2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER Complaints

View complaints related to 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 150 complaints submitted for the 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER
    - FRENCHTOWN , NJ

    I LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE DUE TO SNOW AND SLUSH OFF A TRACTOR TRAILER HITTING THE BACK END OF MY CAR. THE TRACTOR TRAILER WAS GOING ABOUT 80MPH PAST ME AS I WAS GOING ONLY 60MPH, DUE TO MY CAR BEING FRONT WHEEL DRIVE IT CAUSED ME TO SPIN OUT AND LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. I CROSSED INTO THE LEFT LANE OF TRAFFIC (NOT HITTING ANYONE) AND THEN BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE WHERE I THEN PROCEEDED TO GO OFF THE ROAD DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. I BASHED MY HEAD AGAINST THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW AS I LOST CONTROL, I THEN HIT MY HEAD AGAIN AGAINST THE WINDOW AS THE REAR END OF MY CAR HIT A TREE STOMP. THROUGH HITTING THE TREE STOMP IT CAUSED MY PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY BUT NOT THE DRIVER SIDE, SIDE AIRBAGS. DUE TO THE DRIVER SIDE, SIDE AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING AS I HIT THE TREE STOMP MY HEAD SMACKED AGAINST THE DRIVER WINDOW EXTREMELY HARD AND CAUSED ME TO GET A CONCUSSION. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION
    - GREENVILLE, IN

    I STARTED MY CAR AND THE AWC SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. IT WAS ABOUT 0 DEGREES OUT THAT DAY, WHICH IS A VERY UNUSUAL TEMPERATURE FOR S. INDIANA. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR IT SCREECHED FOR JUST A SECOND AND THEN POPPED UP THE CODE. I RESTARTED THE CAR, JUST AS THE MANUAL HAD SAID AND WHEN I RESTARTED IT THE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CODE READ IT THREW A C161E CODE WHICH IS AN ACD/AYC PROBLEM. AFTER DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH I FOUND OUT ITS A COMMON PROBLEM AND ITS AN EXPENSIVE PROBLEM, ABOUT $2,000+. I CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD MY WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THIS, IT IS NOT PART OF THE POWER TRAIN. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION
    - WINDSOR, CT

    I STARTED MY CAR AND THE AWC SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. I CAME TO A CONTROLLED STOP, AND RESTARTED THE CAR PER THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE VEHICLE MANUAL. UPON RESTART, THE SAME SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER THE DEALER RAN A DIAGNOSTIC, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE PUMP FOR THE ACTIVE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM HAD FAILED. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS PART WAS NOT PART OF THE DRIVE TRAIN AND WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE DAY THE PUMP FAILED IT WAS VERY COLD AND THERE WAS PACKED SNOW ON THE ROADWAYS. IF I WAS DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND THIS PUMP HAD FAILED, I BELIEVE THE AUTOMOBILE WOULD NOT HAVE BEHAVED AS EXPECTED WITH THE AWC STABILITY ACTIVE. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION
    - NASHUA, NH

