NHTSA Safety Recalls
2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Recalls
The 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer has 6 NHTSA safety recalls on file, the newest reported on June 23, 2016.
A recall covers a range of VINs, not every 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer. Whether a recall on your own car is still open shows only on a VIN check; recall repairs are free.
- Recalls
- 6
- Owner complaints
- 199
- Crashes reported
- 13
- NHTSA crash test
- ★★★★☆
NHTSA campaigns
filed with NHTSA
1 fires
frontal crash, no overall star before 2011
On a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer, the 17-character VIN is on the driver-side dashboard, visible through the windshield, or on the door jamb sticker.
6 recalls on the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer
Suspension: front: control arm: lower arm
- Campaign
- 16V458000
- Reported
- June 23, 2016
- Vehicles affected
- up to 194,674
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2002, 2004–2007 Lancer, 3 other models
Equipment: other: labels
- Campaign
- 04V428000
- Reported
- September 1, 2004
- Vehicles affected
- up to 100,432
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 208, occupant crash protection
- Same campaign
- also 2002, 2004 Lancer, 9 other models
Exterior lighting: headlights
- Campaign
- 06E023000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2004–2006 Lancer, 17 other models
Exterior lighting
- Campaign
- 06E038000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2002 Lancer, 5 other models
Exterior lighting
- Campaign
- 06E064000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2004–2006 Lancer, 19 other models
Exterior lighting: headlights
- Campaign
- 09E025000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2002, 2004–2007 Lancer, 46 other models
2003 Mitsubishi Lancer complaints by year
NHTSA has received 199 owner complaints about the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer, the newest on June 8, 2026. Of these, 13 describe a crash (7%) and 1 a fire; owners reported 13 injuries.
In complaints about the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer, the component group named most often is the visibility (36%), followed by the power train (26%) and the equipment (7%).
1 of the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer's 6 recalls also concerns the equipment.
Where 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer owners gave the mileage (127 complaints), the median was 50,000 miles.
Component groups named in complaints
- Visibility71
- Power Train51
- Unknown Or Other16
- Equipment13
- Structure13
- Electrical System12
Complaints received, by year
| 2003 | 27 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 29 | |
| 2005 | 13 | |
| 2006 | 8 | |
| 2007 | 22 | |
| 2008 | 8 | |
| 2009 | 16 | |
| 2010 | 28 | |
| 2011 | 14 | |
| 2012 | 8 | |
| 2013 | 5 | |
| 2014 | 3 | |
| 2015 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 4 | |
| 2017 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 4 | |
| 2019 | 3 | |
| 2021 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 1 | |
| 2026 | 1 |
Complaints about the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer peaked in 2004, when NHTSA received 29. 39% arrived between 2002 and 2006, the model year's first years on the road.
Adjusted for how many complaints NHTSA received about all 2003 vehicles, the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer drew 2.6× the complaints of the median Mitsubishi Lancer year in the same window: 1st highest of the 7 ranked years.
That makes 2003 one of the Mitsubishi Lancer years to avoid by our method.
NHTSA crash-test stars
- Overall: none before 2011
- Frontal: 4/5
- Side: 2/5
The 199 complaints about the 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer are unverified owner reports, and a model sold in large numbers collects more of them.
Mitsubishi Lancer by model year
Other 2003 Mitsubishi models
Newest record on this page: June 8, 2026. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted