2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
45 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 45 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 3.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
While driving the vehicle the headlights will turn off at random intervals. The passenger side rear tail light is out and remains out despite changing the bulb. Water leaks through a gap in the body into the light and the trunk. Headlights need to be reliable in order to ensure safety and visibility, especially at night and during inclement weather. My father is a retired auto mechanic and has been doing his best to…
I got a service needed warning for the electric power steering and I lost all power steering... As it turned out, the rack and pinion was bad because the subframe rotted out where the rack and pinion mounts up and a custom built subframe and rack and pinion had to be installed on the car at a cost of almost $5,000...
The contact owns a 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer. The contact stated that while having the vehicle inspected, the front crossmember was corroded. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000. Consumer called the local dealer back for an estimate, part to be replaced and was given $1150.19. Dealer would get t…
Recalls: 3 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 14V562000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys | Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Lancer, Lancer Evolution, and Outlander; 2009-2011 Lancer Sportback, Lancer Rilliart, and Lancer Sportback Ralliart; and 2011 Outlander Sport vehicles. |
| 13V446000 | Power Train:Manual Transmission | Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Lancer Evolution vehicles manufactured from December 12, 2007, through March 5, 2013. |
| 15V233000 | Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Fan/Motor | Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Lancer vehicles manufactured March 16, 2009, to March 30, 2011, 2010-2011 Lancer Sportback vehicles manufactured June 17, 2009, to December 1, 2010, 2010-2011 Lancer Evolution vehicles manufactured July 14, 2009, to January 7, 2011, 2009-2011 Outlander vehicles… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 19 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $4,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Power Train13 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine8 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System6 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Structure4 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Unknown Or Other4 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Seat Belts4 complaints · typical job: Pretensioner or retractor replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$800
Other Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution years
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Power Train (13 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 77/100, computed from 45 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution's most common problem?
13 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution sit in the Power Train group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is transmission service or clutch-pack repair: about 7.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,290–$4,040 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution cost to run per year?
About $6,647 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $33,235 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 12/09/2014. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compacts of about the same age.
What will a 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 45 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 45 NHTSA complaints on record (3.0/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (1.8/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality