AI Damage2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport: common problems
Owners of the 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport filed 30 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 30
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 27% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 13% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 10% of all complaints
- 6 Seat belts 10% of all complaints
- 7 Visibility 10% of all complaints
- 8 Electronic stability control 7% of all complaints
- Engine: 8 complaints (27% of all).
- Electrical system: 6 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 4 complaints (13% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 30 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 5 | 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.
I was returning home from work and was at a stop sign waiting to turn left. Cross traffic does not stop. When believing I was clear I began my left turn when a car crossed in front of mine at a high rate of speed.
The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The driver's head struck the steering wheel, which required medical attention. The medical diagnosis was a contusion involving the right gyrus rectus with tissue loss and gliosis. The manufacturer was notified. The vehicle was destroyed.
The contact indicated that the vehicle experienced multiple electrical malfunctions, such as not immediately shutting off when pressing the off and on button and the windows would not close intermittently. When someone touched the metal on the vehicle, the person would experience electrical shocks.
No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that after a while the windshield wipers started to function as intended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.
The contact stated while driving approximately 25â30 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the check engine, 4-WD, ABS, traction control, and oil pressure warning lights were illuminated.
The automatic braking system warning light is illuminated. The contact stated that the driverâs side front wheel was facing sideways. The contact stated the vehicle was towed out of the highway.
I noticed just recently when I was on a long distance road trip that my transmission overheating light was coming on? I had to pull over a couple times and let it cool down before I could continue... It is very dangerous and no one at mitsubishi or other shops knows whats wrong? Please help
The seat heating burned the seat( driver seat) reaching burning me on my upper leg
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 6,848 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Outlander Sport has 28 complaints (17 years in the data). This year has 30, about average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
- Outlander Sport 201214 sources
- Outlander Sport 201342 sources
- Outlander Sport 201441 sources
- Outlander Sport 2015183 sources
- Outlander Sport 2016116 sources
- Outlander Sport 201795 sources
- Outlander Sport 201897 sources
- Outlander Sport 201989 sources
- Outlander Sport 202085 sources
- Outlander Sport 202166 sources
- Outlander Sport 202255 sources
- Outlander Sport 202330 sources
- Outlander Sport 202416 sources
- Outlander Sport 20257 sources
- Outlander Sport 202612 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, electrical system, air bags. Total complaints: 30. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (17%), rust, corrosion (13%), stalls while driving (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport?
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 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 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 2011 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.