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2015 Mitsubishi Outlander: engine and transmission complaints

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
75%
166 of 221 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

75% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 95% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 13 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 71%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
166
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
234
this model year
Fires reported
2
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
12
7 crashes · 5 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN142 · 61%
ENGINE47 · 20%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL31 · 13%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER26 · 11%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM25 · 11%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM18 · 8%

The years either side

2010
43%
23 of 60
2011
55%
41 of 88
2012
41%
11 of 36
2013
37%
19 of 68
2014
37%
23 of 86
2015
75%
166 of 234
2016
59%
88 of 170
2017
35%
21 of 78
2018
33%
17 of 77
2019
46%
18 of 55
2020
29%
14 of 57
2021
too few complaints
2022
20%
43 of 224
2023
29%
14 of 54

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other compact SUVs with no elevated signal in 2015

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

POWER TRAIN07/06/2026
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…
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL06/29/2026
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 tr…
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE03/04/2026
Hesitation when accelerating. Has stalled while driving. Has come to a complete stop when put in reverse.

Three of 166 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 (12)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:RELAY
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Outlander, 2015-2016 Lancer and Outlander Sport, and 2015 Lancer Evolution vehicles. These ve…
PARKING BRAKE
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 cau…
SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Outlander and 2018-2019 Outlander PHEV vehicles. The second-row center seat belt buckle may i…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander

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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.