Cypress, Calif.—April 17, 2017—The door latches in more than 35,000  Mitsubishi vehicles could open unexpectedly, according to one recall. This recall will address these improperly produced latches, which are reportedly more dangerous in high temperatures.

All together the recall includes two 2016 models: the Mitsubishi Outlander and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The earliest of these vehicles was produced on May 11, 2015, and Ansei Corporation is the listed supplier for these components. This company is based in Japan, which is also where the first report connected to this possible issue stemmed from, although no accidents were traced to this defect as of April 6.

The official Part 573 Safety Recall Report did not list an owner or dealer notification date. It did say that the response will urge owners to replace the faulty latches.

Recall Masters – December 28, 2016.

Mitsubishi Will Replace Lift Gate Out of Caution

The Defect

The problem appears to affect model year 2011-2012 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured between Aug. 26, 2010 and June 1, 2012. Also being recalled are 2016 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured between Jan. 11, 2016 and July 8, 2016.

According to documents compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the support tubes that are meant to hold up the vehicles’ lift gates when they are open do not contain the correct amount of anti-corrosion treatment. Over time, this means that salt and water can corrode the tubes, which will in turn cause them to lose pressure more quickly. If not treated, affected lift gates could crash down on operators without warning, possibly causing injury…

Read the entire article on the Recall Masters website

Dec. 28, 2016 – Cypress, Calif. – Defective lift gates on several vehicles models have led Mitsubishi to conduct a recall of those that have been affected.

The Defect

The problem appears to affect model year 2011-2012 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured between Aug. 26, 2010 and June 1, 2012. Also being recalled are 2016 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured between Jan. 11, 2016 and July 8, 2016.

According to documents compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the support tubes that are meant to hold up the vehicles’ lift gates when they are open do not contain the correct amount of anti-corrosion treatment. Over time, this means that salt and water can corrode the tubes, which will in turn cause them to lose pressure more quickly. If not treated, affected lift gates could crash down on operators without warning, possibly causing injury.

Timeline of Events

January 2016 – A supplier informed Mitsubishi that corrosion in a similar outer lift gate tube had caused the inner spring to snap off. The supplier suggested that Mitsubishi investigate its own components as well.

December 2016 – After a full investigation, Mitsubishi had no knowledge of any documented cases of failure on any of its vehicles. The company decided to conduct the recall out of a sense of caution, to ensure no future problems will arise.

Resolution

Mitsubishi is currently working with dealers to determine the best date in which to inform customers of the recall. Owners will be encouraged to visit their nearest dealer to have their existing lift gate replaced, free of charge.

Cypress, Calif. — Oct. 04, 2016 — One of the latest Mitsubishi recalls involves concerns over possible problems that might appear during acceleration. Earlier this year, between January and February, the manufacturer reportedly received claims of stopping vehicles, according to documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Part 573 Safety Recall Report includes 82,436 potentially affected vehicles, including the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport and 2016 Outlander Sport, Outlander and Lancer models. The combined production dates range from Jun. 25, 2014 to Jul. 8, 2016.

In these autos, the Constant Velocity Transmission system could lead to a hesitant acceleration. As the source described, this is due to a temporary loss of signal in the range switch and could require dealers to reprogram the CVT-ECU to disregard the signal loss.

To address the problem, the manufacturer addressed range switches in the affected models on different dates in 2016: the Outlander and Lancer vehicles on Feb. 22 and the the Outlander Sport on April 6. A new spring will reportedly keep the range switch from losing signal momentarily.

The manufacturer notice for dealers said that the engine in affected vehicles will reduce engine torque when the range switch loses its signal. Dealers were cautioned to ensure that vehicles aren’t delivered without being repaired first. They were also advised to use a backup battery during the reprogramming procedure to keep a steady power supply at all times.

Although all of the vehicles were included in a single report, an Advance Technical Information Notice stated that two different campaign numbers are involved. The 2015 Outlander Sport is part of campaign C1606Z, while the 2016 vehicles are included under C1607Z.

