2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart

No clear pattern

0% of complaints about the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart arrived in its first year of service. That is an unusual figure for a 2009 vehicle, but with only 33 complaints on record the sample is too small to call it a pattern — the margin of error covers the range where ordinary vehicles sit. The figures below are reported without a verdict. The most-reported system is power train (18 complaints), typically at 5.6 yr or about 57,200 miles.

Complaints: 33
Median age at failure: 5.5 yr
Median mileage: 60,000 n=31
Crash / fire / tow: 0% of reports
Safety recalls: 2

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

14V562000 2014-09-12

Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:belts and associated pulleys

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 equipped). These pulleys may experience unusual wear and allow for belt detachment.

If the drive belt detaches, the battery may discharge, resulting in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

09V349000 2009-09-08

Fuel system, other:delivery

MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 LANCER EVOLUTION, RALLIART, AND SPORTBACK RALLIART VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH TURBOCHARGED ENGINES. THE MANNER IN WHICH THE FUEL RETURN PIPE IS ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE, IN COMBINATION WITH FREQUENT VEHICLE OPERATION AT CERTAIN ENGINE REVOLUTIONS, MAY RESULT IN A RESONANCE THAT, IF CONTINUED OVER TIME, MAY CAUSE A STRESS CRACK TO DEVELOP AT THE FIXED PORTION OF THE FUEL PIPE.

IF THIS STRESS CRACK DEVELOPS, FUEL LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

In owners’ own words

Power train 14,500 mi 1.5 yr in service

THE TRANSMISSION TC-SST IS FAILING ON THE 2009 RALLIART FROM MITSUBISHI THE GEARS GO CRAZY ON ME AND JUMP AROUND AND GEARS ARE SLIPPING AND GETTING STUCK. OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING I THINK IT SHOULD BE RE-CALL TO GET THIS FIXED. IT CAN CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY WHICH IT ALMOST DID FOR ME. *TR

Power train 77,000 mi 4.8 yr in service

ALL WHEEL CONTROL PUMP UNITS CONTINUE TO FAIL WITH OUT MITS... ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. COSTING MIN $2000 FOR REPAIRS. THEY MOST OF THE TIME REFUSE TO REPLACE A POORLY ENGINEERED AWC PUMP. UNDER A SUPPOSED AWESOME WARRANTY. THESE UNITS ARE FAILING ALL OVER CANADA & US. WITH MITS KNOWING ITS A PROBLEM. BUT NOT RESOLVING IT. HELP US OWNERS PLEASE. I DON'T WANT TO OR SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE A $2000 PUMP EVERY 10,000 KMS. *TR

Power train 38,000 mi 4.8 yr in service

THERE IS AN ALL WHEEL TRACTION CONTROL PUMP FOR ONE OF THE CARS MAIN FEATURES. THIS PUMP IS LOCATED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE REAR WHEEL. WHEN YOU LIVE IN AN AREA THAT IS COLD AND THE ROADS ARE SALTED THE PUMP GETS SPLASHED WITH SALTY ROAD WATER AND CORRODES THE PUMP. THIS LEADS THE PUMP TO FAIL AND EXTREMELY LOW MILES. THE WORST PART IS THAT FOR SOME REASON MITSUBISHI DOES NOT COVER THIS UNDER ITS PUMPS OR POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. IT IS ALSO AND INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE PART. MY PART FAILED BEFORE 40,000 MILES. *TR

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

How to read this