Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

2010 Mitsubishi Outlander

12467

Comments

  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    Ditto. Batman is taking his Outlander places few American SUV/CUVs will ever see, regardless of make.

    Batman - Thanks for the post and please keep us updated as your travels continue. I think lots of use are really interested in how the Outlander will hold up.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • batman47batman47 Member Posts: 606
    We were in a small town named “El Calafate” about 600 miles (100 miles unpaved) from Ushuaia. The town is a hub for tourism (Glaciers National Park). It is a very expensive small town (e.g. 5-quarters of Mobil oil: US$150, Wall Mart US$35). We headed to “San Carlos de Bariloche” mainly a Skiing resort in Argentina. The distance from El Calafate to Bariloche was 1100 miles of which 400 miles is a very bad unpaved road and tortuous driving on the famous Argentina Route 40. It took us 3-days to reach paved road. Tourists avoid this driving nightmare by flying from El Calafate to Bariloche.

    At the moment we are now in a small town called “San Martin de los Andes) which can be reached from Bariloche through a 60-miles of muddy and stone road. In San martin I changed the engine oil and oil filter (4.3 liter). I have also changed the air filter element and the refresher filter (A/C). I have also rotated the tires. Brief inspection underneath the car -although it is very muddy- it appears to be OK. We are heading to Salta (Argentina) on tarmac and unpaved road (1600 miles). The GT has made so far 12,000 miles (5,000 miles out from the USA)

    A quick inspection on the car body I could observe that a few fasteners of the rear bumper (left and right) have become loose creating a noticeable bulge (2-3 mm). We are not sure if this was produced by the numerous bangs of the unpaved road or someone has just hit our car in the rear although there is not any noticeable bang mark or the rear mud guard (which are made of a very strong plastic) hit the rise and fall unpaved road and by doing that the rear bumper fasteners took all the force of the hit. I remember that in my previous XLS I replaced the mug guards by mud flaps which are flexible and bend with any unexpected hit. Other than that the car is just fine.

    We have heard horrible stories from people living in Route 40 with histories of petrol pipes cut in pieces, protector under cover broken or detached, petrol tanks punctured, oil filter pierced, batteries falling, wheel arches fasteners gone, etc).

    The GT definitely excels on tarmac, good acceleration and the engine does a gorgeous noise when the automatic changes gears. However, the GT performs poorly with the present tire profile (55%) on non maintained unpaved road or corrugated patches of roads. The Chileans and Argentineans call this unpaved road “Ripio” and the worse type of Ripio is the very hard and solid soil (earth) embedded firmly with pieces of stones of different sizes (1-3 inches) that protrude from the earth surface like shark’s teeth. The GT tires were no match for this kind of road. The pickups here which in the majority are Toyota Hilux have 16 “wheels with 75% profile. The high tire profile helps to absorb the most extreme of condition of the Ripio roads.

    As I said the car has a total load of 7-adult passenger. The vertical distance of the rear suspension goes down 1.5 inches from its normal high after being fully loaded. This is an improvement with regard to the same situation for an XLS trim.

    The Geolandar A/T-S still look firm and in my opinion it was worth it to swap the stock Goodyear for this type, of course, if you would like to do a similar adventure.
  • toomanyfumestoomanyfumes Member Posts: 1,019
    Thanks for the updates. Cool to read.
    2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    Amazing. I love your detailed, thorough posts about not only the Outlander but the area you're driving through. I realize you're probably dealing with intermittent and/or expensive 'net access, but at some point could you do us the added favor of posting some pics? Both of how your Outlander looks as it goes on this journey and of the fantastic scenery you must be passing through.

    My '10 GT, which will likely never see the conditions your has already survived, is sitting at a hair over 5700 miles and will turn 6 months old in a couple of weeks. Just about time for the 6 month/7500 mile oil change.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • batman47batman47 Member Posts: 606
    imageSee more Car Pictures at CarSpace.com

    A few unpaved roads look like this. Many others look far worse.
  • batman47batman47 Member Posts: 606
    imageSee more Car Pictures at CarSpace.com

    The GT on its way to the Los Antiguos in Argentina
  • batman47batman47 Member Posts: 606
    imageSee more Car Pictures at CarSpace.com

    The GT enjoying the scenery (General Carrera Lake)-Chile
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    Very nice; thanks. The mountain paste the water off in the distance makes for a beautiful backdrop.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • batman47batman47 Member Posts: 606
    It took 6-days to reach Salta in Argentina (1600 miles) where we expect to stay for a few days before crossing the border with Chile on our way to Peru. We travelled mainly on route 40 that runs parallel to the Andes Mountains. This route is a combination of unpaved and tarmac and we managed to do between 250-300 miles per day.

