2018 Mitsubishi OUTLANDER PHEV
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2018 Mitsubishi OUTLANDER PHEV has 30 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.4x the segment average of 80. 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. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.
30
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
0.4x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
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
BRAKES
4 complaints- • 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
- • 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
- • 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
“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 ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
4 complaints- • 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
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER PHEV. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE FRONT PARKING SENSORS ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATED AND A BEEPING SOUND WAS HEARD ALTHOUGH NO OBJECTS WERE PRESENT IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CORNER STONE MITSUBISHI (580 MAIN ST, WILMINGTON, MA) W
- • STARTED UP THE CAR AND STARTED BACKING UP OUT OF MY GARAGE. WHEN I PUT MY CAR INTO REVERSE I SAW MY CHARGING PORT DOOR OPEN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR AT THIS POINT MY CARS BACK END WAS PARTIALLY STICKING OUT OF THE GARAGE I PUT THE CAR INTO PARK BY PUSHING THE PARK BUTTON, I OPENED THE DOOR G
“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”
— NHTSA complaint filing
SPEED CONTROL
4 complaints- • 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
- • THE FORWARD COLLISION MITIGATION SYSTEM ACTIVATED BRAKING WHEN A MOTORCYCLIST PASSED BETWEEN LANES ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH IN MEDIUM TRAFFIC. THE MOTORCYCLIST PASSED ON MY LEFT AND BRAKES WERE APPLIED BY THE CAR WHEN THE MOTORCYCLIST WAS APPROXIMATELY 20-25FT IN FRONT OF ME.
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO PARK. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO OTHER GEARS HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILURE TO SHIFT INTO PARK PERSISTED. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE
“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”
— NHTSA complaint filing
FUEL SYSTEM
3 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.
- • WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, THE PROPULSION REDUCED WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WENT FROM 70 MPH TO 10 MPH. I WAS DRIVING UP A GRADE IN THE LATE EVENING. I HAD A FULL TANK OF GAS BUT NO MILES LEFT ON THE ELECTRIC CHARGE INDICATOR. AFTER I PULLED OVER AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES THE LIGHT WENT OFF
“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
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
- ☐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
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 30
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 2
- Crash reports
- 2
- Injury reports
- 0
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2018 Mitsubishi OUTLANDER PHEV