The 2016 i-MiEV is Mitsubishi's quirky city EV with a 62-mile real-world range. Battery degradation and brake system quirks are the main concerns, but the drivetrain itself is bulletproof—this is essentially a proven Peugeot/Citroën platform with a Mitsubishi badge.
Battery Capacity Degradation
Common · medium severityTypical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi or 7+ years
Symptoms: Reduced range below 50 miles on full charge, Faster drop in state-of-charge percentage during driving, Battery capacity bars disappearing on dash display
Fix: LEV50N lithium-ion cells degrade over time and charging cycles. Replacement battery pack requires 8-12 hours labor for removal, swap, and recalibration. OEM packs are discontinued; used units from salvage or refurbished cells are the only options now.
Estimated cost: $3,500-8,000
Vacuum Pump Failure (Brake Booster)
Occasional · high severityTypical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Hard brake pedal with significantly increased effort required, Groaning or whining noise from under hood during braking, Brake warning light on dash, Loss of power assist entirely
Fix: Electric vehicles use an electric vacuum pump for the brake booster since there's no engine vacuum. When it fails, braking becomes manual effort only—still functional but dangerous in panic stops. Pump replacement takes 2-3 hours including bleeding. This was subject to recall 16V-576, so check if yours was completed.
Estimated cost: $600-1,200
DC Fast Charging Port Failure
Occasional · medium severitySymptoms: CHAdeMO fast charging won't initiate or handshake fails, Error message on charger screen, Level 1/2 charging still works normally, Visible corrosion or damage on CHAdeMO pins
Fix: The CHAdeMO inlet can corrode or develop internal contact issues, especially in salt/humid climates. Port replacement requires 3-4 hours to remove front fascia, disconnect high-voltage interlocks, and swap the assembly. Must be performed with HV safety protocols.
Estimated cost: $800-1,500
Front Differential Fluid Contamination
Occasional · medium severityTypical onset: 80,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Whining or grinding noise during acceleration or turns, Metallic particles visible in differential fluid, Vibration through steering wheel at highway speeds
Fix: The single-speed reducer (differential) can develop bearing wear, contaminating the fluid with metal shavings. If caught early with fluid changes every 30k miles, bearings may survive. Advanced wear requires differential rebuild or replacement at 6-8 hours labor. Mitsubishi specified fluid is critical—generic gear oil will cause premature failure.
Estimated cost: $1,200-2,500
Onboard Charger (OBC) Failure
Rare · high severitySymptoms: Level 1/2 AC charging completely non-functional, Charge port light doesn't illuminate when plugged in, No error codes, just no charging activity, DC fast charging may still work
Fix: The 3.3 kW onboard charger can fail due to component breakdown or power surge damage. Located under rear cargo floor, replacement takes 4-5 hours including HV lockout procedures. Used units from salvage are common since total-loss EVs often have functioning chargers.
Estimated cost: $1,500-3,000
12V Auxiliary Battery Failure
Common · medium severityTypical onset: 40,000-70,000 mi or 4-6 years
Symptoms: Vehicle won't power on or enter READY mode despite charged traction battery, Clicking from contactors but no startup, Random accessory shutdowns or warning lights, Key fob not detected errors
Fix: Like all EVs, the i-MiEV relies on a small 12V battery for computers and contactors. This battery drains faster than in gas cars due to constant computer loads. Replacement is straightforward at 0.5 hours, but must use AGM type—flooded batteries fail quickly. The DC-DC converter charges it from the traction pack, and that can also fail (rare) with similar symptoms but $1,200-1,800 to replace.
Estimated cost: $200-350
Buy one only if you need a dirt-cheap city runabout for sub-50 mile daily driving and can wrench or accept that parts are getting scarce—battery replacement cost can exceed the car's value quickly.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.