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

Mitsubishi Outlander Maintenance and Repair

tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
Got problems? Got solutions? Discuss them here!
«13456789

Comments

  • sandeep_jhasandeep_jha Member Posts: 6
    Hi,

    I have recently bought 2003 Outlander and yesterday I dropped the keyless entry remote and since then it has stopped working.

    I opened it once and nothing seems to be broken inside.

    Any help will be greatly appreciated.

    Sandeep
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    Just a thought, could it be the batteries? Have you tried changing it?
  • sandeep_jhasandeep_jha Member Posts: 6
    I haven't tried changing the batteries as it was working fine until I dropped it. I will try it this evening

    I'm not sure if the remote needs to be programmed if the battery is replaced.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Just taking the battery out and putting it back in may fix it.
  • outlander2007outlander2007 Member Posts: 22
    I never owned a Mitsubishi car. Thanks to a new Mitsu Dealer in the area (couple of guys selling cars from their office/portable) i became interested in Outlander and/or lancer (same platform, interior very similar). From what i read some people say "never buy this car - it almost killed me", or "it always pulls to the right... why? why? why?", other people say "never had any problems, but re-sale value is sinking faster than Titanic", almost everyone complains about some strange noise, etc. Can someone who owned(-s) either 2006 Outlander or 2006 Lancer with same motor, tell me if it is good reliable vehicle? For example, i drove Toyota Camry 1988, Mazda626 1994, Mazda Protege ES (2.0L) 2001, and I can tel you my opinion about those cars in 1-2 simple sentences:
    1 Camry - so-so (not to many problems, most of them can be easily fixed).
    2. Mazda626 - Good car before 90,000km. After that - Crap! Biggest problem exhaust, water pump, paint, spring coils, 02 sensor. I spent lots of hard earned $$$ and time fixing it before finally sold it with 180000km.
    3. Mazda Protege 2001 (fully loaded). The only problem was with rear calipers (sticky). Of course it started after 3years when warranty expired. I had to take both calipers apart and remove dirt/rust then lubricate it. Other than that - Very Nice Car.
    4. 2006 Mitsubishi Outlander - ???
  • goheels2003goheels2003 Member Posts: 5
    Just wondering out loud about the reliability of the harddrive in the nav system. I'm thinking, "no way that drive will last more than three years even with shock absorption and dampers." I wonder about the warranty coverage. any info from those of you with the nav system?
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    Obviously no one can tell you anything about that as most of us are new buyers. So nobody can tell. But I wouldn't care. I got 10 years warranty on it.
  • spyderonespyderone Member Posts: 54
    You may not have 10 years on the navigation system. Just because it is a 10 year warranty doesn't necessarily mean that you have 10 years on everything. Check your owners manual to be sure.
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    Yep your right, I checked and it's supposed to be 5 years. 10 years was for the powertrain. :)

    Manual says:

    NEW VEHICLE LIMITED WARRANTY COVERAGE AND TERM
    For the first 5years or 60,000 miles, whichever occurs first, any part of this Vehicle supplied by MITSUBISHI(except batteries,tires,adjustments and items listed under the headings“OTHERS”,“ADDITIONAL COVERAGE”and“WHAT IS NOT COVERED”), which proves defective in normal use will be repaired or replaced by
    any Authorized Mitsubishi Motors Dealer or Authorized Service Center,using new or remanufactured Authorized Mitsubishi Motors parts.

    Download the Warranty Manual
  • piastpiast Member Posts: 269
    “From what I read some people say "never buy this car - it almost killed me", or "it always pulls to the right..."
    I'm not sure if they actually owned the car or just heard of some problems, some other people had. That usually is the case. Reliability of Mitsubishi build in the US in the 80 and 90' with Chrysler wasn’t the greatest, this is the truth. Again truth with most makes from that era. Mitsubishis build in Japan - different story. We owned 97 Mirage for almost 7 years. I wish all our cars match it for quality and reliability. Two problems over that time: crank position sensor and week FM reception, both fixed under warranty. Now, check who won Paris-Dakkar rally for the last 6 years in a row and then question Mitsu reliability. You can also find out which makes did not get to finish line at all.
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    To add to that, Kris Nissen from Volkswagen Motorsport calls Mitsubishi Ralliart the "Gold Standard" for Cross Country Rallying, and they are trying their best to emulate the strength and reliability of Mitsubishi. 6 wins in a row, 11 all-time Dakar victories. 4 consecutive WRC victories in a row made the Lancer Evo and Tommi Makinen legends. With those credentials, I need not talk more.

