2009 Mitsubishi Outlander problems & reliability
46 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander, alongside 13 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.
2 complaints report injuries (3 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander vehicles were involved in 5 fatal crashes 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 11% |
| Power Train | 5 | 11% |
| Suspension | 5 | 11% |
| Unknown OR Other | 5 | 11% |
| Engine | 4 | 9% |
| Visibility | 4 | 9% |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 9% |
| Wheels | 4 | 9% |
| Air Bags | 3 | 7% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 7% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 100,000 miles (middle 50% between 53,500 and 117,000 miles), based on 27 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I was driving home from work and I came upon a red light as I was slowing down the car started jilting as I went to take off I started jilting again but then smoothed out. The check engine light, ABS brake light and speed traction off light came on.They just all popped on. At the next light it did the same thing , it…”
Unknown OR Other · filed May 6, 2026
“The MMCS system has a known bug. As of October 2023 the date and time of the system has defaulted back to 2004. The defect has disabled features such as maintenance records that are logged since new. The defect has been reported to the dealer and they have acknowledged there is currently no fix. The dealer also noted…”
Electrical System · filed Mar 17, 2024
“Exact problems as a recall issued on select 09 outlander on 6/25/14 for power train: automatic transmission but my vin does not match as a vehicle affected by this recall. Is there a possibility my select vehicle should have been included in this recall? I have seen many many similar complaints stating the same.”
Power Train · filed Dec 7, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
106 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2009 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
Service Manual Revision - This Technical Service Bulletin provides additions to the description of special tools used for removal of the drive belt within the Engine Mechanical (3.0L Engine) section of the applicable…
TSB-24-11-002 · 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 Technical Service Bulletin contains technical information and troubleshooting for the accessory Remote Engine Start system for affected vehicles.
TSB-11-66-001REV · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 7, 2023
This is a Technical Information Notice informing dealers and parts managers about possible causes after a customer complains that the engine will not start while using the remote start system.
TIN-23-66-001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 7, 2023
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 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander has 13 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 2009 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.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 100,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.