Mitsubishi I-Miev Recalls

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV has 17 recalls covering 2010 through 2017, with the most serious being a passenger frontal airbag inflator defect on 2012-2014 and 2016-2017 models where the inflator can rupture and send metal fragments into the cabin, posing a risk of serious injury or death.

The Takata-style inflator rupture issue spans most of the production run and represents the highest-severity concern across these vehicles. Separately from the rupture risk, 2012 and 2016 models also have a related concern where long-term heat and humidity exposure can degrade the airbag propellant, causing the passenger airbag to deploy with more force than intended. The 2012 model year carries additional airbag concerns: impact sensors with elevated electrical resistance can cause the airbag warning light to illuminate and may prevent side, curtain, and front airbags from deploying in a crash. Prior repair attempts on the sensor-software incompatibility issue did not fully resolve the problem across all affected 2012 vehicles.

The brake vacuum pump is a recurring issue across nearly the entire production span. On 2012-2017 vehicles, water can enter the pump, corrode it, and cause it to fail, leaving the driver with a noticeably harder brake pedal and longer stopping distances. The 2010-2014 range has an overlapping concern where software faults or road salt corrosion can also disable the pump. The 2012 model year alone is the subject of multiple brake pump filings covering manufacturing defects and software faults that produce the same result: reduced braking assist and extended stopping distances.

The 2013 model year has two additional concerns. The high-voltage battery can develop internal shorts or current leaks that reduce power, trigger the EV system warning light, cut drive power, and in more serious cases cause thermal damage to battery cells and surrounding components, raising the risk of fire. There is also a steering shaft bracket that may have been incorrectly welded, which can affect how the steering column behaves in a crash and raise the risk of driver injury.