The Lemon Index
Mitsubishi's 2.0 L turbo inline-4, DOHC in the Lancer Evolution X, model years 2008–2015. YouTube likes the 2011 best.
Middle of the pack: YouTube owner tone 45/100, #110 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); 4 engine-related recalls on record, 2 known issues listed below.
Everyday cars with this engine Tap a year for that car's full report.
Model years from EPA version lists. Only years we have a car page for.
Reliability by year
Why the car page shows more: the Evo page counts 93 complaints and 10 recall campaigns for 2008–2015, everything NHTSA files as "Lancer Evolution", other engines included. This page counts only the 116 complaints and 10 recalls we can tie to the Mitsubishi 4B11T 2.0 turbo by model name or the owner's own words.
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2011 (47) and least about the 2009 (44); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
How we count: owner complaints only where the car's name and year leave no doubt; YouTube tone from videos that name this engine or its cars. How we count
Owner complaints (NHTSA) are filed by model and year, not engine. We count one for this engine only when the model name and year had no other engine (e.g. "488 GTB", "GT-R"), or when the owner's own words name a version that had only this engine that year (Z06, ZR1, Hellcat, GT500 ...). They cover the whole car (wheels, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine, and none of them is a failure rate. We chart them only for engines with 30 or more, over 3 or more years. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts (praise vs trouble words, the title counts 3 times), weighted by views; a year needs at least 3 videos' worth. A video counts for this engine when its title names the engine or a car that only had this engine in the years it names; a video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of that car, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars | Owner complaints | YouTube says | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Lancer Evolution X | 59 | 46 (145 videos) | 4 |
| 2009 | Lancer Evolution X | 2 | 44 (143 videos) | 5 |
| 2010 | Lancer Evolution X | 28 | 44 (146 videos) | 5 |
| 2011 | Lancer Evolution X | 11 | 47 (145 videos) | 3 |
| 2012 | Lancer Evolution X | 3 | 44 (143 videos) | 1 |
| 2013 | Lancer Evolution X | 4 | 44 (143 videos) | 1 |
| 2014 | Lancer Evolution X | 6 | 45 (145 videos) | 2 |
| 2015 | Lancer Evolution X | 3 | 45 (143 videos) | 2 |
Recalls on cars with this engine 10
4 of them are about the engine, fuel, cooling or powertrain. They come first.
15V546000 Fuel System, Gasoline · Mitsubishi LANCER EVOLUTION 2014–15
The affected turbocharged vehicles.
14V562000 Engine And Engine Cooling · Mitsubishi LANCER EVOLUTION 2008–11
The affected vehicles, manufactured with 4B1 engines,.
13V446000 Power Train · Mitsubishi LANCER EVOLUTION 2008–13
In the affected vehicles, the clutch master cylinder can fail.
09V349000 Fuel System, Other · Mitsubishi LANCER EVOLUTION 2008–09
MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 LANCER EVOLUTION, RALLIART, AND SPORTBACK RALLIART VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH TURBOCHARGED ENGINES.
18V071000 Visibility · Mitsubishi LANCER EVOLUTION 2009–10
The sunroof glass may detach from the sunroof assembly, becoming a road hazard to other vehicles.
Show all 10
17V609000 Electrical System · Mitsubishi LANCER EVOLUTION 2015
These vehicles may have defective relays that can result in an engine stall, reduced engine power or the engine overheating.
15V232000 Electrical System · Mitsubishi LANCER EVOLUTION 2010
15V233000 Visibility · Mitsubishi LANCER EVOLUTION 2010–11
14V281000 Steering · Mitsubishi LANCER EVOLUTION 2014
The affected vehicles may have insu.
09V435000 Air Bags · Mitsubishi LANCER EVOLUTION 2008–09
MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 LANCER AND LANCER EVOLUTION VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MAS…
NHTSA recalls by model and year. A recall counts here when every confirmed version of that model-year had this engine, or the recall names it. Check a car's VIN for its own open recalls.
Engine problems Mitsubishi told dealers about
Mitsubishi sent dealers 23 repair notes about the engine on these cars, including:
- This is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers
- Some affected vehicles may display !
- Fuel return pipe removal/installation-service manual revision
NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins), matched by model name and year like the complaints, engine-related ones only. A repair note is not a recall: ask a seller whether it was done.
Known issues on record
- Drive belt and pulley recall (Recall). On 2008-2011 cars with 4B1 engines, the accessory pulleys can wear and let the drive belt come off. That can drain the battery and stall the engine. Fix: Dealer fits a rubber belt and replaces worn pulleys for free (NHTSA 14V-562). 2 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (CZ4A (Evo X) Evo).
- Fuel return pipe recall (Recall). On 2008-2009 Evos, vibration at certain engine speeds can crack the fuel return pipe where it is fixed, which can leak fuel and start a fire. Fix: Dealer replaces the pipe and adds two brackets for free (NHTSA 09V-349). 5 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (CZ4A (Evo X) Evo).
- No engine failure pattern (Owner-reported (NHTSA)). NHTSA complaints on 2008-2015 Evos center on the AYC/ACD hydraulic pump and the clutch, not the engine. Only a handful report engine failures.
Sources: NHTSA recall 14V-562: drive belt and pulleys, 4B1 engines 2008-2011 (Dec 2014), NHTSA recall 09V-349: fuel return pipe, 2008-2009 Lancer Evolution and Ralliart (Aug 2009), NHTSA complaints: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, NHTSA recall 13V-446: clutch master cylinder, 2008-2013 Lancer Evolution (Sep 2013). The same list as on the Evo page.
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Lancer Evolution · Mitsubishi Lancer, every year | 2008–15 |
Engine code: 4B11T. Mitsubishi's Shiga engine plant, Japan. Power: 287–291 hp, factory figures. Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: Mitsubishi 4B1 engine.
Quick answers
What cars have the Mitsubishi 4B11T 2.0 turbo engine?
In the US: the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, model years 2008–2015. See the version table for each one.
Is the Mitsubishi 4B11T 2.0 turbo reliable?
Mostly, with known issues to check. YouTube owner tone 45/100, #110 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); 4 engine-related recalls on record, 2 known issues listed below. Owners filed 116 complaints we can tie to it, about any part of the car. Its cars had 10 recalls (4 about the engine, fuel or powertrain). Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the Mitsubishi 4B11T 2.0 turbo make?
287–291 hp in factory figures, depending on the car.