vehicle signal
U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Mitsubishi LANCER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

91 owner complaints analyzed

5 distinct recall campaigns

33,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 61 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Suspension is the most frequently named component, appearing in 22 of 91 complaints (24.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior1011.0%
Transmission and shifting66.6%
Steering behavior66.6%
Electrical and battery issues33.3%
Engine operation11.1%

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.

Suspension
22
Engine
13
Steering
12
Electrical System
7
Power Train
7
Structure:Body
7
Air Bags
6
Tires
4
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Suspension22
Engine13
Steering12
Electrical System7
Power Train7
Structure:Body7
Air Bags6
Tires4

Suspension: 22; Engine: 13; Steering: 12; Electrical System: 7; Power Train: 7; Structure:Body: 7; Air Bags: 6; Tires: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
26
25,000 to 49,999
7
50,000 to 74,999
1
75,000 to 99,999
5
100,000 to 149,999
12
150,000 and above
10
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00026
25,000 to 49,9997
50,000 to 74,9991
75,000 to 99,9995
100,000 to 149,99912
150,000 and above10

Under 25,000: 26; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 12; 150,000 and above: 10

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (26). 30 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.

2007
6
2008
21
2009
5
2010
3
2011
1
2012
1
2013
3
2014
10
2015
5
2016
2
2017
5
2018
5
2019
5
2020
10
2021
3
2022
3
2023
2
2024
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20076
200821
20095
20103
20111
20121
20133
201410
20155
20162
20175
20185
20195
202010
20213
20223
20232
20241

2007: 6; 2008: 21; 2009: 5; 2010: 3; 2011: 1; 2012: 1; 2013: 3; 2014: 10; 2015: 5; 2016: 2; 2017: 5; 2018: 5; 2019: 5; 2020: 10; 2021: 3; 2022: 3; 2023: 2; 2024: 1

Pattern summary

Suspension leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 6 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 6 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 10217765 · 2008-02-11 (February 11, 2008)

MY 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER PULLS TO THE LEFT. THIS HAPPENS WHEN ACCELERATING, BRAKING OR COASTING ON BOTH CROWNED AND UNCROWNED ROADS. IT IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM ON INTERNET WEB FORUMS FOR LANCER ENTHUSIASTS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10217765 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10232892 · 2008-07-01 (July 1, 2008)

MY SON WAS ATTEMPTING TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT WHEN THE BRAKES STARTED TO PULSE UNCONTROLLABLY, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN DOWN TO THE FLOOR. ALSO THE ABS LIGHT LIT UP. UNFORTUNATELY HE COULD NOT STOP IN TIME AND HE HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF HIM. THREE WEEKS LATER AFTER THE CAR WAS REPAIRED, I WENT TO GO START THE CAR AND THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIT UP AND SOME OF MY ELECTRIC STOP WORKING. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER. AFTER TWO DAYS OF DIAGNOSTICS THEY SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH A WIRING HARNESS DUE TO THE ACCIDE…

Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232892 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10206762 · 2007-10-24 (October 24, 2007)

IN RELATION TO THE MITSUBISHI LANSER 2008, WITH SLAT OF PUERTO RICO GZN-191 AND ACQUIRED IN THE MOTIVE DEALER BERRIOS CORP. DE HUMACAO, IN MAY, 2007. THIS VEHICLE A NOISE PRESENTS IN THE TRANSMISSION FOR WHAT WAS LED TO GUARANTEE, TODAY ON OCTOBER 24, 2007 TO THE DEALER BEFORE MENTIONED, HERE IT WAS INSPECTED BY THE ING. MR.. FILOMENO RAMOS LOPEZ LIC. * 2224. WHO DETERMINES THAT HAS TO STOOP THE TRANSMISSION OF THE VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED. FOR WHAT IN THIS LETTER I AM EXPRESSING MY OPINION, WHILE TO THAT WE DO NOT AGREE IN THE DECISION THOUGHT…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10206762 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10247509 · 2008-11-03 (November 3, 2008)

I OWN A 2008 LANCER WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WON'T GO INTO 3RD OR 4TH GEAR AND DEALER WONT FIX IT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10247509 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10239217 · 2008-08-21 (August 21, 2008)

MY CAR, MITSUBISHI LANCER GTS MODEL 2008 IS PULLING TO THE SIDE. I GOT THIS CAR NEW, IT WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT FROM THE BEGINNING. AFTER THEY DID AN ALIGNMENT, THE CAR IS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. THE AMOUNT OF PULLING IS VERY BIG, FOR EXAMPLE IF, AT 60-65MPH I RELEASE THE STEERING WHEEL IT ROTATES RIGHT INSTANTLY WITH A HALF A INCH, AND THE CAR CHANGES THE LANE TO THE RIGHT IN 3-4 SECONDS. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CAR OR THE TIRES ARE WRONG, BUT THIS IS VERY SERIOOS SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME. I'VE SEARCH ON THE INTERNET FOR PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR…

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10239217 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11021345 · 2017-09-04 (September 4, 2017)

AT 50 KM/H, WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT OF 90 DEGREE, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TURNING AND GOING STRAIGHT FORWARD. SOME SOUND OF TIRE-METAL WAS BEING HEARD FROM THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL. WITH SOMEONE OUTSIDE, WE WERE SEEING AT LOW SPEED THAT THE WHEEL WAS ROTATING OFF AXIS AND EVEN TOUCHING THE CAR BODY. AFTER BEING TOWING TO A CANADIAN TIRE, THE TECHNICIAN MENTIONED THAT THE CROSS MEMBER WAS SO ROTTEN IT WAS ACTUALLY BREAKING IN TWO PARTS AND IT WAS SO DANGEROUS, HE COULD NOT LET ME GO WITHOUT PART REPLACEMENT. THE MECHANIC TEC…

Owner-reported narrative. 241,030 miles reported. Look up ODI 11021345 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11155343 · 2018-12-01 (December 1, 2018)

TUESDAY, 11/27/18, MORNING MY CAR (100,00 TOTAL MILES DRIVEN) STARTED TO MAKE A PERIODIC SQUEAKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY TO WORK. I THEN TOOK IT TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP THAT SAME MORNING TO HAVE IT CHECKED. THEY SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS COMING FROM MY DRIVE BELT AND PULLEYS. THEY REFERRED ME TO THE FOLLOWING LINK: HTTPS://WWW.CARS.COM/RECALLS/MITSUBISHI-LANCER-2008/. ACCORDING TO THIS WEBSITE, MY CAR HAS A RECALL FOR THE DRIVE BELT AND PULLEYS. SO I WENT ON MITSUBISHI'S RECALL WEBSITE TO PUT IN MY VID NUMBER, BUT IT WAS SHOWING …

Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11155343 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10269751 · 2009-05-22 (May 22, 2009)

CAR BEGAN TO SPUTTER WHEN STOPPING/ACCELERATING AND IN REVERSE; CAR WOULD APPEAR TO STALL OUT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 17,890 miles reported. Look up ODI 10269751 at NHTSA ↗