What 233 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Mhev

While driving on a highway at approximately 55–60 mph, the vehicle suddenly lost its ability to accelerate and maintain power. The engine RPM increased, but the vehicle would not respond normally, creating a significant safety hazard in traffic. The CVT transmission intermittently enters a reduced-power mode (limp mode), making it difficult to safely merge or continue driving. Diagnostic trouble codes P0776 (Pressure Control Solenoid B Performance) and P0730 (Incorrect Gear Ratio) were confirmed by an independent transmission repair shop, which diagnosed the transmission as failed and recommended replacement. This vehicle has previously been subject to CVT-related recalls, but the transmission still experienced this failure.

NHTSA ODI 11748513

Purchased used car in July 2024 and was able to drive it maybe 2 months and the transmission would not shift and would come to a complete stop. Not a safe feeling driving in 3 lanes of traffic on a busy highway at rush hour. Transmission light on and took to mechanic and was told this make and model is notorious for transmission failure and it needs replacing. The odometer is 86316 and car has been sitting now for two years. Of course we went exactly 100 miles over the warranty and now have to pay 5000-9000 dollars for a replacement with no guarantee warranty. So now we have the car paid off and can’t drive it because it’s out of budget to replace. Thanks a lot Mitsubishi for nothing.

NHTSA ODI 11747268

Hesitation when accelerating. Has stalled while driving. Has come to a complete stop when put in reverse.

NHTSA ODI 11721989

Car jerks like it’s losing power when pulling off, not sure if it’s transmission issue or engine issue

NHTSA ODI 11716839

I have Goodyear tires Eagle LS P225 55R18, three of them that the tread is separating on all of them. The TIN for all three of them is 4921, the second week of December, 2021. All three of the tires have cracks on the inside of the tread and the car is lurching side to side while driving down the road. This is a severe condition and all the tires need to be replaced. Most likely the tires were either bought in New York or Washington state. My name is [XXX] , my phone number is [XXX] and I live in Santa Rosa California. This condition has been confirmed by my mechanic and two tire stores. If you would like further evidence of cracking between the treads or possibly separation evidence when the tires are off the car, please let me know. I must have them replaced ASAP. This is not a failure or a recall for the car, only for the tires. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11698397

Engine and yes available for inspection. I had been driving then all of a sudden the Service Engine Immediately light started rapidly flashing and the car would hardly go. Turned around parked at home, towed to dealership where they said the engine compressor was not working and I would need a rebuilt engine for over $5000. Towed it back home and now looking for a new car. There were no warning lights or any other symptoms prior to this happening. It was an all of a sudden warning. If I had been on the freeway, my safety would have been at risk as it just died without warning.

NHTSA ODI 11696348

The contact owns a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated upon depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had failed to shift to reverse(R). The warning message "Service Transmission" was displayed. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there were metal shavings in the transmission. The mechanic determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V563000(Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,429.

NHTSA ODI 11679170

The contact owns a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing rough idling, and the failure mainly occurred while the air conditioning system was activated. Additionally, while driving at various speeds or from a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated, jerked, and responded upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while reversing. The contact stated that the failure had caused the vehicle to bump into nearby curbs while attempting to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the cause of the failure could not be determined; however, the dealer cleaned the throttle body. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer approximately 4 to 5 times. The dealer was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

NHTSA ODI 11678718

The cvt transmissions are terrible and fail

NHTSA ODI 11671396

AIR BAG EXPLODE ON IMPACT OF ACCIDENT. HURT FACE BOTH HANDES WITH BURNS. NO WARNING LIGHTS INSURANCE YES FOR PAY OUT FOR ACCIDENT SMOKE FROM AIR BAG

NHTSA ODI 11652857

While driving on the highway the car did a "skip", then the CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT came on. I got off the highway, shut the car off, waited a while and started the car again. The light was off so I drove home. As I was driving the light came on again. The next time it came on the code was p084a. Have not had it checked by dealer yet. The mechanic said it would cost $5000-7000 to fix or replace. Every time the car sits and restart the light does not come on, sometimes I can drive for some time and nothing happens, sometimes the light comes on. Not sure what to do.

NHTSA ODI 11644355

-POWER TRAIN (TRANSMISSION) AND OTHER UNKNOWN PROBLEMS -THAT VEHICLE TAKEN TO BE INSPECTED AT THE WESTGATE MITSUBISH DEALERSHIP IN WAKE FOREST, NC. -UNKNOWN

NHTSA ODI 11641901

N/A

NHTSA ODI 11637459

The backup camera view is not shown on the infotainment system. The screen goes blank. Checking the hidden menu, the backup camera view is available. This impacts reverse packing and hence safety of the pedestrians and passengers.

NHTSA ODI 11629794

While driving to work at approximately 6:30 am , as I was signaling to merge onto the on ramp the cars gas pedal stop controlling the speed of my car. I pulled over to the side of the road and my car would not move. I tried to put the heat shifter into park but it was stuck in drive. I had to have the towed to a mechanic which informed me that I needed a new transmission. (3 different independent shops). After being told what it would cost to repair the vehicle the vehicle is still parked in my driveway.

NHTSA ODI 11619231

The contact owned a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, a warning message displayed reading "Transmission Failure Reduced Power', prompting the contact to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. After which the contact observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment. By the time the contact and her family were able to exit the vehicle and move to a safe distance, the vehicle had become engulfed in flames that were originating from the engine compartment. Local emergency services arrived and were able to extinguish the fire. All warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard but had yet to be deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A fire report was filed. A police report was filed with no injuries reported. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.

NHTSA ODI 11615618

Was driving up highway and all of a sudden it felt like the car was hesitating and had hard time shifting gears, when you pushed on the gas the Rpms would go up and down but it seemed like the car wouldn’t go anywhere. I was in the left lane and traffic if going 70, 80 mph and the car would not go anywhere. It had to be towed to a garage. We was almost rear ended because we couldn’t get the car to go to get it off the I do have a text message from the machine from garage

NHTSA ODI 11602462

The contact owns a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted and the front wheels lost traction. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V563000 (Power Train) however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

NHTSA ODI 11597586

The contact owns a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the gear independently shifted causing the engine to rev up and then immediately shifted back into the intended gear and stabilized. The vehicle failed to accelerate without a slight hesitation at a rate slower than intended. The Service Engine and Transmission Failure warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the VIN not being included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V563000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,000.

NHTSA ODI 11591043

The contact owns a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated; however, the contact stated that the warning light was due to a failed O2 sensor. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 105,979.

NHTSA ODI 11590523

The car started using more fuel, hesitatingly, slipping gears wouldn’t go in gear, died while driving.

NHTSA ODI 11580590

The CVT transmission would lose power when making a turn over last few yrs. My safety was put at risk due to oncoming traffic could have hit the car due to loss of power. The service transmission required light just started coming on after dealing with loss of power. Car only has 106,000 miles on it. The car is available for inspection & is currently at TMT Automotive in Bremen IN. Codes coming up are transmission issues. The loss of power issue started in 2018 when the car was purchased; I did not know this was a sign of transmission issue. There was not a warranty on the car when purchased. There were no lights or warnings until last week when the car started lurching forward & light came on for the first time for transmission service. I scheduled a diagnostic appt with TMT as soon as it happened. I do not have documentation yet due to car is at the TMT Automotive, waiting to hear on 3/25/24 from shop if the transmission is bad.

NHTSA ODI 11579137

The front passenger door will not open from the inside NOR from the outside. This could be a severe safety issue in case of emergency! I tried unplugging the battery for 15 minutes and reconnecting. Still does not work. No warnings/messages. No recalls. What if this happened to other doors? What if I drove into a lake and could not escape the vehicle?

NHTSA ODI 11568979

My transmission wasn't working properly. It is available for inspection if my vehicle can be towed where it needs to go as it does not drive on it's own. When my transmission stopped working I could have caused a collision. Yes, my vehicle has been inspected by the manufacturer. Some warning signs were the transmission taking longer than it should to go into gear and having trouble accelerating.

NHTSA ODI 11564769

Vehicle changes gears on its own. Vehicle goes in and out of gear on its own when driving. Very unsafe and had to stop using this vehicle so myself or anyone else does not get hurt.

NHTSA ODI 11559941