    For those who don't know what a Dakar Rally is, head to www.dakar.com and see what it's all about. I'm blogging on it too if you want to get daily updates.

    Mitsubishi Ralliart has always regarded rallying and motorsports as an essential testing ground for new technology, and the knowledge learned from racing gets injected to production cars. This is why production Evos need little tuning to make it a competition car. You next best choice in that class would be a Subaru Impreza WRX.
  • edc2007edc2007 Member Posts: 4
    Just purchased a new 2007 Outlander and noticed a rushing air type of sound on both the drivers and passengers sides. Is anyone else experiencing this problem? If so I'd like to know what was done to fix the problem. The dealer says that nothing is wrong with the new vehicle so nothing can be done. I'd like to either get the problem fixed or get a replacement vehicle without the annoying sound effects. Any advice would be helpful.
  • busta4busta4 Member Posts: 35
    I also have the xls outlander and have the same rushing air noise. I am sad to say after test driving a bunch and eventually buying one, this is how the suv is. wait until the cheap plastic inside the car starts to come apart. mine has, with only 1000 miles on it. driver side mirror has a big wind noise and front end sounds like it might be acting up. Nothing is perfect, but I think i will trade my outlander in sooner than later, and pick up a Honda or Toyota. with all of the features the xls has it is the cheapest (price) in its class, and i am starting to see why. they cut corners to keep the cost low. still a fun car with the sound system and leather and all that but this is my last go with MITSUBISHI.
  • polmcspolmcs Member Posts: 27
    I've only noticed the wind noise coming off the drivers side mirror. Then again, I don't think I've ever sat in the passenger seat whilst the vehicle is in motion. I mentioned the wind noise to the dealer when the car went in to have the horn fixed and they took it for a test drive. They also drove the service manager's Outlander for a comparison and said that both cars exhibited the same noise. I just put it down to a design flaw with the gap between the A pillar and the mirror housing itself.

    However, in one of the other discussions on this board, someone mentioned that the noise on their car coming from the driver mirror was due to a lose wire, so maybe there is more than just a design flaw to blame
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    If by picking up a Honda or Toyota you mean RAV4 or CRV, you may want to check out the RAV4 and CRV forums before. They have their share of quality issues and "bullet proof" quality and reliability of these models it's just a myth. I recall a Toyota guy calling the RAV4 a "rattle symphony".
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    I am a witness to that. I have been in two 02 and 03 RAV-4s and as these SUVs age, there is a loud noise coming from the wheels which is very audible from inside the cabin. And CR-V isn't as quiet as you would think it would be because it's a Honda. My GF owns one, and I've been driving one before I got my Outlander. I can't really compare the comfort and handling of the Outlander with any of the two SUVs I've mention. You might say I'm biased, so don't take my word for it. Do a test drive, a lengthy one if you like and see it for yourself
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    driver side mirror has a big wind noise and front end sounds like it might be acting up.

    Both of which are easily fixed by the dealer if you bring it in.

    front end sounds like it might be acting up.

    Might be? what do you mean by that?

    wait until the cheap plastic inside the car starts to come apart. mine has, with only 1000 miles on it

    Unless you've been rallying in the Sahara lately, I don't see why they should "come apart". Mine has about 1700 miles on it and if I take it to a carwash and get it detailed, it could still easily pass a brand new vehicle.

    Just my 2 cents but your complaints sound bogus to me. I even doubt you own one. Give us some real pictures of your Outlander with plastics coming apart and maybe we'll start to believe your complaints.
  • busta4busta4 Member Posts: 35
    There is nothing easy about getting my car to the dealer and fixed. It means I don't have transportation for a day. with a family and work obligations "easy" doesn't come to mind. what would have been easy is, if before I spent $28,000 Mitsubishi figured out these obvious problems.

    what I mean by "might be" is, sometimes I hear a knock(that seems to come standard with the 07 outlander)and sometimes I do not, so....... front end "might be" acting up.

    no Sahara" were I am from, but if you honestly take a look at your interior, you will easily see all around you, ill fitting, cheap,cheap,cheap plastic.
    if you had the pleasure of sitting in my 07 outlander you would notice a distinct part of the dash that does not line up and is raised. raised to the point that you can see inside the dash.

    "Give us some real pictures of your Outlander with plastics coming apart and maybe we'll start to believe"
    ??? Pictures? come on now it is just a car forum, no need for such drama.

    Who is "WE" are you speaking for the entire forum? when I had my car washed friday, it also could pass for brand new because.........it is. maybe falling apart was an exaggeration , but ill fitting and cheap is an exact description.

