2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Recalls, Complaints & Specs
4 safety recalls list the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer, and owners have filed 80 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
4 safety recalls for the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Inflator module (air bags)
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2004-2006 Mitsubishi Lancer vehicles that previously received a like-for-like passenger side frontal air bag inflator under recall 15V321 as interim remedy. Also recalled are 2004-2006 Lancer vehicles located in Guam or Saipan that previously received or never received a…
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will install a final replacement passenger side frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on April 26, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at…
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Inflator module (air bags)
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain 2004-2006 Lancer and Lancer Evolution vehicles and 2004 Lancer Sportback vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Remedy: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with a different inflator, free of charge. The recall began on October 12, 2017. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer…
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Suspension: lower arm
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 Lancer, 2004 Lancer Wagon, 2003-2006 Lancer Evolution, 2003-2006 Outlander and 2007-2013 Outlander V-6 vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,…
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front cross members. Depending on the level of existing corrosion, either a sealing/anti-corrosion agent will be applied or the front cross member will be replaced…
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Labels (equipment)
Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the bilingual english/spanish removable air bag warning labels affixed to the dash and to the sunvisor do not meet the size requirements of the standard.
Remedy: Mitsubishi caribbean will mail a customer notification letter containing a written description and a graphic of the bi-lingual dashboard air bag warning label. In addition, all current 2000-2004 nativa owners will also…
80 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer have filed 80 complaints with NHTSA; 7 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Reports cite 4 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 68,598 miles. Complaints peaked in 2005 with 14 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Takata recall. Had original AIRBAG replaced 2 yrs ago. Received a letter from mitsubishi stating i needed to have it done again. I called customer service for mitsubishi when i learned they no longer”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 2, 2019 · Air bags
“2004 mitsubishi lancer. Consumer writes in regards to AIRBAG safety recall. *ld the consumer stated he is too visually impaired to drive the long distance to have the vehicle repaired; therefore, acce”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 20, 2018 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer (Lancer Evolution, Lancer Sportback). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 19–27 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 16–24 / 23–32 |
| Fuel | Premium, Regular |
| EPA class | Compact Cars, Small Station Wagons |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 2/2.4 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare Mitsubishi Lancer model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Mitsubishi Lancer model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 Mitsubishi Lancer | 0 | 1 |
| 2000 Mitsubishi Lancer | 0 | 1 |
| 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer | 2 | 148 |
| 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer | 2 | 199 |
| 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer | 4 | 80 |
| 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer | 3 | 24 |
| 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer | 4 | 37 |
| 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer | 2 | 2 |
| 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer | 5 | 91 |
| 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer | 8 | 98 |
| 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer | 6 | 51 |
| 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer | 3 | 34 |
| 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer | 1 | 19 |
| 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer | 0 | 5 |
| 2014 Mitsubishi Lancer | 0 | 16 |
| 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer | 1 | 23 |
| 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer | 2 | 30 |
| 2017 Mitsubishi Lancer | 0 | 6 |
Checking a specific 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer
How do I know if my 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Mitsubishi dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 04V428000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Mitsubishi models
- Eclipse2,135 complaints
- Galant1,788 complaints
- Outlander1,322 complaints
- Montero783 complaints
- Mirage702 complaints
- Diamante505 complaints
- Outlander Sport476 complaints
- 3000GT461 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.