2003 Mitsubishi Outlander: common problems

Owners of the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander filed 116 complaints with NHTSA, most often about suspension and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 116
involving a crash: 10

What fails most often

1 Suspension 24% of all complaints
2 Exterior lighting 16% of all complaints
3 Steering 12% of all complaints
4 Engine and cooling 11% of all complaints
5 Visibility 9% of all complaints
6 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
7 Air bags 7% of all complaints
8 Powertrain 5% of all complaints

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

Suspension: 28 complaints (24% of all).
Exterior lighting: 19 complaints (16% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 14 complaints (12% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 13 complaints (11% of all).
Visibility: 11 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD, AWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 116 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

headlights and tail lights16 · 14%
rust, corrosion12 · 10%
warning lights, check engine7 · 6%
windows, sunroof7 · 6%
A/C or heater6 · 5%
smoke, burning smell, fire6 · 5%
overheating, coolant loss5 · 4%
seat belts5 · 4%
airbags did not deploy3 · 3%
knocking, grinding or other noise3 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Suspension	28	0
Exterior lighting	19	1
Steering	14	2
Engine and cooling	13	0
Visibility	11	1
Electrical system	9	0
Air bags	8	6
Powertrain	6	0
Seat belts	6	0
Structure	5	0
Equipment	4	0
Vehicle speed control	4	1
Engine	3	0
Fuel/propulsion system	3	0

What owners report

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

During the crash, the vehicle had rolled over and the driver was knocked unconscious. The driver sustained head and neck injuries, a fractured left shoulder and an injured torso and was transported to the hospital. The vehicle was destroyed and towed away. A police report was taken at the scene.
Air bags · crash · 2019-06-24 · NHTSA complaint #11222052
While driving various speeds at night, the headlights intermittently illuminated. The contact coasted the vehicle to the side of the road, waited a while, and was able to resume driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer.
Exterior lighting · crash · 2018-01-16 · NHTSA complaint #11063034
After stopping in the parking spot, the car surged (accelerated) before she could shift into park and struck the landscaping wall at the post office. Fortunately, no one was walking on the sidewalk between the front of the car and a hedge in front of the wall. Also, fortunately, only damage was done to the car.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2009-10-28 · NHTSA complaint #10290158
While driving at an unknown speed, small stones fell off of another vehicle and struck the sunroof of the contact's vehicle. As a result, debris and glass shattered inside of her vehicle. Two passengers were moderately injured.
Steering · crash · 2009-05-22 · NHTSA complaint #10269738
On the morning of may 2, while it was raining a car that was two cars in front of my wife decided to make a left turn on the highway without any advanced notice; my wife ends up running into the car in front of her and seriously damaging the front of the car. The airbags, however did not deploy.
Air bags · crash · 2006-05-12 · NHTSA complaint #10157413
Upon impact, the air bags did not deploy. The front end of the vehicle was damaged. The vehicle was towed to the mechanic, and he determined that the wire for the sensor was torn. This should have made the airbags deploy. A police report taken at the scene.
Air bags · crash · 2005-10-31 · NHTSA complaint #10141332
On sept 3 my wife was driving our 2003 mitsubishi outlander when it veered to the right so sharply that it almost pulled the steering wheel from her grasp. The could not duplicate the occurrence,we decided we would get it checked out next week.
Steering · crash · 2005-09-11 · NHTSA complaint #10136135
No warning light was illuminated. The contact researched and became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V458000 (Suspension). The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to the residence. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired.
Suspension · 2024-08-27 · NHTSA complaint #11611129

When owners complained

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

200314
200413
200510
20062
20077
20089
200910
20108
20112
20122
20133
20146
20153
201610
20177
20183
20195
20231
20241

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,214 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Outlander has 53 complaints (25 years in the data). This year has 116, above average.

What to check before buying

Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: suspension, exterior lighting, steering. Total complaints: 116. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (14%), rust, corrosion (10%), warning lights, check engine (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander?

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 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander 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 2003 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.