2004 Mitsubishi Lancer: problems, recalls and reliability
7 recalls and 91 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is visibility (24% of complaints); the 2005 and 2006 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Apr 2018
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 91 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“2004 mitsubishi lancer. Consumer writes in regards to airbag safety recall. *ld the consumer stated he is too visually impaired to drive the long distance to have the vehicle repaired; therefore, accepting all responsibility of the consequences. *js”Owner report · Air Bags · Aug 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mitsubishi lancer. The contact stated that the vehicle was pulling to one side and the tires were worn down. The vehicle was taken to an independent tire facility where it was diagnosed that the cross member needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 16v458000 (suspension). No further assistance was provided. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 148,000.”Owner report · Suspension · Jul 2018
“I was going to replace the front control arms on my own but now I am only going to be able to replace the front passenger control arm because the driver side control arm is corroded and the bolt does not come out. I was going to buy the crossmember myself but than a family member showed me a link that says this crossmember on my model could be a recall. Before I realized how corroded it was I took it to a dealership due to a recall on the passenger air bag and the dealership replace it and they sprayed some anti-corrosion on the crossmember but forgot to mention the hole the crossmember had. The vehicle was stationary at home”Owner report · Suspension · Jul 2018
Show 7 more owner reports
“2004 mitsubishi lancer. Consumer writes in regards to passenger side airbag safety recall. *ld the consumer stated the dealership would not provide a convenient option to have the recall repair completed.*js”Owner report · Air Bags · Apr 2018
“Takata recall - I took my car in to hickory mitsubishi in hickory, nc to get the airbag fixed. I picked up my car in the afternoon. It started to get dark about an hour later, so I turned my lights on. I have no interior lights on my car. I can't see my odometer, shift column,etc. I had to travel a significant distance to get this repair since there is no longer a mitsubishi dealer where I live. Now I have to go all the way back there and sit for another 2.5 hours while they try to figure out what they did to my electrical system. I'm not sure I want them to even touch my car again.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Nov 2017
“Recall on takata inflators. There is no mitsubishi dealer in rochester, mn. I am 95 years old and cannot drive out of rochester, mn. What should I do to get the inflator replaced?”Owner report · Air Bags · Nov 2017
“Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2004 mitsubishi lancer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17v569000 (air bags). The contact stated that the mitsubishi dealer was over 100 miles away and a recall repair appointment could not be scheduled. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that they could repair the vehicle if the local repair shop had the tools to complete the remedy. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.”Owner report · Air Bags · Sep 2017
“Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mitsubishi lancer wagon. The contact stated that the srs air bag warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer were it was diagnosed that the passenger side air bag inflator was defective and needed to be replaced. Prior to the failure, the contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v321000 (air bags). The failure mileage was approximately 83,000. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.”Owner report · Air Bags · Feb 2017
“After car had been running for several minutes, the temperature control knob on the dashboard was stuck and was unable to turn from cold to warm. When turning the knob, the knob broke exposing electrical paneling. The air temperature was no longer adjustable and was would only blow cold air with the outside being below-freezing temperatures. This happened while car was stationary in driveway, but if happened while moving could have created an unsafe distraction leading to a dangerous incident.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Feb 2017
“Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mitsubishi lancer. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in a recall regarding the air bags and repaired. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer, but it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The recall information was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 169,942.”Owner report · Air Bags · Jan 2017
When filing, owners marked a crash in 7 of these complaints and injuries in 4 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 7 campaigns
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain 2004-2006 Lancer and Lancer Evolution vehicles and 2004 Lancer Sportback vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Remedy: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with a different inflator, free of charge. The recall began on October 12, 2017. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-17-001. Note: This recall supersedes recall 15V-321.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Remedy: MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL CURRENT 2000-2004 NATIVA OWNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ALERT LABELS FOR THE SUN VISORS. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH OR APRIL 2005. THE NOTIFICATION TO THE NATIVA OWNERS IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL OR MAY 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Remedy: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Remedy: ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ANZO USA AT 909-468-3688.
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 Lancer, 2004 Lancer Wagon, 2003-2006 Lancer Evolution, 2003-2006 Outlander and 2007-2013 Outlander V-6 vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, the front lower control arms may detach due to the front cross member corroding from salt water exposure such as from road salt use.
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front cross members. Depending on the level of existing corrosion, either a sealing/anti-corrosion agent will be applied or the front cross member will be replaced with a new one that has a sealing/anti-corrosion agent applied to it. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began January 2017. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-16-003.
CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Remedy: TRADESONIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TRADESONIC AT 626-934-8884.
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2004-2006 Mitsubishi Lancer vehicles that previously received a like-for-like passenger side frontal air bag inflator under recall 15V321 as interim remedy. Also recalled are 2004-2006 Lancer vehicles located in Guam or Saipan that previously received or never received a new inflator under 15V321 or 17V569. These passenger side frontal air bag inflators may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to explode in the event of an air bag deployment.
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will install a final replacement passenger side frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on April 26, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-005.
How other years compare
Check your exact Lancer by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer reliable?
NHTSA has 91 owner complaints and 7 recall campaigns on record for the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer. The most complained-about area is visibility (24% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 68,500 miles or less.
Does the 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer have open recalls?
7 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.