Friday, August 7, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

2002 Mitsubishi Lancer vs 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric2002 Mitsubishi Lancer2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
NHTSA complaints148199
Recall campaigns22
Service bulletins (TSBs)9277
Investigations01
Crash reports3213
Fire reports11
NCAP overall rating
EPA MPG (combined)23–2623–26
Median reported mileage68,000 mi51,680 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentMitsubishi LancerMitsubishi Lancer
Visibility2571
Power Train2251
Air Bags238
Suspension1510
Engine and Engine Cooling195
Service Brakes, Hydraulic165
Structure713
Equipment613

Symptoms owners describe

Stalling106
Rust / corrosion78
Hesitation / surging56
Shifting problems05
2002 Mitsubishi Lancer
2003 Mitsubishi Lancer

Compare all Mitsubishi Lancer vs Mitsubishi Lancer years →

Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.