2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Lancer Evolution years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 13 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 98 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. That is the most of any Lancer Evolution model year in the database (13 years). The most reported problem area is power train (65 complaints, 66%), typically at around 8,015 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 98owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 65 | 66% | 8,015 | “clutch started” (12%) | $1,850 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 10 | 10% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 9% | 56,803 | — | — |
| Structure | 8 | 8% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 3% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 3% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | 83,600 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 2% | 13,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | 20,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower arm
Problem: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 Lancer, 2004 Lancer Wagon, 2003-2006 Lancer Evolution, 2003-2006 Outlander and 2007-2013 Outlander V-6 vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, 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 the loss of control of the vehicle, 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 that has a sealing/anti-corrosion agent applied to it. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began January 2017. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-16-003.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles sold in the united states and puerto rico, the gross vehicle weight rating (gvwr) and gross axle weight rating (gawr) as stated on the certification label are in error.
Risk: Overloading can damage your vehicle, adversely affect vehicle performance, including handling and braking, cause tire failure, and result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the label. The recall began on may 31, 2004. Owners should contact mitsubishi at 1-888-648-7820.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My vehicle was clean title but then it was considered salvage title, it was involved in a car accident on 9/07/2023 . I never knew about the recall because I am not the first owner. how i found out about the recall was because I have to do brake and lamp inspection and it failed on 10/09/2024 so I…
Corrosion on cross member
Upon inspection of the undercarriage in the rear, areas of severe corrosion has developed underneath the rear on the aluminum subframe bar that holds the rear differential and other suspension components in place such as the rear differential & lateral control bars that can surely compromise the…
Severe rear frame rail unibody rust. Specifically where the rear aluminum subframe mounts to the body. My vehicle, along with thousands other, have shared similar rust and rot from the exact same locations on 2003-2006 mitsubishi lancer evolutions. Absolutely no frame protection for the steel body…
While replacing front sub frame structure under recall for rust and corrosion, rust damage to the rear structure was noted by dealer. Upon further inspection, there are holes in the rear structure as well.
Other Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution years
See all Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution problems by year, every Mitsubishi model, or the Mitsubishi VIN decoder.
Similar Mitsubishi models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution?
Owners most often report power train, engine and engine cooling, electrical system problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 65 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Lancer Evolution model years, the 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.