    THIS IS REPORT OF A KNOWN FAILURE BY MITSUBISHI MOTOR CORP. AT 50,800 MILES ON 12/17/2013 MY CARS SUPER-ACTIVE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL (S-ACD) STARTED BLINKING AT ME. IT WOULD NOT ALLOW CHANGING OF THE SETTINGS ANYMORE FOR TARMAC/GRAVEL/SNOW. IMMEDIATELY THERE AFTER, THE DRIVER INFORMATION PANEL POPPED UP WITH A YELLOW "AWD SERVICE REQUIRED" INDICATOR. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO NASHUA, NH MITSUBISHI/HYUNDAI FOR DIAGNOSIS ON 12/19/2013. THERE THEY APPLIED TSB-SC11-002. THIS UNFORTUNATELY DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE. I WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THE CAR REQUIRED A REPLACEMENT ACD PUMP AND WAS QUOTED $1,995 FOR THE REPAIR, WHICH CONFUSED ME DUE TO THE FACT THAT MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURERS POWER TRAIN WARRANTY, AND A PUMP, THAT CONTROLS THE AWD SYSTEM OF A CAR, SEEMS TO BE POWER TRAIN RELATED, AT LEAST IN MY EYES. THE NORTH EAST REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE WAS CONTACTED ON MY BEHALF BY THE DEALERSHIP TO REQUEST COVERAGE OF THIS ITEM, WHICH WAS ULTIMATELY DENIED. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE, AS THE CAR NO LONG HANDLES PROPERLY IN CONDITIONS IT WAS DESIGNED FOR. I AM NO LONGER ABLE TO SELECT THE CAR FOR SNOW, LIVING IN THE NORTH EAST, DRIVING A CAR MARKETED IN THE NORTH EAST, THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM. TO FURTHER THE ISSUE, THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN BY MITSUBISHI, IT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED WELL, TRACING ALL THE WAY BACK TO CARS MANUFACTURED IN 2006. 90% OF ALL PUMP FAILURES COULD BE COMPLETELY ELIMINATED BY ADDING A SEAL TO STOP CORROSION INSIDE THE PUMP WHICH LEADS TO THE UNTIMELY FAILURES. IF NO RECALL IS ISSUED FOR THIS FAILURE, AT THE VERY LEAST, MITSUBISHI MOTORS SHOULD BE FORCED TO COVER THIS UNDER POWER TRAIN WARRANTY FOR 5YRS/60K MILES. INSTEAD OF LIMITING IT TO 3YRS/36K BUMPER TO BUMPER. LINK TO DOCUMENTED CASES - HTTP://FORUMS.EVOLUTIONM.NET/EVO-X-GENERAL/655162-THOSE-YOU-ACD-PUMP-FAILURES-MERGED.HTML. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO
    - SAINT PAUL, MN

    DUE TO COLD WEATHER HERE IN MN, MY SAWC PUMP HAS FAILED(ALL WHEEL DRIVE CONTROL UNIT, HYDRAULIC PUMP FAILS DUE TO COLD WEATHER). I'VE RESEARCHED AND MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL HAVE HAD ISSUES OF THE SAME. BOUGHT THE CAR IN FEB 2013, USED WITH 38KMILES. IM AFRAID THE DEALER WONT COVER THE EXPENSES OF GETTING THIS REPLACE. IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AS I'VE RESEARCHED WITH MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINING. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO
    - ROYAL OAK, MI

    WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND WARNING LIGHT "SERVICE REQUIRED" AND A SYMBOL INDICATING THE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE SUSPENSION APPEARED. HAD CODE READ AND MY VEHICLE SUFFERED A ACD PUMP FAILURE. IT IS A CRUCIAL FEATURE TO THE SOPHISTICATED AWD STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM THAT MAKES AN EVO "SPECIAL". THIS IS A PART OF THE DRIVE TRAIN THAT IS NOT COVERED IN THE DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY. THEY ALL FAIL AND THEY ARE EXPENSIVE AND THEY BECOME CORRODED DUE TO LOCATION, DESIGN, AND LACK OF PROPER PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS AND ROAD SPLATTER. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALLED ITEM FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THIS IS NOT CAUSED BY ANYTHING OTHER THAN POOR DESIGN ALLOWING FOR A CORROSION PROBLEM THAT LEADS TO PUMP FAILURE. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION
    - ANN ARBOR, MI

    (COMPLAINT IS APPLICABLE ONLY TO GSR TRIM EQUIPPED WITH A 5MT TRANSMISSION) - DIFFICULTY SHIFTING FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, AND SECOND TO THIRD. GEARSHIFT IS NOTCHY AND HARD TO ENGAGE. CAUSES LONGER THAN DESIRABLE TIME-GAP IN POWER TO THE WHEELS, RESULTING IN LOSS OF SPEED DURING ACCELERATION PHASE FROM A STOP. - GEARSHIFT IS NOT SMOOTH IN GENERAL. KEYWORDS : NOTCHY, GRINDING. - IT IS A WIDELY REPORTED PROBLEM IN THIS PARTICULAR MODEL AS EVIDENT FROM OWNER SURVEYS ON A PROMINENT INTERNET FORUM (SEE HTTP://FORUMS.EVOLUTIONM.NET/EVO-X-ENGINE-TURBO-DRIVETRAIN/333385-OFFICIAL-EVO-X-NOTCHY-GRINDING-TRANSMISSION-THREAD.HTML). *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO
    - ELKHORN, NE

