2003 Mitsubishi Outlander Recalls, Complaints & Specs
6 safety recalls list the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander, and owners have filed 116 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
6 safety recalls for the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
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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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…
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Trailer hitches
Certain sport utility vehicles may have been equipped with dealer-installed trailer hitch wiring harness and control module. The electronic control module can overheat.
Remedy: Owners are being requested to stop using the harness until a newly designed replacement is provided and can be installed by the dealer. The recall began on may 28, 2004. Owners should contact mitsubishi at…
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Owners/service/other manual (equipment)
Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles fail to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the owner's manual does not contain a step-by-step description for headrest adjustment when installing a child restraint system (crs) tether strap.
Remedy: A letter outlining the problem will be sent to owners along with a sticker containing the correct instructions as well as instructions on where to affix the sticker in the owner's manual. The recall began on march 29,…
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Interior/under dash (electrical system)
On certain sport utility vehicles, water could enter the front floorboard area from openings in the side sill or upper dash area. This water could collect under the seat and cause electrical corrosion to occur in the harness connectors that contain the wiring for the seat belt pre-tensioner, side air bag impact sensor, and stop lamps.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the side sills and dash panel for openings that may allow water leakage into the vehicle cabin. In addition to sealing any openings that may be found, the wiring connectors will be inspected for…
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Vehicle speed control
On certain sport utility vehicles, during extremely low temperature conditions, ice can build up inside the engine throttle valve. This ice build-up could cause the accelerator pedal to stick or not to return to idle after accelerating.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the engine control computer to eliminate this condition. Owner notification began on january 29, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do…
116 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander have filed 116 complaints with NHTSA; 10 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 8 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 78,957 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 14 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle came to an immediate stop and did not return to normal operation. The contact notice”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 27, 2024 · Suspension
“HVAC temperature control knob is hard to turn, it broke off.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 2, 2023 · Unknown or other
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander (Outlander 2WD, Outlander 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 20–21 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 18 / 23–24 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 2.4 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S4) |
Compare Mitsubishi Outlander model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Mitsubishi Outlander model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander
How do I know if my 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander 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. 6 campaigns currently list the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander; 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 03V028000).
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
- Lancer865 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.