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2008 mitsubishi Lancer Evolution powertrain problems

moderate 36 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500

Complaints
36
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$2,500

What owners are reporting 15 most recent

powertrain · filed 12/30/2013

I STARTED MY CAR AND THE AWC SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. I CAME TO A CONTROLLED STOP, AND RESTARTED THE CAR PER THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE VEHICLE MANUAL. UPON RESTART, THE SAME SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER THE DEALER RAN A DIAGNOSTIC, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE PUMP FOR THE ACTIVE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM HAD FAILED. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS PART WAS NOT PART OF THE DRIVE TRAIN AND WOULD NOT BE C…

powertrain · filed 12/24/2013

THIS IS REPORT OF A KNOWN FAILURE BY MITSUBISHI MOTOR CORP. AT 50,800 MILES ON 12/17/2013 MY CARS SUPER-ACTIVE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL (S-ACD) STARTED BLINKING AT ME. IT WOULD NOT ALLOW CHANGING OF THE SETTINGS ANYMORE FOR TARMAC/GRAVEL/SNOW. IMMEDIATELY THERE AFTER, THE DRIVER INFORMATION PANEL POPPED UP WITH A YELLOW "AWD SERVICE REQUIRED" INDICATOR. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO NASHUA, NH MITSUBISHI/H…

powertrain · filed 12/17/2014

ACD/ AYC PUMP FAILURE, ONE TIME I WAS DOING FLUID INSPECTION ON MY CAR WHEN I NOTICE THE CARS ATF FLUID RESERVOIR IN THE TRUNK IS LOSING OIL. LOOKED AT THE FLOOR FOUND SOME RED OIL DRIPPING. IT MAY HAVE SEEM THAT PUMP MAY HAVE BEEN FAILING TO HOLD PRESSURE AND LOSE OIL. POSSIBLE GASKET FAILURE OR PUMP CRACK. BEEN SEARCHING ONLINE FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS, I FOUND OUT IT SEEMED TO BE MOSTLY EVERY OWNER…

powertrain · filed 12/12/2013

DUE TO COLD WEATHER HERE IN MN, MY SAWC PUMP HAS FAILED(ALL WHEEL DRIVE CONTROL UNIT, HYDRAULIC PUMP FAILS DUE TO COLD WEATHER). I'VE RESEARCHED AND MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL HAVE HAD ISSUES OF THE SAME. BOUGHT THE CAR IN FEB 2013, USED WITH 38KMILES. IM AFRAID THE DEALER WONT COVER THE EXPENSES OF GETTING THIS REPLACE. IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AS I'VE RESEARCHED WITH MANY PEOPLE COMPLAI…

powertrain · filed 12/08/2014

VEHICLE WAS IN COLD WEATHER, AYC SYSTEM LIGHT TURNED ON. I CHECKED THE FORUMS AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE THAT INDICATES THE PUMP IS BAD. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

powertrain · filed 12/04/2013

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND WARNING LIGHT "SERVICE REQUIRED" AND A SYMBOL INDICATING THE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE SUSPENSION APPEARED. HAD CODE READ AND MY VEHICLE SUFFERED A ACD PUMP FAILURE. IT IS A CRUCIAL FEATURE TO THE SOPHISTICATED AWD STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM THAT MAKES AN EVO "SPECIAL". THIS IS A PART OF THE DRIVE TRAIN THAT IS NOT COVERED IN THE DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY. THEY ALL FAIL AND THEY ARE EXP…

powertrain · filed 12/03/2016

ACD/ACY RECALL. I PURCHASED MY 2008 EVO WITH 95000 MILES ON IT. SHORTLY AFTER I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE I WAS HAVING ISSUES WITH IT RUNNING LEAN AND MY AYC SERVICE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASH. I THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH 96000 MILES ON THE CAR IN HOPES FOR THEM TO HELP ME FIX THESE ISSUES WITH MY CAR AND YET THERE WAS NO HELP AT ALL. SO THEN I WENT ON MY WAY AND I HAD ANOTHER DEALERS…

powertrain · filed 11/20/2014

IT WAS A COLD WINTER DAY, I STARTED DRIVING MY EVO TO A NEARBY GROCERY STORE. ENROUTE, THE AWD SYSTEM WOULD THROW A WARNING AND A DASHBOARD LIGHT LIT UP. I WAS CONCERNED, STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND NO LEAKS OR NO WEIRD NOISES. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO SNOW/TARMAC/GRAVEL MODE. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT STRANDED ON THE ROAD SIDE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I CAME TO KNOW THAT THE ACD PUMP…

powertrain · filed 11/15/2013

(COMPLAINT IS APPLICABLE ONLY TO GSR TRIM EQUIPPED WITH A 5MT TRANSMISSION) - DIFFICULTY SHIFTING FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, AND SECOND TO THIRD. GEARSHIFT IS NOTCHY AND HARD TO ENGAGE. CAUSES LONGER THAN DESIRABLE TIME-GAP IN POWER TO THE WHEELS, RESULTING IN LOSS OF SPEED DURING ACCELERATION PHASE FROM A STOP. - GEARSHIFT IS NOT SMOOTH IN GENERAL. KEYWORDS : NOTCHY, GRINDING. - IT IS A WIDELY RE…

powertrain · filed 11/11/2015

FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION CENTER DIFFERENTIAL PINS IN MANUAL 2008 MODELS. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN THE CAR POPPED OUT OF GEAR TO NEUTRAL, THEN I SHIFTED TO 4TH AND POPPED OUT AGAIN TO NEUTRAL, I HAD TO QUICKLY SWERVE TO THE SHOULDER AND THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP CAUSING THE CAR TO SKID. UPON TOWING IT TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL PINS HAVE BACKED OUT THE…

Common questions

How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2008 mitsubishi Lancer Evolution?

It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 36 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.

At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?

Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.

What does it cost to fix?

Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.

Are there any recalls related to powertrain?

No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.

Other problem areas on this vehicle

Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.
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