2012 Mitsubishi Outlander: engine and transmission complaints
HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
41%
11 of 27 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
41% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Better than 52% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 9 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 31%).
Looking at a specific Outlander?Check its VIN: the full report, quotes about its own engine, and whether its recalls are still open. First report free.
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners reported
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE10/08/2025
My Mitsubishi vehicle has an open recall related to a drive belt issue. Mitsubishi confirmed the recall, but the company have not completed the repair or scheduled an appointment, even after several attempts to contact them. The vehicle has stalled multiple times while driving, including on city roads. When it stalls,…
SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN08/15/2024
The contact owns a 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, she observed a rubbing noise emanating from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that on one of those occasions, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, while driving over …
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING05/18/2023
The contact owns a 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the battery warning light illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle overheated. An independent mechanic arrived at the scene and informed the contact that the serpentine belt had detached. The vehicle was rep…
Three of 11 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (10)
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2007-2013 Outlander vehicles. In the affected vehicles, water may drop between the hood and the windshi…
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Lancer, 2008-2012 Outlander, 2010-2012 Lancer Sportback, and 2011-2012 Outlander Sport vehicle…
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2007-2013 Outlander vehicles manufactured September 8, 2006, to March 29, 2013. In the affec…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander
Ask the seller whether the transmission has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many transmission faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the transmission.
10 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A transmission already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.
