2013 Mitsubishi Lancer — Should You Buy One?
Typical asking price: $5,000–$9,000. There is 1 high-severity known issue you need to know before handing over a check.
Kestrel Take
A dated but durable compact with available all-wheel drive, kept alive long past its prime. The CVT is the concern on automatic cars; the manual and the AWD system are the appeal. Thin dealer support and a long-in-the-tooth design are the tradeoffs.
What we checked
Partly reconciled against public records, 2026-09-11
NHTSA holds 5 owner complaints for the 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer, and no recall campaigns.
A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. 40% of them are about one thing — the transmission and drivetrain. That much concentration is a genuine pattern rather than background noise, and it is the first thing to check on any example you look at.
Not written up yet: the brakes (1 complaint). That group is in the public record and is not covered by the issues below. Treat it as something to ask about, not as absent.
Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.
Known Issues for the 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer
Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents.
The Jatco-derived CVT shudders and fails on higher-mileage cars; a replacement approaches the value of the car.
Repair cost (estimate): $3,000-$4,000
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the transmission and drivetrain (2).
Fewer Mitsubishi dealers and independents familiar with the platform.
Repair cost: Not yet priced
Source: not yet checked against public records.
The 2.0/2.4 engines can consume oil and develop chain noise.
Repair cost (estimate): $300-$2,000
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the engine (2).
Cheap materials that wear quickly.
Repair cost: Not yet priced
Source: not yet checked against public records.
Walk-Away Red Flags
- ✗CVT shudder or whine
- ✗No CVT fluid service
- ✗Oil consumption
- ✗A price that ignores parts-availability pain
Good Signs
- ✓5-speed manual
- ✓CVT fluid serviced on schedule
- ✓AWD model with documented maintenance
Found a specific Mitsubishi Lancer?
This page covers what goes wrong on the 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer in general. The Kestrel report covers this specific car— the asking price vs. market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.
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Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for this year. It stops short of the verdict, because that needs the photos.
Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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