2004 Mitsubishi Outlander Problems, Recalls & Reliability
73 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 30/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Suspension leads the reports, typically around 115,742 miles.
Typical
Where 2004 sits among all Outlander years
What owners report
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 49 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 69,156 miles. Half of those reports fall between 35,000 and 141,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 Lancer, 2004 Lancer Wagon, 2003-2006 Lancer Evolution, 2003-2006 Outlander and 2007-2013 Outlander V-6 vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut,…
Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front cross members. Depending on the level of existing corrosion, either a sealing/anti-corrosion agent will be applied or the front cross…
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET…
Fix: MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL CURRENT 2000-2004…
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH DEALER-INSTALLED TRAILER HITCH WIRING HARNESS AND CONTROL MODULE. THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE CAN OVERHEAT.
Fix: OWNERS ARE BEING REQUESTED TO STOP USING THE HARNESS UNTIL A NEWLY DESIGNED REPLACEMENT IS PROVIDED AND CAN BE INSTALLED BY THE DEALER. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 28, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT…
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES LOCATED IN THE CARIBBEAN, DUE TO A SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING ERROR IN THE ELECTRONIC TIMING AND CONTROL SYSTEM (ETACS), WHILE USING THE INTERMITTENT WIPER MODE, THE INTERMITTENT WIPER SWEEP TIME INTERVAL MAY INCREASE AS MUCH AS…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ETACS MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 14, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-800-981-0452.
Technical service bulletins
56 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2004 Outlander TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander reliable?
The 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander drew 73 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 30/100, scored against the model's worst year (2022).
What are the most common 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander problems?
The top reported problems for the 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander are suspension (20 complaints), engine (8), and electrical (8).
At what mileage do 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander problems show up?
Owners most often report 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander problems around 69,156 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 35,000 and 141,000 miles.
Does the 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
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.