2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Recalls, Complaints & Specs
5 safety recalls list the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer, and owners have filed 91 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
5 safety recalls for the 2008 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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Frame and members (structure) and suspension: lower arm
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2008-2010 Lancer, 2009-2010 Lancer Sportback, 2008-2013 Outlander, and 2011-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, 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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Sun/moon roof assembly (visibility)
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Outlander, 2008-2010 Lancer, 2009-2010 Lancer Evolution, and 2010 Lancer Sportback vehicles equipped with sunroofs. The sunroof glass may detach from the sunroof assembly, becoming a road hazard to other vehicles.
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sunroof glass assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this…
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Belts and associated pulleys (engine and engine cooling)
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Lancer, Lancer Evolution, and Outlander; 2009-2011 Lancer Sportback, Lancer Rilliart, and Lancer Sportback Ralliart; and 2011 Outlander Sport vehicles. The affected vehicles, manufactured with 4B1 engines, have an engine pulley and belt…
Remedy: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the drive belt with a rubber belt. Drive pulleys that are excessively worn will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on…
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Air bags: sensor/control module-inactive
Mitsubishi is recalling model year 2008-2009 lancer and lancer evolution vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island,…
Remedy: Dealers will install new front AIRBAG sensors that have improved corrosion resistance. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on november 27, 2009. Owners may contact mitsubishi customer…
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Check valve (service brakes)
Mitsubishi is recalling 39,711 my 2008-2009 outlander and lacer vehicles. Incorrect material composition of the brake booster check valve may cause the check valve to stick closed when the engine is shut off. When the vehicle is re-started and put into motion, under certain driving conditions (very slow vehicle maneuvers), there may be…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake booster check valve free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during april 2009. Owners may contact mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.
91 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer have filed 91 complaints with NHTSA; 8 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 6 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 70,084 miles. Complaints peaked in 2008 with 21 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. The contact stated that after a while the system would erase any safety information used to track mileage and only show the GPS feature on the digital screen”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 28, 2024 · Electrical system
“We had car at a car dealer and the manufacturer declined doing the recall on the car for corrison on the front crossmember, telling us due to car has a total loss record on Carfax. The vehicle total l”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 18, 2023 · Structure
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer (Lancer Evolution). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 18–24 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 16–22 / 22–29 |
| Fuel | Premium, Regular |
| EPA class | Compact Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S6); Automatic (variable gear ratios); 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 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
How do I know if my 2008 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. 5 campaigns currently list the 2008 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 09V077000).
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.