Owners of 2009 Lancers describe recurring electrical failures, with the ECU emerging as a chronic problem. Brake lights fail while tail lights work normally, and some vehicles continue draining brake lights even after the ignition is off. Headlights also flicker or shut down entirely while driving—a safety hazard at highway speeds. Mitsubishi issued recall SR-15-002 for the ECU, but multiple owners report the dealership refused coverage because their vehicles have a different ECU part number (8637C096 instead of the recalled 8637A826), despite experiencing identical failures. The replacement ECU costs roughly $870 and requires dealer programming, a monopoly that leaves out-of-warranty owners stuck paying full freight.
Audio amplifiers under the driver's seat in Sun and Sound package vehicles have smoked and sparked during operation, with one failing again just one week after dealership replacement. The underlying wiring remains unchanged, suggesting a design defect rather than the component itself.
Other owners report Bluetooth modules draining batteries (requiring jump-starts after five days), blower motors failing to defrost windshields, electronic key systems locking them out of the ignition, and engine shutdown on highways requiring 20-minute cool-downs. Dealership diagnostics have been unable to pinpoint causes in several cases. Recall eligibility confusion is widespread—some owners have the exact recalled part but were denied coverage because their VIN supposedly wasn't included.
Failure modes owners describe
ECU malfunction causing brake light failure
ECU fails, shutting down brake light function while tail lights remain operational. Some vehicles continue to drain brake lights even after engine shut-off. Multiple owners report brake lights failed to illuminate while driving. One owner's vehicle sat undiagnosed at dealership; another's ECU has part number 8637C096, excluded from recall SR-15-002 which covers part number 8637A826. Replacement ECU (8637C496) costs approximately $870 and requires licensed dealer programming.
When: Reported at various mileages; one confirmed at 70,000 miles; some without mileage stated
Symptoms owners cite: Brake lights non-functional while tail lights operate; Brake lights remain illuminated after ignition off; Headlights turn off intermittently while driving; Low-beam headlights turn on and off independently at night
Codes mentioned: 8637C096, 8637A826, 8637C496
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement ECU cost approximately $870; requires licensed dealer programming. One replacement amplifier installed but failed again within one week.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall SR-15-002 exists but only covers part number 8637A826; vehicles with part number 8637C096 refused coverage. Dealership refused to supply part numbers as policy. NHTSA Campaign 15V232000 (Electrical System) does not include all affected VINs. One owner's vehicle confirmed ineligible for recall despite experiencing same failure.
Audio amplifier smoking and sparking
Amplifier mounted under driver's side seat in vehicles with Sun and Sound package ignites with smoke and sparks. Occurs repeatedly even after dealership replacement. Smoking stops when radio powered off but resumes when radio powered on. Owner suspects underlying wiring defect creating fire hazard.
When: One week after initial dealership replacement; recurred during driving
Symptoms owners cite: Amplifier smoking and sparking; Amplifier failure after dealership replacement; Smoke coming from underneath driver's side seat; Speakers cease functioning after amplifier failure
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership replaced amplifier; failed again one week later. Dealership refused to examine vehicle again without $120 diagnostic fee.
Bluetooth module battery drain
Bluetooth connection module integrated into vehicle drains battery to point where vehicle requires jump start after sitting for five or more days. Failure recurred multiple times. Independent mechanics unable to diagnose; dealership identified Bluetooth module as cause. Module removal resolved issue.
When: 70,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle requires jump start after sitting unused for five days or more; Failure recurred several times; Battery failure persisted after battery replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Initial diagnosis: battery replacement. Failure persisted. Second independent mechanic could not determine cause. Dealership diagnosed defective Bluetooth module and removed it.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified of failure.
Blower motor failure
Blower motor fails, preventing windshield defrosting and front cabin heating. Some vehicles have recalled blower motor part numbers but owners report Mitsubishi claims their VIN was not included in recall SR-15-003 dated June 2015, despite the defective motor bearing recalled part number. One vehicle was manufactured June 2008 (early 2009 model) and owner believes Mitsubishi missed early production vehicles.
When: Unspecified; one vehicle manufactured June 2008
Symptoms owners cite: Blower motor inoperative; Front windshield cannot be defrosted; No front cabin heating
Repairs/costs cited: Owner purchased replacement blower motor out-of-pocket; has receipt and defective motor marked with recalled part number.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall SR-15-003 (June 2015) exists for blower motor; manufacturer denied coverage for at least one vehicle despite motor bearing recalled part number. Manufacturer stated vehicle was not part of recall.
Electronic key system failure
Electronic key system fails; key cannot be inserted into ignition switch. Vehicle taken to dealership multiple times. Dealership reprogrammed key computer system multiple times without resolving failure.
When: Between 55,000 and 56,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Key cannot be inserted into ignition switch; Electronic key system malfunction
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership reprogrammed key computer system multiple times; failure persisted.
Intermittent starting failure
Vehicle fails to start on several occasions, typically in mornings. Engine cranks normally but does not turn over. Issue began after vehicle had been in service for several months without prior problems. Dealership computer diagnostic found nothing.
When: Several months after initial vehicle purchase (one example: purchased April 2009)
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle will not start; Normal engine cranking without ignition; Intermittent failure, typically in mornings; Multiple attempts required to achieve starting
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership ran vehicle through computer diagnostics; no fault codes found.
Engine RPM fluctuation and stalling at idle
Engine RPMs fluctuate while idling and vehicle appears to be stalling. Vehicle also experiences poor acceleration from stopped position. Blower also non-functional in same vehicle. Failure cause not diagnosed or repaired.
When: 50,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine RPM fluctuates at idle; Engine appears to be stalling; Poor acceleration from standing start
Repairs/costs cited: Cause not diagnosed or repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified of failure.
Uncontrolled engine shutdown on highway
Vehicle decelerates and shuts down without driver input while on highway. Requires 20-minute cool-down period before operation can resume. Vehicle cannot operate in traffic for more than two hours before shutting down. Dangerous condition creating traffic hazard.
When: Unspecified mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle slows down on highway without driver input; Vehicle shuts down on highway; Vehicle shuts down after two hours of traffic driving; Requires 20-minute cool-down to restart
Cruise control intermittent operation
Cruise control turns on and off but will not hold set speed. Occurs alongside non-functional brake lights.
When: Unspecified mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control turns on and off intermittently; Cruise control will not set speed
Synthesized from 17 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.