2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Issue: 
On certain vehicles, the brake vacuum pump may fail. This can cause a hard brake pedal and an increase in brake pedal effort. If the brake vacuum pump fails, the brake warning light will turn on and an audible warning will sound.

Safety Risk: 
A sudden increase in brake pedal effort could lead to an increase in stopping distance. This could increase the risk of a crash.

Corrective Actions: 
Mitsubishi will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to install a new brake vacuum pump.

On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, could eventually degrade the propellant contained in the passenger frontal airbag. This could cause the airbag to deploy with more force than normal. As a result, if the vehicle were involved in a collision that warrants airbag deployment, fragments could be propelled toward vehicle occupants, and the airbag assembly could be damaged, preventing proper function. These issues could increase the risk of injury. Correction: Dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator. Note: Canadian climate results in the propellant degrading slowly. The recall is being conducted as a precaution to address future risk, and is expected to replace airbag inflators before their function would be affected.

On certain vehicles, due to improper manufacturing, the electrical resistance inside the impact sensor for the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) air bag system may have increased. As a result, abnormal communication may be detected by the ECU causing the SRS warning lamp to illuminate. If a vehicle is involved in a collision that warrants front, side, and/or curtain air bag deployment when the SRS warning lamp is illuminated, frontal air bag deployment could be delayed and/or the side and curtain air bag may not deploy.  Failure of an airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury.  Correction: Dealers will replace the SRS impact sensor with a countermeasure unit.

On certain vehicles, vacuum pump function could be affected by software defects and/or blockage of the pump exhaust hole. An inoperable vacuum pump would affect power brake system function, increasing brake pedal effort and potentially increasing stopping distances, which could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will update vehicle software and replace the vacuum pump as necessary. Note: In the event that the vacuum pump becomes inoperable, the brake warning lamp will illuminate and an audible warning will be heard.

On certain vehicles, the brake system vacuum pump may have been manufactured incorrectly and could fail.  Loss of brake power assist could increase stopping distances, possibly causing a crash resulting in property damage and/or personal injury.  Correction: Dealers will replace the brake vacuum pump.