2006 Mitsubishi LANCER EVOLUTION: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
24 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
35,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 20 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 24 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 5 | 20.8% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 16.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 8.3% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 8 |
| Engine | 3 |
| Power Train | 3 |
| Suspension | 3 |
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 |
| Structure:Body | 2 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 8; Engine: 3; Power Train: 3; Suspension: 3; Electrical System: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 2; Structure:Body: 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 | 7 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 4 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 |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 10 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
2009: 10; 2010: 5; 2014: 5; 2016: 2; 2018: 2
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10261125 · 2009-03-09 (March 9, 2009)
THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTIONS MADE FROM 2003-2006. I HAVE HAD 2 OF THESE CARS AND SAME PROBLEM... ALMOST STARTED A FIRE IN MY CAR.. . WHERE THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS GOES THROUGH THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT FENDER, THERE'S A RUBBER GROMMET THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BLOCK WATER. WELL IN MY 2 CARS AND ABOUT 100 OTHERS ON THE AUTO FORUM I FREQUENT,(WWW.EVOLUTIONM.NET) THE RUBBER GROMMET FAILS TO DO ITS JOB OF BLOCKING WEATHER AND WATER IS LEAKING THROUGH GOING DOWN THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS AND INTO THE WIRING CONNECTORS. FROM THERE THE AV…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10261125 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10284178 · 2009-09-16 (September 16, 2009)
BRAKE ISSUE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10284178 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10285978 · 2009-10-01 (October 1, 2009)
BRAKE FINISH IS INFERIOR AND PEELING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10285978 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10291153 · 2009-11-05 (November 5, 2009)
1. DRIVING 2. IRRITATING TICKING FROM PASSENGER SIDE OF ENGINE BAY. SEEMS TO CAUSE WEAR AND TEAR ON BELTS ON ENGINE. SO FAR NO CONSEQUENCES AS BELT HASN'T BROKEN. 3. NO PART HAVE BEEN REPLACED AS OF YET. 4. IN SHORT IT SEEMS ALMOST ALL EVO IX'S ARE AFFECTED BY THIS BELT WEAR ON THE IDLER PULLEY, POWER STEERING PULLEY, AND POSSIBLY OTHERS. I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE ONE OF THESE BELTS BREAK ON THIS PERFORMANCE TURBO CAR AT HIGH SPEEDS... COULD CAUSE MANY INJURIES IN MY OPINION. KEEP AND EYE OUT FOR MANY MANY OTHERS TO SEND IN A REPORT IN…
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10291153 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10291199 · 2009-11-06 (November 6, 2009)
I 1ST STARTED HEARING A METAL SCRAPING NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVE BELT AREA AROUND 20,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER OF MY 2006 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION IX MR. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ONLINE, I FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON/FREQUENT PROBLEM REPORTED BY MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME CAR THROUGHOUT THE WEB. IN FACT, I EVEN FOUND A YOUTUBE CLIP OF THE EXACT SAME NOISE CREATED FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. THE NOISE HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE INVOLVING THE TIMING BELT RUBBING AGAINST THE CRANKSHAFT BLADE. I'VE ONLY FOUND IT TO ONLY BE AUDIBLE AT IDLE, SO …
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10291199 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10291287 · 2009-11-06 (November 6, 2009)
I FIRST NOTICED THAT MY 2006 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION RS STARTED TO MAKE A GRINDING/SCRAPPING NOISE THAT SEEMED TO BE GENERATING FROM THE TIMING BELT AREA. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 18,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IT SEEMED TO BE A NOISE THAT WAS PRESENT AT IDLE AND UPON COLD START UPS. I STARTED TO RESEARCH THIS ON VARIOUS FORUMS AND INTERNET, ONLY TO FIND THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH A CLEAR SOLUTION. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW DEALERSHIPS WHO HAVE SEEMED TO HAVE RESOLVED THIS ISSUE BUT EACH FIX SEEMED TO VARY WITHIN THE TIMING BELT AREA…
Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10291287 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10291401 · 2009-11-08 (November 8, 2009)
I FIRST NOTICED THAT MY 2006 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION RS STARTED TO MAKE A GRINDING/SCRAPPING NOISE THAT SEEMED TO BE GENERATING FROM THE TIMING BELT AREA WHEN MY CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 35,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IT SEEMED TO BE A NOISE THAT WAS PRESENT AT IDLE AND UPON COLD START UPS AND NOW OCCASIONALLY I HEAR IT EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS FULLY WARMED UP. I STARTED TO RESEARCH THIS ON VARIOUS FORUMS AND INTERNET, ONLY TO FIND THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH A CLEAR SOLUTION. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW DEALERSHIPS WHO HAVE SEEMED TO HAVE RESOLVED…
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10291401 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10291462 · 2009-11-09 (November 9, 2009)
CAR NEEDS TO BE SITTING AT AN IDLE SPEED, AND FIRST STARTED BECOMING AUDIBLE A FEW MONTHS AGO, BUT WAS INTERMITTENT. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER AND THEY DID NOT HAVE A FIX AND BLAMED IT ON THE VALVES NEEDING ADJUSTMENT AND MY SERPENTINE BELT. THE VALVES ON THIS PARTICULAR CAR ARE HYDRAULIC AND DO NOT NEED SERVICING AND WHEN I REMOVED MY OWN SERPENTINE BELT, THE NOISE WAS STILL AUDIBLE! IT IS DEFINITELY COMING FROM THE TIMING BELT AREA AND SOUNDS LIKE IT IS ALMOST HITTING OR SCRAPING SOMETHING! ITS A SERIOUS CONCERN AS I DON'T NEED A TIMING …
Owner-reported narrative. 60,480 miles reported. Look up ODI 10291462 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
16V334000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2016-05-23 (May 23, 2016)
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Lancer and Lancer Evolution vehicles manufactured June 29, 2005, to June 19, 2007, equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 19, 2016. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-16-002.
NHTSA campaign record ↗16V458000 · Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Arm
Reported: 2016-06-23 (June 23, 2016)
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.
Consequence: A detached front control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