It seems as if this year could be deemed the year of car recalls with yet another famous Japanese car brand recalling some its vehicles. Mitsubishi has made it public that over 200,000 SUVs are being recalled throughout the United States because of a major flaw. The problem increases the risk of accidents as it has to do with the rearview camera system which poses quite a bit of difficulty for the driver when reversing. According to this recall that has been filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this Japanese built carmaker recalls two of its most well-known models.
Understanding the Mitsubishi fault in full detail
The recall by Mitsubishi deals with the infotainment software of the car which inevitably controls the rearview camera display. The problem leads to a flaw whereby the images tend to freeze or does not display properly when the vehicle is in reverse. The flaw is the result of a programming error with regard to the A-IVI software which ultimately controls the infotainment system supplied by Bosch.
The lack of visibility caused by this flaw goes against the federal rear visibility safety standard and hence makes this recall all the more urgent. It is clear that the software will need reworking although all is normal when it comes to the hardware itself.
The initial investigation of this software related issue started in May 2023 with 6 field reports and 358 warranty claims thus far. All of the reports received mentioned the camera going completely blank when reversing or even sort of freezing when the car was being pulled out backwards. The main problem came about in parking bays that were a tight squeeze to get into or when reversing too close to pedestrians.
Which models are being recalled by Mitsubishi?
Mazda, another Japanese car brand, recalled some of its vehicles recently due to a software issue as well. Mitsubishi’s recall is not all too rare, however, this time round only two of the Mitsubishi models are being recalled:
- 2022 to 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander (gasoline versions)
- 2023 to 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (plug-in hybrid versions)
There are about 198,940 vehicles affected by this recall and anyone driving one of the above-mentioned Mitsubishi models must take action immediately. All of the vehicles affected by this recall come from the Mitsubishi’s Okazaki plant in Japan.
What action should Mitsubishi owners affected by the recall take?
The recall of vehicles is not entirely unheard of, with Ford issuing historical recalls lately. All vehicle owners of the affected Mitsubishi Outlander or Outlander PHEV model should await a recall notification via mail between June 30 and July 1. Those Mitsubishi drivers unsure if they are affected can use their vehicle’s VIN on the official Mitsubishi website to determine if they are affected from June 16 onwards.
For the fix to occur, the vehicle needs to be brought to a Mitsubishi dealership where the dealers will reflash the software using the OBD-II port. This update is done for free for all Mitsubishi drivers of the affected models. Newly produced Mitsubishi models from April 2025, already has the updated software installed so all newly purchased vehicle models will not be affected by this recall.
What does this recall mean for Japan’s Mitsubishi?
The Outlander is one of Mitsubishi’s best-selling models throughout the United States and as such a recall like this could make Mitsubishi enthusiasts slightly weary. In 2024, about 52,228 Mitsubishi Outlander vehicles were sold. This is not Mitsubishi’s first vehicle recall, however, it is the most recent recall and as such may see Mitsubishi drivers approaching their next purchase of Mitsubishi models with slight caution. Needless to say, Mitsubishi is doing the right thing by recalling affected vehicles to fix the software flaw that could result in accidents. Now the onus is on Mitsubishi drivers of the affected models to visit their nearest Mitsubishi dealership.
Disclaimer: For more information about this recall, check the report 25V-369 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