    When we left San Martin de los Andes it started to snow and for2-days the snow fell continuously. The road (tarmac and unpaved) was 6 to 8 inches covered in snow, foggy and all our surroundings covered with a white mantel. There were many places where the snow ploughs had not been. The major problem we found was when the snow started to melt and many part of the snow on the road had melted and then turned to ice that usually cracked with terrible noises under the car. Pieces of iced rock were thrown with such a force under the car and so noisy that we thought we had damaged the underneath of the car. Our speed was between 40-50 miles per hour. The GT performed very well indeed under these conditions and we never got stuck. We saw a 4x4 on its roof at the side of the road, and many cars, SUVs, and trucks stuck on the road waiting for the snow plough to arrive and we were asked by the police to use snow chains if we wanted to continue driving on route 40. We showed the policeman that our car can drive safely on snow by showing him the snow knob. It seemed that this convinced the policeman and he allowed us to proceed driving without snow chains because the road was temporarily closed.

    In the middle of our way to our destination it started to rain and the route 40 road was converted into a muddy path. The last ¼ of our way was dry and hot 70-80 Fahrenheit. We found many water ways crossing the route although the majorities were dry.
    We got a scratched manifold and exhaust pipe when we crossed a water way we thought was not too deep for our car. Unfortunately there were hidden pieces of rocks and the water path was deeper than our car’s clearance that the clatter we heard was of rocks crashing underneath the car. The worse thing that happened to us was a crack on the wind screen of about 1” size spiders net on the driver side. We don’t have any recollection of when this happened. What we remember was that a lorry passing by 2-3-days ago threw something to us that hit our wind screen but because our wind screen was muddy and dirty we didn’t notice it. Only when the falling rain started to clear the wind screen did we notice the damage. We don’t know if this damaged can be mended in Salta. We are staying on the outskirts of Salta in a place called “La Caldera”

    The interior of the car started to show irreparable bruises on the plastic from the rear seats to the payload area which are due to the banging of the cargo stuff against the walls on the car interior. The outside of the car started to demonstrate a few stone chips; tree brushes scratches and plenty of mud and dust. We have washed the car a few times but the car gets dirty again after a trip. The doors started to do some noticeable clicking noises when opening and closing. I have to find out if this unusual noise is due to a lack of lubricant on the door hinges or the whole chassis is just distorted fraction of inches.

    The owner of one of the hotels where we stayed for the night as well as many other people have had only praises for the look of our GT. Adjectives like “terrific”, beautiful, great, magnificent , etc were explicative from these people. The owner of a Jeep Compass (imported to Argentina and sold by dealers) was telling me that he cannot get tires 215/55R18 (stock). His car has 25K miles and the tires of his car look really worn off indeed.
  • batman47batman47 Member Posts: 606
    After 7-days of driving on the Pan- American highway we arrived to a small town called Huanchaco close to the main town of Trujillo, Peru. The journey was mainly tarmac from Salta (Argentina) to Trujillo. The distance was approximately 2,500 miles mainly on hot deserted areas, dusty and windy. Roads were very treacherous when passing the Andes in Chile (more than 15,000 feet high above sea level). We traveled at this altitude on a 15,000 feet high plateau for more than 4-hours.

    We saw a terrible accident on a road hill about 100 miles from San Pedro de Atacama, it had only just happened. It involved three huge Lorries. One of the lorries had fallen about 60 feet over the side of the road, another lorry was perched precariously on the edge of the road with its cab smashed and a third lorry was smashed in the middle with its cargo of apples strewn all over the road for about 300 feet. Miraculously no one was killed. People managed to get the driver out of the second lorry by pulling the squashed metal from his cab with a chain attached to another lorry. The other two drivers were walking amazingly. The road was completely blocked with Lorries and apples. After about 50 minutes the police arrived and appeared to do nothing except question the injured man who was lying, in a lot of pain, in the road. After about 1 - 1/2 hours we were told by another driver that there was detour through a dirt road which by passed the accident so we set off with a group of other cars, by this time there was a huge queue of traffic. I don’t know why the police didn’t divert the traffic. When we left the ambulance still hadn’t arrived and apparently was arriving in another hour!! The moral of this story is: don’t have an accident in the middle of the Atacama Desert as the Chileans don’t have an air ambulance.

    The GT behaved appropriately during this journey. We passed the Atacama arid zone and the Chuquicamata cooper mines in Chile and in Peru after crossing the Chilean border we passed the road that goes to Toquepala ore complex in Peru. Temperatures were 70-80 Fahrenheit. The Pan-American high way goes all the way to Ecuador and it is tarmac.

    The GT has done a total of 15,400 miles (8,000 miles from Valparaiso-Chile, Tierra de Fuego-Argentina and Huanchaco-Peru). The central groove of the tires has an average depth of 5 mm with the edges with 7 mm. This may indicate that the tires at 33 psia (instead of 32 psia recommended) has produced this result. A crude calculation made show that the tires are losing 1 mm every 3,000 miles which may imply that the tires have to be replaced at a total mileage of 22,000 miles on the GT.

    Tire noise is still very noticeable and when the GT is without cargo it regain its normal rear suspension height. The drive without cargo is a bit bumpy on tarmac (with imperfections) showing that the suspension of the GT has been hardened a little more than the XLS.

    I think that the GT needs to be taken to a Mitsubishi garage check if anything needs to be tightened up (underneath) as well as mending the rear bumper and evaluating the possible damages to the base of the car. I have noted (or perceived) that the GT has lost some of its engine power and it appears that the car needs more acceleration pumping for overtaking. Conspicuous little rattles are intermittently heard when the car is not loaded. I had assumed that rattles must be coming from the cargo but apparently not.

