YearToAvoid

2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer ranks 10th worst of 13 model years, with a Good verdict and a complaint index of 25. NHTSA lists 24 complaints and 3 recalls, mostly tied to airbags that failed to deploy in crashes.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
25/100
#10 of 13 Lancer years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
24
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
3
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
2
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2013
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
23
20 city / 27 hwy
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0

Top 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags10 (42%)
  2. Electrical System3 (13%)
  3. Engine3 (13%)
  4. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (13%)
  5. Brakes2 (8%)
  6. Structure & Body2 (8%)
  7. Fuel System1 (4%)
  8. Steering1 (4%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain1 (4%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers1 (4%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Passenger and driver airbags failed to deploy during crashes at highway speeds, including impacts with a tree and with deer.
  • The check engine light illuminated repeatedly with a P0300 code and the engine would briefly stumble during normal driving.
  • Brakes wore down to metal-to-metal contact repeatedly at low mileage, with loud grinding and slow response after pad replacements.
  • The accelerator pedal suddenly went to the floor at a stop, causing the engine to rev and the car to jerk forward.
  • Wheel bolts securing the tire to the rim snapped or stripped during routine brake maintenance.
  • The fuel gauge showed roughly double the actual fuel remaining once the tank dropped to half full.
2005 Mitsubishi Lancer complaints: complaints filed per month2Jan 2005Jun 2007Sep 2008Apr 2010Jun 2015Sep 2015Nov 2018Jul 2020
24 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2005 to Nov 2025; peak Nov 2005 (2).

2005 Mitsubishi Lancer recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V220000Apr 5, 2018Airbags17,120 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2004-2006 Mitsubishi Lancer vehicles that previously received a like-for-like passenger side frontal air bag inflator under recall 15V321 as interim remedy. Also recalled are 2004-2006 Lancer vehicles located in Guam or Saipan that previously received or never received a new inflator under 15V321 or 17V569. These passenger side frontal air bag inflators may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to explode in the event of an air bag deployment.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will install a final replacement passenger side frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on April 26, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-005.

  2. NHTSA 17V569000Sep 14, 2017Airbags66,001 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain 2004-2006 Lancer and Lancer Evolution vehicles and 2004 Lancer Sportback vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with a different inflator, free of charge. The recall began on October 12, 2017. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-17-001. Note: This recall supersedes recall 15V-321.

  3. NHTSA 16V458000Jun 23, 2016Suspension, Wheels & Tires194,674 vehicles

    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, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, the front lower control arms may detach due to the front cross member corroding from salt water exposure such as from road salt use.

    Risk: A detached front control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front cross members. Depending on the level of existing corrosion, either a sealing/anti-corrosion agent will be applied or the front cross member will be replaced with a new one that has a sealing/anti-corrosion agent applied to it. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began January 2017. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-16-003.

2005 Mitsubishi Lancer fuel economy and fuel cost

City
20 MPG
Highway
27 MPG
Combined
23 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,800
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2005 compared with other Lancer years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Good2524323
2006Caution6737423
2007No verdict02225.5

All Mitsubishi Lancer years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2005 Lancer a Good verdict relative to other Lancer years, ranking 10th worst out of 13 years with a complaint index of 25 and 24 total complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer?
Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 10 of 24 complaints (42%), including several reports of airbags failing to deploy in crashes at a median mileage of 75,000.
Does the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2005 Lancer, two covering the passenger frontal airbag inflator and one covering corrosion of the front cross member.
How does the 2005 Lancer compare to other Lancer years?
The 2005 model's complaint index of 25 is far lower than the 2008 (92), 2009 (100), and 2010 (83) Lancers, which are rated Avoid, making 2005 one of the better years by this measure.
What is the fuel economy of the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer?
The EPA rates the 2005 Lancer at 23 mpg combined (20 city / 27 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,800.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.