10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
89,000 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #2

Jan 082011

Lancer 4-cyl

  • 64,000 miles
2003 Lancer oz rally, steering column fell down in my lap. Factory said to bad, out of warranty and no recall issued. My local dealer wants 700+ dollars to fix it, this is outrageous the car only has 64,000 miles.

- Costa Mesa, CA, USA

problem #1

Jul 292010

Lancer

  • 114,000 miles
When driving my Lancer either on city or highway, it refuses to shift. The rpms go up, but the car wont accelerate. It actually slows down as if I'm pressing on the brakes (and im not) then out of nowhere the gear will shift and the car lurches forward unexpectedly. It does this all the time. The last time it did it I ran into a car. This is a huge hazard. When I step on the brakes the car almost stops, then jumps forward about 2 feet before actually stopping. This is a horrible thing to do to a driver. The car literally has a mind of it's own and the dealership refuses to do anything about it. I've seen complaints about other owners with the same issue and all of them say that their transmission died completely thus leaving their car permanently motionless. I can't even look forward to getting this fixed...I can only look forward to.....nothing. I can't sell the car nor get a new one because I've spent so much money on this Lancer and nothing fixes it. I was told that it was the brake pads, the transmission fluid, the catalytic converter, the tires, the gas pedal line, and air in the brakes... I had all of these things replace and no cheap costs and it's still not fixed. Please! order Mitsubishi to recall this defective transmission! it should be a crime to sell such a defective and deadly product. Mitsubishi should be investigated! also, when the car's rpms are above 4000, the power steering dies and I cannot turn left or right, thus I lose all control of the vehicle. I've taken it to the henderson nv dealership and they said that there was no type of recall and everything should be fine....I've nearly crashed and probably could have lost my life countless times. Countless. Mitsubishi should be banned from making vehicles in America!

- Las Vegas, NV, USA