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#BS-2009-MITLAN-7780

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer

Based on reports from 139 owners and 8 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
139
Crashes
23
Fires
4
Recalls
8
TSBs
107
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 139 complaints, 23 crashes, 4 fires, and 8 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

cd mp3 changer missing

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
2

paint chipping

1 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
3

slow down warning while driving

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

27 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 70K miles.

!Inspect the ElectricalMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

19
0–30K
18
30–60K
22
60–90K
19
90–120K
9
120–150K
7
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (22 reports) • Median: 70K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine (27 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine27 (19%)
Electrical19 (14%)
Brakes16 (12%)
Drivetrain12 (9%)
Lights12 (9%)
Airbags8 (6%)
Suspension6 (4%)
Other6 (4%)

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 19% of all reports filed for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer, with 27 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 70,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 70K-mile mark.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 14% of all reports filed for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer, with 19 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Brakes Issues

Brakes complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer, with 16 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer, with 12 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

13
09
4
10
4
11
2
12
14
13
20
14
15
15
11
16
5
17
8
18
14
19
16
20
1
21
4
22
8
23

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (8 recalls)

09V077000May 2009

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:CHECK VALVE

MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING 39,711 MY 2008-2009 OUTLANDER AND LACER VEHICLES. INCORRECT MATERIAL COMPOSITION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER CHECK VALVE MAY CAUSE THE CHECK VALVE TO STICK CLOSED WHEN THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RE-STARTED AND PUT INTO MOTION, UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS (VERY SLOW VEHICLE MANEUVERS), THERE MAY BE INSUFFICIENT INITIAL BRAKING ASSIST.

09V435000Nov 2009

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE

MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 LANCER AND LANCER EVOLUTION VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN AREAS WHERE HEAVY ROAD SALT IS USED IN THE WINTER, A LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO A MIXTURE OF MELTED SNOW WITH SALT THROWN UP BY THE OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD MAY CAUSE A WATER-SALT MIXTURE TO ADHERE TO THE FRONT IMPACT SENSORS.

14V562000Oct 2014

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. The affected vehicles, manufactured with 4B1 engines, have an engine pulley and belt arrangement for turning the alternator, the cooling fan and the power steering pump (if equipped). These pulleys may experience unusual wear and allow for belt detachment.

15V232000Jun 2015

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Mitsubishi Lancer vehicles manufactured January 12, 2009, to July 6, 2010, 2009-2010 Outlander vehicles manufactured January 12, 2009, to August 27, 2010, 2010 Lancer Sportback vehicles manufactured June 17, 2009, to June 8, 2010, and 2010 Lancer Evolution vehicles manufactured July 14, 2009, to August 4, 2010. The affected vehicles have an electronic control unit (ECU) that controls the head lights, tail lights, and windshield wipers. Due to a manufacturing error, the voltage inside this ECU may be unstable.

15V233000Jun 2015

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 manufactured February 10, 2009, to June 22, 2011, and 2011 Outlander Sport vehicles manufactured August 26, 2010, to November 19, 2010. In the affected vehicles, the blower motor may fail.

+ 3 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Mitsubishi Lancer is the 2011 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer vs. Class Average (Compact Cars)

This vehicle

139

Class avg

235

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical compact cars vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 139 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 8 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Mitsubishi Lancer Model Years

2017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996
View all Mitsubishi Lancer years →

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer is related to the engine, with 27 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer reliable?
The 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer has 139 complaints, 23 crash reports, and 4 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.
How much does it cost to fix 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer have any recalls?
Yes, the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer has 8 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Mitsubishi Lancer problems start?
Based on 94 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 70,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 139 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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