2005 Mitsubishi Outlander: common problems

Owners of the 2005 Mitsubishi Outlander filed 19 complaints with NHTSA, most often about suspension and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 19
involving a crash: 3

What fails most often

1 Suspension 47% of all complaints
2 Powertrain 16% of all complaints
3 Structure 16% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
5 Steering 11% of all complaints
6 Air bags 5% of all complaints
7 Engine 5% of all complaints
8 Engine and cooling 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: 9 complaints (47% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 3 complaints (16% of all).
Structure: 3 complaints (16% of all).
Electrical system: 2 complaints (11% of all).
Steering: 2 complaints (11% 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
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD, AWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 19 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

rust, corrosion6 · 32%
airbags did not deploy2 · 11%
windows, sunroof2 · 11%
A/C or heater1 · 5%
hesitation when accelerating1 · 5%
headlights and tail lights1 · 5%
knocking, grinding or other noise1 · 5%
steering or power steering problems1 · 5%
warning lights, check engine1 · 5%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Suspension	9	2
Powertrain	3	0
Structure	3	0
Electrical system	2	0
Steering	2	1
Air bags	1	1
Engine	1	0
Engine and cooling	1	0
Exterior lighting	1	0
Visibility	1	0
Other	2	1

What owners report

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

My car is part of a safety recall due to corrosion of the cross members of my vehicle. Prior to the recall my vehicle failed due to the cross members failing. At the time of the failure I was going 65 mph on the interstate when the frame snapped in 2.
Suspension · crash · 2017-01-28 · NHTSA complaint #10948149
The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a scrap yard. The vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 16v458000 (suspension). The failure mileage was 150,000.
Suspension · crash · 2016-12-14 · NHTSA complaint #10935246
She took the vehicle to a dealer and upon inspection of the vehicle, the dealer found no defect with the lower control arm and sprayed an anti-rust agent on the part to prevent corrosion.
Suspension · 2022-03-07 · NHTSA complaint #11455487
Tail lights work sporadically. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. The motor fan is on all the time. Problem is a an electrical switch board. They had a recall on it in australia.
Electrical system · 2016-09-22 · NHTSA complaint #10908773
While driving at 50 mph, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the computer was reprogrammed, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 148,000.
Powertrain · 2015-07-14 · NHTSA complaint #10733961
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mitsubishi outlander. The contact stated that when the vehicle was turned off, the radiator fan assembly remained activated. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 128,000.
Engine and cooling · 2015-04-24 · NHTSA complaint #10712637
The contact was unable to use the window defroster or adjust the temperature setting from hot to cool. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vin was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.
Visibility · 2014-11-06 · NHTSA complaint #10653086
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 mitsubishi outlander. The contact stated that while traveling approximately 15 mph, the vehicle failed to respond to acceleration attempts. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,500.
Powertrain · 2013-07-09 · NHTSA complaint #10523924

When owners complained

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

20052
20062
20121
20131
20141
20152
20163
20171
20183
20201
20221
20261

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 8,437 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Outlander has 53 complaints (25 years in the data). This year has 19, below average.

What to check before buying

Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Mitsubishi Outlander?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: suspension, powertrain, structure. Total complaints: 19. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (32%), airbags did not deploy (11%), windows, sunroof (11%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2005 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 2005 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 2005 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.