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U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Mitsubishi LANCER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

148 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

68,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 86 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 12 of 148 complaints (8.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior2617.6%
Transmission and shifting1510.1%
Steering behavior149.5%
Engine operation64.1%
Fuel system concerns32.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags
12
Air Bags:Frontal
12
Visibility
10
Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System
9
Suspension
8
Unknown Or Other
8
Vehicle Speed Control
8
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System
6
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags12
Air Bags:Frontal12
Visibility10
Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System9
Suspension8
Unknown Or Other8
Vehicle Speed Control8
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System6

Air Bags: 12; Air Bags:Frontal: 12; Visibility: 10; Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System: 9; Suspension: 8; Unknown Or Other: 8; Vehicle Speed Control: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System: 6

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
16
25,000 to 49,999
18
50,000 to 74,999
10
75,000 to 99,999
14
100,000 to 149,999
16
150,000 and above
12
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00016
25,000 to 49,99918
50,000 to 74,99910
75,000 to 99,99914
100,000 to 149,99916
150,000 and above12

Under 25,000: 16; 25,000 to 49,999: 18; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 14; 100,000 to 149,999: 16; 150,000 and above: 12

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (18). 62 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2002
18
2003
16
2004
19
2005
8
2006
16
2007
10
2008
9
2009
8
2010
9
2011
9
2012
3
2013
1
2014
3
2015
1
2016
6
2017
5
2018
2
2019
1
2020
2
2021
1
2022
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200218
200316
200419
20058
200616
200710
20089
20098
20109
20119
20123
20131
20143
20151
20166
20175
20182
20191
20202
20211
20221

2002: 18; 2003: 16; 2004: 19; 2005: 8; 2006: 16; 2007: 10; 2008: 9; 2009: 8; 2010: 9; 2011: 9; 2012: 3; 2013: 1; 2014: 3; 2015: 1; 2016: 6; 2017: 5; 2018: 2; 2019: 1; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 1

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 15 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 14 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10005267 · 2003-02-04 (February 4, 2003)

CAR SHAKES WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED... WHAT IS CAUSING HAS NOT BEEN FOUND...

Owner-reported narrative. 9,280 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005267 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006186 · 2003-02-12 (February 12, 2003)

WITH THE AIR CONDITION ON, THE WINDOWS FOGGED UP, WHICH WAS BELIEVED TO BE FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE WINDOWS, ALSO THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DESIGNED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006186 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10011035 · 2003-03-25 (March 25, 2003)

CAR ACCELERATED TO FULL THROTTLE AND TOOK OFF WHILE TRANSMISSION WAS IN PARK. LOCAL DEALERSHIP MITSUBISHI OF ORANGE PARK JACKSONVILLE FLA KEPT CAR FOR FROM 3/11/03 UNTIL 3/25/03 TO TRY TO MAKE CAR DUPLICATE SITUATION BUT TO NO AVAIL. THEY KEPT IN TOUCH WITH MITSUBISHI TECH SUPPORT BUT NOTHING COULD BE DETERMINED TO WHY CAR DID SUCH A STRANGE THING. THIS HAS BEEN KNOWN TO HAPPEN ON CARS WHILE IN MOTION, ESPECIALLY ON OLDER MODELS.

Owner-reported narrative. 18,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011035 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10036943 · 2003-08-31 (August 31, 2003)

CAR SHIFTS VERY HARD, NOT LIKE HOW A 4 CYLINDER ENGINE SHOULD. HAS A "POPPING" SOUND TO ACCOMPANY THE HARD SHIFT. SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE VEHICLE HAS "GRINDED" BETWEEN SHIFTS. ENGINE HAD REVED TO 4000-5000 RPM'S FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS BEFORE FINALLY SHIFTING INTO GEAR. THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS WITH 19000 MILES AND IT IS ONLY A YEAR OLD. HAS TAKEN OFF ON ME ONCE, WHERE I HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID SLAMMING INTO THE BACK END OF A CAR WITH CHILDREN IN THE BACKSEAT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BU…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10036943 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10046296 · 2003-11-04 (November 4, 2003)

INTERMITTENTLY THE STEERING COLUMN COLLAPSED INTO DRIVER'S LAP WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. DEALER STATED THIS WAS UNUSUAL, WE NEVER HEARD A CASE LIKE THIS PROBLEM.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10046296 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10088803 · 2004-08-30 (August 30, 2004)

I OWN A 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER. MY STEERING WHEEL COLUMN COLLAPSED IN MY LAP WHILE DRIVING. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS UNUSUAL THAT HAPPENED. SAID IT WAS THE LATCH IN MY COLUMN, HAD TO BUY A WHOLE NEW STEERING COLUMN 500+ PART, NOT INCLUDING LABOR. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10088803 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10070412 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

JUNE 17, 2003 TO: PERUZZI MITSUBISHI ATTENTION: [XXX] 165 LINCOLN HWY FAIRLESS HILLS, PA 19030 DEAR [XXX], WE PURCHASED A MITSUBISHI LANCER IN SEPTEMBER 2002 FROM PERUZZI MITSUBISHI, LOCATED AT 165 LINCOLN HWY, FAIRLESS HILLS, PA 19030. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THE VEHICLE HAD 2,074 MILES ON IT. WHEN I ASKED, THE SALESMAN TOLD US THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW AND THE MILES WERE FROM USING THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP AS A DEMONSTRATION CAR. SINCE THEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER THREE SEPARATE TIMES FOR SERVICE. IT WAS DRIVEN IN O…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,599 miles reported. Look up ODI 10070412 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10093825 · 2004-10-08 (October 8, 2004)

PUSHED IN CLUTCH PEDAL, HEARD A LOUD POP, AND CLUTCH PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT WERE THE CAR STALLED. GOT THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALER STATED SEALS INSIDE SLAVE CYLINDER BLEW OUT AND COATED THE CLUTCH DISC, PRESSURE PLATE, AND FLYWHEEL WITH FLUID. REPLACED SLAVE CYLINDER AND PRESSURE PLATE, AND RESURFACED THE FLYWHEEL. I HAD TO PAY $1009.35 TO GET THE VEHICLE BACK. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 49,995 miles reported. Look up ODI 10093825 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10220911 · 2008-03-12 (March 12, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE CAN FILL UP HER GAS TANK ONE DAY AND, BEFORE THE WEEK IS OUT, THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE REFUELED. PERIODICALLY, THE CONTACT SMELLS GASOLINE IN HER VEHICLE. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17.

Owner-reported narrative. 17 miles reported. Look up ODI 10220911 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10577496 · 2014-04-04 (April 4, 2014)

GAS TANK FILLER TUBE IS LEAKING GAS, HARD TO FILL, SETS OFF THE SERVICE LIGHT.

Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10577496 at NHTSA ↗