2017 Mitsubishi Lancer — Should You Buy One?
Typical asking price: $9,000–$14,000. There is 1 high-severity known issue you need to know before handing over a check.
Deciding between model years? Compare the 8 Mitsubishi Lancer years we've written up →
Kestrel Take
The last Lancer, and the public record on it is six complaints — far too few to draw a reliability conclusion from, and we will not pretend otherwise. What those six contain is worth your attention anyway, because two of them describe the CVT shuddering and surging, one badly enough that the car stumbled mid-turn in an intersection, with a Mitsubishi dealer quoting a full transmission replacement at 81,000 miles. That is the same gearbox and the same complaint that dominates the 2016 record, where seventy per cent of filings are the transmission; the 2017 file is quieter because far fewer cars were sold, not because the part changed. Drive it from cold, feel for any hesitation or rubber-band surge, and remember the 100,000-mile powertrain warranty does not follow the car to you.
What we checked
Checked against public records, 2026-09-25
NHTSA holds 6 owner complaints for the 2017 Mitsubishi Lancer, and no recall campaigns.
That is too small a record to read a pattern from, so we are not going to pretend otherwise — with numbers this low one owner moves the percentage by a lot. What has been filed is grouped under airbags (3), the transmission and drivetrain (2), the body and structure (1). Treat those as things to look at, not as the vehicle's known weaknesses. A thin file usually means few of these were sold or few owners filed. It is not evidence the vehicle is trouble-free, and the issues below are our own research rather than a reading of this record.
Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.
Known Issues for the 2017 Mitsubishi Lancer
Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.
Two owners describe the same thing in 2024: the car shuddering and surging as if the transmission cannot hold a ratio, with a lack of power, and one case where it stumbled in the middle of an intersection while turning left across traffic. A mechanic found a code for the transmission fluid pressure sensor; the local Mitsubishi dealer said the transmission needed replacing at 81,000 miles and that the 100,000-mile powertrain warranty did not apply because they were the second owner. Take it on a cold start, do several pull-aways and one uphill merge, and have a scan tool on it before money changes hands.
Repair cost (estimate): $200–$450 for a fluid service; $3,200–$5,200 for a replacement CVT — about 45% of what this car is typically worth
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the transmission and drivetrain (2).
Half of this year's complaints sit under airbags. One is an owner whose airbag warning light came on and stayed on — a live fault in the restraint system, which means the airbags may not fire, and a repair a buyer pays for because no campaign covers it on this year. The other two are crash reports where the airbags did not deploy in two separate accidents, which is serious to read and impossible for anyone to inspect for at the kerb. Turn the key and watch the airbag symbol: it should light up and then go out. If it stays on, the car needs diagnosis before you buy, not after.
Repair cost (estimate): $300–$1,400
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under airbags (3).
Walk-Away Red Flags
- ✗Shudder or surging as if the transmission is slipping between ratios
- ✗Any stumble or loss of drive when pulling across an intersection
- ✗Airbag warning light still lit after the engine has started
- ✗A seller who says the powertrain warranty transfers — on this car it does not
- ✗Hesitation of more than a beat when you pull away from a stop
Good Signs
- ✓CVT fluid changed with a dated invoice naming the correct Mitsubishi fluid
- ✓A clean scan of the transmission and restraint modules, printed out by the shop that ran it
- ✓Airbag symbol that lights at key-on and goes out once running
- ✓Twenty minutes of cold driving with steady, even power delivery
- ✓Original owner selling it with the full dealer service history
More from Mitsubishi
Similar cars & sedans
Found a specific Mitsubishi Lancer?
This page covers what goes wrong on the 2017 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.
Get My Verdict — $7.99No account required. Delivered to your inbox, usually within minutes.
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.
No bullshit, no upsells, no affiliate links. One report, one price — we'll never charge you rent for your own thinking.
Think we got something wrong? Tell us — a real person reads every message.