miles), the electrical system (9.6% of complaints, typically around 30,000 miles), the engine (9.4% of complaints, typically around 44,000 miles).
12 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Transmission and driveline71,000median 71,150 miles, middle half 17,000 to 96,000
- Electrical system30,000median 30,000 miles, middle half 6,000 to 58,000
- Engine44,000median 43,683 miles, middle half 16,000 to 79,000
- Airbag system30,000median 30,000 miles, middle half 15,000 to 55,000
- Problems owners could not categorise18,000median 18,000 miles, middle half 11,000 to 62,000
- Brakes21,000median 21,000 miles, middle half 10,000 to 35,000
- Body structure48,000median 47,500 miles, middle half 3,000 to 110,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 108 | 18.2% | 71,000 | 17,000–96,000 |
| Electrical system | 57 | 9.6% | 30,000 | 6,000–58,000 |
| Engine | 56 | 9.4% | 44,000 | 16,000–79,000 |
| Airbag system | 52 | 8.7% | 30,000 | 15,000–55,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 49 | 8.2% | 18,000 | 11,000–62,000 |
| Brakes | 47 | 7.9% | 21,000 | 10,000–35,000 |
| Body structure | 33 | 5.5% | 48,000 | 3,000–110,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 26 | 4.4% | 20,000 | 9,500–61,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 25 | 4.2% | 49,000 | 32,000–63,000 |
| Seat belts | 18 | 3.0% | 54,000 | 15,000–111,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 34,500 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 18.2% of complaints (108 reports, 62 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 71,150 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 17,000 and 95,606 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 9.6% of complaints (57 reports, 28 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 30,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,000 and 58,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 9.4% of complaints (56 reports, 35 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 43,683 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,727 and 79,300 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 8.7% of complaints (52 reports, 34 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 30,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 54,900 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 8.2% of complaints (49 reports, 21 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 18,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 11,400 and 61,750 miles.
The brakes account for 7.9% of complaints (47 reports, 29 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 21,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 10,000 and 35,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2016 model year drew the most — 205 complaints — while 2019 drew the fewest at 46. The median year sits at 79.
That makes 2016 an outlier: roughly 2.6 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 12 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around body structure (2), the parking brake (2), the seat belts (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 595 complaints filed against this generation, 87 reported a crash; 6 reported a fire; 66 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 14.6% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 12,000 and 74,000 miles, with a median of 34,500. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 30,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
CVT (jatco) 2014–2015 worst; 2014–2020 generally
Belt/pulley wear and overheating produce launch flare, mid-throttle shudder and limp mode, most often between roughly 60,000 and 100,000 miles; the earlier JF011E cars (2014-2015) draw noticeably more complaints than the CVT8 cars from 2016 on.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 58 | 49 |
| 2015 | 79 | 52 |
| 2016 | 205 | 116 |
| 2017 | 81 | 45 |
| 2018 | 80 | 46 |
| 2019 | 46 | 23 |
| 2020 | 46 | 13 |
Recalls (12)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 26V252000 | 2026-06-17 | Structure:body:hatchback/Liftgate:support Device/Strut |
| 25V507000 | 2025-10-06 | Structure:body:hatchback/Liftgate:support Device/Strut |
| 20V741000 | 2021-05-04 | Parking Brake |
| 20V403000 | 2020-09-01 | Seat Belts: Rear/Other:buckle Assembly |
| 20V280000 | 2020-06-17 | Seat Belts:rear/Other |
| 18V621000 | 2018-10-16 | Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control |
| 18V620000 | 2018-10-16 | Forward Collision Avoidance:software:pedestrian/Cyclist/Object/Obstacle/ Recognition |
| 18V591000 | 2018-09-26 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 18V070000 | 2018-03-27 | Parking Brake |
| 17V609000 | 2017-10-24 | Electrical System:starter Assembly:relay |
| 17V233000 | 2017-08-25 | Latches/Locks/Linkages:doors:latch |
| 16V563000 | 2016-08-15 | Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/Pcm/Tecm) |
What owners reported
The center seat belt is very unsafe. Once the latch is release, it goes back to the top corner, but it hit my son in the eye and forehead. Once you remove the seat belt( center passenger), the belt rolls up very quickly(upper back corner), so the passenger on the third row has to be careful. I have three boys and they…
2014 · 30 miles · Seat belts
Received airbag warnings was advised if i wrecked with warning on airbags maynot deploy had to replace passenger seat the car fell to read the key a lot of the time even when its in the slot this has been ongoing sincei got the car with 400 miles dealer says they cant get it to duplicate the error so i do not know…
2014 · 1,000 miles · Airbag system
Same as two (2) other entries herein..... The roof sustained dents from the blower of a non-contact car wash. When i first saw the dents, i wondered what caused them. Like [xxx] says....:"Now you know the rest of the story". And now so do i. Mystery solved. Yes the roof is very thin, and " tinny" sounding…
2014 · 3,000 miles · Body structure
While driving the fcm, (front crash mitigation), and acc, (adapter cruise control), lights came on with message "service required". I took the car to the dealer they could find nothing wrong. A month later they came on again, the dealer could find nothing wrong. The next time the lights came on it was "airbag…
2014 · 6,000 miles · Electrical system
Built from 344 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page