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2017 Mitsubishi Outlander problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
35%
21 of 60 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

35% of relevant owner complaints on the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 62% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 18 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 27%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander have transmission problems?

More than most. The pattern is elevated rather than severe. 21 of 60 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (35%), and the largest group is filed under power train (13). For comparison, the 2016 scores 59% and the 2018 scores 34%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
21
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
78
this model year
Fires reported
0
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
6
11 crashes · 6 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM19 · 24%
AIR BAGS14 · 18%
SERVICE BRAKES14 · 18%
POWER TRAIN13 · 17%
ENGINE13 · 17%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER10 · 13%

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 235
2016
59%
89 of 171
2017
35%
21 of 78
2018
34%
18 of 78
2019
46%
18 of 55
2020
29%
14 of 57
2021
too few complaints
2022
20%
44 of 227
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.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE03/11/2026
The contact owns a 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering, and it was difficult to stabilize the steering wheel before the vehicle shut off. The check transmission message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The local dealer was contacted, …

One of 21 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns on the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

6 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: support device/strut26V252000 · Apr 2026
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Outlander PHEV and 2014-2020 Outlander vehicles. The liftgate gas spring cylinders may corrode and lose pressure, which can…
structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: support device/strut25V507000 · Aug 2025
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Outlander PHEV and 2014-2020 Outlander vehicles sold and/or currently registered in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware,…
seat belts: rear/other: buckle assembly20V403000 · Jul 2020
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 interfere with the right-side…
forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control18V621000 · Sep 2018
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport vehicles equipped with a Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system and 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV…
electrical system: software18V620000 · Sep 2018
Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Outlander Sport, 2018-2019 Eclipse Cross, and 2017-2018 Outlander vehicles equipped with a Forward…
electrical system: starter assembly: relay17V609000 · Sep 2017
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…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander

Does the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander have transmission problems?

More than most; the pattern is elevated rather than severe. 21 of 60 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (35%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander?

No. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns on the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Mitsubishi Outlander years are better?

Among the Mitsubishi Outlander years we track, the 2022 (20%), the 2020 (29%) and the 2023 (29%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2017 (35%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander has an elevated transmission complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing transmission work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the transmission. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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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.