    Even with its faults this car is a blast to drive, and has the best stereo ever, but I would not buy another one.
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    Were these problems present when you bought the vehicle or they developed over time? I'm mostly thinking at the dash misalignment and side mirror noise. I just want to know what to look for when I test drive the car and eventually at PDI. Thanks.
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    There is nothing easy about getting my car to the dealer and fixed. It means I don't have transportation for a day. with a family and work obligations "easy" doesn't come to mind. what would have been easy is, if before I spent $28,000 Mitsubishi figured out these obvious problems.

    My experience was different. My dealership is 10mi away from our apartment. I drop the vehicle, get a courtesy service car, and come back for the vehicle when they're done with it.

    Sad fact of life: no auto company can figure out everything. The real world has always been the real test. Name one auto company that didn't have issue with a newly released model. Look at the complaints for this SUV and it's mostly annoyance issues.

    but if you honestly take a look at your interior, you will easily see all around you, ill fitting, cheap,cheap,cheap plastic.
    if you had the pleasure of sitting in my 07 outlander you would notice a distinct part of the dash that does not line up and is raised. raised to the point that you can see inside the dash.


    Why complain of the cheap plastic? Honda and Toyota and using plastic too. Are saying now that Mitsu uses a cheaper plastic than Honda and Toyota? :D I didn't know plastics have quality grade. I'm perfectly pleased with the dash of my 07 Outlander, no misalignment I can see. If you're not satisfied with the dash of the vehicle, because you said it was made of a "cheaper" plastic, then why did you buy it? Because if I don't like something I wouldn't buy it.

    with all of the features the xls has it is the cheapest (price) in its class, and i am starting to see why. they cut corners to keep the cost low. still a fun car with the sound system and leather and all that but this is my last go with MITSUBISHI.

    Yes, "we", that's me and the rest of members reading this forum, who have been trying to give accurate and objective reporting on our vehicles to make this forum credible. Exaggerating and making unnecessary comment like the one above will not help you get your issues solved. You saw the car before you bought it, and you said you lying about the interior coming apart, then why criticize Mitsubishi for it. I don't see the point for such a comment.
  • jod3jod3 Member Posts: 18
    Does anyone have a clear handle on this issue. I just but this car and feel like I might have made a mistake. I have this same annoying problem.
  • jod3jod3 Member Posts: 18
    Is this something that we are being told to live with, is this a design flaw? Do we have a clear solution? Help!!
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
  • jod3jod3 Member Posts: 18
    I appreciate the post. Though it is not clear that we have a clear fix for the wind noise here, and only one person mentioned the wire in the mirror as having been the correct solution.
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    That is the fix, and I could not hear any unusual wind noise after that. Did your dealer checked your Outlander yet, or do you own one in the first place? I see you just joined in, welcome to the forum. So what color and trim did you get?
  • jod3jod3 Member Posts: 18
    I got the LS, have been happy with the car besides this wind noise and rattle in the drivers seat near the mirror. I compared the car to several others in its class, my wife has an 06 CRV and I like the ride and features of this car more. For what is worth her car also had an annoying rattle after just a few miles. This sure would be a great forum in you guys were really able to get this problem sovled. It can be discouraging to spend 20k and have a problem such as this. Thanks for the input.
  • busta4busta4 Member Posts: 35
    It does look like all the car companies are using this low grade plastic, shame on us consumers for putting up with it.

    my account of the car is accurate, if at 1000 miles my dash has some pieces starting to rise up , separate, etc what do you think it will look like at 60,000 miles.

    not to get off subject, but you seem a little paranoid. first you say you do not think I even own the outlander, now you say I am lying. Kind of creepy.

    Lets you and I agree to disagree and stop posting to each other. we can both give our objective opinions to the folks and let them decide for themselves.

    I will state one more time, I love my xls outlander. It is a sporty, good looking car, with great room for my family and all of our stuff, love the fosgate stereo, and heated seats, sunroof , the price for all these extras and so on (feel better rcpax? ) I Hate the fact that MItsubishi sent this car to production with a pretty big front end issue, a somewhat loud interior, wind noises on the driverside mirror and especially the hard, easy to scratch cheap, cheap, cheap plastic in the interior. for close to 30,000 thousand we as consumers should demand more.
  • busta4busta4 Member Posts: 35
    The wind noise on the driver side window was present on two of my test drives and on the one I actually purchased. I thought maybe I was looking for faults a little to hard. But when I started to see peoples posts on edmunds, i thought Hey, i have that too!! the dash I did not really inspect all that well. but looking up close in the daylight, it is full of imperfections, and on mine there is a piece sticking up that is not acceptable. The worst part of it is if it comes down to having the dealer tear the dash apart to try and fix It I will live with it instead. I am sad that for $28,000 and almost no miles I am already having to "live with" issues. the reason I traded in my 98 Camry is because i no longer wanted to live with all the issues that come with a high mileage car.
  • jod3jod3 Member Posts: 18
    So not to beat a dead horse but is the wind noise problem, a random wire something that we can all get fixed or some structural flaw that the dealers say is just part of the car. I contact my dealer today about the problem and was told that they were unaware that any such problem existed.