    I expect to leave the car in Trujillo and return to the USA for personal reasons. After our return to Peru (6-months) we will be in this country for 2-months visiting the majority of touristic places (e.g. Machupicho, Cuzco, the world third highest waterfall in Chachapoyas, the National Park of Manus, Inapary at the border with Brazil. We will drive on the brand new sinuously Inter Oceanic road constructed through the Andes and the Peruvian jungle that give a Pacific sea point to the Brazilians. The highest point is 16,000 feet above sea level. The majority of roads will be tarmac (we think). We expect to add another 5,600 miles to the GT when we finish this adventure making it a total of 21,000 miles. We will ship our car back to the USA.

    I think that so far the GT hasn’t let us down. We have given this car a very hard and torture real test. As we have said the GT is not suitable for the kind of adventure we have had. However, it has taken the test with “dignity” and it has responded to the exigencies of the road with promptitude and firmly. The only two things that need to be mentioned is that the GT the 7-passenger load depressed the suspension 1.5 inches reducing the 8 inches declared clearance height to 6.5 inches. Furthermore, I think that changing the 18” wheel for an equivalent 16” wheel (e.g. 215/70R16) will make the GT very suitable for coping much better with the type of adventure we have done. Mitsubishi has addressed this requirement by offering outside the USA 7-seats with off-road capability car (similar to Toyota 4Runner) with various names, e.g. Challenger, Montero Sport, new Nativa, etc.
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    Batman - Another pair of excellent posts. Thanks.

    You mentioned it feeling like power was lagging. Could that be related to the 15K foot altitude (i.e. less oxygen in the air) or was that experienced at lower altitudes as well? I'd also suggest inspecting the air filter and other things that might lead to a power loss (I know, you've probably already thought of that). Are you able to buy premium gas for it?

    My GT has a rather sedate 6300 miles on it at the moment. As six months had elapsed since purchasing it I did take it in for an oil change & tire rotation last week. I'm averaging 21.2MPG lifetime with a high of 24.1 and a low of 17.3 on mostly midgrade gas.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • leo67leo67 Member Posts: 17
    Batman...I had the same issue,, mine were at 50 cold,, thought it was bit rough, but much better now after I lowered them to 35...besides this does anyone else have any complaints,, I got the base XLS, so far 150 miles on her and already took it back for noises (I too am paranoid with noises, but by right it's not thier money that got me this car)

    noise #1 dull thumping engine noise at idle sounds like a bearing knock (best way I can describe it) doesn't make the noise while cold only at operating temps....
    took it in they said it's normal,, made them pull out another v6, to prove to me that they all do it, guess what this one didn't, I sure didn't hear anything and we let run till it got to it's operating temps..but the tech says it's there very faint and just not as loud.. techs recommendation "drive it it should quiet down at around 2K and plus you'll have the radio on anyway" ( This supposedly is the TOP tech,,what a load of S**T)
    guess I'll be dialing that dispute number that came with the owners manual

    #2 at highway speed I get a kazoo noise above and behind me, alot worse with cross winds... service managers advice point the antenna down, "I think that's where it's coming from" what a freakin joke... I personally think it's coming from that plastic trim in the rear between the roof and the spoiler,,just don't have the time right now to test it

    #3 driver window sqeeks alot when rolled down a couple of inches, every bump or little imperfection gets the squeek on.... service manager claims Mitsu has a TSB for this noise "it's 2 bolts in the regulator / track that back out just needs to be tightened" ..... I doubt it, but we'll see
    honestly I don't trust these guys to wash my car, let alone rip into the door panel
    and I have 6 free oil changes with them, umm no thanks I'll do it myself...just from this experience my confidence in that dealer and service dept. has gone south

    I'm really concerned with that engine noise... anyone else experience this?
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    According to my tracking spreadsheet I've had my '10 Outlander GT for 194 days. Here's a brief rundown of the past 6 months:

    Economy & Operating costs:
    - Early on I burned one or two tanks of Premium, one of Regular, and have basically been using midgrade gas since. Unless something changes it'll be midgrade from here on out.
    - MPG: Lowest: 17.3 (in February so cold + winter blend gas). Highest: 24.1 (late April). Lifetime average: 21.2 and creeping up slowly.
    - Driving is predominantly city/suburban but probably 25 or so percent is highway at speeds from 60-80MPH.
    - Repairs: none.
    - Maintenance: Free oil change @ 1K, but I went with the 6 month reminder and had it changed a couple of weeks ago. Did a tire rotation at the same time.
    - Other costs: I opted for a 2 year Sirius subscription and purchased WeatherTech floor liners for the front seats. The WT liners are for winter only; I'm using the factory carpeted mats for summer.

    HVAC:
    - Now that we're in the hot season I'm using the AC more. It's way stronger than my old Galant's AC and does a much better job of bringing the temp down fast.
    - I do have black leather, though, so I'm a little more conscious about parking so that the windshield is not directly facing the sun.
    - The auto climate control has been smart. When the temps were cold it was wise enough to not crank the fan above a low speed until the engine is at least starting to warm up.

