Mitsubishi Shogun problems, reliability and years to avoid
If you are considering buying a used Mitsubishi Shogun, these are the common problems worth knowing about first. Our garage database tracks 2 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 Shogun reliable?
The Mitsubishi Shogun has 2 known faults in our database across 2 generations, 2 of them rated high severity. The most serious are engine (the 3.2 DI-D's timing chain tensioner and the nylon top guide for the cam chain wear out) and brakes (DVSA recall R/2001/129 (January 2002, 4,319 Shoguns built from 1 January 2000 to 30 July). 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 Shogun 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.
Mk3, 1999 to 20071 high severity
1 known fault, the serious ones in the brakes
Mk4, 2007 to 20191 high severity
1 known fault, the serious ones in the engine
Years and engines with a serious known fault
1999 to 2019, 3.2 DI-D diesel (4M41); not the Shogun Sport or Shogun Pinin: the 3.2 DI-D's timing chain tensioner and the nylon top guide for the cam chain
2000 to 2002, 3.2 DI-D diesel and 3.5 V6 petrol Shoguns in the recall build windows; not the Shogun Sport or Shogun Pinin: DVSA recall R/2001/129 (January 2002, 4,319 Shoguns built from 1 January 2000
Each one is set out in full below, with the symptoms, the typical mileage and a rough repair cost.
Generation 1 of 21 known fault · 1 owner report
Mitsubishi Shogun Mk3 (1999 to 2007) problems
BrakesHigh severity🏛️ Official recall
DVSA recall R/2001/129 (January 2002, 4,319 Shoguns built from 1 January 2000 to 30 July 2001): the nitrogen accumulator in the hydraulic brake booster could lose pressure, delaying brake assist in a sudden hard stop and making the pedal heavy on the first start after the car has been parked for a long time. The remedy was a modified accumulator, fitted free. A second recall, R/2008/191 (February 2009, 10,034 Shoguns built in 2001 and 2002), checked the accumulator for a damaged diaphragm and replaced it where it came from the affected batch.
Rough guide
£0 (free safety recall)
Typical symptoms
heavy brake pedal on the first start after the car has stood for a long time
brake assist slow to come in during an emergency stop
Affected vehicles
Engines:
3.2 DI-D diesel and 3.5 V6 petrol Shoguns in the recall build windows; not the Shogun Sport or Shogun Pinin
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What owners report on the Mk3
1 single report, 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.
Brakes · July 2016A 2003 Shogun LWB at 110,000 miles experienced ABS, brake, and traction control warning lights, a buzzer, and a solid brake pedal, losing braking function.
Generation 2 of 21 known fault · 2 owner reports · 2 good notes
Mitsubishi Shogun Mk4 (2007 to 2019) problems
Engine/EmissionsHigh severity💬 2 owner reports, 2012 to 2014
The 3.2 DI-D's timing chain tensioner and the nylon top guide for the cam chain wear out, and if the chain jumps or comes off the engine is wrecked. A 2012 report described part of the tensioner mechanism breaking off and being mangled in the chain, virtually destroying the engine, with replacement engines at £12,000; a 2014 note says the top guide usually lasts 70,000 to 90,000 miles and costs just £10, so it should be checked and replaced. DVSA recall R/2015/004 (February 2015) replaced the tensioner on about 11,400 Shoguns built from October 2006 to March 2014, because carbon build-up could stop it working, leaving the chain rattling and in the worst case breaking.
Rough guide
£300-900 for a tensioner and guide before failure (cost estimated), about 12000 for a replacement engine
Typical symptoms
rattle from the timing chain, worst from a cold start
chain noise that changes with engine speed
engine stalling, or stopping for good if the chain jumps
Affected vehicles
Engines:
3.2 DI-D diesel (4M41); not the Shogun Sport or Shogun Pinin
Typical mileage:
70000-90000 miles
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What owners report on the Mk4
2 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.
Interior · October 2017Fumes intermittently entered the cabin of a 2017 Mitsubishi Shogun at 5,000 miles, possibly from DPF regeneration or an AdBlue heater issue.
Engine · February 2012A 3.2 D-ID engine suffered severe damage when a part of the timing chain tensioner mechanism broke off and became entangled in the chain.
What owners like about the Mk4
2 notes
This rugged vehicle is a hard-worker, capable of towing heavy loads and conquering challenging terrain with ease.
The Shogun offers significant value, providing a substantial vehicle for its price point.
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright
We track 6 specific phrases sellers use in adverts to soft-pedal these exact issues. Paste any Mitsubishi Shogun advert and we check it in seconds.
Mitsubishi Shogun timing chain, and service intervals
A timing chain has no change interval, which is not the same as lasting for ever. Listen for it on a used Shogun, and check the oil has been changed on time. These are the figures UK specialists work to.
The 3.2 DI-D is chain driven, and the nylon top guide for the cam chain usually lasts 70,000 to 90,000 miles. The part costs about £10, but if it fails and the chain comes off the engine is wrecked, so have the guide and tensioner checked and replaced as needed from 70,000 miles. DVSA recall R/2015/004 replaced the tensioner on Shoguns built from October 2006 to March 2014.
Always confirm against the vehicle handbook. Intervals vary by engine, and several manufacturers revised theirs after failures in service.
Repair costs are typical UK ranges, not quotes. Actual cost depends on condition and garage.Data last verified: October 2026
Mitsubishi Shogun buying questions
Which Mitsubishi Shogun years should I avoid?
No Mitsubishi Shogun year is a write-off, but the Mk4 (2007 to 2019) carries the most serious faults: engine. The Mk3 (1999 to 2007) has high-severity faults on record too. 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 Shogun?
Ask the seller about the engine and brakes faults on this page and whether they have been fixed, with invoices. On the test drive watch for rattle from the timing chain, worst from a cold start and heavy brake pedal on the first start after the car has stood for a long time. Read the MOT history for repeat advisories, then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against its known faults before you travel. Check a Mitsubishi Shogun advert →
What is the real MPG of a Mitsubishi Shogun?
Owners report 25.3 mpg on average across the Mitsubishi Shogun engines with data, about 90% 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 155 owner submissions. Mitsubishi Shogun Real MPG by engine →
Where this Mitsubishi Shogun 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 Shogun 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 Shogun 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.