AI Damage2009 Mitsubishi Outlander: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander filed 46 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 46
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Visibility 17% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 11% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 11% of all complaints
- 5 Engine 9% of all complaints
- 6 Wheels 9% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- 8 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- Visibility: 8 complaints (17% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 5 complaints (11% of all).
- Powertrain: 5 complaints (11% of all).
- Suspension: 5 complaints (11% of all).
- Engine: 4 complaints (9% 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
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
- CVTnamed in 2 complaints
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 46 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 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.
My air bags never deployed during this accident and we were hit while doing 35mph. I was informed that airbags deploy in car accidents if going more then 10mph or depending on where you are hit.
''takara airbags' moving, roadway-front end collision. Car was totaled in accident airbags did not deploy.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 mitsubishi outlander. While driving 45 mph and attempting to engage the brakes, the brake system failed to engage causing the driver to crash into another vehicle. The contact did not sustain any injuries. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. However, the diagnosis was unknown.
My vehicle was hit from the side, spun around in the street and thrown into a metal steel fence, my air bags did not deploy. I suffered serious injuries from the accident.
Tl contact owns a 2009 mitsubishi outlander. While driving 25 mph, the gears would shift abnormally without driver intent and they would often cause the vehicle to decrease in speed without depressing the brake pedal.
The MMCS system has a known bug. As of October 2023 the date and time of the system has defaulted back to 2004. The defect has disabled features such as maintenance records that are logged since new. The defect has been reported to the dealer and they have acknowledged there is currently no fix.
Exact problems as a recall issued on select 09 outlander on 6/25/14 for power train: automatic transmission but my vin does not match as a vehicle affected by this recall. Is there a possibility my select vehicle should have been included in this recall? I have seen many many similar complaints stating the same.
Front cradle frame assembly is rusted to the point you can see thru the large holes. Technicians recommendation frame rusted beyond repair, needs to be replaced. At a cost of $2,000
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 5,571 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Outlander has 53 complaints (25 years in the data). This year has 46, about average.
What to check before buying
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
- Outlander 2003116 sources
- Outlander 200452 sources
- Outlander 200519 sources
- Outlander 200621 sources
- Outlander 2007125 sources
- Outlander 200858 sources
- Outlander 201060 sources
- Outlander 201158 sources
- Outlander 201222 sources
- Outlander 201326 sources
- Outlander 201445 sources
- Outlander 201553 sources
- Outlander 2016240 sources
- Outlander 2017145 sources
- Outlander 2018132 sources
- Outlander 2019112 sources
- Outlander 2020116 sources
- Outlander 202112 sources
- Outlander 2022407 sources
- Outlander 2023158 sources
- Outlander 2024104 sources
- Outlander 202559 sources
- Outlander 202636 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, exterior lighting, powertrain. Total complaints: 46. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (20%), windows, sunroof (11%), airbags did not deploy (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 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 2009 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 2009 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.