Third generation
2016 Mitsubishi Outlander
The most reported problem on the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander is transmission shudder, with 32 complaints, usually around 86,000 miles.
- 145owner complaints
- 8recalls
- 8involved a crash
- 59,000median miles at failure
Newest report Sep 15, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
What is your Outlander doing?
Each one opens a sheet built from the owner reports of that problem on the 2016 model year.
Is the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander reliable?
The 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander has 145 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, below the median of 248 for 2016 SUVs on this site. Of the 11 Outlander model years since 2014, it has the 2nd most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to the 2017
- At 13 complaints for each year on the road, the 2016 runs 2.6 times the 2017 (5). That's the only adjacent model year with enough complaints to set beside it.
- Top problem
- Transmission shudder leads with 32 of the 145 complaints (22%), ahead of brake wear at 16. A quarter of the 19 owners who gave a mileage for transmission shudder saw it by about 74,000 miles, and half by about 86,000.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 9 of the 145 complaints (6%) report a crash, a fire or an injury, about the 6% typical of vehicles on this site. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 8 reports mention a crash, 1 mentions a fire and 6 people were hurt. The most crash reports, 5 of 8, fall under airbag.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- Transmission shudder, the one problem here with enough reports to check, has a recall on the same system (16V-563). A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2021 at 23 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 4. So far in 2026, 5 more have come in.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard, 32 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
145 complaints is 1.7 times fewer than the median 2016 model on this site and 1.7 times fewer than the median 2016 SUV. Among the 2 Outlander model years here it ranks 2nd for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander
Mitsubishi filed 142 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander. 7 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 3 bulletins · 32 complaints
Service Manual Revision - This Technical Service Bulletin instructs dealers to diagnose and test drive vehicles exhibiting a shudder or surge condition possibly caused by poor reaction of the hydraulic pressure circuit.
This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers directing them to diagnose and test drive customer vehicles with F1CJC/W1CJC (CVT-8) transmissions that may exhibit a shudder or surge condition possibly caused by a poor reaction of the hydraulic pressure ...
1 more on this problem
This is a Technical Service Bulletin, sent to dealers, to provide instructions for diagnosing and test driving vehicles with shudder/surge condition and/or DTC.
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 3 bulletins · 16 complaints
This is a Technical Service Bulletin that was sent to dealers, to inform them that this TSB supersedes TSB-19-35-002, issued January 2019, to update symptoms in the Purpose section, and to remove Outlander PHEV from the Affected Vehicles.
This is a Technical Service Bulletin that was sent to dealers. This bulletin instructs dealers to how to fix a condition of a metallic knocking sound coming from the rear brakes.
1 more on this problem
This is a Technical Information Notice sent to dealers. This notice provides instructions for addressing customer concerns of the brake warning light coming on due to low brake fluid in the brake fluid reservoir and brake fluid is found on the front of the ...
Transmission slips 1 bulletin · 9 complaints
Certain vehicles with F1CJC/W1CJC (CVT-8) transmissions may exhibit a shudder or surge condition possibly caused by poor reaction of the hydraulic pressure circuit.
Complaints filed by year
23 complaints came in 2021. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
Recalls that include the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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 and remedy
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.
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 and remedy
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
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2016 Outlander and Outlander Sport vehicles. The rust prevention coating on the rear brake operating shafts could have been peeled off during the assembly process. As a result, water entering the rear brake caliper boot may cause the parking brake operating shafts to corrode and possibly bind.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear brake caliper assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 4, 2021. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-20-005.
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 and remedy
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.
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Outlander and 2013-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles. Water may enter the rear brake calipers causing the parking brake actuator shafts to corrode and possibly bind.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear brake calipers and replace the parking brake boot and lever or the brake caliper body, as necessary. Dealers will also replace the piston assembly of the rear brake caliper. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 27, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-002.
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Outlander, 2015-2016 Lancer and Outlander Sport, and 2015 Lancer Evolution vehicles. These vehicles may have defective relays that can result in an engine stall, reduced engine power or the engine overheating.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected relays, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2017. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-17-005.
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2016 Outlander and Outlander Sport vehicles. The inside door latch mechanisms may not latch securely in high temperatures, allowing the doors to open while vehicle is in motion.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-17-002.
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles and 2016 Outlander and Lancer vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a constant velocity transmission (CVT) that, in certain driving conditions, may cause a delay in the vehicle accelerating.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: MMNA has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the CVT control unit with modified software, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2016. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-16-006.
All 8 recalls on the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide Buying one used? How to research one car’s history before you pay
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander?
Transmission shudder, with 32 of the 145 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 86,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander problems start?
Of the 90 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 27,000 miles and half by about 59,000.
Is the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander better or worse than the 2017?
Counted per year on the road, the 2016 has more complaints than the 2017: 13 a year against 5.
How many 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
9 of them (6%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for transmission shudder on the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander?
Yes, NHTSA lists a recall on the same system: 16V-563. Its summary says which failure it covers, and that isn't always the one owners describe.