MitsubishiLancer Sportback20042.4L/mitsubishi/lancer-sportback/2004/2-4l/

2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback — 2.4L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2004 Lancer Sportback 2.4L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 2.4LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback is a passenger‑car built on a compact platform and equipped with a 2.4‑liter engine paired with an automatic 4‑speed transmission, delivering EPA‑rated fuel economy of 20 city, 26 highway and 22 combined mpg. It accumulated eight owner complaints in its complaint history, with the most frequently cited issues involving the electrical system and visibility and no recalls recorded. Across the 2004‑2014 model run the complaint tally peaked at 16 in 2014 but fell to three in 2013, placing the 2004 model year among the earlier years with modest grievance volumes. Consequently, the 2004 iteration sits at the lower end of the model's complaint trajectory, reflecting relatively limited owner concerns.

Model year20142013201220112010200920062004

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/26/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 520 CCA battery, OE oil filter MZ690072. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 520 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnSTOPOEM · verified
Tire sizeP185-65R14OEM · verified
Wheel / rim5.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMZ690072
Engine air filterMR552951
Fuel filterMN135454 alt MR571545
Spark plugMS851728 alt MS851357
Front wiper bladesMZ693015 alt 8250A536
Serpentine belt4451A106 alt 4451A107
ThermostatMD337408 alt MN143463
Cabin air filterMR398288

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length182.3 in
Overall width66.9 in
Overall height55.9 in
Wheelbase102.8 in
Curb weight3020 lb
Track (front / rear)57.9 / 57.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 26 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidMitsubishi Diamond Queen SP-III
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity8.1
Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.3 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Manual Transmission Fluid75W-80 · GL-4
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity4.7
Power Steering FluidGenuine Mitsubishi PS fluid

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or StudsDOHC: 14 ft-lbs; SOHC:
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts15-21 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts98 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug23.0-25.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug23.0-25.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug Gap0.028-0.035 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing5, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance3 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.06-1.15 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity2.0 L
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance520 cca

Service checks

Engine Compression164-226 psi
Engine Compression164-225 psi
Engine Oil Pressure4.3 psi @ Idle, 43-100 psi @ 3500 rpm psi
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket89-111 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle66-80 ft-lbs / 52-65 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket74
Torque to Knuckle66-80 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080; Rear: 0.080 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.26 in / 0.87 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.26 in / 0.87 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90-9415 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Drive Belt (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miFuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace)
Every 100,000 miTiming Belt (replace)
At 105,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

In 2004, the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback received eight complaints and no recalls, placing it modestly above the 2013 level of three complaints but far below the 2014 spike to sixteen complaints. Across the three‑year window, the trend shows a rise in complaint volume after 2013, suggesting that later model years began to experience more issues. The 2004 model’s complaints were largely confined to electrical and visibility concerns, with no fire or crash reports. Since the data shows no recalls or investigations for 2004, the vehicle’s safety record is relatively clean compared to the later year’s higher complaint count. For a used‑car buyer, 2004 represents a more stable period within this generation, making it a reasonable year to consider.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
28
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
8
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 8 complaints on record, top 7 components.

Electrical System,Visibility2
Exterior Lighting,Air Bags1
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other1
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other,Visibility/Wiper1
Electrical System1
Vehicle Speed Control1
Engine & Engine Cooling1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 28 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
DEALER LETTER2023-07-21EquipmentThis is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has…
SR-18-005REV2023-06-23Air BagsThis is a revised Safety Recall bulletin sent to dealers informing them of new Takata…
SR-17-004REV2023-06-23Air BagsThis is a revised Safety Recall bulletin sent to dealers informing them of new Takata…
TSB-23-00-0042023-04-24StructureThis Technical Service Bulletin provides instructions and material safety data sheets for…
TSB-23-00-0012023-04-24EquipmentThis Technical Service Bulletin reviews the regulations that require a label showing the…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Lancer Sportback. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2004 Lancer Sportback have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 2.4L get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 26 highway / 22 combined mpg.