Used Mitsubishi Endeavor Buying Guide: Best Years, Recalls and Weak Spots

A used Mitsubishi Endeavor is a fair cheap midsize SUV if you buy a 2007 or later with curtain air bags and stability control, and you confirm the fuel filler pipe and ignition key interlock recalls were done. Every Endeavor from 2004 to 2011 used the same 3.8-liter V6, in front drive or AWD, so you're really choosing a year and a condition rather than a drivetrain. Expect a roomy five-seater with thirsty fuel use and thick roof pillars, and walk away from any salt-belt truck whose filler neck was never replaced.

I pulled every Endeavor model year from NHTSA's recall API on Sunday, October 18, 2026, and read Consumer Guide's 2004-11 Endeavor review for the yearly changes and trouble spots. One odd thing turned up. Consumer Guide says the Endeavor skipped the 2009 model year, yet the API still lists a 2009 entry for the filler pipe campaign, so if someone advertises a "2009," decode the VIN before you believe it.

Which years to shop

The early trucks are the weakest buys on safety equipment. For 2004 the V6 made 215 hp and was bumped to 225 hp mid-year, and it ran through a four-speed automatic. Front side air bags weren't offered on the base LS until 2005, and curtain side air bags didn't arrive until 2007, when the lineup became LS and SE. A standard antiskid system came for 2008. The 2010 and 2011 trucks are mostly the 2008 truck with small equipment changes. So, honestly, a 2008 or 2010-2011 is the one I'd look for first, and a 2004 only if it's cheap and clean enough to forgive the missing hardware.

Don't expect a trail truck. Consumer Guide notes the AWD system had no low-range gearing, towing tops out at 3,500 pounds, and Mitsubishi recommended premium fuel. Its test AWD Limited averaged 15.3 mpg including performance runs. That fuel bill is the real running cost here.

Recalls to confirm by VIN

• 10V065, 2004-2010: road salt and mud can pack between a bracket and the fuel filler pipe and rust it through, which can leak fuel while you fill up. It applies to trucks sold in or registered in a long list of salt and cold states. Dealers replace the pipe.
• 08V139, 2004-2008 in the API: the ignition key interlock cable can let you pull the key without the shifter in Park. Mitsubishi's own summary says 120,000 2004-2006 trucks.
• 08V454, 2005-2007: the bracket for the left rear fuel tank strap may have been formed badly and could split.
• 08V022, 2006-2007: the right front lower seat belt anchor may separate in a severe crash.
• 10V514, 2006-2008 with manual A/C: an HVAC controller signal can make air flow and temperature jump around, which can hurt defrosting.
• 09V361, 2010: seat-mounted side air bag frame brackets may not have been welded properly on trucks built May 26 to July 28, 2009.

Earlier 2004-2005 trucks also show parking brake, brake caliper, master cylinder and seat riser campaigns. Run the VIN through our Mitsubishi recall check by VIN and call a Mitsubishi dealer, and use the Mitsubishi VIN decoder guide to confirm the year and drive type before you rely on any list above.

What breaks besides recalls

Consumer Guide's trouble spots are mostly small but annoying. A 2004-2005 that flares on the 2-3 shift may need a transmission rear housing plus the reverse clutch, seals and bearings, and that's a real bill. A 2004-2006 with a check engine light may have a vacuum or intake manifold gasket leak. The driver's seat on 2004-2006 trucks can stop adjusting because of a broken cable, and on 2004 trucks a blocked A/C drain can put water on the passenger floor. That last one matters to you as a shopper, because a wet carpet on a cheap SUV can be a drain problem or a flood car, and the two look the same from the driver's seat. Pull the carpet back and check under the seats for silt and rust before you assume the easy answer.

Endeavor or Outlander?

The Outlander is the smaller, more common Mitsubishi and the one most dealers will have on the lot, with four-cylinder options and, in some years, a third row. Our used Mitsubishi Outlander guide covers those years. Pick the Endeavor if you want the bigger five-seat cabin and V6 power and can live with the fuel use. Consumer Guide lists the Murano, Pilot and Highlander as its rivals, and our used Toyota Highlander guide is the place to compare if resale matters more to you than the purchase price.

Before you hand over cash

An orphaned-brand SUV this old is a favorite for title washing and printed "clean" reports that were never real. Search the VIN on NMVTIS for title brands, then pull your own report rather than taking a seller's PDF. We're a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller with no affiliation to CARFAX, AutoCheck, Experian or Mitsubishi. As of mid October 2026 a guest report runs about $5.50, members pay near $4.50 and the two-brand bundle is roughly $6.75, against about $39.99 to $44.99 retail. Checkout shows the real number, so trust that over this paragraph.

Sources

• Consumer Guide: 2004-11 Mitsubishi Endeavor
• NHTSA recallsByVehicle, Endeavor 2004-2011, queried Oct. 18, 2026
• NMVTIS