Mitsubishi Lancer Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 159 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the Mitsubishi Lancer across 15 model years. The 2003 model year has the most (51). The words owners use most often: “slave cylinder” (9% of reports).
- 159power train complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 10mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,900typical repair cost reported by owners
- 35%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Slave cylinder: mentioned in 15 of 159 complaints (9%)
- Transmission fluid: mentioned in 11 of 159 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the Mitsubishi Lancer at $1,900, and half of them between $1,350 and $2,700.
Based on 10 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2003–2022), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 115 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 159 complaints, 10 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 1 an injury.
Mitsubishi Lancer power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Lancer | 2 | 33% | — |
| 2016 Lancer | 21 | 70% | 69,000 |
| 2015 Lancer | 5 | 22% | 17,620 |
| 2014 Lancer | 6 | 38% | 55,000 |
| 2013 Lancer | 2 | 40% | 70,003 |
| 2012 Lancer | 6 | 32% | 60,000 |
| 2011 Lancer | 6 | 18% | 35,500 |
| 2010 Lancer | 4 | 8% | 33,000 |
| 2009 Lancer | 14 | 14% | 65,000 |
| 2008 Lancer | 11 | 12% | 89,000 |
| 2006 Lancer | 1 | 3% | 160,000 |
| 2005 Lancer | 1 | 4% | 114,000 |
| 2004 Lancer | 7 | 9% | 55,000 |
| 2003 Lancer | 51 | 26% | 11,000 |
| 2002 Lancer | 22 | 15% | 55,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Model years: 2016
Problem: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I bought this vehicle and few weeks later I noticed at a red light. When it turned green i hit the gas. My car took a few seconds, reved and then shot out into the lane. Since then it has had issues over 20 miles and when I stop its a few seconds for the car to accelerate and move which is scary on…
Itâs throwing a P084A code and it feels like the transmission is about to let loose. I bought the car with 30,000 on it in 2016 and it has a hair over 136,000 and ever since Iâve had it itâs always had this transmission lag jerk in it. Very scuttle but you can feel it. Then all of a sudden it…
Recently the transmission has started to shudder when first driving from a stop. It only happens under low acceleration. If you push the accelerator pedel firmly it will not shudder. Wondering if this is a recall about to happen? It started on or about 4/2/2025 but is continuing to happen.
The contact owns a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. The contact stated that after a while the system would erase any safety information used to track mileage and only show the GPS feature on the digital screen with information from 2004. The contact stated he used the digital screen for the safety features…
Vehicle shudders and surges while driving almost rubber banding. Mechanic showing code for fluid pressure sensor. Call to local Mitsubishi dealer said transmission needs to be replaced and since we are 2nd owners the 100k mile powertrain warranty doesnât apply. This vehicle has 81k miles and…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Mitsubishi Lancers have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 159 owner complaints about power train for the Mitsubishi Lancer. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Mitsubishi Lancer power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the Mitsubishi Lancer?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,900 (half paid between $1,350 and $2,700), from 10 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the Mitsubishi Lancer?
The most frequent phrase is “slave cylinder”, in 15 of 159 complaints, followed by “transmission fluid” (11).
Other Mitsubishi Lancer problems
- Visibility problems (127)
- Air Bags problems (112)
See all Mitsubishi Lancer problems.