Mitsubishi Problems

Your problem may be related to a relay, but the usual cause of flickering DRLs and dashboard lighting (the LED type) is a faulty capacitor within the vehicle’s wiring loom. A faulty capacitor will deliver an unstable (fluctuating rather than steady) voltage to the LEDs and that’s what causes them to flicker.

Some owners choose to add an aftermarket section of wiring loom with a capacitor within it, but I’d first try to find the offending component in the car’s existing wiring and tackle the problem that way.

The cable that drives the speedometer is a likely candidate for this in some cars, Aaron, but mainly older ones than your Triton. The cable will eventually run out of lubricant, at which point it can bind up and won’t turn smoothly (the cause of the hyperactive needle) while also making a dry squawking noise (the budgies). But, from memory, your car has an electronically-driven speedo, so the cause is more likely that the speedometer itself is worn out and causing internal friction (for the same set of symptoms).

A thermatic fan is designed to run only when it’s needed. As the name suggests, it should switch on when the engine attains a pre-set temperature and then turn off below that temperature. It’s a way of having the engine run at a more constant temperature as well as saving the power normally used to run a fan that isn’t needed the whole time. Sometimes, a second electric fan will cut in when you turn the air-conditioning on, but the short answer is no, a thematic fan should not run all the time.

This type of problem can have any number of causes. The best option is to have the car scanned electronically to see what fault codes have been logged by the on-board computer.

You could be looking at a fuel issue, something purely mechanical (like the idle-speed set too low) a blocked air-filter, a computer issue or any number of sensors that are not playing ball. But until you interpret the fault codes, you’ll be flying blind and potentially replacing things that aren’t the cause of the stalling problem.

I’d certainly be taking the vehicle back to the workshop that serviced it and pointing out that the problem only occurred after they'd 'fixed' it.

I’ve certainly heard of metallic paint on Mitsubishi Lancers peeling from the clear coat before, but it’s hardly a Mitsubishi-specific problem. Many car-makers had trouble (and some of them still struggle) to get clear-over-base paint finishes to work with Australian levels of UV radiation. Strangely enough, Australian car-makers have been some of the worst offenders over the years. The problem is that once the top, clear coat has begun to discolour and peel, the lower, colour cat is usually compromised beyond salvation as well. Repainting either the entire car or the horizontal surfaces (which cop the most UV grief) is the only real long-term solution.

I’d be very surprised if any car-maker came to the rescue with a paint-finish warranty claim after a decade, but it certainly can’t hurt to ask Mitsubishi Australia’s customer service department at head office. In any case, getting any sort of help with this will depend on how the vehicle has been maintained, where it’s been parked and whether any aftermarket paint treatments were ever applied. Largely, however, this type of paint degradation is regarded as normal wear and tear.

The 4B11 (official code-name) engine in your ASX used a timing chain rather than a toothed, rubber timing belt. That means the chain should be good for the life of the engine, rather than requiring periodic replacement as a timing belt does. While the timing chain in this engine seems to be of a good design and hasn’t caused widespread problems, the accessory drive belt (which drives the water pump and power-steering pump, has been known to jump off its pulleys, leaving the car with no power-steering and no pump to operate the cooling system. At least it’s obvious when it happens (so the car can be shut down with no further damage) and the fix is an easy one.

The Mitsubishi Pajero is actually regarded as a very reliable vehicle, so your experience is not typical. There are several potential causes for this, but the thing I’d check first would be the air filter. Is it possible this was overlooked during the recent service? A blocked or dirty air filter will certainly make an engine blow smoke and operate poorly.

I’m assuming your vehicle is a diesel, so it would be worth checking the suction-control valve on the back of the fuel pump, too. Also, a stuck injector that is pouring fuel into the engine can also potentially create these symptoms. I’ve also heard of the Pajero diesel suffering from a build-up of black gunk inside the intake system that can also cause symptoms like the ones you’ve described.

I spoke to Mitsubishi Australia who told me that paint fade is not a common complaint among their customers. There is the possibility that your car could be covered by warranty, but that will all depend on the circumstances of that individual vehicle. That’s not as simple as it having been exposed to high temperatures or UV radiation on a regular basis, either; the car’s entire history will be taken into account including whether it has ever been treated with an aftermarket paint treatment or has had body repairs at any stage.

Mitsubishi’s advice, then, is to take the vehicle to your nearest dealership and have the car examined to assess what the situation is. If that doesn’t satisfy you, you can also contact Mitsubishi Australia’s customer service division to discuss the issue.

For the record, shades of red are historically the worst offenders when it comes to fading and paint degradation. Paint technology has come a long way, but it remains that red pigments do not appreciate Australian levels of heat and UV radiation. In some cases, the original colour of the vehicle can be restored without resorting to repainting and this process can take many forms.

The MQ Triton doesn’t seem any better or worse than its rivals in this department. But, like other makes and models, there’s a healthy aftermarket supply of replacement intercoolers and the pipework that feeds them, so it’s definitely not an unknown problem.

But your experience is exceptional. Were all five vehicles bought brand-new at the same time? If so, they’re all likely to be from the same production run which could explain a faulty batch of hoses.

If the engine runs when you apply some throttle but won’t idle, I’d be drawn to the idle stepper-motor which is a small electronic actuator that is designed to keep the engine at a stable, steady idle when no throttle is applied. It’s a pretty simple fix, but I’d also check things such as fuel delivery pressure and ensure that the ignition system is in good condition, also. Don’t forget air and fuel filters, either, they’re simple things but critical to how an engine behaves. Low battery voltage can also make an engine like the Challenger’s play up at idle, too. Also, have the throttle-position sensor checked. If this fails, it can leave the computer guessing about what the accelerator pedal is trying to tell it.