MitsubishiOutlander PHEV2018Overview/mitsubishi/outlander-phev/2018/base/

2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 Outlander PHEV.

Body SUV

The 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV enters the reliability landscape as a plug-in hybrid SUV, anchoring the start of the model's 2018–2025 complaint history with 15 total owner issues, five recalls, and a primary trouble area in vehicle speed control. Though its complaint count sits well below the 22 logged at the generation's peak in 2019, it falls far short of the single-complaint low achieved in 2022, positioning this inaugural year in a problematic middle ground. For researchers, this trajectory means the 2018 model avoids the absolute worst reliability pitfalls of its immediate successor but retains enough early-generation friction to warrant careful consideration.

Model year20252024202320222021202020192018

Quick specs

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

Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses 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.

Tire sizeP225/55R18OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.0 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMZ690072
Engine air filter16546W010P
Fuel filter1770A312
Spark plug1822A154
BatteryARE17FB1X01
Front wiper bladesMZ693015 alt MZ693021
Thermostat1305A803
Cabin air filter7803A109

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length185 in
Overall width71.3 in
Overall height67.3 in
Wheelbase105.1 in
Curb weight4178 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 60.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)57/43

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)44.0 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts155.0 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts155.0 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)9.0 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)31.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub179.0-219.0 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub179.0-219.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm

Service checks

RPM47.0 @ Idle rpm
RPM47.0 @ Idle rpm

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 28-; Rear: 24-
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 67-; Rear: 38-
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .882; Rear: .331
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .0024; Rear: .0031

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs — tightening sequence 3 stages
1M6 Bolts89 in
2M8 Bolts14 ft. lbs
322.0
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 3 stages
144.0 inch lbs.44 in
215.0 ft. lbs.15 ft. lbs
390.0
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 2 stages
130.0 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
295.0
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages
120.0 ft. lbs.20 ft. lbs
245.0
Engine Valve Cover Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
12.3 ft. lbs., Step 2: 4.12.3 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 at 105,000 mi; coolant at 120,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 120,000 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 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Hybrid Inverter (inspect coolant level)
Every 45,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
At 105,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 120,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

The 2018 Outlander PHEV sits at the beginning of the data record, with 15 complaints and 5 recalls—both figures that are notably higher than the near-zero complaint counts and 1–2 recalls seen from 2020 onward. The 98 TSBs for 2018 are also elevated compared to the 51–86 range of later years, suggesting that early production required more dealer-level corrections. The complaint trend peaks in 2019 (22 complaints, 141 TSBs) and then drops sharply, indicating that the 2018 model year was part of a problematic early phase that was largely resolved by 2020. While the 2018 has one crash and one fire complaint, the data does not specify root causes, so it is unclear if these are isolated or systemic. Given the higher complaint and recall counts relative to the rest of the generation, the 2018 is a riskier buy; a 2020 or later model year would offer a much cleaner federal record.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
98
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
15
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 15 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Vehicle Speed Control2
Fuel/Propulsion System1
Unknown Or Other1
Power Train,Electrical System,Electronic Stability Control (Esc)1
Exterior Lighting,Structure,Unknown Or Other1
Power Train,Electrical System,Unknown Or Other1
Electrical System,Seats1
Vehicle Speed Control,Service Brakes1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V620000Electrical System:SoftwareReported 14/09/2018

Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Outlander Sport, 2018-2019 Eclipse Cross, and 2017-2018 Outlander vehicles equipped with a Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM)… Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the FCM-ECU software with updated software, free of charge. The recall is began October 16, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA…

18V621000Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise ControlReported 14/09/2018

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport vehicles equipped with a Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system and 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Eclipse Cross… Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will update the Hydraulic Unit-ECU software, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2018. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 98 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TECH TALK 2902026-02-12Electrical SystemTech Talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. It covers various topics…
TSB-23-55-0012026-02-12Visibility/WiperThis revised Technical Service Bulletin provides instructions on how to remedy noise from…
TIN-25-SR-002A2025-10-08StructureThis Technical Information Notice informs dealers that MMNA is investigating the field…
TECH TALK 2842025-01-29Electrical SystemTech Talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. It covers various topics…
TSB-19-54-013REV2024-07-23Electrical SystemThis Technical Service Bulletin instructs the dealer to update the Smartphone Link…

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 Outlander PHEV. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

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 2018 Outlander PHEV have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.