Problem with my Mitsubishi Mirage 1992

wolong

The problem with the car is:

When it comes to very low speed or stop with
brake, the car will "die". After that, it is
difficult to restart the car and it can be
restarted after some time. I got a new battery
replaced but the problem keeps on. Thank
you for your suggestions.

cutehumor

hi,

I have the same exact 92 mirage,I don't have the problem do though. But from experience from a 87 corrolla, which died at stop lights after hitting the brakes, the problem was from the carburetor. Is your car fuel injected or carburetor? You didn't say in your post. My 92 mirage is fuel injected so I don't have problems with the car stopping. It could be, if your car is a carburetor model, that your car is having problems sending gas to the engine. When the engine stops, your carburetor malfunctions, and the engine thinks you are shutting it off, so it turns off. Because it's not getting any gas. I would check the carburetor, you may need to have it rebuilt. It's a pain to start your car at every stop light when the traffic is pissed that you can't just start it immediatedly. I would keep your gas tank above half full all the time also.

wolong

Thank you, cutehumor.

My car is carburetor type and the problem maybe caused by it.

Actually, the car firstly "died" when I parked it for 2 hours. When I tried to start it again, I found there was no power (it looks like that the battery is dead). I jumped the car but it stopped after I pressed the brake. After that, I re-jumped it but it failed to run after I pressed brake. I tried this several times but I couldn't make it work after jumping up due to the above reason.

I thought there was some problems with the battery or the alternator and my friend did find that the battery connector was loose. After fastening the connection, he managed to start the car without jumping and run the car back home ( he had to press the gas when he pressed the brake).

After that, the problem is that when the car comes to low speed (idle speed) or fully stop with brake, it will die automatically. If I run the car more than 2 miles and stops it, it can't be re-started immediately. It can be re-started immediately sometimes if I only run few feet. I thought that the battery was dead and it couldn't be charged. So, I replaced it with a new battery but the problem keeps on.

Since I don't know too much about car, I can't figure out what is wrong with it. Actually, the car works quite well before this happens although its high mileage 147,000 so far.

Thank you for more information.

cutehumor

When you say the car first died. You said there was no power. If the radio came on and the headlights came on, and the car didn't start. The battery was fine. It must have been corrosion on the battery terminal connections. Did you test that out? Recently, two weeks ago, I arrived at my girlfriend's job to bring her lunch. I turned off my mirage for only two minutes. When I attempted to start it, there was no power at all. No power from the headlights or radio. I popped the hood, and moved the positive terminal around, and the power came back on. The positive connector was lose.

Since you have a new battery, you know your car should get power. Check the battery terminal connectors (the metal rings), if there is any rust or corrosion. I would scrape it off. There's also some stuff you can buy at autozone to spray on it to get rid of the corrosion.

Honestly, I believe the problem is not the battery. I mean if you hit your brakes, the car quits. It is definitely not the battery that makes your car quit. If the idle speed is too low for the car, it will quit. If I was you, here's what I would do. I would do a minor tune up on the car.

Here's what a minor tune up is:

Clean, inspect and test the battery***
Check all engine related fluids
Check and adjust the drivebelts
Replace the spark plugs***
Inspect the distrubutor cap and rotor
Inspect the spark plug and coil wires
Check and adjust the idle speed***
Check the PCV valve
Check the air filter
Check the cooling system
Check all underhood hoses.

I know that sounds alot, but you notice it says "check" by most of them. A minor tune up typically costs $30, and it varies depending on where you are. You see the ones I put astericks by? Those are the most important ones according to your problem. You may want to ask them to check your fuel pressure too. Be sure to not let anyone rip you off. I mean there are alot of phony shops out there that will lie about what you need to get fixed. If you get new spark plugs, adjust the idle speed, and battery terminals cleaned. You should be okay for about 1 year to 1 year and a half. Before the same problem comes back. Note that after the fuel pressure test, they find that your carburetor is malfunctioning. It's a matter of time before you will have to have it rebuilt or replaced. It's up to you, depending on how long you want to keep the car. It makes no sense to put in a new carburetor if your only going to keep the car for another year.

Anyway, I'm glad to see that someone has a mirage with 147,000 miles. I own a 92 mirage that has 92,000 miles, and hoping to reach 200,000. Mitsubishi gets lost in the shuffle with other Japanese automakers such as Honda and Toyota.
It's a shame, but I would be weary about buying another Mitsubishi since they recently merged with Chrsyler. I hope this information helps you out.---Michael

variegate

Nobody ever believes me, but I actually get 49 mpg on the highway and 32 in the city. Right now, honestly, it has cut down to around 27 mpg because of running the heat at full blast here in Wisconsin.

However, of late I have had the same problem with it cutting off while idling. It still starts back up right away; but, I'm sure it is time to change the spark plugs again (been 3 years) and the weather does tend to get VERY cold here - and I have a bad habit of not waiting for it to warm up. If I let it warm up, it doesn't cut off after my cold starts and stops. It is an AMAZING car.

Struts are getting rough. Need to replace those now at 98,000 miles (I bought it at about 45,000 miles used after it had even been in a wreck). Because it had been in a wreck, the insides got wet from a window that wasn't fixed right, and on our first frost/snow here the headliner fell down and the window got shoved out of the tracks ($175 to fix the window - still procrastining over the headliner).

Otherwise, an AMAZING car - and I'm NOT joking about the milage! I follow it every tank. I get my oil changed every 3 months, and have regularly changed all the filters, etc. I normally would have changed the spark plugs myself by now, but it has been too cold outside.

Take care of your car, and it will take car of you!

Still, I dream about newer cars... particularly SUVs; but, why? How can I give up my milage? I'm addicted to it!

bardocz

My husband and I hit a person who made a left hand turn directly into our oncoming vehicle and we hit dead straight head on into the side of an Oldsmobile EIGHTY-EIGHT. We damaged his car pretty extensively, but besides the air bags discharging and the fog light dangling and a few cracks in the front hood, we came out all right. No one in either car was hurt, which is great too. I just wanted to say that the car really held up well in a crash! I felt very blessed.
From,
Lucky in Howell, MI

jamesd72

Just an idea, has any one tried a new fuel filter?
It seems to have been overlooked. If the fuel filter is partially stopped up the fuel pump won't be able to pump enough to keep up. Henceforth when you stop the car dies and won't start back until the pump has had sufficient time to tricle enough fuel into the fuel bowl.

chump3

I have a '91 Ply mouth Colt with the same engine,
had a similar problem a few years back. Electronics diagnostic showed the "throttle position sensor" needed to be replaced, and it has
worked great ever since. Inexpensive fix for an
annoying problem.

Hope that helps.