2008 Mitsubishi Lancer problems, recalls, safety rating, MPG & value

Q: Does the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer have any safety recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls for the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Q: What gas mileage does the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer get?

The U.S. EPA rates the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer at about 24 mpg combined (22 city / 29 highway).

Q: How much is a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer worth?

Comparable 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer listings run roughly $2,500–$6,500, typically around $4,550 (from 71 vehicles).

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer at a glance

Safety recalls5

Owner complaints91

Combined24 mpg

Typical price$4,550

Free: specs, open recalls for that exact car, build sheet and fair price.

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer recalls 5

Structure:frame And Members NHTSA Campaign #20V279000 · 18/05/2020

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2008-2010 Lancer, 2009-2010 Lancer Sportback, 2008-2013 Outlander, and 2011-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, …

Fix: 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. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall beg…

Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly NHTSA Campaign #18V071000 · 26/01/2018

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2007-2010 Outlander, 2008-2010 Lancer, 2009-2010 Lancer Evolution, and 2010 Lancer Sportback vehicles equipped with sunroofs. The sunroof glass may detach from the sunroof assembly, becoming a road hazard to other vehicles.

Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sunroof glass assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-18-003.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:belts And Associated Pulleys NHTSA Campaign #14V562000 · 12/09/2014

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Lancer, Lancer Evolution, and Outlander; 2009-2011 Lancer Sportback, Lancer Rilliart, and Lancer Sportback Ralliart; and 2011 Outlander Sport vehicles. The affected vehicles, manufactured with 4B1 engines, have an engine pulley and belt arrangement for turning the alternator, the cooling fan and the power steering pump (if …

Fix: Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the drive belt with a rubber belt. Drive pulleys that are excessively worn will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 15, 2014. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-…

Service Brakes, Air:supply:check Valve NHTSA Campaign #09V077000 · 10/03/2009

MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING 39,711 MY 2008-2009 OUTLANDER AND LACER VEHICLES. INCORRECT MATERIAL COMPOSITION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER CHECK VALVE MAY CAUSE THE CHECK VALVE TO STICK CLOSED WHEN THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RE-STARTED AND PUT INTO MOTION, UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS (VERY SLOW VEHICLE MANEUVERS), THERE MAY BE INSUFFICIENT INITIAL BRAKING ASSIST.

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE BOOSTER CHECK VALVE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037.

Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control Module-inactive NHTSA Campaign #09V435000 · 05/11/2009

MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 LANCER AND LANCER EVOLUTION VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF 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 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN AREAS WHERE…

Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FRONT AIRBAG SENSORS THAT HAVE IMPROVED CORROSION RESISTANCE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MITSUBISHI CUSTOMER RELATIONS DEPARTMENT AT 1-888-648-7820.

Source: U.S. NHTSA. A recall applies to a model year, but only a VIN check shows whether a specific car has had the repair done.

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer common problems

The most-reported problem areas from 91 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Suspension

Listen for clunks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for uneven tire wear and worn shocks or struts.

Structure

Inspect for rust, fresh undercoating, mismatched paint, uneven panel gaps and any sign of prior collision or frame repair.

Power Train

Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.

Steering

Steering should be tight and centered — no play, clunks or wandering. Test at low and highway speed; listen for power-steering whine.

Electrical System

Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.

Air Bags

Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer MPG & running costs

Combined24 mpg

City22 mpg

Highway29 mpg

Est. annual fuel cost$2,550

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov, averaged across trims.

What's a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer worth?

Low

$2,500

Typical price

$4,550

High

$6,500

From 71 comparable 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$12,750

Depreciation (5 yrs)$3,300

Total$16,050

Per mile$0.21

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. Depreciation compares today's typical asking price for this model year ($4,550) with the same model 4 model-years older ($1,927), from CarLogs listing data. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer trims & engines on record

Trims

ES · GTS · DE

Engines

2.0L

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer vehicles on record

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTSJA3AU86U08U020821

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer DEJA3AU16U98U019917 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer DEJA3AU16U88U030715

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer DEJA3AU16U48U000529 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer ESJA3AU26U48U044116

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTSJA3AU86U28U011957 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer ESJA3AU26U48U007955 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer ESJA3AU26U08U000260

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer ESJA3AU26U38U019899 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer DEJA3AU16U58U000703

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer ESJA3AU26U48U038414

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTSJA3AU86U68U014554 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer DEJA3AU16U48U027309

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTSJA3AU86UX8U019272

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTSJA3AU86U78U032318

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer ESJA3AU26U68U039645 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTSJA3AU86U38U029724 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTSJA3AU86U88U026785 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer ESJA3AU26U28U033132 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer ESJA3AU26U68U005110

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTSJA3AU86U78U003563

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer ESJA3AU26U98U005246

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer ESJA3AU26U98U017798

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer ESJA3AU26U88U038478

Other Mitsubishi Lancer model years

2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer — frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer have any safety recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls for the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer?

Based on 91 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are suspension, structure, power train.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer get?

The U.S. EPA rates the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer at about 24 mpg combined (22 city / 29 highway).

How much is a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer worth?

Comparable 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer listings run roughly $2,500–$6,500, typically around $4,550 (from 71 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.