    Tech:
    - I'm appreciating the rain sensing wipers more. They aren't perfect but are just fine in about 97% of situations where there's water on the windshield. I leave them on all the time. Makes me wish they had it for the rear wiper.
    - The RF stereo continues to deliver solid performance. The hard drive for music storage is a godsend. I've got over 50 CDs ripped to it and it simply rocks. The UI could use a little improvement, like better search capability, but overall it's a solid 9 out of 10.
    - Setting 0 on the load leveling headlights is supposed to be 'normal' but I've found it can intrude into the passenger space of cars in front of me so I leave it at 1. They still throw plenty of light far ahead and it doesn't hit the rear view mirrors of the cars in front of me. The HIDs are bright enough that I see little need for hi-beams.
    - FAST keyless entry works as advertised. I never take the keys out of my pocket. It's a simple thing, really, but it just makes things easier & smoother.
    - The back up camera makes parking lot maneuvers simple. It isn't panoramic so you still have to look to the sides for traffic & pedestrians but I don't thin k I'll ever be at risk of backing into another vehicle or obstruction.

    Ride & comfort:
    - There have been a few times where the 3rd row seats have been handy. I wouldn't subject an adult to it for a long trip but for a short jaunt it's perfectly fine. For the most part I leave it folded flat as I tend to haul more cargo than humans.
    - Seating remains comfortable. Entry & exit doesn't require Cirque du Soliel skills. My father in law appreciates the grab handle (he walks with a cane and has trouble entering most vehicles).
    - In one week I did over 1000 miles of highway driving and it was never fatiguing.
    - I find I mostly use the pop-out cup holder that's in the front-left of the dash v. the center console.
    - The dual glovebox and other storage cubbies mean it's always easy to find a place for my stuff.

    NVH:
    - There's a little wind noise at the driver's A pillar but not so much that it's distracting.
    - The third row can squeak just a little over sharp bumps. This is muted with the cargo mat in place and goes away altogether with, say, 40+ pounds of cargo sitting on top.
    - Engine & trans are smooth & quiet.
    - I could do with a little less tire noise, but again it's only noticeable if you're listening for it or are on bad roads.

    Cargo:
    - I mentioned in another thread that I had over 800 pounds of dirt & gravel in it with no problems. Max load is 1175 pounds so I left some cushion after adding cargo + my weight.
    - I've had passengers + luggage in for trips to the airport and so far room has been sufficient where luggage either isn't stacked at all or is stacked but still doesn't rise above the second row seatback.

    Overall:
    It may sound like I don't like certain things about the car but those are really just nitpicking. The flaws are minor and don't really detract from my overall enjoyment. It's been a fun ride so far and I'm very happy with my decision to buy the GT. I'm solidly hitting and even slightly exceeding EPA economy so no complaints there.

    If I had to do it again I wouldn't change a thing.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    enjoyed your '10 Outlander GT report and it sounds like you're digging it just fine. I am loving our '08 Mitsubushi Lancer GTS and I'm glad I didn't trade it in on a 2010 Suzuki Kizashi.

    I'm even getting 31 mpg in the city in this pup! Great compact car from Mitsubishi!

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    Considering where you live and your planned move to Nevada I'm thinking the Kizashi might not be for you: http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2010/06/2010-suzuki-kizashi-still-waiting-- to-cool-down.html Weak or marginal AC wouldn't be something I could live with in the desert southwest.

    My wife likes the Lancer. It and the upcoming Chevy Cruze are top contenders for her next car though I'll get her to try the Outlander Sport as well. She prefers compacts and currently drives an '01 Elantra with 74K miles. She really likes it that the Lancer & Cruze have knee airbags as some years before we met she was in an accident where they would have reduced injuries.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • unhappy40unhappy40 Member Posts: 1
    I made a very serious error in purchasing a 2010 Outlander XLS 4 weeks ago. It is sitting dead in my garage right now. Emergency Roadside Assistance is going to have to come tow it to "the nearest dealership", which is not where I purchased it, but I really don't care. The key fobs don't work, the manual key doesn't work - the car is completely stone dead at 4 WEEKS of age!!

    I am now stuck with what appears to be a LEMON so buyers beware!! I have a friend that purchased a Hyundai at the same time & he is having NO problems. I have a friend that bought a Kia Sorento 4 years ago and has had ZERO problems. I have a GMC Yukon (2004) with which I have had ZERO problems.

    Buyers beware DO NOY buy a Mitsubishi Outlander........
  • toomanyfumestoomanyfumes Member Posts: 1,019
    One issue with the car and it's a lemon and no one should ever buy one?
    Nobody on these forums has had a similar problem.

    You didn't leave the lights or interior light on did you? Let us know what the problem was. :confuse:
    2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
  • comem47comem47 Member Posts: 399
    Obviously you've never heard of lemon laws. (briefly: the company has a few attempts to make the car right or you get your money back). It can happen to any kind of car, the ones you mentioned included, and like the previous poster said you seem to be the exception on here for something so bad. (and yes we'd like to know what they find). Have no fear they will fix it or you get your money back.
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    Sounds like, as toomanyfumes inferred, your battery died. Although you're inconvenienced and frustrated, this shouldn't be a major problem to get past. Considering the age of the car, unless there's evidence that you ran the battery down you should get a free replacement.

