2016 Mitsubishi Lancer: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
30 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 30 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.
I bought this vehicle and few weeks later I noticed at a red light. When it turned green i hit the gas. My car took a few seconds, reved and then shot out into the lane. Since then it has had issues over 20 miles and when I stop its a few seconds for the car to accelerate and move which is scary on the road. My 4 sons were horrified! I looked up SR-16-006, after my mechanic said I have exactly everything as the iss…
It’s throwing a P084A code and it feels like the transmission is about to let loose. I bought the car with 30,000 on it in 2016 and it has a hair over 136,000 and ever since I’ve had it it’s always had this transmission lag jerk in it. Very scuttle but you can feel it. Then all of a sudden it just started going into limp mode, hi low hi low rev, jerking and couldn’t get over 30 mph. This looks like a continuous probl…
Recently the transmission has started to shudder when first driving from a stop. It only happens under low acceleration. If you push the accelerator pedel firmly it will not shudder. Wondering if this is a recall about to happen? It started on or about 4/2/2025 but is continuing to happen.
Recalls: 2 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 16V563000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) | Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles and 2016 Outlander and Lancer vehicles. |
| 17V609000 | Electrical System:Starter Assembly:Relay | Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Outlander, 2015-2016 Lancer and Outlander Sport, and 2015 Lancer Evolution 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 30 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,050
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 Train21 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Vehicle Speed Control4 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
- Electrical System4 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other3 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine3 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Structure2 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
Other Mitsubishi Lancer years
Mitsubishi Lancer years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Power Train (21 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 82/100, computed from 30 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer's most common problem?
21 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer 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 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer cost to run per year?
About $4,177 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $20,885 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 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 28/07/2016. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compacts of about the same age.
What will a 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer 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 — 30 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 30 NHTSA complaints on record (3.0/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (2.4/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 1 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