MitsubishiOutlander Sport/RVR20122.0L/mitsubishi/outlander-sport-rvr/2012/2-0l/

2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport/RVR — 2.0L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 Outlander Sport/RVR 2.0L.

Body SUVEngine 2.0LTransmission Automatic (AV-S6)

The 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport/RVR is a compact SUV powered by a 2.0‑liter engine that requires 4.5 qt of 0W‑20 API oil and is mated to an AV‑S6 automatic transmission, delivering EPA‑rated fuel economy of 25/30 mpg city/highway and a combined 27 mpg. With 35 owner complaints logged, the air‑bag system stands out as the most frequent trouble spot, and the model was subject to ten recalls during its production year. Those figures place the 2012 Outlander Sport/RVR at the higher end of complaint volume for the nameplate, signaling a reliability record that calls for careful attention to its safety‑related components.

Model year20152014201320122011

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy25/30/27 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
Tire sizeP215-70R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMZ690072
Engine air filterMR968274
Fuel filter1770A094 alt 1770A095
Spark plug1822A069
BatteryAMG8FB1X01
Front wiper blades8250A254 alt 8250A174
Serpentine belt1340A150
Thermostat1305A803
Cabin air filter7803A004

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (AV-S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length183.9 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height66.1 in
Wheelbase105.1 in
Curb weight3527 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 60.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)55/45

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined25 / 30 / 27 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 holds 4.5 qt of 0W-20 API engine oil, 80W in the differential. 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. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear Oil80W
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.1 Pints
Engine Oil0W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Power Steering FluidGenuine Mitsubishi PS fluid
Power Steering FluidUse Mitsubishi PS fluid

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs8
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts184 Turbo ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts98 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts33-39 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs13 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug22.0-25.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug22.0-25.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

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

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.05-1.14 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity2.40-3.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance520 cca

Service checks

Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)45.0-50.0 psi
Engine Compression152

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket28-36 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle67-81 ft-lbs / 38-44 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080; Rear: 0.080 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.059 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0024 in / 0.0032 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.024 in / 0.394 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.024 in / 0.394 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90-10015 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
126 ft. lbs.26 ft. lbs
290 degrees.90 degrees
390 degrees.; Do not re-use old bolts. Apply an appropriate amount of engine oil to top and bottom surfaces of washers and threaded portion of bolts.90 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
125-27 ft. lbs.25–27 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees; Do not re-use old bolts. Apply an appropriate amount of engine oil to top and bottom surface of washers and threaded portion of bolts.90 degrees

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 System (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Wheel Cylinder (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Differential (inspect fluid level)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect) · Transfer Case Assembly (drain & refill)
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.

Owner complaints about the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport/RVR top in one area — the air bags, 6 of 35 reports (17%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 6 recall campaigns target the air bags, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 4 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the air bags pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

10
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
142
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
35
Owner complaints
4 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 35 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags6
Visibility/Wiper4
Suspension3
Power Train3
Structure2
Power Train,Electrical System,Engine2
Visibility2
Suspension,Power Train1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V279000Structure:Frame And MembersReported 18/05/2020

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2008-2010 Lancer, 2009-2010 Lancer Sportback, 2008-2013 Outlander, and 2011-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles originally sold in, or ever registered in… Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front cross members. Depending on the level of existing corrosion, either a sealing/anti-corrosion agent will be applied or…

18V103000Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:LinkagesReported 09/02/2018

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 2011-2016 Outlander Sport vehicles. Water may enter between the hood and windshield and cause the front wiper link ball joint to corrode, possibly… Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rod of the wiper link and the wiper motor crank arm, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 10, 2018. Owners…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 142 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TECH TALK 2892025-11-21Electrical SystemTech Talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. It covers various topics…
TECH TALK 2812024-08-07Fuel/Propulsion SystemTech Talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. It covers various topics…
TSB-16-54-001REV2024-07-23Electrical SystemThis Technical Service Bulletin instructs the dealer to update the Hands Free Module…
TSB-24-11-0022024-06-03EngineService Manual Revision - This Technical Service Bulletin provides additions to the…
TSB-24-23-0042024-06-03Power TrainService Manual Revision - This Technical Service Bulletin provides corrections to 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 Outlander Sport/RVR. 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

How much oil does the 2012 Outlander Sport/RVR 2.0L take?

4.5 qt of 0W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2012 Outlander Sport/RVR have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 2.0L get?

EPA figures are 25 city / 30 highway / 27 combined mpg.