    When my wife bought her Elantra back in '01, one of the OEM Michelin tires was defective and would go flat after it heated up, which only occurred at highway speeds. It was very frustrating and happened several times before we were able to isolate the cause of the problem. When tested for leaks the tires would always be fine as the tests never involve running the tire hot. Finally, we got Michelin - no help at all from the dealer - to replace the tire. We were both really frustrated as we'd bought our first Hyundai in part for the superior warranty coverage only to have the dealer tell us they wouldn't do anything about the tire. Even if they didn't service tires specifically, as a good will gesture they could have swapped it for another tire from another car and then returned the bad one to Hyundai for replacement at no cost to them but they did nothing.

    And Michelin themselves denied coverage at first. We had to ride them hard just to get 50% coverage on the replacement tire. We did have some help, though not a ton, from the Michelin dealer. We were only made whole after the tire was returned to Michelin for inspection. They ultimately agreed the tire was defective and finally, 3 or 4 months later, we got reimbursed for the other 50% of the cost.

    It took her a little while to get over the hard feelings that fault generated but since then she's always said she loves her little car.

    Also, I'll add that no car is perfect. They have thousands and thousands of parts; it's just too easy for a bad connection to be made or for a defective part to occasionally slip past QC. What matter now is how you're treated. Mitsu/the dealer should "make you whole" by fixing the problem quickly and, if warranted, at no cost. Dealership experiences definitely vary but I've not had issues where I bought/service mine.

    Good luck, and please keep us posted.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    edited June 2010
    definitely, your dealer should pony up and get this one solved for you or the negative impact from the whole thing will be destructive to you and them (your dealer).

    Mitsu/the dealer should "make you whole" by fixing the problem quickly and, if warranted, at no cost. Dealership experiences definitely vary but I've not had issues where I bought/service mine.

    Believe it or not these types of things happen all the time to all kinds of car buyers buying all kinds of cars. I hope you get your car fixed in a timely manner to your satisfaction, unhappy40.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2010/06/2010-mitsubishi-outlander-gt-intro- duction.html

    Lots of negative comments by people who have obviously never sat in, let alone driven an Outlander or a recent Mitsu.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    yuk! Reading that blog is like biting your nails down ta the quick and drawing blood. Lacking knowledge and eyesight is how I would describe those bloggers toward the new 2010 Outlander GT being added to the Edmund's test-fleet.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    I can always understand how people can like or dislike styling, but the more knowledgeable will generally reserve judgment for how a car looks in person v. pictures. I wasn't entirely sold on the new nose until I saw it in person, though I admit I'd have gone that way anyway since the '10 had so many upgrades over the '09. And some call the dash bland, but I see it as clean, uncluttered, and thoughtful. Compare to Honda instrument panels that have too many buttons everywhere or the Infiniti EX which IMO was an ergonomic mess from a controls standpoint.

    What I find so hard to believe is how the comments on the IL blog are so different than in the Carspace forums. Comments here are, for the most part, thought out and are made to represent a point of view. Trolls and abject haters are relatively few & far between. Comments on IL seem to be polar opposites, with people just spouting options about things for which there is empirical data. And they seem passionate in their likes and dislikes, which would be fine if they would keep an open mind. But it's obvious that their minds are not open and even positive reporting by Edmunds, other press, and the Pope wouldn't change their minds. :confuse:
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • batman47batman47 Member Posts: 606
    I am still in Peru preparing my return to the USA without the GT. However during this time I was able to notice a number of symptoms which may indicate that the torturous adventure to the South Pole has indeed affected the GT.

    (1)- From Salta (Argentina) during my way to Peru I noticed that the warning light “ENGINE SERVICE SOON” flashed for a few seconds before disappearing. Because I didn’t reset the MMCS and the “INFO” button (after I changed the oil filter, air cleaner filter, and engine oil) I thought (wrongly) that that was the cause of the warning and waited until I reached Trujillo (Peru) to reset the instrumentation warning. The result was that now the warning light “ENGINE SERVICE SOON” is on permanently.

    (2)- I also noted (perceived) a loss of engine power that I blamed to the use of 95 gasolines instead of 97/98 octane gasoline. However after reading the 2010 Service Manual CD it appears that the “ENGINE SERVICE SOON (ESS)” warning light flashes when there is a malfunction on the EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve). When this malfunction appears the DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code) value is: P0401 according to the manual. Nevertheless there are more than 50 malfunctions that can activate (flashing) the “ESS) for few seconds.

    (3)- When the engine is switched ON for the first time and reversing there is a scratching noise from the act of engaging the reverse spot that prone me to disengage the reverse position to parking position and engage again the reverse spot. When I do these actions the cracking noise disappears.

    (4)- When the engine is switched ON for the first time it appears that the engine hesitates by having irregular engine noise. Only when I pressed on the acceleration pedal (a little bit) the engine regains its normal sound. This phenomenon never happens before.

    (5)- I took the GT to a local Mitsubishi garage to be told that the MUT-III scan machine (In order to find the DTC number) doesn’t function with an American Outlander. Can this be possible or is the dealer taking me for a ride?

