2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport: common problems

Owners of the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport filed 183 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and engine. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 183
involving a crash: 2

What fails most often

1 Powertrain 64% of all complaints
2 Engine 19% of all complaints
3 Vehicle speed control 14% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
5 Fuel/propulsion system 8% of all complaints
6 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
7 Visibility 4% of all complaints
8 Air bags 4% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Powertrain: 117 complaints (64% of all).
Engine: 35 complaints (19% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 25 complaints (14% of all).
Electrical system: 19 complaints (10% of all).
Fuel/propulsion system: 14 complaints (8% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 183 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

hesitation when accelerating48 · 26%
jerking, harsh shifts42 · 23%
warning lights, check engine42 · 23%
stalls while driving24 · 13%
transmission slipping12 · 7%
loss of power / limp mode9 · 5%
rollaway, parking brake6 · 3%
vibration6 · 3%
A/C or heater5 · 3%
rust, corrosion5 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Powertrain	117	0
Engine	35	0
Vehicle speed control	25	0
Electrical system	19	0
Fuel/propulsion system	14	0
Service brakes	12	0
Visibility	8	0
Air bags	7	2
Suspension	6	0
Steering	4	0
Parking brake	3	0
Electronic stability control	2	0
Exterior lighting	2	0
Seat belts	2	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Front air bags did not deploy upon impact at approximately 40mph
Air bags · crash · 2026-07-20 · NHTSA complaint #11751527
Additionally, while accelerating, the contact almost lost control of the vehicle control. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V144000 (Suspension, Structure); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 124,175.
Suspension · 2026-10-23 · NHTSA complaint #11773323
The CVT transmission intermittently enters a reduced-power mode (limp mode), making it difficult to safely merge or continue driving. Diagnostic trouble codes P0776 (Pressure Control Solenoid B Performance) and P0730 (Incorrect Gear Ratio) were confirmed by an independent transmission repair shop, which diagnosed the…
Powertrain · 2026-07-06 · NHTSA complaint #11748513
Transmission light on and took to mechanic and was told this make and model is notorious for transmission failure and it needs replacing. The odometer is 86316 and car has been sitting now for two years.
Powertrain · 2026-06-29 · NHTSA complaint #11747268
The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated upon depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had failed to shift to reverse(R). The warning message "Service Transmission" was displayed.
Powertrain · 2025-08-07 · NHTSA complaint #11679170
The front passenger door will not open from the inside NOR from the outside. This could be a severe safety issue in case of emergency! I tried unplugging the battery for 15 minutes and reconnecting. Still does not work. No warnings/messages. No recalls. What if this happened to other doors?
Electrical system · 2024-01-31 · NHTSA complaint #11568979
I have 2015 outlander sport has 100k miles on it and I had the transmission replaced at 62000 miles at the dealership but now I have a hesitation engine when go over 70k per hour on the highway and airbag service sign on for no reason and the fog light with the led light off with no reason too.
Air bags · 2023-09-15 · NHTSA complaint #11544656
This problem has been reported to the local dealership whom fixed the recall and they are refusing to correct the other problem that is related to the recall. The emergency brake will not release in lower freezing temperatures and or it will release and while driving seize up and stop the rear driver side tire.
Service brakes · 2023-04-23 · NHTSA complaint #11518565

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20142
201516
201617
201711
201815
201918
202022
202123
202218
202320
20249
20256
20266

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 2,219 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 6% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Outlander Sport has 28 complaints (17 years in the data). This year has 183, above average.

What to check before buying

Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, engine, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 183. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: hesitation when accelerating (26%), jerking, harsh shifts (23%), warning lights, check engine (23%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2015 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 2015 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 2015 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.