2004 Mitsubishi Outlander: common problems

Owners of the 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander filed 52 complaints with NHTSA, most often about suspension and structure. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 52
involving a crash: 10

What fails most often

1 Suspension 38% of all complaints
2 Structure 15% of all complaints
3 Air bags 13% of all complaints
4 Engine and cooling 12% of all complaints
5 Exterior lighting 12% of all complaints
6 Steering 10% of all complaints
7 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
8 Electrical system 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.

Suspension: 20 complaints (38% of all).
Structure: 8 complaints (15% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 7 complaints (13% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 6 complaints (12% of all).
Exterior lighting: 6 complaints (12% of all).

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 52 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

rust, corrosion16 · 31%
airbags did not deploy5 · 10%
headlights and tail lights4 · 8%
knocking, grinding or other noise3 · 6%
stalls while driving3 · 6%
vibration3 · 6%
seat belts2 · 4%
windows, sunroof2 · 4%
A/C or heater1 · 2%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Suspension	20	0
Structure	8	2
Air bags	7	7
Engine and cooling	6	0
Exterior lighting	6	0
Steering	5	1
Powertrain	3	0
Electrical system	2	0
Engine	2	0
Fuel system	2	0
Seat belts	2	1
Service brakes	2	0
Vehicle speed control	2	2
Visibility	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.

The air bags failed to deploy. The driver and passengers were uninjured. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a tow lot. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 280,000.
Air bags · crash · 2017-05-19 · NHTSA complaint #10990553
The tree was about 1 meter distant from my car...im 100% sure that the accident was a sudden acceleration. I had another similar episode about 3 months ago, also in my garage, but a that time I was ready to turn to the right to go the door and the car suddenly accelerate very fast without me pushing the gas pedal, but…
Structure · crash · 2014-05-22 · NHTSA complaint #10593462
My airbag did not deploy. No major injury just a bruised jaw and sore neck. Incident 01/17/2013. Usaa auto insurance said car was totalled so I get the cash value.
Structure · crash · 2013-02-08 · NHTSA complaint #10496880
My car took the impact on the front end and my airbags did not deploy. I believe I hit the other car at about 50mph and it seems that my airbags should have deployed. My car was deemed a total loss and was not repaired by the insurance company because the frame was bent and broken.
Air bags · crash · 2009-09-02 · NHTSA complaint #10282657
Both airbags failed to deploy properly. Froth passenger sealbelt unbuckled upon crash impact.
Air bags · crash · 2009-07-31 · NHTSA complaint #10279009
Tl contact owns a 2004 mitsubishi outlander. While attempting to park the vehicle, it spontaneously accelerated to 80 mph. The vehicle crashed into several signs. The contact's insurance agency assumed financial responsibility for the repair. One year later, the failure recurred. There were no injuries.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2008-11-14 · NHTSA complaint #10248810
Vehicle vibrated badly and had a tendency to pull to the right. Very bad accident occurred july 12, 2006. One car accident. My wife was driving home from houston, texas.
Steering · crash · 2006-08-27 · NHTSA complaint #10166651
The entire undercarriage is rusted out, it was taken to Ricart near columbus ohio where they simply sprayed an anti rust coating over the existing rust. There is now rusted holes and the vehicle has spun out driving in straight due to control arm issues and whatever else.
Suspension · 2021-10-05 · NHTSA complaint #11435602

When owners complained

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

20031
20045
20052
20065
20073
20083
20094
20103
20121
20132
20141
20152
20169
20175
20182
20202
20211
20221

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 5,242 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 14% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Outlander has 53 complaints (25 years in the data). This year has 52, about average.

What to check before buying

Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
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.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: suspension, structure, air bags. Total complaints: 52. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (31%), airbags did not deploy (10%), headlights and tail lights (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 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 2004 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 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.