Selling a dead or unwanted Mitsubishi i-MiEV
Mitsubishi recalled the i-MiEV seven times, and three of those campaigns were for the same part: the vacuum pump that powers the brake assist. That fits the complaint side too. Of the 14 reports owners sent NHTSA, 7 are filed under service brakes, more than any other system.
- Model years in EPA data
- 2012-2017
- NHTSA complaints
- 14 (13 on the 2012)
- Component named most
- Service brakes (7)
- Recall campaigns
- 7: three brake vacuum pump, four air bag
- Battery (Wikipedia)
- 16 kWh lithium-ion
- Range (Wikipedia)
- 99 miles, Japanese test cycle
- Assembly (Wikipedia)
- Mizushima plant, Kurashiki, Japan
If yours has a dead pack, a brake warning or just not enough range to be useful anymore, you can sell it as it sits. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, electric ones included, with free pickup anywhere in the US.
The car in brief
Wikipedia lists a 16 kWh lithium-ion battery, a range of 160 km (99 miles) on the Japanese test cycle, and a single-speed reduction gear. The motor sits at the back, driving the rear wheels. Wikipedia gives Mitsubishi's Mizushima plant in Kurashiki, Japan as the assembly site. A Mitsubishi representative confirmed in August 2017 that the car had been discontinued in the US, and production ended in March 2021. NHTSA gave the 2012 four stars out of five in its crash rating.
What the complaints and recalls show
2012: almost the whole file
The 2012 holds 13 of the 14 complaints. Six name the service brakes, three the electrical system and two the air bags. Two crashes are reported, with one injury and one death. The 2012 also has six of the seven recall campaigns on it.
The brake recalls:
- 13V031000: covers 2012 cars built December 2, 2011 through September 7, 2012, whose vacuum pump may fail. Dealers put in a new pump free. 1,402 vehicles.
- 14V522000: Mitsubishi's notice covers 2010-2014 cars, with software or corrosion problems affecting the pump. Dealers reprogrammed the pump controller or replaced parts, depending on the car. 1,810 vehicles.
- 19V804000: covers 2012-2017 cars. On the i-MiEV, water may seep into the pump, rust it and stop it working. A dealer swaps in a new one at no charge. 2,108 vehicles.
The air bag recalls:
- 12V372000: 261 cars built in late 2011 whose frontal air bag sensors didn't match the self-test software, which could switch the air bags off. Dealers replaced the sensors.
- 15V594000: impact sensors. Its 13,558 vehicles count the whole campaign, which also covers the 2014 Mirage, so most of them are not i-MiEVs.
- 17V022000: front passenger air bag inflators on 2012 and 2014 cars. 1,964 vehicles.
2013-2017: one complaint
No complaints are on file for 2013 through 2016. The 2017 has one, about the service brakes. It also falls under two recalls: the 2019 vacuum pump campaign, and 17V793000, which replaced the passenger air bag inflator on all 144 i-MiEVs from 2016-2017.
Complaints and recalls by model year
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recall campaigns | Components |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 13 | 2 | 6 | Service brakes (6), electrical (3), air bags (2) |
| 2013-2016 | 0 | 0 | see list above | none filed |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Service brakes (1) |
Per NHTSA's complaint data pulled October 10, 2026. The 2017 had five fewer years on the road than the 2012 to draw complaints, which is part of the gap.
Fix it or sell it?
Start with the free part. A VIN search on NHTSA's recall site shows any brake pump or air bag work still owed, and that work is done at no charge. Then look at the battery. With a 99-mile range when new, an i-MiEV with a worn pack may cover very little ground. Get a written quote for the pack before deciding, and compare it with what running i-MiEVs are listed for. See EV battery failed for how to weigh it.
Selling the i-MiEV whole
- Have the VIN, mileage and title ready. If the title is missing, see selling with no title.
- Get an offer online or call (877) 421-6008.
- Mention if it can be shifted into neutral. A dead EV may need a flatbed, and the driver needs to know.
- Include the charging cord if you still have it. The pack stays in the car; missing parts change the offer.
More models are on the Mitsubishi page.
Questions people ask
- What is the brake vacuum pump recall on the i-MiEV?
- There are three. Recall 13V031000 replaced pumps that could fail on 2012 cars. Recall 14V522000 reprogrammed or replaced pump parts after software or corrosion problems. Recall 19V804000 covers 2012-2017 cars, where water can get into the pump and corrode it; dealers swap the pump at no cost. NHTSA's VIN lookup shows which ones are still open on yours.
- Are there air bag recalls on the i-MiEV?
- Yes, four. They cover frontal air bag sensors (12V372000), impact sensors (15V594000) and the front passenger air bag inflator (17V022000 on 2012 and 2014 cars, 17V793000 on all 2016-2017 cars).
- Is the i-MiEV still sold?
- No. Wikipedia says a Mitsubishi representative confirmed in August 2017 that it had been discontinued in the US, and that production ended in March 2021.
- Will you buy an i-MiEV that won't charge or drive?
- Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, electric ones included. You sell the whole car as it sits, with free pickup anywhere in the US. Say whether the dash lights up at all.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.
- EPA fuel economy data download (i-MiEV, 2012-2017) fueleconomy.gov
- NHTSA datasets: complaints flat file, downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 12V372000: frontal air bag sensors, 2012 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 13V031000: brake vacuum pump, 2012 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 14V522000: brake vacuum pump power assist nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 15V594000: air bag impact sensors nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 17V022000: passenger air bag inflator, 2012 and 2014 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 17V793000: passenger air bag inflator, 2016-2017 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 19V804000: brake vacuum pump corrosion, 2012-2017 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
- Wikipedia: Mitsubishi i-MiEV (battery, range, plant, production end, US discontinuation) en.wikipedia.org