    Your input is appreciated.
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    It seems like the wind noise is fixable. However, the dash issue is indeed more problematic, and for me it would be hard to live with. I guess I will have to thoroughly inspect the vehicle before delivery. On the same note, I think it is fair to say that some issues are to be expected with any vehicle in its first production year. This holds true for Toyota and Honda as well. If I would have the option to wait another year, I would do so. Unfortunately I will have to buy the car within the next few months.
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    It sounds like rcpax got its fixed and he was one of the first ones to post about this issue on this forum. I would try his recipe and write a letter to Mitsu. In general, the dealers are useless, when it comes to new issues or information in general. Do your homework before you go in.
  • jod3jod3 Member Posts: 18
    That sounds about right, which I seen this information before purchase. It is interesting how quickly the dealer turns from friendly and help to obnoxious and useless at the first smell of a problem.
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    If it makes you feel better, Toyota RAV4 had a similar problem with a rattling side mirror.

    link
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    However, the dash issue is indeed more problematic, and for me it would be hard to live with. I guess I will have to thoroughly inspect the vehicle before delivery

    I honestly don't see an issue with the dash. Reviews on the Outlander's dash are mixed, people either like it or don't like it. People complain it's made of cheap plastic, but even Honda and Toyota uses plastic for the dash too. What I see as a difference though is how the plastic were molded, bottomline it all about design. So yes, that would be correct for you to take a good hard look at the dash, as what a good buyer would do, and take time to sit inside and feel if everything is OK with you. In my case I did that, 3 visits to different dealerships, and have seen all trims before deciding I wanted the XLS.
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    Agreed. However, I think the point in the previous postings is that the dash is falling apart. Sure, the design and materials are easy to evaluate before you make the purchase and you are free to decide if you like it or not. If you think the interior is cheap and you don't like it, don't buy the car. The idea is how well the fit and finish is in your car and how well it holds up over time. This is where you do not have the control and you only expect that the manufacturer did its job.
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    I have yet to see how worse that "dash falling apart" thing, because I have 1700 mi on my car and I can't find anything not fitting well in the dash. So far after 2mos and 1700mi everything seemed intact in the dash. Although I can't speak for other's experience.
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    I Hate the fact that MItsubishi sent this car to production with a pretty big front end issue, a somewhat loud interior, wind noises on the driverside mirror and especially the hard, easy to scratch cheap, cheap, cheap plastic in the interior. for close to 30,000 thousand we as consumers should demand more.

    I don't know of any other make that offers so much for that price. Perhaps if you find a better alternative with that much features you can also post it here for others to know.
    If you think the interiors were made of cheap plastic then why did you buy it? Let me state it again that the front end knock and side mirror wind noise are only in a small percentage of cars, as I was told by the Mitsu, and they made steps to address the issue. Now if you are not willing to bring your car in to have it fixed, that's another story.

    Lets you and I agree to disagree and stop posting to each other. we can both give our objective opinions to the folks and let them decide for themselves.

    Let's be clear I'm not picking up an argument here. If we keep on reporting objectively, and not exaggerating things, that would be good. :shades:
  • carkakicarkaki Member Posts: 8
    An 07 Outlander in my country(Singapore) costs about USD58K ! And I have test drive it twice, yet I did not notice or shall I say,not paying enough attention to these noises and 'CHEAP' plastic. Guess I will have to test drive again and look closely on the dashboard for any lousy fitting.
    BTW, I like this car very much and intend to get one next month.
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    +1.
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    For fit and finish problems you should check out your own car at delivery. It seems like this is not an issue with every car so you may not see it in the demo.
  • busta4busta4 Member Posts: 35
    sorry, here is the full post:

    I bought the car because they are all made of cheap plastic these days. for the money the outlander offered the most in its class. I do not have to be happy about it's faults. I can post about these faults in any way I choose. I said my dash was falling apart, because after 1000 miles there is some rise and separation going on. I conceded the phrase falling apart was an exaggeration. You then turn around and call me a liar ???

    when you do not believe what someone is writing, and then state that they are a liar, it is Clear you are picking an argument.

