2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution problems & reliability
36 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, alongside 4 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 2 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train → | 26 | 72% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) → | 19 | 53% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 8% |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 2 | 6% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 3% |
| Seats | 1 | 3% |
| Structure | 1 | 3% |
| Suspension | 1 | 3% |
| Tires | 1 | 3% |
| Unknown OR Other | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 11 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 34 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 45,000 miles (middle 50% between 35,000 and 52,825 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Aye/ hydralic pump was never changed out was told when I went to do a manufacturing recal that it worked fine when it didnt and after wards hit past the 100,000 miles and was automatically unable to get the replacement.”
Unknown OR Other · filed Oct 25, 2018
“Acd/ ayc pump failure, one time I was doing fluid inspection on my car when I notice the cars atf fluid reservoir in the trunk is losing oil. Looked at the floor found some red oil dripping. It may have seem that pump may have been failing to hold pressure and lose oil. Possible gasket failure or pump crack. Been…”
Power Train · filed Dec 17, 2014
“Vehicle was in cold weather, ayc system light turned on. I checked the forums and found that this is a common issue that indicates the pump is bad. This is a very common problem. *tr”
Electronic Stability Control (esc) · filed Dec 8, 2014
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
82 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The 10 most recent:
Service Manual Revision - This Technical Service Bulletin provides the replacement procedure for the Differential Mount Bracket Bush of the Rear Axle Differential Carrier Assembly in the applicable Service Manual…
TSB-24-27-001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 19, 2024
This Technical Service Bulletin provides service manual corrections and additional information for the transaxle assembly removal and installation of the roll stopper bracket.
TSB-23-22-001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2023
This is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has launched the 3rd quarterly technician quiz for 2023.
DEALER LETTER · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2023
This Technical Service Bulletin provides instructions and material safety data sheets for removal of rap-film adhesive residue.
TSB-23-00-004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2023
This Technical Service Bulletin reviews the regulations that require a label showing the reduction in load carrying capacity be affixed to vehicles when the total net weight of accessories is more than 1.5 percent of…
TSB-23-00-001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2023
This is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has launched the 2nd quarterly technician quiz for 2023.
DEALER LETTER · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 21, 2023
This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between normal dew condensation, which is a natural phenomenon, and water penetration caused by improper sealing or a defective/broken part.
TSB-22-54-003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 7, 2022
This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TT253 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 26, 2019
This is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes TSB-18-00-003, issued April, 2018, to add updated information for Carrying Capacity Reduced Label.
TSB-19-00-008 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 30, 2019
This is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. The bulletin instructs dealers to confirm a list of specific Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) if vehicle experiences the following symptoms in cold weather: the check…
TSB-19-13-003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 25, 2019
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 45,000 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.