Mitsubishi Motors’ massive recall of 200,000 Outlander SUVs exposes yet another safety failure in modern vehicle technology, where a simple software glitch now threatens driver and pedestrian safety by disabling critical rearview cameras.
Key Takeaways
- Mitsubishi is recalling nearly 200,000 Outlander and Outlander PHEV SUVs due to defective infotainment system software that can cause rearview cameras to freeze or display black screens.
- The recall affects 2022-2024 Outlander SUVs and 2023-2025 Outlander PHEVs, with vehicles manufactured after April 22, 2025, already having the updated software.
- This software malfunction violates federal safety standards and increases crash risk, though the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates only 1% of affected vehicles will experience the issue.
- Mitsubishi will notify dealers by June 16 and owners by June 30, offering free software updates at authorized dealerships.
- This recall replaces a previous one from May 2023 that addressed similar issues in nearly 90,000 vehicles.
Another Automaker Falls Victim to Software Failures
Mitsubishi Motors North America has announced a major recall affecting nearly 200,000 vehicles due to a potentially dangerous software issue in their popular Outlander models. The problem lies in the infotainment system, which can suddenly freeze or go completely black, disabling the rearview camera and creating a serious safety hazard for drivers and pedestrians alike. This malfunction directly violates federal rear visibility regulations that were put in place specifically to prevent backup accidents, which have historically been a significant cause of injuries and fatalities.
“Mitsubishi has recalled nearly 200,000 vehicles due to a software issue that causes the rearview camera to freeze, increasing the risk of a crash, the car maker announced on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, website,” declared by Mitsubishi.
Extensive Model Range Affected
The recall targets a wide production range, including Outlander SUVs manufactured between February 2021 and December 2024, along with Outlander PHEV models produced between September 2022 and April 2025. This represents a significant portion of Mitsubishi’s recent U.S. sales and comes as yet another blow to consumer confidence in automotive technology. The issue stems from what Mitsubishi has acknowledged as “improper software programming” in the infotainment system, highlighting how vulnerable modern vehicles have become to coding errors and software glitches.
“The software was improperly programmed, the car manufacturer said, causing the rearview camera to freeze, and in some cases, the camera won’t display at all,” declared by Mitsubishi.
Troubling History of Technical Issues
Perhaps more concerning is that this isn’t Mitsubishi’s first attempt to address this problem. The current recall actually replaces a previous one from May 2023 (recall number 23V345) that affected nearly 90,000 vehicles with similar black screen issues when shifting into reverse. Despite that earlier fix, the problem has persisted and expanded to affect more than twice as many vehicles. Mitsubishi reports receiving 358 warranty claims related to the issue, along with six field reports specifically highlighting software performance problems.
“The automaker said in a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall report that the infotainment system inside over 198,900 Outlanders from model years 2022-2024 and Outlander PHEV SUVs from model years 2023-2025 could ‘freeze or display a black screen,” according to The automaker.
Repair Process and Timeline
Mitsubishi has established a clear timeline for addressing the issue. The company will notify dealers by June 16, with owner notification letters to follow by June 30. These letters will include instructions for obtaining reimbursement for owners who may have already paid for repairs related to this issue. According to the NHTSA, the remedy involves a free software update that will be performed at authorized Mitsubishi dealerships. Vehicles manufactured after April 22, 2025, already come equipped with the corrected software.
“Moving forward, all vehicles made after April 22, 2025 were programmed with an updated software package,” declared by Mitsubishi.
Part of a Broader Industry Problem
This recall is part of a troubling pattern across the automotive industry, with similar rearview camera issues affecting vehicles from Ford, Volvo, Porsche, and Nissan in recent months. The increasing dependence on complex software systems in modern vehicles has created new categories of safety risks that weren’t present in older, more mechanical designs. While today’s cars offer unprecedented features and conveniences, they also introduce technological vulnerabilities that can compromise basic safety functions. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities have been reported in connection with this specific issue.