    I do not know who gave you the hall monitoring pass in this forum but like I said before, please stop posting to my posts. you are kind of a freak AND YOU ARE RUIINING MY FORUM EXPERIENCE. IT is bad enough I am disappointed with some of the outlanders issues, do I have to be disappointed about the outlander forum as well??

    objective >adjective 1 not influenced by personal feelings or opinions

    one more thing, please use the word objective properly. if I was reviewing the car along with several others(for say, a car magazine) i could give my objective opinion. but since i OWN the car, any opinion I give would be naturally be a bias one!

    are you sure it is not you who owns stock in mitsu?? such an over the top defense of these outlander issues. perhaps you are the exaggerating, nonobjective lying freak?? just a thought.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    It's easy to misunderstand stuff in a written forum, even with emotorcons, so let's just try to stick to the pros and cons of the Mitsu and avoid making personal assumptions about each other. That's not the topic anyway. Thanks.
  • jod3jod3 Member Posts: 18
    I called the company today about the mirror rattle and wind noise problem. They suggested that they never heard of the problem before. Can that be? Anyone speak to them and have same names to follow up with? Thanks for the help.
  • carkakicarkaki Member Posts: 8
    Agreed with you. Showroom and demo car is always in tiptop condition, nicely polished, engine tuned almost every now and then.
    Anyway, will check out the "noise" that has been troubling this forum.
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    are you sure it is not you who owns stock in mitsu?? such an over the top defense of these outlander issues. perhaps you are the exaggerating, nonobjective lying freak?? just a thought.

    You might want to check my postings on the front end knock issue and the left mirror noise before making that comment.
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    Some of the conditions I think might help you verify the mirror noise issue.
    1. Turn off the radio when doing the test drive
    2. Choose a flat road to minimize noise, if you can, do the drive test in an open space, or one with moderate to high wind velocity, and on a road where you can go as fast as 100km/h
    3. Pay close attention if you can hear a rattling sound on the mirror on the driver's side.

    If you can't hear it, then you're good. This issue is only on a handful of vehicles, and as of posting time, Mitsu might have taken steps to correct it at the level of the assembly line, so your car might not be affected at all. Congrats on your purchase ;)
  • carkakicarkaki Member Posts: 8
    Test drive in my country is always done in a rather restricted condition.
    1. The test drive route is predetermine by the dealer.
    2. Hard to find windy road condition, in fact it hardy exist.
    3. As the test route is planned by dealer, no way we can drive up to 100km/h, not unless we venture into highway,and again the route does not include highway driving. Usually, city road which is flat but heavy traffic.

    I really hope the coming test drive does not have the noise problems cause I really like this "sickening" car very much. Moreover, to pay USD58K for it and get those " noise problems" will definitely ruined my driving experience.
  • gene_vgene_v Member Posts: 235
    Over on the Honda CR-V Thread they are talking about a differential problem withthe CR-V.
    Talk about a recall.
  • dodo2dodo2 Member Posts: 496
    Yep. This is a hot issue on the hondasuv forum. Most of the owners with this issue ended up having the rear differential replaced. There is a discussion there about wind noise too.
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    If in the event that the mirror noise is present during your test drive, that would at least give you time to think about your options. You can leave without buying the Outlander, and choose another make, or you have the option to let the dealer do a quick fix for the wind noise before you ink the deal. Here's my post on the fix for the mirror noise: rcpax, "Left front door rattle - 07 Outlander" #25, 22 Jan 2007 6:30 pm

    When I bought mine, I did not have enough information what to watch out for during the test drive. Being one of the early buyers of this SUV, I had to discover these issues by myself and later confirmed by other owners here. Looking back, if the car I'm interested in had these issues, I would have asked the dealer for another car. At that point during my purchase, just finding a car of the exact specs was already much of challenge, so I doubt I would have had the option to ask for another Outlander without the issues. I can't wait any longer either because I need a car badly since I'm starting on my job. If you ask me, these issues would not have affected my purchasing decision even if I knew about it from the start, and more so if I knew there is a free fix for it. The features, handling, and competitive pricing of the Outlander is just too good to pass. What I will regret though is buying a CR-V or a RAV-4 at the same price as a fully loaded Outlander XLS but without the perks, and only to discover that these cars too have mirror noise issues and differential problems. That would have been a major regret.
Sign In or Register to comment.