    In summary I may say that if there is a malfunction of something the MUT-III must find the problem when the warning light ESS is flashing for few seconds or the warning light ESS is permanently ON. When the scan machine doesn’t produce any DTC then the manual asks to replace the Combination Meter due to a fault of the light itself. All of these can be done, I think in the USA. What can I do now when I am not in the USA? If I continue to drive the GT will it screw up the whole car? Comments welcome
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    vote with your pocketbook, man. As I've resisted the temptation to trade for a 2010 Suzuki Kizashi and just laid back and enjoyed my Mitsubishi Lancer ride, I've grown to appreciate Mitsubishi's work on most all of their rigs more.

    And the '10 Mitsubishi Outlander is one of them. I love the nose but it's the whole thoughtful layout inside and the aggressive look outside that I like the best. It's the nose that does it with my Lancer and your Outlander. Man, that's one classic look and it's growing more cool to me with the passage of time.

    We're at only 60,600 miles on our Lancer and we've had our 60,000 mile service done at the purchasing dealer in Phoenix. And here in Elko, NV, we're only popping miles on at about 500 miles in the first month. That is going to suit us just fine as we settle in to another area to live and work in. It will snow here big-time in the winter so that's something to think about for later.

    Still have the Pirelli P-Zero Nero M&S Pinna's I bought in Dec. of '08 on the car. They've lasted 30,500 miles so far and they are starting to wear down a tad. May look at some new Pirelli's in Sept. or Oct.-have to see how these are wearing-or not wearing down first. There are a fair number of hills in this small city to be concerned about in the snow, too.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • authurdentauthurdent Member Posts: 82
    edited June 2010
    Man, batman, you're in a WHOLE other class of drivers! I think Mitsu ought to subsidize your service needs in exchanged for marketing.

    As for your current situation, I'm a bit confused. If you are planning to "use up" the GT and return home without the car, then I guess you could just run it till it dies, unless you are concerned that doing so would effect sales value. But given the rate you go through vehicles (from what i understand), sales value doesn't seem to be a concern.

    Only real problem would be having the GT leave you stranded. How close are you from completing your adventure? Can you count on a French fishing boat to rescue you from harm if things go wrong? (you might be too far removed from media to get this reference)

    Best of luck!
  • ermal1ermal1 Member Posts: 19
    i am new at this forum and since i am thinking to by a new 2010 outlander i thought to read some more stuff about it and more i read more i love that car
    i tried to read some of the posts but it was impossible to read everything anyway i have a question i was trying to find out if outlander has the heated mirror and i found them only at ES trim and only with AWD what about but i cant find them in XLS trim and that is the trim i would like to purchase.... I would apreciate some help
    i read somewhere that scuff plates that write outlander are with led lights?

    thank you

    P.S outlander is a beautiful car,forester like driving a box.
    does this count in comparison?
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    Go to http://www.mitsubishicars.com/MMNA/jsp/outlander/10/specs.do#engineering and look under Exterior Features. Look for "Heated outer door mirrors" and you'll see they're standard on all 4WD Outlanders in all trim levels (GT's only come with AWD).

    The accessories, including scuff plates, are at http://www.mitsubishicars.com/MMNA/jsp/outlander/10/accessories.do?modelId=10003- 5. I'd suggest getting the rear bumper step protector at a minimum. The regular scuff plates don't cover quite as much as I'd prefer and I consider them a little more decorative than functional. See the pics. Still, they aren't that expensive so it is a nice way to tweak your ride.

    Feel free to ask about any other features; we're glad to help.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • achilles_heelsachilles_heels Member Posts: 9
    After lots of research and reading through this forum (thanks guys for all the knowledge), I finally pulled the trigger on a fully loaded 2010 Outlander GT in black. I love this vehicle more and more everytime I see/drive it. You guys are right, it's much better in person.

    After 10 years in a 2000 Galant ES, I decided I needed more room and utility in my ride since I live in Colorado and go to the mountains a lot. I also wanted something that drove like a car (lots of twisty roads in the Mtns). My Galant was a great car. 172K miles and no problems.

    It came down to the GMC Terrain and the Outlander. I test drove the Terrain and it was nice, but was just missing something. I compared the Terrain to the Outlander in features and price and the Outlander won hands down.

    I get remote start and clear bra installed on Thursday. For those of you who had questions on the roof rack. The GT doesn't come with roof rails, however Mitsubishi sells the crossbars that will fit on the GT. I'll wait til ski season to buy those.

    It's a shame the Outlander doesn't get more notoriety, but I am glad that you don't see one every 5 seconds like a RAV-4.
  • comem47comem47 Member Posts: 399
    I don't quite get the purpose rear bumper scuff plate considering the flap fold tailgate.
    On my '07 the "bumper" is so narrow and is really more of a bump out part of the tailgate, rather than a bumper per-se so I can't see how you would stand on it (if I needed to get to the roof rear I'd open the hatch enough to release the flap fold tailgate and then stand on it)

    Help me here. :confuse:
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    When I'm loading, depending on the cargo or my mood I don't necessarily drop the lower portion of the tailgate. It's not so high that it's a bother to lift over unless the cargo is heavy.

