Which Outlander is it?
The third generation (ZJ to ZL) arrived in 2012 and the fourth (ZM) in 2021. The third came with 2.0 and 2.4-litre petrols, a 2.3-litre turbo-diesel and a 2.0-litre plug-in hybrid that went on sale here in 2014. The ZM's engines include a 2.5-litre petrol and a 2.4-litre plug-in hybrid with a 20 kWh battery. Everything below depends on which one you've got.
The CVT on petrol Outlanders
A CVT (continuously variable transmission) uses a belt and pulleys instead of fixed gears. CarsGuide's used review of the 2012 to 2021 cars calls it the main reliability concern, and a 2022 answer on 2016 and 2017 cars said much the same. It recommends having one checked before you buy, and asking whether the transmission's been replaced on a high-kilometre car.
Tell a mechanic if you notice shuddering, a delay moving off or revs that flare without the car speeding up. If you want to avoid a CVT altogether, the turbo-diesel all-wheel-drive car uses a conventional automatic.
Plug-in hybrid warnings
CarsGuide says third-generation plug-ins can have electronic faults, sometimes traced to the engine computer, that stop the engine. Battery degradation warnings are the other one, and the risk grows with kilometres. A mechanic trained on high-voltage systems should read the codes, and the orange cables are never a home job.
Plug-in owners have a small 12-volt battery as well as the big one. One recall covered the 12-volt battery possibly being wrongly replaced at a dealership, so ask about that on a used car.
Mitsubishi Outlander recalls to check
- Model year 2021 onward: 25,653 recalled in June 2023 because software could disrupt the reversing camera image
- 2012 to 2021 cars: park-brake seizure, rear camera, driver-aid software, door latch, wiper motor, tow-bar wiring, brake-light switch and power steering
- Third-generation plug-ins: the petrol engine stopping without warning
CarsGuide's list is a summary, so put the VIN (the ID number on the rego papers) into vehiclerecalls.gov.au or ask a Mitsubishi dealer. A red warning on the road, or an engine that cuts out, means get somewhere safe and switch off.
Other wear, brake pads and the petrol engines
A batch of 2.4-litre engines sold from 2014 to 2016 could leak oil around the rocker cover, which CarsGuide calls an easy fix. Both petrols use timing chains rather than belts, and neglected engines can develop sludge, so oil changes on time really matter.
Brake pads for a Mitsubishi Outlander wear with weight and traffic, and a loaded family SUV works them hard. Plug-ins use the electric motor to help slow down, but the brakes still need checking at every service. Squealing or grinding means get them looked at, and pads are a job for the mechanic.
Mitsubishi Outlander service and warranty
CarExpert lists maintenance every 12 months or 15,000 km. Press reports from 2020 put Mitsubishi's 10-year, 200,000 km warranty on cars serviced at a Mitsubishi dealer under its servicing plan. Go elsewhere and they say the term drops to five years or 100,000 km. Terms can change, so read your own book first.
An independent mechanic working to Mitsubishi's schedule and specifications doesn't by itself void the new car warranty, and CarsGuide says most independents can handle an Outlander's routine work. Tell us the year, the engine and what it's doing. A local mechanic who specialises in your car.
What we'd do with an Outlander
Run the VIN first, because recall work won't cost you. On a CVT car, ask the mechanic to road-test it and say what the service history shows about the fluid. On a plug-in, get a battery health reading before you decide anything. And weigh up the warranty years you'd keep before you choose where it's serviced.