Is the 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor a bad year?
182 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Endeavor years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor are in line with other Endeavor years. Body structure stands out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2004 Endeavor owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 79,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body structureSTANDS OUT | 59 (32%) | 61k–124k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 17 (9%) | 43k–106k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Fuel system | 22 (12%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 18 (10%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 15 (8%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Equipment | 15 (8%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Air bags | 13 (7%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Engine | 12 (7%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Engine and cooling | 11 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Brakes | 9 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 7 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 79,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 182 complaints: 14 mention a crash · 3 mention a fire · 10 report an injury · 2 say the car was towed.
1 complaint was filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Sep 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
Recalls for the 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor: 6
Cold states include north dakota, south dakota, nebraska, kansas, oklahoma, colorado, wyoming, montana, idaho, washington, oregon, and utah. Adjoining states include arkansas, tennessee, and north carolina. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
During vehicle use, the ignition key interlock cable (Which is a component of the interlock system) may allow the interlocking cam to fall forward and allow the ignition key to be removed from the ignition switch when the gearshift mechanism is not in the park position. If the driver does not shift to park before removing the key and fails to engage the parking brake, the vehicle could roll and a crash could occur.
On certain sport utility vehicles, the parking brake pedal cable lock nut may not have been tightened to the proper torque specification. The lock nut may loosen and come off, which will reduce the effectiveness of the parking brake. This condition could allow the vehicle to roll if the transmission is not placed into the "Park" Position and the vehicle is parked on a slope, thus raising the possibility of a crash.
Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the bilingual english/spanish removable air bag warning labels affixed to the dash and to the sunvisor do not meet the size requirements of the standard. This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
On certain vehicles, the foot of the driver's side seat riser may develop a crack, resulting in reduced strength of the seat anchorage. In the event of a crash, the seat could become detached, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Certain sport utility vehicles may have been equipped with dealer-installed trailer hitch wiring harness and control module. The electronic control module can overheat. Overheating of the trailer hitch wiring harness module could result in a fire.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Mitsubishi: 21
Repair instructions Mitsubishi sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Mitsubishi: on some vehicles, an active stability control (Asc) steering wheel sensor has been installed, replacing original sensor
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Gasoline leaks
Ignition-park interlock system
Neighbouring years
2005 Endeavor: 40 complaints, keep it.
Every Mitsubishi Endeavor year
2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2010 · 2011 · All Endeavor years side by side
Other Mitsubishi models: Mitsubishi Diamante · Mitsubishi Eclipse · Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder · Mitsubishi Galant · Mitsubishi Lancer · Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution · Mitsubishi Mirage · Mitsubishi Montero · Mitsubishi Montero Sport · Mitsubishi Outlander · Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor a bad year?
182 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Endeavor years. At 79,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: body structure (59), transmission and drivetrain (17), fuel system (22), visibility and wipers (18), electrical system (15).
How many recalls does the 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor have?
6 recall campaigns list this model year: Fuel system (NHTSA 10V-065), Electrical system (NHTSA 08V-139), Parking brake (NHTSA 05V-069), Equipment (NHTSA 04V-428) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.