2012 Mitsubishi Outlander: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
36 NHTSA owner complaints · 6 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2015, 2016 and 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander, which have 234, 169 and 212 complaints and scores of 38, 34 and 34. Buy a 2011 to 2014 car, which score 79 to 88 on between 36 and 88 complaints, or a 2017 to 2020 car, which score 76 to 85 on between 29 and 55. Read the full note on the model page. 2012 specifically: a year the record favours — 36 complaints, score 88/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Mitsubishi Outlander and Outlander Sport: the years to avoid, including 2012 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 36 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 2.57
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
My Mitsubishi vehicle has an open recall related to a drive belt issue. Mitsubishi confirmed the recall, but the company have not completed the repair or scheduled an appointment, even after several attempts to contact them. The vehicle has stalled multiple times while driving, including on city roads. When it stalls, the check engine light comes on, and the car loses all power. I have to restart it to keep driving.…
The vehicle has extreme rust and corrosion. Car was service under the manufacturer recall on [XXX] 2020. The subframe crossmember has rusted so bad that it is a safety hazard. On my paperwork from the dealership it stated that anti-corrosion aerosol was applied with NOX RUST 712AM. It also stated that the recall passed inspection. How is that possible and it's falling apart. The dealership it was taken to was S…
The car's airbag system service required came on without any incidents to the car. It used to be on and off but now, it is consistently on. The seat detect very lightweight things like a book or a bag and gives the warning of seatbelt not on. The airbag system and the pressure sensor of the passenger seat is faulty. With this warning, airbags will not deploy. I saw multiple incidents with other Mitsubishi Outlander …
Recalls: 6 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 20V279000 | Structure:Frame And Members | Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2008-2010 Lancer, 2009-2010 Lancer Sportback, 2008-2013 Outlander, and 2011-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,… |
| 17V461000 | Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor | Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2007-2013 Outlander vehicles. |
| 16V458000 | Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Arm | Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2002-2007 Lancer, 2004 Lancer Wagon, 2003-2006 Lancer Evolution, 2003-2006 Outlander and 2007-2013 Outlander V-6 vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,… |
| 14V366000 | Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections | Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2013 Outlander vehicles equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission. |
| 18V069000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys | Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Lancer, 2008-2012 Outlander, 2010-2012 Lancer Sportback, and 2011-2012 Outlander Sport vehicles equipped with either a 4B11 or 4B12 engine. |
| 16V791000 | Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Linkages | Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2007-2013 Outlander vehicles manufactured September 8, 2006, to March 29, 2013. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV 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 25 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,450
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.
- Air Bags8 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Power Train7 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine5 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Suspension5 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Visibility/Wiper5 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Electrical System4 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
Other Mitsubishi Outlander years
Mitsubishi Outlander years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (8 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 88/100, computed from 36 NHTSA complaints and 6 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander's most common problem?
8 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 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 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander cost to run per year?
About $4,918 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $24,590 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 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 18/05/2020. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander 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 — 36 complaints, 6 recalls on record
- 36 NHTSA complaints on record (2.6/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (6.4/yr)
- 6 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