    As to standing, the tow hitch is great for that. Without the ball mount installed there's a small plate that's just right for a foot.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    Congrats on your new ride! I am also a former Galant owner ('99 LS V6) who moved on to a '10 GT. I had 152K trouble-free miles on the Galant before replacing it. Your reasons parallel mine; I also wanted something with more carrying capacity that could handle well, including dealing with Chicagoland winters.

    My GT is Rally Red and has more or less every option except rear entertainment. Running midgrade gas I'm averaging a little over 21MPG over 6700 miles so far.

    I see a modest number of Outlanders in my area, but relatively few '10s so far. RAV4s and CR-Vs are like gnats; they seem to be everywhere and in swarms.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    edited June 2010
    2010 Outlander's on the internet. I've not seen one in person yet. You guys owning the new Outlander's are fortunate! Enjoy 'em!

    I am pretty sure the closest Mitsubishi dealer to me here in Elko, NV, is in Boise, ID. Where one of the Edmund's hosts, steve, lives. Taking the Mountain City Highway north out of Elko, Boise, ID, is only 229 miles away.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • comem47comem47 Member Posts: 399
    ."When I'm loading, depending on the cargo or my mood I don't necessarily drop the lower portion of the tailgate. It's not so high that it's a bother to lift over unless the cargo is heavy.

    As to standing, the tow hitch is great for that. Without the ball mount installed there's a small plate that's just right for a foot."


    I agree. My hitch would likely do for a quick reach to the roof, but I still don't see the purpose of that scuff pate (It's not really a bumper as it's so narrow). If you need to reach higher on the roof the tailgate down is the only wide enough stable option IMHO
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
  • ermal1ermal1 Member Posts: 19
    thank you
    i really wanted them but i am not going for AWD since i live in Florida not too many snow down here :P.i was thinking of adding chromed mirrors but in all the pictures i seen in internet no one have them..and if i add them are they going to remove the turning signals from the mirrors?

    i am looking for XLS FWD but i dont know what to add the sun and music package or the luxury package any idea?

    P.S i know that adding both is good but economy is hard recently so i have to add only one package( i can consider the AWD though)
  • batman47batman47 Member Posts: 606
    Yesterday I changed the engine oil and the oil filter of the GT. The warning message “ENGINE SERVICE SOON” has gone. What a relief! Doing this it has also removed the engine hesitations and the noises when the rear gear was engaged and when the engine was cold. Simply there is nothing wrong with the GT, just fine and pleasant.

    I usually change the oil at 7.5K miles (Synthetic) but the warning message came at 5.5K miles. Old oil was very black.
  • achilles_heelsachilles_heels Member Posts: 9
    Thanks fushiqi. Your post (when you bought yours) was very helpful in determining what to get. Mine came fully loaded w/rear dvd. I really didn't want rear dvd, but it was the only one they had with everything else I wanted. It was also the demo model (4500 miles on it) so I got a discount there. Still love it and am getting lots of compliments.

    Right now I am shopping for a hitch mounted bike rack. I need to find one that won't interfere with the tailgate when folded down. The tailgate will come in handy for some cold drinks after a long ride. Since the tow hitch sticks out a few inches I think I'll be OK with most racks. I am looking at the Saris T-Rax.

    I haven't had to fill up yet, but was thinking of using mid-grade when I had to, so that's good to know.
  • comem47comem47 Member Posts: 399
    edited July 2010
    The messaging for service has always confused me in the Outlander. I have always
    changed my oil myself and have chosen to do so at 5K mile intervals (using synthetic) In my wife's Malibu it is a straightforward thing . It measures how many engine revolutions the car has had and what the ambient temperature is and then calculates and displays how much useful life you have as a percentage, colder being sooner (her car averages over 6500 miles per change and I use synthetic).When you get down under 4% left I think it warns to change soon. When I hit the very easy to use reset button after changing her oil the display indicates 100% oil life left. In my '07 LS outlander the display just shows the next service interval (which may or may nor have to do directly with oil. I could change it at 15K and then it might display a message that next service is at something like 22,700 then next reset might be some other number (say 26000). If you make a mistake and accidently reset it again it will jump to the next interval (no going back and you will live with that new reminder) It doesn't seem to correlate to the same recommended oil interval and one has to look at the manual to figure what the next service item might be. (this seems to be targeted to get you to return to the dealer and have them generate revenue to clear the service warning without saying what is needed (you are supposed to trust them with your wallet) vs being straight forward and informing the owner that "oil is due" or "air filter is due", etc. Anyone experience this?.
  • comem47comem47 Member Posts: 399
    edited July 2010
    Regarding a hitch:. I tow a snowmobile trailer in winter and added the factory Outlander towing package since my LS did not have one. Besides the beefy frame, the ball mount assembly comes in the kit. I found it very strange that the trailer hitch mounted on the "S" shaped ball mount will contact the tailgate it you have to lower it all the way once in place (trailer hitch on ball). The ball will clear OK if you never actually tow aythything. :P I ended up using the old U-Haul purchased assembly from when my wife and I owned both a Dodge Durango and Dakota (both vehicles towed the sled trailer, depending on needs). I just had to flip the ball over (step up vs step down) and it is the correct height and it is beyond the curve of the tailgate panel. The down side is it sticks out a bit like any other ball mount usually does(I always remove and stow in the rear storage compartment when not towing so someone walking by my hitch doesn't bang their shin). The factory "S" hitch is good for that (keeps ball close to the body of the Outlander) but is a poor design if you fold down your tailgate (I do from time to time to set things on like helmets, etc) and may also sit on it to take a break. I guess I'd put it this way: The factory ball mount looks good, the standard type U-haul ball mount works good.
  • skc7286skc7286 Member Posts: 7
    i just bought an outlander GT last night. I have to point out that the crossbars mentioned above will only fit "SOME" GTs. if you look at the weather stripping on your GT you can tell if it will fit or not. My GT was a pre April 2010 production model so no factory roof rails will fit. The newer production GT models have a built in clamp in the striping to allow the installation of the rails.

