Model year record
2013 Mitsubishi Lancer recalls & problems
The 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 5 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is power train (2 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2013 Mitsubishi Lancer 4 DR FWD
| Frontal crash | ★★★★★ |
|---|---|
| Side crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover risk | 12.1% |
2013 Mitsubishi Lancer 4 DR AWD
| Frontal crash | ★★★★★ |
|---|---|
| Side crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover risk | 12.1% |
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Lancer
| City / highway | 24 / 33 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
2 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,400/year to fuel
Lancer
| City / highway | 25 / 33 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
2 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (AV-S6) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,400/year to fuel
Lancer
| City / highway | 23 / 30 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
2.4 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (AV-S6) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,600/year to fuel
Lancer
| City / highway | 22 / 30 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
2.4 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,700/year to fuel
Lancer AWD
| City / highway | 22 / 28 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
2.4 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (AV-S6) · All-Wheel Drive · about $2,700/year to fuel
Lancer
| City / highway | 18 / 25 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
2 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (AM6) · All-Wheel Drive · about $4,100/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 2 | — |
| Engine | 2 | — |
| Unknown or other | 2 | — |
| Air bags | 1 | — |
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 1 | — |
| Service brakes | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Service brakes
MASTER CYLINDER CLUTCH IS FAULTY CAUSING THE PROBLEMS IN SHIFTING OUT OF PARK. AN ARTICLE ONLINE STATED THERE WAS A RECALL FROM 2008-2013 REGARDING THIS ISSUE. WHY IS MY VIN NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. PER WEB ARTICLE RETRIEVED 06/10/2020 : HTTPS://WWW.EDMUNDS.COM/CAR-NEWS/2008-13-MITSUBISHI-LANCER-EVOLUTION-RECALLED-BECAUSE-CLUTCH-MASTER-CYLINDER-CAN-FAIL.HTML, WRITTEN BY [XXX] 10/28/2013 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
- Unknown or other
VEHICLE HAS OVERHEATED ON THE HIGHWAY,. ONCE IT DID TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY MORE OFTEN, EVEN THOUGH THE BATTERIES WERE STILL GOOD. THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH DIAGNOSTIC CODE P0420, IT SEEMS TO BE THE CATALYST CONVERTER AND 02 SENSORS IN TAKE AND OUT TAKE. WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON THE VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD CLICKING NOISE AND SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE TURNS OFF. WHEN I REVERSE, THE VEHICLE ALSO TURNS OFF.
- Engine
WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP CAR HAS SEVERE HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING AND SHIFTING. ITS EVEN WORSE WHEN THE A/C IS RUNNING. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES TO BE TOLD ITS THE TYPE OF TRANSMISSION IT IS (CVT). I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE CASE WHEN A PERSON ON A BICYCLE CAN TAKE OFF AT A RED LIGHT FASTER THEN MY CAR I KNOW THERE ID A PROBLEM. I KNOW THEY RECALLED THE TRANSMISSION ON YEARS PRIOR UP TO 2012 LANCERS BUT THE 2013 HAS THE SAME TRANSMISSION
- Air bags
TAKATA RECALL- ABS LIGHT IS ON PER RECALL IT HAS TO DO WITH AIR BAG INFLATOR IN OTHER MITSUBISHI CARS. ALSO THE STALLS AND SHUTS DOWN AND OVER HEATS. THIS HAS BEEN NOTICED. THIS IS THE TIME IT HAPPENED.
- Power train
ABOUT A MONTH AGO SERVICE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON AND THROWS CODE P1875(DAMPER SPEED SENSOR) . I'VE BEEN TOLD BY MITSUBISHI THERE IS NO FIX FOR THIS OTHER THAN PURCHASING A NEW $15,000 SST TRANSMISSION FROM THEM. THE CAR IS NOT EVEN WORTH THAT MUCH BY NOW. HOW IS IT THAT MITSUBISHI DOES NOT HAVE A FIX FOR THIS ISSUE?
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Electrical overstressClosedLed to recall 20V024
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications.  The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal,…