Recalls
6campaigns
2 structure · 1 seat belt · 1 electrical
Source: NHTSA
Complaints
57filed
Owner reports, 2014–2024 shown
Source: NHTSA ODI
Crash tests
4★overall
★★★★☆ Frontal 4★ · Side 5★ · Rollover 4★
Source: NHTSA NCAP
Fuel economy
27mpg combined
$2,419/yr at this week's prices
Source: EPA · EIA
Specs
2.4 L 4-cyl· AV-S6 CVT
4 engine and transmission configurations
Source: NHTSA vPIC
Recalls (6)
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Listed for 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander. Not checked against your VIN.
Liftgate Gas Springs May Rupture
Structure · body · hatchback/liftgate · support device/strut
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Outlander PHEV and 2014-2020 Outlander vehicles. The liftgate gas spring cylinders may corrode and lose pressure, which can result in a gas spring cylinder rupture or the liftgate falling unexpectedly.
- Consequence
- A gas spring cylinder rupture or a liftgate falling unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- MMNA will replace the left and right liftgate gas springs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 17, 2026. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-26-001. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov June 3, 2026. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V507.
1.8% repairedof 108,046 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 26V252000
Listed for 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander. Not checked against your VIN.
Liftgate Gas Springs May Rupture
Structure · body · hatchback/liftgate · support device/strut
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Outlander PHEV and 2014-2020 Outlander vehicles sold and/or currently registered in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The liftgate gas spring cylinders may corrode and lose pressure, which can result in a gas spring cylinder rupture or the liftgate falling unexpectedly.
- Consequence
- A gas spring cylinder rupture or a liftgate falling unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- MMNA will replace the left and right liftgate gas springs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 6, 2025. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-25-002
21.4% repairedof 121,529 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 25V507000
Listed for 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander. Not checked against your VIN.
Inoperative Right Rear Seat Belt Buckle
Seat belts · rear/other · buckle assembly
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Outlander and 2018-2019 Outlander PHEV vehicles. The second-row center seat belt buckle may interfere with the right-side seat belt buckle when the seat backs are folded down. The interference may cause the right-side seat belt buckle cover to come off, making the buckle latch inoperable and unable to restrain an occupant.
- Consequence
- An unrestrained occupant has an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will modify the second-row center seat belt buckle cover, install a new warning label to the second-row seat support base, and provide a new warning label insert for the owner's manual, free of charge. The recall began September 1, 2020. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-20-004.
55.5% repairedof 177,000 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 20V403000
Listed for 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander. Not checked against your VIN.
Prolonged Braking by Collision Avoidance System
Electrical system · software
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Outlander Sport, 2018-2019 Eclipse Cross, and 2017-2018 Outlander vehicles equipped with a Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system that detects pedestrians. Due to incorrect software, the FCM-ECU (Electronic Control Unit) may apply braking for longer than needed, even after a pedestrian is no longer detected.
- Consequence
- If the FCM-ECU software activates the brake for longer than necessary, the driver may react by applying additional braking. The resulting rapid deceleration of the vehicle can increase the risk of a rear-end collision.
- Remedy
- MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the FCM-ECU software with updated software, free of charge. The recall is began October 16, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-007.
90.2% repairedof 9,166 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 18V620000
Listed for 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander. Not checked against your VIN.
Safety Systems may be Disabled When in Use
Electrical system · software
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport vehicles equipped with a Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system and 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Eclipse Cross vehicles and 2017-2018 Outlander vehicles equipped with an Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system and/or an Electric Parking Brake (EPB) system. The software for the Hydraulic Unit Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may be incorrect, possibly preventing the intervention of a safety system such as automatic emergency braking, Anti-lock Braking (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), or the Brake Auto Hold (BAH) function when any of these systems are in use.
- Consequence
- If the safety systems do not function as intended, it can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will update the Hydraulic Unit-ECU software, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-008.
86.5% repairedof 58,916 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 18V621000
Listed for 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander. Not checked against your VIN.
Incorrect Rim Size on Label/FMVSS 110
Equipment · other · labels
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Mitsubishi Outlander vehicles equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels. The Certification Label lists an incorrect rear wheel rim size. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
- Consequence
- The incorrect rim size information on the label can cause the operator to replace the rim with an incorrect rim size, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- MMNA will notify owners and send them a corrected certification label, free of charge. Owners can also choose to have the label replaced by a dealer, free of charge. The recall began September 26, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-006.
98.5% repairedof 14,791 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 18V591000
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (57)
57 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The engine is mentioned most often.
7involved a crash
0involved a fire
8injuries reported
0deaths reported
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 57 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 12 | 21.1% |
| Air bags | 10 | 17.5% |
| Electrical system | 9 | 15.8% |
| Structure | 8 | 14% |
| Unknown or other | 8 | 14% |
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 8.8% |
| Service brakes | 5 | 8.8% |
| Electronic stability control | 3 | 5.3% |
| Power train | 3 | 5.3% |
| Seats | 3 | 5.3% |
How 2018 compares with other Outlander years
Best and worst Outlander years →201445
201553
2016145
201751
201857
201929
202031
2022216
202347
202426
| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 45 | 4 |
| 2015 | 53 | 5 |
| 2016 | 145 | 8 |
| 2017 | 51 | 6 |
| 2018 | 57 | 6 |
| 2019 | 29 | 5 |
| 2020 | 31 | 3 |
| 2022 | 216 | 7 |
| 2023 | 47 | 2 |
| 2024 | 26 | 1 |
This year (2018)Other yearsStill collecting reports
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 4 stars overall
Overall★★★★☆
Frontal crashDriver 4★ · Passenger 5★★★★★☆
Side crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
RolloverRollover risk 18.5%★★★★☆
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander suv fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 27 mpg combined
27
mpg combined
25
city
30
highway
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $2,500
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 326 g/mi
- EPA class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle
What it costs you to run
$2,419per year
$202per month
556gallons a year
Miles ÷ 27 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4 L 4-cyl · AV-S6 CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 25 / 30 / 27 | $2,500 | 326 |
| 2.4 L 4-cyl · AV-S6 CVT | 4-Wheel Drive | 24 / 29 / 26 | $2,600 | 341 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · Automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 25 / 26 / 25 | $2,700 | 174 |
| 3 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic | 4-Wheel Drive | 20 / 27 / 22 | $3,750 | 402 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2018 Outlander for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2018 Mitsubishi Outlander FAQ
How many recalls does the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander have?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns: 26V252000 (structure), 25V507000 (structure), 20V403000 (seat belt), 18V620000 (electrical), 18V621000 (brake), 18V591000 (wheel). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander problems?
Owners filed 57 complaints with NHTSA. Engine (12), Air bags (10), Electrical system (9) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander get?
EPA rates the 2.4 L 4-cyl · AV-S6 CVT version at 25 city, 30 highway and 27 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander get?
NHTSA rated the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander suv fwd 4 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (18.5% rollover risk).
How does the 2018 Outlander compare with other years?
Among the 2014–2020 Mitsubishi Outlander model years at least five years old, the 2019 drew the fewest complaints (29) and the 2016 the most (145). The 2018 drew 57. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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