2016 Mitsubishi Lancer Problems, Recalls & Reliability

40 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 12/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports.

One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.

40Complaints
12/100Trouble index
2Recalls

Better year

Where 2016 sits among all Lancer years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Transmission & drivetrain 21 complaints (53%)
Electrical 4 complaints (10%)
Speed control 4 complaints (10%)
Other 3 complaints (8%)
Engine 3 complaints (8%)
Body & structure 2 complaints (5%)

Recalls (2)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 17V609000 2017

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…

Fix: 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…

POWER TRAIN 16V563000 2016

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…

Fix: 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…

Federal defect investigations

Electrical overstress EA19001 opened 2019, closed 2024

Led to recall campaign 20V024.

Technical service bulletins

66 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and electrical — are on file for the 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2016 Lancer TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2017peak 8 in 20212026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer reliable?

The 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer drew 40 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 12/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).

What are the most common 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer problems?

The top reported problems for the 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer are transmission & drivetrain (21 complaints), electrical (4), and speed control (4).

Does the 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer have recalls?

2 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.