Mitsubishi Mirage Engine Problems

The drive belts on the engines might be new, but what about the pulleys they run in? A pulley with a worn bearing can start to squeal when under load, such as when you start to accelerate and the belt has to speed up. Also, any coolant or oil on the belt can make it screech, too. When the belts had just been replaced, they were nice and clean, but after a few kilometres have passed and contaminants have been able to build up, you might be back to square one again with a screaming rubber belt.

Check the belts for coolant or oil (or anything else) on them as well as the pulleys and tensioners to make sure a small leak in the engine is not being spread all over the place by the belt. Check the belts for correct tension, too, as this can vary over time and is a classic cause of noisy operation. It does seem odd that both cars have started to make the noise in unison, but stranger things have happened.

Fuel consumption can be difficult to predict because there are so many factors that can affect it, and many of them are related to your driving conditions and style. But based on the official figures for each of the cars you are considering the Fiat Panda is the most economical by a small margin. All could be expected to average less than 5.0L/100 km. As far as maintenance goes the Mitsubishi is the winner, and would be my choice.

We contacted Mitsubishi on Hazel's behalf and can report that a replacement starter motor has now been provided and fitted to her car.

It's hard to believe that Mitsubishi doesn't have any starter motors in stock to replace one that has failed. Even if they didn't have one here in Australia, with the modern jets now in service it should only take a matter of a day or two to get one from overseas. We asked Mitsubishi for assistance in resolving your problem and they have told us that the parts you require will be available this week and will fitted when they arrive.