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2005 Mitsubishi LancerProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 24 owner complaints about the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-569 the manufacturer reports only 11% of affected cars repaired.

2005 Mitsubishi Lancer
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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 11%Owner complaints245 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage75kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 24, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer has problems

24 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags103
Electrical system20
Service brakes, hydraulic20
Structure20
Suspension20
Vehicle speed control20
Engine10
Steering10
Wheels10
4 other systems40

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2005 Mitsubishi Lancer recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

40%repaired · 2019 Q3

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 18V-220 · Apr 5, 2018 · 17,120 vehicles · 6,777 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

11%repaired · 2019 Q1

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 17V-569 · Sep 14, 2017 · 66,001 vehicles · 7,434 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

17%repaired · 2018 Q2

Control arm: lower arm

Recall 16V-458 · Jun 23, 2016 · 194,674 vehicles · 32,605 repaired

Risk. A detached front control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mitsubishi.

Best & worst years

2005 vs. every other Lancer year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Lancer median. How we score

'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2005 Mitsubishi Lancer safety ratings

2005 Mitsubishi Lancer 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2005 Mitsubishi Lancer frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2005 Mitsubishi Lancer side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA15001 · still open
    Led to recall 14V-668
  2. Air Bag Inflator RupturePE14016 · closed Mar 2, 2015
    Led to recall 14V-428
In owners' words

What Lancer owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I SOLD THIS CAR LAST JULY 2018 THROUGH A TRADE-IN. PLEASE STOP SENDING ME ALL OF THESE HORRIFYING REMINDERS. IT IS NOT APPRECIATED. PLEASE REMOVE MY NAME AND ADDRESS FROM ALL MAILING LISTS. I DID NOT GET IT DONE WHEN I OWNED THE CAR AS THE DEALERSHIP WAS QUITE A DRIVE AND I COULD NOT DROP IT OFF.…
Complaint 11195712 · Apr 11, 2019
RECEIVED NOTICE OF A RECALL ON THE PASS. SIDE AIRBAG. CALLED LOCAL DEALER, OUT OF BUSINESS (GREENVILLE MITSUBISHI). NEXT CLOSEST DEALER IS 2 COUNTIES AWAY (DON HERRING MITSUBISHI PLANO), SPOKE TO BENNY. SAID IT'S A 5-HOUR REPAIR AND THEY ARE OPEN ON SATURDAY, BUT WILL NOT PERFORM THE RECALL ON…
Complaint 11071829 · Feb 8, 2018
I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE BY MAIL FROM MITSUBISHI MOTORS SALES OF CARIBBEAN ON JUNE, I CALL TO A DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAVE TO WAIT MY TURN AND TO WAIT THE INFLATOR TO BE AVAILABLE, WE ARE IN AUGUST AND STILL NO NOTICE, I CALL THEM TODAY AND THEY TOLD ME I HAVE TO WAIT MY TURN, I…
Complaint 10747461 · Aug 10, 2015 · 151,042 miles

Own a 2005 Lancer?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.