How many miles can a Japan-made Mitsubishi Outlander last? When you’re in the market for a new or second-hand Outlander, that’s a very reasonable question. After all, you’re probably looking to get the most bang for your buck. In this blog, we’ll look at this question in great detail but first, let’s start with a quick answer:
On average, a Mitsubishi Outlander lasts between 200.000 – 220.000 miles. An Outlander needs to go to the garage for unscheduled repairs about 0.26 times per year, with an 11% chance of the problem being severe. Furthermore, Mitsubishi Outlander owners spend an average of $519 per year on repair costs.
Having said that, we’re certainly not done. Below we’ll explain in more detail how many miles a Mitsubishi Outlander can last. After that, we’ll also show you how much an Outlander costs annually and which production years are the most and least expensive. Furthermore, we also discuss the common problems that the car can have. Read on!
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How Many Miles Can A Mitsubishi Outlander Last?
With our first reliability test, we see how many miles the Outlander can last, and to find out, we looked into the Autotraders’ database and found a sample size of 1550 Outlanders. Of all 1550 Outlanders listed on Autotrader for sale, 3.22% had crossed the 150k mile mark.
We expect reliable cars to have more than 3% with 150k+ miles on them; if we get a number lower than 3 – 5%, then it means that the vehicle is not reliable. In the case of the Mitsubishi Outlander, we have a number exceeding the minimum requirement of 3%.
On average, the maximum number of miles turns out to be 250k, which again is very promising and puts this SUV in quite a good standing. But, we can’t just decide that it’s a reliable SUV while looking at only one type of data; we have much more to analyze to determine if it’s a reliable SUV you should buy.
| Amount Of Miles | Percentage Of Cars |
| Cars With 150.000+ | 3.22% |
| Cars With 100.000 – 149.000 | 11.81% |
| Cars With 45.000 – 99.999 | 60.26% |
| Cars With 0 – 44.999 | 24.73% |
The thing to be noted here is that 60.26% of the vehicles listed for sale didn’t cross 100k miles, and they lie between 45k-100k miles. This particular point suggests that the owners mainly sell their SUVs after they cross 45k miles. Is it because they are unreliable, and most start having problems after 45k miles?
Don’t worry; we have a rigorous testing procedure that ensures our readers know whether the Outlander is a smart buy.
How Reliable Is A Mitsubishi Outlander Compared To Its Competitors?
We can see the Mitsubishi Outlander’s limits compared to its rivals. Having competition is always healthy; it clarifies the weaknesses and strengths of each competitor. Looking at the maximum mileage that Outlanders have driven can give us a good idea of how reliable an SUV is.
When we compare the Outlander to its main competitors, we see that most competitors can achieve higher mileage. They have a higher percentage of cars for sale that have crossed the 150.000 miles mark. Furthermore, they also have examples of units that have driven well over 300.000 miles, whereas this is not the case for the Outlander.
| Model | Sample Size | Cars With 150.000+ Miles | % Percentage Of Cars With 150.000+ | Highest Mileage |
| Mitsubishi Outlander | 1.550 | 50 | 3.22% | 257.000 |
| Chevy Traverse | 10.876 | 564 | 5.18% | 367.000 |
| Toyota Highlander | 12.777 | 971 | 7.60% | 329.000 |
| Ford Explorer | 22.876 | 1158 | 5.06% | 397.000 |
| Honda Pilot | 10.095 | 987 | 9.78% | 376.000 |
| GMC Acadia | 10.499 | 585 | 5.57% | 266.000 |
| Chevrolet Blazer | 5.014 | 93 | 1,85% | 250.000 |
According to our data analysis, the Outlander didn’t do so well against its competitors. Many SUVs turn out to be much better than a Mitsubishi Outlander. Even Ford, notorious for problems, has received better ratings on our tests. This shows how bad the Mitsubishi Outlander is. But is it that bad? Well, we have many more tests before we can give the final verdict.
How Reliable Is A Mitsubishi Outlander Compared To Other Mitsubishis?
The next test on our list is the comparison of reliability with its brethren versus other Mitsubishis. While going through the data, we have realized that the Outlander has been achieving high miles, i.e., 250k, which would have been suitable for a regular sedan, but it’s not satisfactory for an SUV.
