Summary
The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport has 19 recalls spanning 2011 through 2022, with the most serious recent issue being a software error in the continuously variable transmission on 2019-2022 models with CVT and mechanical key ignition that can incorrectly reduce the gear ratio at high speeds and stall the engine without warning. A defective relay on 2015-2016 models can also cause an engine stall, reduced power, or overheating, all of which raise the risk of a crash.
On the structural side, 2013-2015 models have a front control arm that can detach from the vehicle, causing sudden loss of steering and directional control. The front suspension on some 2013 models has a stabilizer link bracket that was poorly welded and can break free, damaging the tire or brake hose and making the vehicle harder to steer or stop. The 2015 model with a 2.0L engine and CVT has a transmission cooler hose that can work loose, leak fluid, and leave the transmission unable to function.
Seat and occupant protection issues cover several years: 2013-2015 models have a front passenger seatbelt lap anchor bolt that can loosen over time and fail to hold the occupant in a crash, and 2013 leather-seat models have driver-side airbag wiring that can be pinched by the seat height adjuster, disabling the airbag system. Brake lights on some 2013 models can fail to illuminate when the driver slows down, leaving following traffic without warning, and 2013 all-wheel-drive models may have been assembled without a fuel gauge sender wire for the secondary tank, causing the gauge to read full when the tank is actually empty and the engine to stall.
The parking brake corrodes and can fail to fully engage or release on 2013-2016 models, with a separate filing covering the same caliper corrosion issue specifically on 2016 vehicles. The CVT on 2015-2016 models can hesitate when the driver accelerates, and the 2011 model has a brake booster switch sleeve that can crack and prevent the pedal from returning to its rest position. The panoramic glass roof on 2011 models can separate from the vehicle and become a road hazard because primer was not applied before the adhesive during assembly.
Going further back, windshield wiper failures affect a wide range of production years: water entering near the hood can corrode the wiper motor on 2011-2015 vehicles or separate the wiper linkage on 2011-2016 models, either way leaving the driver without wipers in wet conditions. The liftgate gas struts on 2011-2012 and 2016 models can corrode and lose pressure suddenly, causing the hatch to drop without warning. A 2012 model turn signal can continue flashing after a lane change when the auto-cancel function should have stopped it. The 2011 model has an unrelated compliance issue involving incorrect VIN certification labels.
