These Are The Mitsubishi Outlander Years To Avoid

In the late 90s, crossover SUVs became a new automotive genre, with popular examples like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and a few years later with the Subaru Outback, among many others. Even premium brands like Lexus and BMW were getting in on the trend with their luxury crossovers. One automaker entered the fray a bit later than its Japanese rivals, with the US launch of the 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander. Over the last few decades, not only has the Outlander grown in size, but its sales experienced an upward climb, leading to a record year of 45,253 units sold in 2024, per GoodCarBadCar.net.

Mitsubishi's crossover SUV is known for ergonomics, cargo space, and value. We recently got an opportunity to test out the 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, and noted how nimble it is for a 7-passenger vehicle but weren't as crazy about the Nissan influence in its design.

However, if you're in the market for a used Outlander there are a few select years that experienced unusually high complaints, making them a potential hassle for buyers. The model years to avoid are 2014, 2016, and 2018 for issues like CVT transmission failure, malfunctioning climate control, and premature brake pad wear.

Climate control is one of those features that get zero attention, until it stops working properly. Modern automotive air conditioning systems include several components such as a compressor, condenser, and evaporator, among many others, in order to distribute cooler air. The compressor is an especially vital part of the process, as it starts the conversion of the gas-based refrigerant, into a liquid form by compacting it.

Unfortunately, many owners of the 2014 Outlander have reported their climate control system failed due to a faulty pressure switch or the compressor outright breaking down. According to JD Power, on average you can spend well over $1000 to replace the compressor once you add the part cost and labor together. 

While most often the complaints mention the compressor, some drivers have also encountered problems with the condenser as well. For others, the issue required more substantial repairs, with one owner reporting a total of $4,406 to restore their air conditioning system. Of course, there can be a variety of reasons why your car's AC isn't blowing cold, but one driver, after receiving a replacement compressor was told, the 2014 Outlander's problems are due to an unfortunate design.

There are many different automatic transmission types, but one, the continuously variable transmission (CVT), has been utilized in several vehicles in recent years. In simple terms, a CVT doesn't have fixed gears, instead it uses tapered pulleys and a steel belt to offer an ever-adjusting number of variations. 

However, the Outlander had a troubled period marred by reports of the vehicle hesitating when accelerating, and outright failure of the transmission, requiring replacement. The automaker issued a massive recall in 2016 that affected over 82,000 models including the Outlander. According to Mitsubishi, the delay when applying pressure to the gas pedal had to do with a malfunctioning CVT control unit that required dealer modification of the software to fix.

Unfortunately, many owners have expressed their transmission failed well under 100,000 miles, and some at just around 42,000 in mileage. Those drivers not covered under warranty disclosed they were charged between $7,000 and $11,000 for a new transmission.

While owners weren't specific about the cause of the breakdowns, there are some likely culprits responsible. One mechanic familiar with 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander CVTs explained, that in terms of failure, he often finds the belt has snapped or the bearing has broken. However, he has also seen many cases of CVT trouble caused by things like using incorrect fluids, and not replacing the filters. In addition to regular maintenance, there are several bad habits to avoid for extending the life of your car's CVT transmission.

Brake pads are an essential component which enables your vehicle to come to a safe and controlled stop. While brake pad materials vary in terms of differences and benefits, they typically need to be replaced around every 30,000 miles for city drivers and around 80,000 for highway commuters as the pads gradually breakdown.

Unfortunately for the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander, owners reported the pads grinding down in just 12,000 miles, in some cases. Other drivers lamented the frequency of brake pad replacement, as one explained the pads wore out within 3 months, and another was on their second set of pads within a period of 8 months.

In addition to the cost of new brake pads, which Repairpal.com lists at an average of $200 up to $228, worn pads also cause performance issues. One owner explained that it requires far too long to stop, due to poor brakes. Taking longer to come to a full stop is one of the signs you might need new brake pads.

One potential cause for this premature wear, could be due to a stuck slide or guide pin, which is what's responsible for aligning the brake calipers to the rotors. If the slide pin isn't able to move freely, it can cause not only uneven wear, but could become locked in a position where the pad is pressing against the rotor continually, causing rapid deterioration of the brake pad material.