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2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

231 owner complaints · 9 recalls · data verified July 14, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Cautionwillitcar.com

Why caution?

9 recall campaigns (2 safety-critical). Confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the seller's VIN.

Transmission & drivetrain problems dominate (61% of complaints, typically reported near 40k miles).

Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)69
Severity (30%)75
Recall load (20%)35
Trend (10%)87

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20142026 YTD

How it crashes

NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.

4/5 overall

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SUV AWD

Front crash
Side crash
Rollover

Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 17%

Stability control: StandardForward collision warning: NoLane departure warning: No

No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.

NHTSA crash-test photo, 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SUV AWD

Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miTransmission & drivetrain~40k mi · 142 reportsEngine~25k mi · 46 reportsSpeed control~76k mi · 31 reportsElectrical system~60k mi · 25 reportsFuel system~3k mi · 18 reports

Also reported (mileage varies): Brakes (16)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.

Transmission & drivetrain

61%

142 complaints · typically near 40k mi · 12 in the last 2 years

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

Engine

20%

46 complaints · typically near 25k mi · 2 in the last 2 years

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

Speed control

13%

31 complaints · typically near 76k mi · 3 in the last 2 years

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

Electrical system

11%

25 complaints · typically near 60k mi

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 f…

Recalls (9)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Suspension · 21V144000

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Outlander Sport vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The front lower control arms may detach due to the front cross member corroding from salt water exposure, such as from road salt use.

Risk: A detached front control arm can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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 with a new one, free of charge. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-21-001. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 20V-279. Owners not previously notified under 20V-279 were notified on March 22, 2021.

Structure · 20V279000

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, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The front lower control arms may detach due to the front cross member corroding from salt water exposure such as from road salt use.

Risk: A detached front control arm can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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 with a new one. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2020. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-20-003.

Visibility · 18V103000

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2011-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles. Water may enter between the hood and windshield and cause the front wiper link ball joint to corrode, possibly resulting in the wiper link separating and the wipers becoming inoperative.

Risk: Loss of wiper function can reduce visibility and increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rod of the wiper link and the wiper motor crank arm, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 10, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-004.

Parking Brake · 18V070000

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Outlander and 2013-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles. Water may enter the rear brake calipers causing the parking brake actuator shafts to corrode and possibly bind.

Risk: If the parking brake actuator shaft binds, the parking brake may not engage or disengage fully. If the parking brake does not engage properly, the vehicle may move unexpectedly if it is parked on a slope, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear brake calipers and replace the parking brake boot and lever or the brake caliper body, as necessary. Dealers will also replace the piston assembly of the rear brake caliper. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 27, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-002.

Electrical System · 17V609000

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Outlander, 2015-2016 Lancer and Outlander Sport, and 2015 Lancer Evolution vehicles. These vehicles may have defective relays that can result in an engine stall, reduced engine power or the engine overheating.

Risk: If the engine stalls, there is an increased the risk of a crash.

Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected relays, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2017. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-17-005.

Visibility · 16V792000

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2011-2015 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured August 26, 2010, to January 5, 2015. In the affected vehicles, water may drop between the hood and the windshield and leak into the wiper motor breathing hole. The water may cause internal corrosion of the windshield wiper motor and the possible failure of the motor.

Risk: Failure of the wiper motor can cause a loss of visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiper motor, free of charge. The manufacturer has begun the recall, but parts are not yet available; a second notice will be sent when parts are available. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-16-010.

Power Train · 16V563000

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles and 2016 Outlander and Lancer vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a constant velocity transmission (CVT) that, in certain driving conditions, may cause a delay in the vehicle accelerating.

Risk: A hesitation during acceleration can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: MMNA has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the CVT control unit with modified software, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2016. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-16-006.

Power Train · 16V548000

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured June 25, 2014, through November 25, 2015 and equipped with a 2.0L engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). During assembly, a clamp for a CVT hose may not have been properly secured, allowing the hose to detach and leak transmission fluid.

Risk: If enough transmission fluid leaks out, the transmission may not function properly and the vehicle may become inoperable, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, if leaking transmission fluid contacts an a hot surface there is an increased risk of a fire.

Fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the hose clamps, correcting their installation, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2016. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-16-005.

Seat Belts · 14V744000

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured July 20, 2012, to July 23, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the front passenger seat belt lap end attachment fastener may not be torqued to specification, and the fastener may loosen with time.

Risk: A loosened and weakened fastener may not be capable of withstanding the load forces associated with a vehicle crash, leaving the seat occupant insufficiently restrained and increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt lap end attachment fastener, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2014. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-714-372-6000. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-14-011.

Before you hand over money

Verify the recall work was done

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2015 Mitsubishi OUTLANDER SPORT beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2015? See how every Outlander Sport model year scores →

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What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.