AI Damage2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport filed 14 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 14
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 43% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 14% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 14% of all complaints
- 5 Suspension 14% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 14% of all complaints
- 7 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- Air bags: 6 complaints (43% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (14% of all).
- Engine: 2 complaints (14% of all).
- Structure: 2 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 2 complaints (14% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 14 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 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.
The air bags did not deploy. There was no warning indicators. A police report was filed. The vehicle was damaged and was towed to a tow yard, waiting for the insurance company. The contact sustained injuries that required medical attention.
My mitsubishi outlander sport has a keyless start. There is no mechanism that prevents the vehicle accidentally being turned off while still in drive or reverse. On 5/30/19 at approximately 9:20 pm, I made a run to my local rite-aid. I turned of the ignition, but forgot to put it in park.
I just had accident today 02/18/201. My car was badly damaged and a possible total loss. The first situation that made me concerned about is the airbag. The side airbag on the passengers side (front and back) did not deploy. The impact was enormous that if my child was there I don't know if she's still with me.
The vehicle has extreme rust and corrosion. Car was service under the manufacturer recall on [XXX] 2020. The subframe crossmember has rusted so bad that it is a safety hazard. On my paperwork from the dealership it stated that anti-corrosion aerosol was applied with NOX RUST 712AM.
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the battery warning light illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle overheated. An independent mechanic arrived at the scene and informed the contact that the serpentine belt had detached. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred 2 more times.
The contact stated upon looking under the vehicle, the contact noticed that the whole frame and upper panel were completely rusted. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 16V867000 (Structure).
Transmission/engine makes a high pitched whining noise when accelerating above 2000 rpms currently. It started out only doing it when going up hill at higher rpms but has gotten worse. It has also affected the electrical system and had the locks, backup camera, reverse lights all going haywire.
I dont find any customer service for my recall for the body piece between the hood and windshield mitsubishi outlander
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 9,551 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 26% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Outlander Sport has 28 complaints (17 years in the data). This year has 14, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
- Outlander Sport 201130 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 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 14. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (21%), rust, corrosion (14%), airbag warning light (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 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 2012 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 2012 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.