Cypress, Calif. — September 23, 2016 — Some improperly placed transmission hose clamps have launched a Mitsubishi recall. The manufacturer’s new action addresses a possible fire hazard, though there have been no confirmed reports of such as of this writing, according to Autoblog.

The recall includes exactly 45,731 potentially affected vehicles, as documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report. All of the concerned units are 2015 Outlander Sports produced between June 24, 2014 and Nov. 25, 2015. The continuously variable transmission fluid hoses in these vehicles may reportedly feature clamps that aren’t securely attached.

This, in turn, could allow the hose to detach and leak transmission fluid, potentially hurting the transmission as well as causing a fire hazard. The report said that each of these vehicles contains 10 susceptible hose clamps. Drivers can look for a warning light on the dashboard as a possible sign of this defect, along with possible shaking.

Because the problem centers around the included clamps, no outside component manufacturer was associated with this issue. According to the Part 573 Safety Recall report, dealers can look at each of the ten clamps and release them if necessary.

The manufacturer decided to conduct this recall on July 14, 2016. The first warranty claim related to this issue dates back to Dec. 16, 2015, when an Outlander Sport suddenly came to a stop after a transmission hose disconnected. Other claims came in March, May and June 2016: Of these, the vehicle with the highest mileage was identified March 3 and had accumulated 18,446 miles.

No recall notification schedule was listed for owners or dealers in the 573 report, though the did say it would update these later.

Cypress, Calif. — July 28, 2016 — Mitsubishi Motors North America recently recalled four different models over a period of 11 model years, according to an acknowledgment statement with the National Highway Traffic Safety Report. The statement said that approximately 174,382 vehicles are part of a new effort to address problems from possible corrosion in these vehicles.

Exposure to salt water, particularly through road salt, could wear away at sections of the suspension, as the NHTSA source said. If this occurs, the front control arm could detach completely, making it more difficult to control the vehicle.

Impacted models include the Lancer, Lancer Evolution, Lancer Wagon and Outlander, all of which are light four-door vehicles. The recall specifically applies to a range of 22 states and Washington D.C., including locations in New England and the Midwest. The regional distribution is important, because it indicates the areas where high salt density is especially problematic.

The Part 573 Report said that the first indication of this problem came from Canada in 2014. After this initial indication, the company began a two-year investigation culminating in the official recall decision itself June 13.

Though the report didn’t list a specific owner notification date, it did say the automaker would encourage owners to get their vehicles inspected. Corroded cross members will be replaced, while less severe instances may just require a sealing/anti-corrosion agent. Even though this recall was issued this summer, it follows the possible dangers of snow melt water on vehicle exteriors.

Dealers should identify the condition during an inspection. However, the report didn’t list any sign of the problem that owners would be able to tell on their own, meaning a dealer inspection might be necessary to determine if the issue exists.

Detroit, MI — May 11, 2015 — The Associated Press recently reported on a pair of Mitsubishi recalls that affect different kinds of Lancer and Outlander vehicles. Though they apply to different faults in the affected cars, the two recalls do both concern problems that might make visibility difficult during a drive: one relates to windshield defroster blowers and the other to an electronic control unit (ECU) that may detract from windshield wipers and outer vehicle lights. The model years of all vehicles involve range from 2009 to 2011.

All together, the recalls account for a combined 130,400 cars, the majority of which are subject to the blower recall. This includes Lancer, Lancer Sportback, Lancer Evolution Outlander and Outlander Sport vehicles. The ECU recall pertains to the same cars, albeit in different years.

Of this latter defect, the official recall statement from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that multiple problems could stem from the same source.

“Unstable voltage could result in intermittent failure of the vehicle’s head lights, tail lights, and windshield wipers,” it reads. “If the headlights and/or windshield wipers fail, the driver could have reduced visibility. If the tail lights fail, the vehicle could be less visible. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.” The statement traces the unstable voltage to a “manufacturing error” within the unit.

Although there is no notification schedule announced for either recall yet, both statements said that dealers will replace the affected parts for free. The similar models involved in both cases need to be considered separately, based on the specific conditions that dictate each one. Clearly communicated recall information is part of preparing for corrective actions and ensuring greater owner safety continues.