2003 Mitsubishi LANCER: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
199 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
50,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 127 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Visibility is the most frequently named component, appearing in 28 of 199 complaints (14.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 27 | 13.6% |
| Braking behavior | 13 | 6.5% |
| Steering behavior | 6 | 3.0% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 2.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 1.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 1.0% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Visibility | 28 |
| Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System | 28 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 19 |
| Power Train:Clutch Assembly | 17 |
| Unknown Or Other | 16 |
| Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Windshield:Electrical Heating Element | 12 |
| Equipment | 10 |
| Suspension | 9 |
Visibility: 28; Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System: 28; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 19; Power Train:Clutch Assembly: 17; Unknown Or Other: 16; Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Windshield:Electrical Heating Element: 12; Equipment: 10; Suspension: 9
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 44 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 19 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 21 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 17 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 18 |
| 150,000 and above | 8 |
Under 25,000: 44; 25,000 to 49,999: 19; 50,000 to 74,999: 21; 75,000 to 99,999: 17; 100,000 to 149,999: 18; 150,000 and above: 8
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (44). 72 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 |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 27 |
| 2004 | 29 |
| 2005 | 13 |
| 2006 | 8 |
| 2007 | 22 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2009 | 16 |
| 2010 | 28 |
| 2011 | 14 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2003: 27; 2004: 29; 2005: 13; 2006: 8; 2007: 22; 2008: 8; 2009: 16; 2010: 28; 2011: 14; 2012: 8; 2013: 5; 2014: 3; 2015: 2; 2016: 4; 2017: 2; 2018: 4; 2019: 3; 2021: 1; 2024: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Visibility leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 27 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 13 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10008250 · 2003-02-28 (February 28, 2003)
WHEN I DRIVE MY 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER ES AT 20 MPH AND WANT TO INCREASE THE SPEED AND PRESS THE GAS PEDAL, THE RPM OF THE CAR WILL INCREASE AND THE SPEED OF THE CAR WILL DECREASE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE SPEED WILL INCREASE AS IF THE GEARS IN THE AUTO TRANSMISSION JUST ENGAGED. I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. BUT IT HAPPENED TO ME AGAIN EVEN THOUGH THE DEALERSHIP CHANGED MY TRANS. FLUID. I SUSPECT THE AUTO TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE AND IS …
Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008250 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10014246 · 2003-04-10 (April 10, 2003)
PAINT CHIPS AND CRACKS EASILY; TREE SAP AND BIRD DROPPINGS EAT THROUGH PAINT EVEN IF WASHED OFF WITHIN A FEW HOURS; THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN ON A 6-MONTH OLD VEHICLE. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10014246 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10014904 · 2003-03-27 (March 27, 2003)
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON ANY RECALLS INVOLVING 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER. MR *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10014904 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10019492 · 2003-05-07 (May 7, 2003)
REQUEST FOR RECALL INFORMATION REGARDING AIR BAG DEFECTS ON 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCERS.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10019492 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10021462 · 2003-06-12 (June 12, 2003)
PAINT SWIRLS AND SCRATCHES EASILY. CAR HAS LESS THAN 1500 MILES AND HAS ALREADY ACQUIRED SEVERAL SCRATCHES IN PAINT. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 1,480 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021462 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10023954 · 2003-06-28 (June 28, 2003)
TRANSMISSION ON MY 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER IS FAILING--WENT TO GET ON FREEWAY AND HAD NO SPEED--PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR WHEN IT FINALLY KICKED INTO GEAR. IT LURCHES AND JERKS AND SLIPS GEARS. THE MITSUBISHI SERVICE DEPT. TRIED TO TELL ME NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT--WHEN I TOOK THE TECHNICIAN FOR A RIDE WE GOT TEN FEET AND IT JERKED AND CLICKED INTO GEAR--THEY SAY THE TRANSMISSION BODY VALVE IS FAILING--ORDERED THE PART--TOLD ME IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL IT IS FIXED EVEN THOUGH IT IS GETTING WORSE EVERYDAY, AND I AM LEARY OF DRIVING IT ON …
Owner-reported narrative. 9,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023954 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10026125 · 2003-07-15 (July 15, 2003)
I HAVE THE 2003 OZ RALLY MITSUBISHI LANCER AND HAVE HAD A PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY WITH SMALL PAINT CHIPS OCCURRING WITH VERY LITTLE IMPACT AGAINST THE CAR, AND SCRATCHES TO THE CLEARCOAT ARE HAPPENING WITH LITTLE CONTACT... IF YOU BARELY BRUSH AGAINST THE CAR THE CLEARCOAT INSTANTLY DEVELOPS A WHITE SCRATCH MARK. THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN TO A CAR THAT IS BARELY 2 MONTHS OLD. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026125 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10037206 · 2003-09-04 (September 4, 2003)
POOR PAINT QUALITY ON 2003 EVOLUTIONS. AFTER TWO MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP, I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL PAINT CHIPS ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE CAR JUST BEFORE THE REAR WHEEL OPENING. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE SCRATCHES AND CHIPS ON THE FRONT BUMPER AND HOOD. THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS SEEM TO NOT HAVE BEEN CLEAR COATED, SINCE EVERY TIME I WAX THE CAR, THE PAINT COLOR APPEARS ON THE PAD. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10037206 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.
04V428000 · Equipment:Other:Labels
Reported: 2004-09-01 (September 1, 2004)
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.
Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE 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.
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 ↗