SUVs are supposed to have more than 5% crossing the 150k mile mark, which the Outlander failed to do. Furthermore, as shown in the table below, Mitsubishis don’t seem to achieve very high mileage that often. Many of them only have units that have completed a mileage of 200.000 miles or lower, which isn’t great.
| Model | Sample Size | Cars With 150.000+ Miles | % Percentage Of Cars With 150.000+ | Highest Mileage |
| Mitsubishi Outlander | 1550 | 50 | 3.22% | 250.000 |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 176 | 35 | 19,89% | 260.000 |
| Mitsubishi Mirage | 1.524 | 6 | 0,39% | 175.000 |
| Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution | 120 | 4 | 3.33% | 160.000 |
| Mitsubishi Galant | 107 | 39 | 36,45% | 240.000 |
| Mitsubishi 3000GT | 29 | 24 | 17.24% | 230.000 |
How Much Does Maintenance Cost Per Year?
Knowing how much you would be spending on maintenance every year is valuable because you don’t want to buy an SUV that costs you a fortune to maintain. It’s better to go for a reliable SUV and less expensive to maintain.
The average maintenance cost for an Outlander is $519, which is very good compared to some of its competitors. So we can say overall, the Outlander would be a good choice in terms of the price, but it lacks in other factors.
| Model Year | Annual Maintenance Cost |
| 2010 | $545 |
| 2011 | $563 |
| 2012 | $553 |
| 2013 | $610 |
| 2014 | $599 |
| 2015 | $476 |
| 2016 | $471 |
| 2017 | $364 |
| 2018 | $459 |
| 2019 | $352 |
| 2020 | $285 |
| 2022 | $243 |
Owners’ Reviews Of The Outlander’s Reliability
Besides knowing all the data, it’s, of course, also essential to see how owners experience the outlander. For this, we went to Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, and Truecar.com. All three platforms have gathered hundreds of reviews from actual car owners. We summarized our findings in the image below.
We found that the current generation of the Mitsubishi Outlander (the model year 2022 and onwards) isn’t deemed all that reliable by owners. Overall, this generation of the Outlander gets a 3.7 – 4 star rating out of 5 on most platforms. Owners complain about the car having multiple problems that all relate to low build quality and poor quality control.
However, if you’re in the market for a third-generation Outlander (2013 – 2021), then you’re in luck. This generation was rated much higher and continuously got 4.5 / 5 stars on most websites. However, we have to say that these positive reviews were mainly about the 2017 – 2020 model years; the earlier ones did have quite some problems. However, regarding the 2017 – 2020 ones, owners’ simply loved everything about this car, from its fuel economy to its design and the fact that it didn’t have many significant problems. We do consider this generation to be reliable.
I bought the 2022 Outlander SEL Touring. Everything about it was great – interior design, comfort, smooth ride, nice pickup for a small SUV. But then a wheel baring cracked. I started hearing a “clicking” noise every time I turned the steering wheel.
Now it is sitting in my local service department waiting on a part that won’t come in until end of January 2022 (the writing of this review is November 2021). Very disappointed that a brand new car would already have problems.
Source
Mitsubishi Outlander Common Problems
On top of knowing how many miles it can last, it’s essential to understand the problems that cause them not to cross the high mileage numbers we hoped for them to cross. The most common issues Mitsubushi Outlander faces are given below. However, it’s essential to be aware that some models have many more problems, and if you’re in the market for a specific model year, it’s worth looking into this.
Fuel Pump Failure
Model years: 2022
Mitsubishi recalled more than 16,000 units of the Outlander because the commutator and wires inside the fuel pump were fused incorrectly, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail. Fuel pump failure results in complete stalling of the engine, which is one of the reasons many owners have complained about this first model in the new generation.
Fluttering Hood
Model years: 2022
Many owners of the 2022 model year of the Outlander experienced the hood vibrating heavily while driving at higher speeds. This problem occurred immediately after driving the car off the lot and caused a lot of stress for owners, as a suddenly opening hood can result in a crash at higher speeds.
This problem is so widespread that Mitsubishi issued a technical service bulletin in which they advised to adjust the hood latch and bumper stops and replace the hood’s weather stripping. However, this did not fix the problem, and, at this point, a class-action lawsuit has started.
Overheating Engine
Model years: 2015 – 2017
Mitsubishi recalled almost all 2015 – 2017 Outlanders because of defective relays (17V609000). These relays would cause engine stalling and overheating, resulting in significant engine damage and hazardous situations if not dealt with effectively. The recall involved replacing the defective relays, which did fix the problem.
