2018 Mitsubishi OUTLANDER PHEV
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2018 Mitsubishi OUTLANDER PHEV has 30 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 30. The most common issue is transmission problems (17% of all complaints), specifically: parked on a 25% graded pointing down hill, when i tried to start the outlander, the screen produced a rbs error. the gas based engine would not start. the ev motors seemed to come on with very little power. when i called mitsubisi to tow the car they said, ouote"that doesn't normally start this s. There are 5 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.
30
Total Complaints
5
Recalls Issued
5/5
Safety Stars
1.0x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems(top 5 of 8)
TRANSMISSION
5 complaints- • PARKED ON A 25% GRADED POINTING DOWN HILL, WHEN I TRIED TO START THE OUTLANDER, THE SCREEN PRODUCED A RBS ERROR. THE GAS BASED ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE EV MOTORS SEEMED TO COME ON WITH VERY LITTLE POWER. WHEN I CALLED MITSUBISI TO TOW THE CAR THEY SAID, OUOTE"THAT DOESN'T NORMALLY START THIS S
- • THE CHARGER SUPPLIED BY MITSUBISHI MELTED DURING NORMAL CHARGING. MITSUBISHI HAS STATED THAT THE CORD IS NOT DEFECTIVE AND WILL NOT COVER THE COST OF REPLACEMENT NOR ARE THEY INTERESTED ON THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE CAUSED BY THE LOOSE PLUG TERMINAL AND HOT SPOT.
- • STARTED VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY GOT MULTIPLE WARNINGS INCLUDING THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT. WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE THE CAR, IT HAD ALMOST NO ACCELERATION. IT WOULD NOT START THE GAS ENGINE AND THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING WAS DISABLED. THE RBS AND ACC WARNINGS WERE DUE TO THE SYSTEMS BEING DISABLED
“PARKED ON A 25% GRADED POINTING DOWN HILL, WHEN I TRIED TO START THE OUTLANDER, THE SCREEN PRODUCED A RBS ERROR. THE GAS BASED ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE EV MOTORS SEEMED TO COME ON WITH VERY LITTLE POWER. WHEN I CALLED MITSUBISI TO TOW THE CAR THEY SAID, OUOTE"THAT DOESN'T NORMALLY START THIS S”
— NHTSA complaint filing
When Problems Appear on the 2018 Mitsubishi OUTLANDER PHEV
Based on 30 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 9K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.
TRANSMISSION
Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.
Recalls (5)
Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Outlander Sport, 2018-2019 Eclipse Cross, and 2017-2018 Outlander vehicles equipped with a Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system that detects pedestrians. Due to incorrect software, the FCM-ECU (Electronic Control Unit) may apply braking for longer than needed, even after a pedestrian is no longer detected.
Risk: If the FCM-ECU software activates the brake for longer than necessary, the driver may react by applying additional braking. The resulting rapid deceleration of the vehicle can increase the risk of a rear-end collision.
Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the FCM-ECU software with updated software, free of charge. The recall is began October 16, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-007.
Charging Cost Calculator for 2018 Mitsubishi OUTLANDER PHEV
Live EIA pricesBased on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.
Estimated Insurance Cost for 2018 Mitsubishi OUTLANDER PHEV
How this estimate is calculated
Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.
Maintenance & Warranty
Mitsubishi New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage
10 year powertrain not transferable
These are the terms for a new Mitsubishi. If you're buying a used 2018 OUTLANDER PHEV, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Mitsubishi dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.
EV Incentives for 2018 Mitsubishi OUTLANDER PHEV
Updated 2026-07Federal Tax Credit (Section 30D) — Expired 2025-09-30
Section 30D new clean vehicle credit ($7,500 max) expired for vehicles acquired after Sept 30, 2025 per Public Law (One Big Beautiful Bill Act). Vehicles acquired on or before that date remain eligible on the buyer's 2025 return. No federal purchase credit exists for post-9/30/2025 acquisitions.
State-Level Incentives (Still Active in 14 States)
Source: US Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center + state DOR / DEQ program pages. Program details and eligibility limits change frequently — always verify with the linked source before purchase.
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 30 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐TRANSMISSION: PARKED ON A 25% GRADED POINTING DOWN HILL, WHEN I TRIED TO START THE OUTLANDER, THE SCREEN PRODUCED A RBS ERROR. THE GAS BASED ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE EV MOTORS SEEMED TO COME ON WITH VERY LITTLE POWER. WHEN I CALLED MITSUBISI TO TOW THE CAR THEY SAID, OUOTE"THAT DOESN'T NORMALLY START THIS S
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BRAKES: ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS I HAVE RECEIVED A BRAKE ALERT WHEN NOTHING WAS IN MY WAY. TODAY, WHEN DRIVING DOWN A SIDE STREET AT ABOUT 20 MILES PER HOUR, I WAS GIVEN A BRAKE WARNING AND THEN THE AUTOMATIC BRAKES TURNED ON AND MY CAR SKIDDED TO A STOP. I WAS FORTUNATE NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME OR WE WOULD HAVE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: STARTED VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY GOT MULTIPLE WARNINGS INCLUDING THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT. WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE THE CAR, IT HAD ALMOST NO ACCELERATION. IT WOULD NOT START THE GAS ENGINE AND THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING WAS DISABLED. THE RBS AND ACC WARNINGS WERE DUE TO THE SYSTEMS BEING DISABLED
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐SPEED CONTROL: PUT CAR IN DRIVE TOOK OFF ON IT'S OWN WENT UP TO 40 MPH AND STAYED THERE SHOUT IT DOWN AND RESTARTED RAN OK REST OF THE DAY. NEXT MORNING DID SAME THING. I DID THE SOMETHING I DID THE DAY BEFOR. CALLED SERVICE AND MITSUBISHI USA BOTH SAID BRING IT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SO I STARTED UP THE ROAD A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐RECALLS: Verify all 5 recalls have been completed — free at any Mitsubishi dealer
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Mitsubishi OUTLANDER PHEV — Year Comparison
How does 2018 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 30
- Recalls
- 5
- Fire reports
- 2
- Crash reports
- 2
- Injury reports
- 0
- Segment avg
- 30
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2018 Mitsubishi OUTLANDER PHEV