AI DamageMitsubishi Lancer EVO: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO across 5 model years: 38 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 61% of all complaints
- 2 Electronic stability control 13% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 11% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 8% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 8% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 3% of all complaints
- 8 Engine 3% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 23 complaints (61% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electronic stability control: 5 complaints (13% of all).
- Structure: 4 complaints (11% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (8% of all).
- Steering: 3 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 38 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Traveling on freeway in number 3 lane, front drive train locked up. Car skidded for approx 60 feet and than veered to the left and was struck in the number 1 lane.
All pumps will eventually fail as the seals eventually fail and corrosion of the pump or electric motor . This effects all evolution 10s regardless of climate. Here are others facing the same https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/evo-x-engine-turbo-drivetrain/660431-acd-ayc-pump-failure-reports-11.html here is one company…
My active central differential pump failed. About 4 months ago all of the fluid was gone so I refilled it. Last week it was empty again so I filled it and the fluid just dumped out on my driveway. The car only has 82000 miles on it.
Mitsubishi recall 09v077000 in the past few days, I noticed that while in motion my breaks were not reacting with their typical speed. When I took my car into a mechanic, they said it was an issue with my car's brake booster check valve and that there was a safety recall regarding this back in 2009.
Wires/connectors have become corroded causing several problems, including: lights will not turn off, and neither will the engine after keys are removed and even after the battery is disconnected.
I searched online and found out that the pump was failing due to salt corrosion. This should of been a recall since nurmerous of other cars are having the same issue.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electronic stability control. ABS/ESC sensors, steering angle, codes after suspension repair.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.