The Automatic Transmission Fails
Model years: 2003 – 2016
It’s been a prevalent problem since its release and has been reported in models until 2016. And it’s most probably going to occur in the later models.
The issue is so severe that you would have to replace the whole transmission or a complete overhaul if that helps. Transmission works are super expensive and would cost you around $3000, you might be able to get a used one and save some bucks, but the thing is that those used ones are also coming from the exact vehicle with the same issue.
Also read: Mitsubishi Outlander Transmissions: Overview And Problems
Failed Resistor Would Affect The Blower Motor
Model years: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015
If the blower motor of the A/C is going haywire and doesn’t work right, most probably you are having a resistor problem which is very common and occurs in models up to 2015. In the later models, it hasn’t been reported yet. The replacement cost for the resistor isn’t much, but if the problem lies with the blower motor itself, you would have to spend about $250.
A/C Not Cooling
Model years: 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015
If you have the refrigerant on full, there is no problem with the compressor, and everything else seems fine, then you are having a common problem that arises due to a failed switch. The diagnosis of this problem will cost you around $60, and the switch itself won’t be that expensive.
Engine Overheating In Older Models
Model years: 2003 – 2005
This is also one commonly occurring problem many Outlander owners have faced. The culprit behind this issue is a failed controller that is supposed to control the cooling fan, which it no longer does. The diagnosis for this problem will cost you about $70, and sometimes even when the switch is replaced, the problem might still occur. That’s just how it is and is one of the reasons why the Mitsubishis are being sold right after the warranty expiration.
Temperature Knob Wouldn’t Turn
Model years: 2003 – 2007
This is one of the common problems in the Outlander; it’s not because the knob has some issue; it’s mainly because the internal components have worn out, and now they can’t move anymore, namely, the air blend door. If you replace the blend, it will start moving again, and you can change the settings as you like. The diagnosis would cost you around $70, and the replacement of the air blend costs around $400.
Is a Mitsubishi Outlander A Smart Buy?
Compared with the competitors and other Mitsubishis, we found out that although Outlander is not that bad of a choice, the competitors are offering better, so much so that Outlander seems not to be a very good choice. If we look at the value depreciation of the Outlander, it comes out to be more than 50% after five years.
Considering the depreciation, the Outlander could be a good choice if you can find some well-maintained, low mile, and with a lower price tag. In this case, we advise you to go with a 2017 – 2020 model year. These model years have received barely any complaints, and almost no recalls, whereas earlier and later versions are much more problematic. However, if you are looking at something reliable and of good value, the Outlander, as a general rule, is not cut out for it. The competitors are offering much more than this.
Mitsubishi Outlander Maintenance Schedule
It’s essential to know your vehicle’s maintenance schedule to ensure that it remains healthy and no problem arises that will cost you a lot of dollars. Significant repairs are avoided by regular maintenance.
Also read: Types Of Gas A Mitsubishi Outlander Takes (All Generations)
Before/On Every 7,000 Miles
- Change the engine oil
- Change the oil filter
Before/On Every 15,000 Miles
- Inspects the brake rotors
- Inspect the brake pads
- Check for any leaks
- Inspect the driveshaft boots to see if there is any grease leak or damage
Before/On Every 20,000 Miles
- Check the fuel hoses
- Replace the air cleaner filter
- Relevel the rear axle oil
- Check the transfer oil level
- Check the brake hoses for any leaks
- Inspect the coolant hoses for any leaks
- Check the exhaust system
- Inspect the suspension components for any damage
- Check for any clogs or leaks in the PCV system and the EGR valve
Before/On Every 40,000 Miles
- Check the transmission fluid level
- Check the drive belt condition
- Inspect the rear brakes and the rear wheel
- Inspect the ball joints for any damage
- Check for any oil leaks
- Check the electronics for any short circuits
Before/On Every 60,000 Miles
- Inspect the spark plugs and replace them if necessary
- Inspect the ignition coils and replace them if necessary
- Inspect the fuel injectors and replace them if necessary
- Inspect the fuel line for any leak
- Check the fuel pump
- Have a complete engine diagnosis to check for any misfiring cylinder
- Inspect the wiring harness of the ignition system
Sources
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!