Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV problems, reliability and years to avoid
If you are considering buying a used Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, these are the common problems worth knowing about first. Our garage database tracks 3 known faults for this model, 2 of them rated high severity. Every one below is a repair bill a seller has good reason not to mention.
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Is the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV reliable?
The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has 3 known faults in our database, 2 of them rated high severity. The most serious are electrics (DVSA recall R/2018/019 (February 2018) covers about 17,600 Outlander PHEVs built between) and bodywork (DVSA recall R/2018/021 (February 2018) covers about 18,400 Outlander PHEVs built between). None of them makes the car a bad buy on its own; the risk is a seller who knows and says nothing.
That is a count of the faults we hold, not a reliability score. Popular cars get written about more, and a newer generation has had less time to show its faults.
Which Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV years should you avoid?
No year is a write-off on its own. What matters is which serious faults a given year and engine can have, and whether the car in front of you has had them fixed.
Years and engines with a serious known fault
2014 to 2016, 2.0 petrol plug-in hybrid: DVSA recall R/2018/019 (February 2018) covers about 17,600 Outlander PHEVs
2015 to 2016, 2.0 petrol plug-in hybrid: DVSA recall R/2018/021 (February 2018) covers about 18,400 Outlander PHEVs
Each one is set out in full below, with the symptoms, the typical mileage and a rough repair cost.
Generation 1 of 13 known faults · 11 owner reports · 6 good notes
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (2014 to 2021) problems
Brakes/SuspensionMedium severity🏛️ Official recall
Water gets past badly sealed boots on the rear calipers' handbrake shafts and rusts them, the shaft sticks and the handbrake loses its hold; in the worst case a parked car can roll away. DVSA safety recall R/2018/180 covers Outlander PHEV, Outlander and ASX built between July 2012 and January 2016 (the build window differs by model and VIN range), with an inspection and new parts where needed. Owners have still had rear calipers seize and need replacing.
Rough guide
£0 (free safety recall)
Typical symptoms
handbrake does not hold the car on a slope
handbrake lever travelling further than it used to
rear brake dragging or a seized rear caliper
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
ElectricalHigh severity🏛️ Official recall
DVSA recall R/2018/019 (February 2018) covers about 17,600 Outlander PHEVs built between 5 December 2014 and 31 March 2016: the engine ECU relay can overheat and fail, cutting power to the engine, so the engine warning lamp comes on and the engine can stall and may not restart. The remedy is a free replacement relay
Rough guide
£0 (free safety recall)
Typical symptoms
engine malfunction warning lamp
engine stalling and not restarting
Affected vehicles
Engines:
2.0 petrol plug-in hybrid
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
Bodywork/ChassisHigh severity🏛️ Official recall
DVSA recall R/2018/021 (February 2018) covers about 18,400 Outlander PHEVs built between May 2015 and 14 March 2016: some door latch parts were made out of specification, so in hot weather the locking mechanism may not work properly, the door may not latch correctly and can open unintentionally while driving. Depending on the VIN, the free remedy replaces the two offside door latches or all four
Rough guide
£0 (free safety recall)
Typical symptoms
door not closing or locking cleanly, especially in hot weather
door-open warning while driving
Affected vehicles
Engines:
2.0 petrol plug-in hybrid
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What owners report on the Outlander PHEV
11 single reports, unconfirmed
One owner each, in their own words rewritten as a line, and not counted in our risk scoring. A fault joins the list above once a second report or an editorial source backs it.
Electrics · January 2020A 2015 Outlander PHEV experienced a complete loss of power due to battery failure; the battery pack was replaced under warranty.
Electrics · July 2019The charger for a 2015 Outlander PHEV showed a fault light at 21,790 miles, remaining lit even when unplugged from the vehicle.
Brakes · July 2018Front brake calipers seized on a 2014 Outlander PHEV at 33,000 miles, damaging pads and discs; the problem recurred 4,000 miles after a dealer repair.
Brakes · May 2018Parking brakes failed on a recently purchased Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV; the dealer subsequently fixed the issue.
Brakes · February 2018A 2014 Outlander PHEV required a new rear nearside brake caliper due to an ineffective handbrake and seized self-adjusting mechanism.
Bodywork · March 2016A clip inside the charger flap of a year-old Outlander PHEV repeatedly detached, causing the flap to rub on the bodywork.
Electrics · March 2016Headlights on a 2015 Outlander PHEV were set too high, and the adjustment switch had been removed as a pre-delivery enhancement.
Electrics · March 2016A 2015 Outlander PHEV at 9,600 miles experienced a significant reduction in its full charge capacity, dropping from 29 to 19 miles.
Electrics · August 2015The hybrid battery range of an Outlander PHEV, bought new in March 2015, decreased from 32 to under 20 miles in four months.
Electrics · August 2015A 2014 Outlander PHEV required a new satellite navigation unit after its screen was accidentally cracked, with a replacement quoted at £7,800.
Bodywork · March 2015A clip inside the charger door of an Outlander PHEV detached, causing the door to bend and chip the bodywork.
What owners like about the Outlander PHEV
6 notes
This model offers significant tax savings, making it an attractive option for company car buyers.
The vehicle provides abundant cabin space and comes equipped with a high level of standard features.
Operating solely on electric power delivers excellent refinement, particularly at lower speeds.
The car's handling characteristics are surprisingly good, exceeding expectations for its type.
While the cabin may lack distinctive style, its construction appears to be robust and well-assembled.
The vehicle is capable of towing loads up to 1,500kg on a 12% incline, demonstrating its practical utility.
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright
We track 7 specific phrases sellers use in adverts to soft-pedal these exact issues. Paste any Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV advert and we check it in seconds.
Repair costs are typical UK ranges, not quotes. Actual cost depends on condition and garage.Data last verified: October 2026
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV buying questions
What are the most common Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV problems?
Three stand out. Electrics: DVSA recall R/2018/019 (February 2018) covers about 17,600 Outlander PHEVs built between 5 December. Bodywork: DVSA recall R/2018/021 (February 2018) covers about 18,400 Outlander PHEVs built between May 2015. Brakes: water gets past badly sealed boots on the rear calipers' handbrake shafts and rusts them. The full list above is grouped by generation, with typical mileage and a rough repair cost for each.
Which Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV years should I avoid?
No Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV year is a write-off, but the Outlander PHEV (2014 to 2021) carries the most serious faults: electrics and bodywork. Year matters less than whether the specific car has had the known fixes, so check the history for them.
What should I check when viewing a used Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV?
Ask the seller about the electrics, bodywork and brakes faults on this page and whether they have been fixed, with invoices. On the test drive watch for engine malfunction warning lamp, door not closing or locking cleanly, especially in hot weather and handbrake does not hold the car on a slope. Read the MOT history for repeat advisories, then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against all 3 known faults before you travel. Check a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV advert →
What is the real MPG of a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV?
Owners report 61.3 mpg on average across the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV engines with data, about 39% of the official combined figure. The gap between official and real-world economy varies a lot by engine, so the Real MPG page lists every engine and generation separately, from 242 owner submissions. Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Real MPG by engine →
Where this Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV fault data comes from
If you used to check the Honest John “Good & Bad” section before the site closed in 2026, this page is where that information now lives. We rebuilt the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV owner-report history from the archived Honest John dataset, added our own research, specialist and owner-club sources and DVSA recall data, and we keep it free. Each fault above is badged with its source. The same data feeds our free advert check, which reads a listing against every known fault for the exact engine and year.
Knowing what a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV goes wrong with is half of it. The rest is reading the advert and checking the car's history before you hand any money over.