2006 Mitsubishi LANCER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
37 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
100,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 23 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 16 of 37 complaints (43.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 5 | 13.5% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 5.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 2.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 2.7% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 16 |
| Suspension | 9 |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 |
| Structure:Body | 4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 |
| Service Brakes | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 |
| Unknown Or Other | 2 |
Air Bags: 16; Suspension: 9; Exterior Lighting: 4; Structure:Body: 4; Vehicle Speed Control: 3; Service Brakes: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 2; Unknown Or Other: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 9 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 3
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 14 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 3 |
2006: 1; 2007: 2; 2008: 1; 2009: 1; 2011: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 2; 2016: 7; 2017: 5; 2018: 6; 2019: 5; 2020: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 3
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 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 10226815 · 2008-05-06 (May 6, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE BRAKE PEDAL DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY DURING DECELERATION. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE CONTACT TURNED INTO A DRIVEWAY TO PARK THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. A POLICE REPORT WAS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, BUT THEY HAD NOT PROVIDED ANY INFORMATION AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 1,700. UPDATED 06/09/08 *BF
Owner-reported narrative. 1,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10226815 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10387128 · 2011-03-01 (March 1, 2011)
REMOVED FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR TO BEGIN BRAKING FOR YELLOW LIGHT WHILE DRIVING APPROX. 25 MPH, AS SOON AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE CAR SURGED FORWARD AS IF AT FULL THROTTLE AND DID NOT STOP ACCELERATING UNTIL THE IMPACT FROM THE COLLISION. THE SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION HAPPENED TWO TIMES BEFORE, EACH TIME RIGHT AFTER I LIFTED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR TO BEGIN BRAKING. THE ACCELERATOR HAD NOT (NOT) BEEN FULLY DEPRESSED PRIOR TO THE UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION IN ANY OF THE ABOVE INCIDENTS. ATTEMPT TO BRAKE BEFORE COLLISION WAS UNSUCCESSFUL…
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10387128 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10200864 · 2007-08-27 (August 27, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT RENTED A 2006 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHEELS ON THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. HE BELIEVED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ALL THREE DAYS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RENTED. THE PURCHASE DATE AND SPEED WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,282 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,131. UPDATED 09/19/07 *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 19,131 miles reported. Look up ODI 10200864 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10944405 · 2017-01-11 (January 11, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MITSUBISHI LANCER. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM DETACHED AND COULD NO LONGER CONTROL THE STEERING THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WOULD PREVIOUSLY NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V458000 (SUSPENSION) UNLESS IT WAS BUNDLED WITH OTHER COSTLY REPAIRS THAT THE CONTACT REFUSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 05/09/17*LJ *CN
Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10944405 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10676376 · 2015-01-19 (January 19, 2015)
WHEN I WAS IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT MY INTERVENTION, WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FURTHER. I HAD TO APPLIED THE MANUAL BRAKE AND PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL. IN NEUTRAL THE RPMS WENT TO THE MAXIMUM AND THEN DECREASED TO NORMAL. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10676376 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10266706 · 2009-04-25 (April 25, 2009)
HEADLIGHTS KEEP FAILING. WAS PULLED OVER AFTER HAVING JUST REPLACED A BULB AND NOTIFIED THE BULB WAS OUT AGAIN. BLAMED THE SHOP THAT REPLACED THE BULB, AND HAD THEM PUT IN ANOTHER. THEN WHEN DRIVING A LONG DISTANCE DRIVE, AS I BEGAN TO GET DARK, ANOTHER MOTORIST FLASHED ME TO NOTIFY ME THAT I DID NOT HAVE HEADLIGHTS ON, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE IN THE ON POSITION. BOTH LOW BEAMS HAD GONE OUT AND WOULD ONLY WORK ON HIGH BEAMS. I WAS LUCKY THAT THE MOTORIST NOTIFIED ME, AND THAT THE LIGHTS DID NOT BLOW AFTER DARK WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THIS IS A HUGE …
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10266706 at NHTSA ↗