    Anyway, I bought a black GT MSRP of $30,015 for just south of $26K. that is pre-trade where they gave me $6K for a 2005 V6 Malibu LS (it was in rough shape and i only expected $4K). Overall i think i got a good deal because it was the end of the month. Oh and i got a remote start installed for $400.

    Also, to the person who was interested in getting the XLS with the sun and sound package, that is only available with the 2WD. the AWD XLS does not have a sun and sound option. thats what made me get the GT so i could have a sun roof.

    Does any other owner out there think it is weird that the passenger airbag light stays on if there is no one in the seat?
  • comem47comem47 Member Posts: 399
    Congrats on your GT purchase!!!

    Re: the airbag light. I guess the sensor senses a certain weight for safe airbag deployment. (shouldn't go off with a child as the force and height are wrong). I think kids must ride in the rear until their weight is sufficient whether in car seats or not. I know my '98 Dakota had a manual key switch to enable/disable the airbag if children rode up front. (it also had small jump seats as it was an extended cab).

    So my guess is Mitsu takes the approach to warn all the time unless someone is heavy enough to satisfy the sensor and is sitting there.
  • skc7286skc7286 Member Posts: 7
    its a 40lb weight trigger. :confuse:
  • comem47comem47 Member Posts: 399
    edited July 2010
    Interesting . I seem to remember my stepdaughter was 9 when she first rode in my Dakota and it was recommended to disable via the key switch when she was the passenger. (I don't know what her weight was, but I think the airbag was permanently left enabled once she got to 10 and I never disabled it again). The owners manual went with the truck so I can't find the phrasing Dodge used. (Looking at an average weight chart the difference between 9 and 10 correspond roughly to the difference between 60 and 70 lbs and 40 lbs corresponds to an age of about 5)
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    My maintenance screen lets you put in different dates & mileages for each of the following: oil, air filter, tire rotation, and 4 or 5 other things. You can enter basically any values. I think there are even some user-entered field so you put in your own stuff (like clean the leather every 10K or something).

    The OBC display between the speedo & tach, though, I have no idea how to reset. It appears when the dealer reset it after my oil change it added 6 months & 7500 miles. Which is wrong as while it properly shows the time remaining the miles to my next oil change started at 8800 instead of 7500. IOW it should reset values to 6 months from the change and 7500 miles from current, not just add 6 months/7500 miles to existing values. I don't know if this was a dealer error or a Mitsu software bug. Doesn't really matter; I'll go by what I entered on the navi screen.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    Exactly. The idea is that if the seat occupant weighs less than x pounds (40? I though it was 65 but whatever), an air bag deployment is potentially more dangerous than beneficial. Here's our tax dollars at work: http://www.safercar.gov/portal/site/safercar/menuitem.13dd5c887c7e1358fefe0a2f35- a67789/?vgnextoid=42be3613ffffe110VgnVCM1000002fd17898RCRD
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • achilles_heelsachilles_heels Member Posts: 9
    Thanks for the crossbar clarification. I checked mine and it does have the clamp. Not sure why Mitsu did that???

    Also congrats on the new GT. Looks like you got a killer deal.

    I was wondering about the passenger airbag light. Now I know.
  • comem47comem47 Member Posts: 399
    Yup, I don't have the Navi package so I lose out again (besides the unreadable red LEDs for the radio.) AFAIK there is only one combined mileage service display. While I like my Outlander overall, I really wonder sometimes if the design engineers have had a bit too much sake based on their thought process. :sick:
  • ermal1ermal1 Member Posts: 19
    ok you must tell me how did you do that i am goind to buy xls but if they offer me the GT with that prize i wont hesitate :P

    it is a great deal i will try to get a deal close to yours if not than xls.
    btw that is confusing how is possible they dont offer in AWC sun & sound it is wierd :S

    anyway congratulations and enjoy your new GT.BTW where do you live so i can put some pressure to my dealership..:)
  • mjrtopmjrtop Member Posts: 2
    Mitsubishi was running a 36 mo 0% APR through June 30 2010. I noticed a few days ago that they are now showing on their home website a 60 Month 0% incentive on the Outlander through August 2, 2010. Does anyone know the date when that change became effective?
This discussion has been closed.