    MY 08 EVO IS GETTING THE "SERVICE REQUIRED" LIGHT INDICATING THE S-AWC PUMP HAS FAILED. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND A LOT OF THE EVO'S ARE GETTING THIS. ITS B/C THE PUMP LOCATED BEHIND THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE IS EXPOSED THE ELEMENTS AND GET CORRODED, ALSO THE LIQUID GETS TOO THICK IN THE WINTER AND THE FLUID CANNOT FLOW PROPERLY AND THE PUMP FAILS. MINE FAILED 2 MONTHS OUTSIDE OF THE DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY IN MIND JUNE IN NEBRASKA SO IT WAS MID 70'S AT LEAST, CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY WANT $120 JUST TO LOOK AT IT THEN $2000+ TO REPLACE THE PUMP. FAULTY PARTS LIKE THIS NEED TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MY CAR IS ALSO 100% STOCK. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER
    - LAS PIEDRAS, PR

    ESTABA EN LA AUTOPISTA Y ME PRENDI LA LUZ DEL ABS Y EL AUTOMVIL SE SENTA AGUANTADO CUANDO ME TOC FRENAR EL AUTOMVIL DE MOMENTO NO FREN BIEN. DESPUS PROCED A LLAMAR AL SERVICIO DE REMOLQUE DE LA MITSUBISHI Y BUSCARON EL CARRO A MI CASA. EL 01/14/2010 EL DEALER LE ENCONTR FALLA EN SENSOR Y SE LO REEMPLAZARON. (MN116244 SENSOR, RR ABS,RH). PERO EN EL 2011 VOLVI PRENDI LA LUZ DEL ABS SE LE HIZO EL CAMBIO DE LAS PASTILLA DE FRENO Y SE LIMPIARON TODOS LOS SENSOR Y LA LUZ SE APAG. AHORA EN EL 10/14/2013 VOLVI A ENCENDER LA LUZ DEL ABS PERO CUANDO CORRES PARA ATRS SE APAGA Y CUANDO CONDUCE HACIA EL FRENTE SE QUEDA PRENDIDA. MI OPININ ES QUE ESTOS SENSORES SE DAAN DEMASIADO DE RPIDO "CONSTANTEMENTE, SALIERON DEFECTUOSO" EL MILEAGE DEL CARRO AHORA MISMO ES 33616. GRACIAS POR SU TIEMPO. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION
    - OSSINING, NY

    THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ACTIVE CONTROL DIFFERENTIAL (ACD) WHICH IS ACTUATED BY THE ACD HYDRAULIC PUMP. THE ACD IS A PART OF THE VEHICLE'S ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM. AFTER GIVING THE ENGINE AN 8 MINUTE WARM UP ON IDLE, THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A 20F OF AMBIENT TEMPERATURE. THE VEHICLE WAS ON A STOP LIGHT, AND UPON GENTLY ACCELERATING THE CAR ON GREEN LIGHT A WARNING LIGHT CAME UP ON THE VEHICLE'S DASH BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE NEAREST MITSUBISHI SERVICE SHOP 4 DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT WITH THE WARNING LIGHT STILL ON THE VEHICLE'S DASH BOARD. AFTER SERVICE TECHNICIAN WORKED ON THE VEHICLE, THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT THE ACD PUMP IS THE PROBLEM WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND WILL COST $2100 OF PARTS AND LABOR. 8 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE MITSUBISHI SERVICE SHOP RE-FLASHED MY VEHICLE'S ALL WHEEL DRIVE ECU TO SPECIFICALLY PREVENT THE FAILURE OF THE PUMP ESPECIALLY IN COLD ENVIRONMENTS. MITSUBISHI REPLACED THE ACD PUMP AT MY EXPENSE, AND IT'S BEEN APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS THAT MY VEHICLE IS ON THE REPLACEMENT PUMP. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THE COMBINATION OF THE HYDRAULIC FLUID BECOMING THICK ON COLD WEATHER AND THE CORROSION ON THE HYDRAULIC PUMP THAT THE SALTED WINTER ROADS BRING IS WHAT MAKES THE ACD PUMP FAIL. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET CAR FORUMS, THIS OCCURRENCE WHERE THE ACD PUMP FAILS ON COLDER REGIONS IS NOT UNCOMMON EVEN WITH THE PREVIOUS GENERATIONS OF THIS VEHICLE THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH THIS ACD SYSTEM. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE