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NHTSA campaign 18V069000 · manufacturer recall SR-18-001

2008–2012 Mitsubishi Lancer and 3 other Mitsubishi models: engine and engine cooling recall

If the drive belt detaches, the battery will discharge and the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

high 141,053 vehicles affected 38% reported repaired

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
Problem 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. The drive belt automatic tensioner flange may crack, allowing the accessory drive belt to detach. Risk If the drive belt detaches, the battery will discharge and the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the belt tensioner with one that has an improved shape, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 27, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-001.

Reported to NHTSA Jan 26, 2018 by Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc, owners notified Mar 27, 2018.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 18V069000

Vehicles built Jun 25, 2008 to Nov 16, 2011 — a VIN outside that window is not part of this campaign even if the year, make and model match.

Model yearOn WhichTrim
2009 Mitsubishi Lancerevery Mitsubishi on this site
2010 Mitsubishi Lancerevery Mitsubishi on this site
2011 Mitsubishi Lancerevery Mitsubishi on this site
2012 Mitsubishi Lancerevery Mitsubishi on this site
2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportbackevery Mitsubishi on this site
2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportbackevery Mitsubishi on this site
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportbackevery Mitsubishi on this site
2008 Mitsubishi Outlanderevery Mitsubishi on this site
2009 Mitsubishi Outlanderevery Mitsubishi on this site
2010 Mitsubishi Outlanderevery Mitsubishi on this site
2011 Mitsubishi Outlanderevery Mitsubishi on this site
2012 Mitsubishi Outlanderevery Mitsubishi on this site
2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sportevery Mitsubishi on this site
2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sportevery Mitsubishi on this site

None of the vehicles this campaign names has a page on WhichTrim: every model year it names is older than the catalogue, which begins at 2016. The campaign record above is complete as filed, and whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by its VIN. Other campaigns on vehicles without a page here →

How much of it has been fixed

Source: manufacturer quarterly report, 49 CFR 573.7
Reported repaired 38%

of the campaign

The final figure: the six quarters of reporting that 49 cfr 573.7 requires have closed.

This is the manufacturer's own cumulative count of vehicles it has inspected and repaired, divided by the vehicles the campaign covers. It files that count with NHTSA every quarter for six consecutive quarters, starting from the quarter in which owners were told a remedy was ready, and then the obligation ends — so a figure on an older campaign is where the count stopped, not where it stands today.

It rarely reaches 100%, and not because the work was not done. The same report asks manufacturers to count vehicles they could not reach at all — exported, stolen, scrapped, or simply never located — and those stay in the denominator. A low number means a lot of these vehicles are still out there unrepaired; it does not tell you which ones.

The federal paperwork

Source: nhtsa.gov

Filed documents

Check one specific vehicle

A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. NHTSA checks a VIN against the manufacturer's own list and tells you whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.

NHTSA VIN recall lookup →

Campaign 18V069000 · the manufacturer calls it SR-18-001

Own one, or run a fleet? Recall Watch checks each VIN against every new NHTSA campaign and emails you when one lands, this one's expansions included. Or take a free one-line alert by model year.

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Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Is SR-18-001 the same recall as 18V069000?

Yes. SR-18-001 is the number Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc uses for this campaign in its own paperwork and in the letter it sends owners. 18V069000 is the number NHTSA files it under. One recall, two references — dealers and service departments generally quote the manufacturer's.

Does this recall repair cost anything?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.

How do I know whether my vehicle is included?

By VIN, not by model year. This campaign covers vehicles built Jun 25, 2008 to Nov 16, 2011. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.

What if the repair is not available yet?

It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. The remedy filed for this campaign is described above.

What did the manufacturer say was wrong?

The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.

Who started this recall?

NHTSA's record credits the manufacturer. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.