There are 6 owner-reported suspension complaints for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
SUB FRAME IS BAD ON THE CAR. HAD 3 DIFFERENT MECHANICS LOOK AND STATE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. CALLED MITSUBISHI MOTORS AND DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES NO RESOLUTION...
RUSTED CROSSMEMBER, CONTROL ARMS, BRACES HOLDING THE GAS TANK. SAFETY CONCERNS ABOUT THE RUST UNDERNEATH MY CAR (120K MILES CALIFORNIA VEHICLE) RUST MAY HAVE EATEN THROUGH THE METALS UNDERNEATH MY CAR AND IM SCARED TO DRIVE WITH THESE RUST PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY MIGHT FAIL WHEN IM ON THE FREEWAY WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A BAD ACCIDENT CAUSING MY LIFE AND OTHER PEOPLES LIFE ON THE LINE. I DONT DRIVE MY CAR NO MORE THAN 10 MILES ANYMORE DUE TO THIS RUST PROBLEM. THE PICTURE I PROVIDED DOESNT LOOK THAT BAD BUT LIFTING THE CAR UP IN THE AIR GOING UNDERNEATH WILL GIVE YOU THE IDEA OF HOW BAD IT IS. I HAVE OWNED VEHICLES THAT ARE ALMOST 30 YEARS OLDER THAN THE CURRENT CAR THAT I HAVE AND I HAD NO PROBLEM WITH RUST UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND THIS IS ACTUALLY MY FIRST TIME EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM AND IM WORRIED ABOUT MY SAFETY. I HOPE THIS GETS TAKEN ACTION AND WILL GIVE ME ANY LEADS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.
FAILED NYS INSPECTION DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION AT THE FRONT SUBFRAM UNDER 90,000 MILES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT SUBFRAME EXPERIENCED SEVERE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BIGGERS MITSUBISHI (1325 E CHICAGO ST, ELGIN, IL 60120) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE CORROSION WAS SEVERE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V458000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 94,199.
AS I WAS DRIVING MY CAR TO WORK LAST WEEK A LIGHT CAME ON THAT LOOKS LIKE MY TIRES ARE UNBALANCED..?... THINKING I MIGHT NEED NEW TIRES, I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP ASSURED ME THAT I DID NOT NEED TIRES. I HAD MY OIL CHANGED AND MY TIRES ROTATED INCLUDING A FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND AN INSPECTION. WHEN I STARTED TO DRIVE AWAY FROM THE DEALERSHIP, A LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I TURNED AROUND AND BROUGHT IT RIGHT BACK.THE DEALER PUT MY CAR ON A MACHINE AND TOLD ME THE ISSUE IS "CODE C161E" -INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH AWD CONTROL PUMP AND THIS PART ALONE WOULD COST $2000.00.MY CAR IS A 2009 WITH ONLY 31000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT MY THREE YEAR WARRANTY IS UP HOWEVER I STILL HAVE 5000 MILES. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN WITH SUCH MINIMAL MILES? I DRIVE MY CAR TO WORK AND HOME MOSTLY AND TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT. WHEN I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ONLINE I FOUND MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND HAVE REPORTED THE ISSUE. HOWEVER, NOTHING SEEMS TO BE GETTING RESOLVED EXCEPT BAD FEELINGS. IF THIS IS SUCH A HUGE ISSUE (AS IT SEEMS TO BE ONLINE) WHY DOES MITSUBISHI NOT DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. HOW CAN THEY JUST GET AWAY WITH A MALFUNCTIONING AUTO PART THAT NORMAL EVERYDAY PEOPLE, STILL MAKING CAR PAYMENTS, CAN NOT AFFORD. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE ANYTHING YOU COULD DO TO HELP ME GET THIS ISSUE REPAIRED AS I DO NOT WANT TO GET RID OF MY CAR. I DO NOT FEEL THIS SHOULD BE THE CONSUMERS PROBLEM BUT THE MANUFACTURERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE POLICE AND THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE BALL JOINT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,000.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026