AI Damage2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback: common problems
Owners of the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and visibility. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 63% of all complaints
- 2 Visibility 38% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 13% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 13% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 13% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (63% of all).
- Visibility: 3 complaints (38% of all).
- Air bags: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 8 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 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.
Takata recall - I took my car in to hickory mitsubishi in hickory, nc to get the airbag fixed. I picked up my car in the afternoon. It started to get dark about an hour later, so I turned my lights on. I have no interior lights on my car. I can't see my odometer, shift column,etc.
After car had been running for several minutes, the temperature control knob on the dashboard was stuck and was unable to turn from cold to warm. When turning the knob, the knob broke exposing electrical paneling.
The unit now has to be changed under the dashboard which I am unable to do while driving, when my windows are foggy I have to drive with them been foggy if it is not in the right position. It appears to be a known issue with mitis. Since I see many issues with this online.
The contact was able to stop the unintended acceleration by applying the brakes abruptly. The vehicle was diagnosed by a local repair shop that advised that the fly-by-wire would need repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance.
The heater and cooling control knob for interior heating and cooling will not change over from air conditioning to heat. In the area that I live it is very cold in the winter months ( 20 - 30 degrees). According to research I have done on this issue it is s known issue at mitsubishi.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 11,896 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Lancer Sportback has 2 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 8, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, visibility, air bags. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (13%), unintended acceleration (13%), windows, sunroof (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2004 models
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.