YearToAvoid

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Electrical System Problems

NHTSA has 28 owner complaints about electrical problems in the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer, 29% of all 98 complaints for this model year. That is the highest electrical complaint count among 13 Lancer model years. These complaints report 1 crash, 1 fire, and 1 injury. Median mileage at failure: 74,943 miles.

Electrical System complaints
28
29% of 98
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
74,943 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Apr 1, 2009, latest Aug 2, 2023.

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer electrical system complaints: complaints filed per month2Apr 2009Dec 2011Oct 2014May 2016Nov 2017Oct 2019Aug 2022
28 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2009 to Aug 2023; peak Jun 2017 (2).

Electrical System recalls for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer

  1. NHTSA 15V232000Apr 20, 2015Electrical System53,396 vehicles

    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.

    Risk: Unstable voltage could result in intermittent failure of the vehicle's head lights, tail lights, and windshield wipers. If the headlights and/or windshield wipers fail, the driver could have reduced visibility. If the tail lights fail, the vehicle could be less visible. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected ECU, free of charge. The recall began on June 15 ,2015. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-15-002.

Electrical System complaints by Lancer model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20053 (13%)
  2. 20064 (11%)
  3. 20071 (50%)
  4. 20089 (10%)
  5. 200928 (29%)
  6. 20109 (18%)
  7. 20114 (12%)
  8. 20121 (5%)
  9. 20130 (0%)
  10. 20141 (6%)
  11. 20156 (26%)
  12. 20164 (13%)
  13. 20170 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer have electrical problems?
NHTSA has 28 owner complaints about the electrical in the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer, 29% of all complaints for this model year, including 1 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 74,943 miles.
Which Mitsubishi Lancer year has the most electrical complaints?
The 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer has the most electrical complaints (28), compared with 28 for the 2009.
Is there a electrical recall for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer concerns the electrical: 15V232000.

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.