2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart

Defect. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (Mitsubishi) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Lancer, Lancer Evolution, and Outlander; 2009-2011 Lancer Sportback, Lancer Rilliart, and Lancer Sportback Ralliart; and 2011 Outlander Sport vehicles. The affected vehicles, manufactured with 4B1 engines, have an engine pulley and belt arrangement for turning the alternator, the cooling fan and the power steering pump (if equipped). These pulleys may experience unusual wear and allow for belt detachment.

Risk. If the drive belt detaches, the battery may discharge, resulting in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the drive belt with a rubber belt. Drive pulleys that are excessively worn will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 15, 2014. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-14-009.

THE TC-SST IN THE RALLIART SHOWED SIGNS OF SLIPPAGE AND MISSING GEARS. AT ONE POINT DURING OPERATION THE TRANSMISSION HAS GEARS COMPLETELY MISSING LEADING TO ROAD SAFETY ISSUES. MITSUBISHI MOTORS SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THEY WOULD NOT TOUCH THE TRANSMISSION.

"ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM SERVICE REQUIRED" MESSAGE CAM ON. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CORTESE MITSUBISHI IN ROCHESTER NY WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT A SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS NEEDED WHICH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANT. UPGRADE WAS PERFORMED AND I WAS INFORMED TO RETURN IF OTHER MESSAGES WERE DISPLAYED AS THE AWC PUMP MIGHT BE FAULTY WHICH WOULD BE FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. AT 40300M THE TARMAC DISPLAY STARTED FLASHING AND TRACTION CONTROL SETTING COULD NOT BE CHANGED FROM THE AWC SWITCH. RETURNED THE CAR TO CORTESE MITSUBISHI WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THE AWC PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $2100. AND THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AS INITIALLY INFORMED BY THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE BECAUSE MITSUBISHI CONSIDERS THIS TO BE A "LUXURY" FEATURE. *TR

HAD AN AWD SERVICE WARNING LIGHT COME ON IN THE CAR WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK IN TRAFFIC. THE CAR CODED A C161E CODE FOR ACTIVE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL. IT SEEMS TO COME ON WHEN IT IS WARM OUT ABOVE 60 DEGREES. THE CODE IS FOR THE ACTIVE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL PUMP WHICH IS PART OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM AND BASICALLY CONTROLS HOW THE CAR SPLITS THE POWER FROM THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS THROUGH THE TRANSFER CASE. FOUND OUT WHEN I WENT TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP THAT THIS IS ONLY COVERED UNDER THE BASIC 36000 MILE WARRANTY AND IS NOT CONSIDERED PART OF THE POWERTRAIN, EVEN THOUGH IT IS PART OF THE AWD SYSTEM. I WAS ALSO ADVISED IF IT IS THE PUMP, WHICH SEEMS TO BE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THESE CAR, IT WOULD BE $2500 TO FIX, BUT SINCE IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY I WOULD ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COSTS FOR ANY TROUBLESHOOTING AND ANY OTHER PARTS THAT WOULD NEED FIXED OR REPLACED AS WELL. WHILE RESEARCHING ONLINE, SINCE I DON'T HAVE +$2500 TO FIX THIS ISSUE I FIND THAT THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE CARS THAT MITSUBISHI REFUSES TO TAKE CARE OF. I HAVE THE CAR KEPT IN A GARAGE AT HOME AND ONLY SITS OUTSIDE WHILE I'M AT WORK AS WELL SINCE I READ THAT THE COLD WEATHER EFFECTS THESE PUMPS AS WELL. I WOULD THINK THIS WOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT SINCE THE AWD SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *TR