2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Phev problems, complaints & recalls
Updated from NHTSA data · How we count
Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Phev, most often about acceleration & cruise control. There are 5 recalls for this model year.
- Complaints
- 4
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Median mileage
- 18,268 mi at time of problem
Key facts
- Acceleration & Cruise Control is the most-reported problem area, named in 2 of 4 complaints (50%).
- Fuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion (1) and other areas follow.
- Half of the complaints that list mileage happened before 18,268 mi.
- The 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Phev has 5 recalls on file.
- NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation covering this vehicle.
- It ranks 2nd of 4 Mitsubishi Outlander Phev model years by our severity-weighted complaint score (1st = worst).
2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Phev problems by category
- Acceleration & Cruise Control2 complaints
- Fuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion1 complaints
- Other / Unknown1 complaints
A complaint can mention more than one problem area, so categories add up to more than the total.
Most-reported components
| Component (as filed with NHTSA) | Complaints |
|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 |
| Unknown or other | 1 |
When problems happen (mileage)
2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Phev recalls (5)
- STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Outlander PHEV and 2014-2020 Outlander vehicles. The liftgate gas spring cylinders may corrode and lose pressure, which can result in a gas spring cylinder rupture or the liftgate falling unexpectedly.
Risk: A gas spring cylinder rupture or a liftgate falling unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: MMNA will replace the left and right liftgate gas springs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 17, 2026. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-26-001. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov June 3, 2026. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V507.
- STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Outlander PHEV and 2014-2020 Outlander vehicles sold and/or currently registered in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The liftgate gas spring cylinders may corrode and lose pressure, which can result in a gas spring cylinder rupture or the liftgate falling unexpectedly.
Risk: A gas spring cylinder rupture or a liftgate falling unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: MMNA will replace the left and right liftgate gas springs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 6, 2025. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-25-002
- SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Outlander and 2018-2019 Outlander PHEV vehicles. The second-row center seat belt buckle may interfere with the right-side seat belt buckle when the seat backs are folded down. The interference may cause the right-side seat belt buckle cover to come off, making the buckle latch inoperable and unable to restrain an occupant.
Risk: An unrestrained occupant has an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will modify the second-row center seat belt buckle cover, install a new warning label to the second-row seat support base, and provide a new warning label insert for the owner's manual, free of charge. The recall began September 1, 2020. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-20-004.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE · ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) · FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport vehicles equipped with a Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system and 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Eclipse Cross vehicles and 2017-2018 Outlander vehicles equipped with an Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system and/or an Electric Parking Brake (EPB) system. The software for the Hydraulic Unit Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may be incorrect, possibly preventing the intervention of a safety system such as automatic emergency braking, Anti-lock Braking (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), or the Brake Auto Hold (BAH) function when any of these systems are in use.
Risk: If the safety systems do not function as intended, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will update the Hydraulic Unit-ECU software, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-008.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE · FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE:SOFTWARE:PEDESTRIAN/CYCLIST/OBJECT/OBSTACLE/ RECOGNITION
Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Outlander Sport, 2018-2019 Eclipse Cross, and 2017-2018 Outlander vehicles equipped with a Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system that detects pedestrians. Due to incorrect software, the FCM-ECU (Electronic Control Unit) may apply braking for longer than needed, even after a pedestrian is no longer detected.
Risk: If the FCM-ECU software activates the brake for longer than necessary, the driver may react by applying additional braking. The resulting rapid deceleration of the vehicle can increase the risk of a rear-end collision.
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the FCM-ECU software with updated software, free of charge. The recall is began October 16, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-007.
NHTSA defect investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after Marc…
Recent 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Phev complaints
Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
- Filed Sep 3, 202032,000 miCAFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion
While driving my vehicle, the propulsion reduced warning light came on and the car went from 70 mph to 10 mph. I was driving up a grade in the late evening. I had a full tank of gas but no miles left on the electric charge indicator. After i pulled over and waited a few minutes the light went off and i was able to drive the vehicle home. I took it to the dealership the next day. The dealership was not able to find the problem and insisted i come get the car. It is not safe…
NHTSA complaint #11352950 · source - Filed Aug 8, 20208,500 miAZOther / Unknown
Call volume is set for 11 and can't be heard over common road noise. This causes distracted driving as the driver attempts to turn off bluetooth or worse to transfer the call to the phone - which is illegal in most states requiring hands free calls. This is a long known problem and was supposed to be fixed in earlier models. It still isn't. Dealers can't do anything. Yet i can't crank the music up volume without issue. This typically occurs when the vehicle is in motion on…
NHTSA complaint #11344067 · source - Filed Jun 30, 202010,000 miCAAcceleration & Cruise Control
The vehicle slowed down to 20 mph when the outside air temperature was near 95 deg f and the road slightly uphill. A message came on the dashboard that read limited propulsion. It happened on i-15 on the way to vegas last september. I filed a complaint with bbb and the answer i got from mitsubishi was that it is designed that way. I have a copy of the mitsubishi manual stating that. I wrote letters with no action. This already happened twice. I am afraid to drive the car in…
NHTSA complaint #11331865 · source - Filed Feb 25, 202026,535 miWAAcceleration & Cruise Control
Tl* the contact owns a 2018 mitsubishi outlander. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the vehicle failed to shift into park. The contact was able to shift the vehicle into other gears however, the vehicle failure to shift into park persisted. The contact turned the vehicle off and restarted the vehicle however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure.…
NHTSA complaint #11311361 · source
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Other 2018 Mitsubishi models
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 11, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology