2008 Mitsubishi Outlander problems & reliability
58 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander, alongside 12 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 22, 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 components.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander vehicles were involved in 6 fatal crashes with 1 occupant death. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension → | 10 | 17% |
| Power Train | 9 | 16% |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 14% |
| Electrical System | 7 | 12% |
| Visibility/wiper | 7 | 12% |
| Engine | 5 | 9% |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 9% |
| Structure | 5 | 9% |
| Unknown / Other | 5 | 9% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 7% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 17 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 40 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 99,424 miles (middle 50% between 52,500 and 148,875 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Rusted suspension crossbody unsafe to drive. The brakes and calibers seem to always seize as well making this vehicle a death trap no matter how many times I get it fixed.”
Service Brakes · filed Oct 9, 2024
“The contact owns a 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, she heard an abnormal coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to her residence. The contact took the vehicle to independent mechanic and was…”
Suspension · filed Jun 10, 2021
“Mitsubishi has a limited recall for rusted crossmembers on 2008+ outlander sports from certain states that used salt to treat snow. My daughter's 2008 outlander has always been registered in satellite beach, fl, a very salty atmosphere. The front wheels wobble on acceleration and rapid deceleration because the…”
Suspension · filed Apr 29, 2021
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
104 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander. The 10 most recent:
Tech Talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. It covers various topics and reviews the previous months publications.
TECH TALK 289 · Other · issued Nov 21, 2025
Service Manual Revision - This Technical Service Bulletin provides corrections to the description of special tools used to install the oil seal within the Automatic Transaxle sections of the applicable Service Manuals.
TSB-24-23-004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 3, 2024
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 instructs dealers to replace the seat adjuster assembly and power seat harness in affected vehicles with improved countermeasure parts.
TSB-21-52A-002RE · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 7, 2023
This TSB provides revisions to the Removal and Installation procedures for the rocker cover due to changes in the quantity of mounting bolts for vehicles equipped with 4B1 series engine. (Service Manual Revision)
TSB-23-11-001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 12, 2023
Tech Talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. It covers various topics and reviews the previous months publications.
TECH TALK 271 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 7, 2022
Tech Talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. It covers various topics and reviews the previous months publications.
TECH TALK 270 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 10, 2022
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 Outlander has 12 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 Outlander?
- · 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 99,424 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.