View Poll Results: Did Mitsubishi screw up on the clutch?
Yes, You screwed the pooch
483
61.69%
No, The clutch is fine.
300
38.31%
Voters: 783. You may not vote on this poll
Did Mitsu screw up on the clutch
humm... i havent read all 24 pages but i voted no.. its fine. BUT, 4000 miles ago i would have voted yeah its ****ed up.. here is the reason it changed.. i started coming to these boards and seeing all these people complain about the clutch, so what do i do? start thinking the same thing, believing that my clutch is messed up, when in reality unless you dont know what the **** your doing (which is many a case, not say all..but) you shouldnt reach the point of clutch slippage.. correct me if im wrong but my experience with clutch slippage is not just a soft engagement point, or mushy clutch feeling, its actual slippage of the clutch during a wot pull, meaning the rpms with jitter into the higher rpms because the power of the motor is exceeding the clutches capacity, i think a lot of peoples ideas on clutch slippage are incorrect and therefore assume the worst.. Last week i took the car to the strip, burnt the hell out of the clutch, the damn thing would barely engage, but i gave it a few days and it had more grip than the day i bought it, took it to an scca solo II track event, no problem, took it to the strip tonight, held better than ever, no clutch smell or nothing. I have to be honest though i went from hating this clutch to liking it, i think its a good clutch.
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Joined: Feb 2004
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Clutch issues for me...
12.5k and I need to get a new clutch, didnt ride it hard, but my wife did insist on learning to drive stick on it ( i know, im an idiot ). Anyways, even with the 100 miles she put on it, the clutch shouldnt have gone so quickly. 
Evolving Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 133
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From: Massachusetts
I am now at 15,000 and the stock clutch is still good. *scrambles to find block of wood* I am waiting for it to go anyday now and eagerly await the 5-6 hour job under the car in the cold. Maybe I will be the alltime record holder for longest lasting stock clutch.
Last edited by wkehn; Sep 22, 2004 at 06:44 AM.
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12
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From: Santa Monica, Cali
Hi All,
Ok after reading this thread I'm wondering what the overall dealership experience was when you took your cars to the service department.
Were these all covered under warranty? Did the shop guys look at you like you had abused the drivetrain intentionally?
Has anyone looked on NHTSB to see if this has been a logged issue as a global problem?
Thanks for your thoughts.
-Matt
Ok after reading this thread I'm wondering what the overall dealership experience was when you took your cars to the service department.
Were these all covered under warranty? Did the shop guys look at you like you had abused the drivetrain intentionally?
Has anyone looked on NHTSB to see if this has been a logged issue as a global problem?
Thanks for your thoughts.
-Matt
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2
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I called my dealership and asked them what the warrenty was, they told me flat out that it was 1000 miles. Then they told me it would be at least 1200 bucks to change it. Smelling total BS, I called a guy in parts that I am buddys with, he told me that of the last handful of people to warrenty their clutch, only one was serviced. So it is clear to me that Mitsu or my dealership is screwing me.
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12
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From: Santa Monica, Cali
Guess I answered my own question...here's one entry taken from the NHTSA website: (http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/)
Make : MITSUBISHI
Model : LANCER
Year : 2003
Crash : No
Fire : No
Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10052636
Date of Failure: December 16, 2003
Component: POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
Summary:
AT 1000 MILES THE CLUTCH IN MY 03 LANCER EVO BEGAN TO SLIP OCCASIONALLY. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE MITSUBISHI SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP ME UNLESS THE PROBLEM COULD BE RECREATED. AT 3000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO GRIND INTO 5TH GEAR OCCASIONALLY. AGAIN I WAS TOLD NOT TO BRING IT IN UNTIL IT COULD BE RECREATED. AT 4000 MILES I WAS ABLE TO RECREATE THE CONDITION. MITSUBISHI AGREED TO REPAIRING THE TRANSMISSION UNDER THE TERMS OF THE WARRANTY. A CONVENIENCE INSPECTION OF THE CLUTCH WAS ALSO PERFORMED AT THIS TIME. THE INITIAL RESPONSE FROM MITSUBISHI WAS THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO REPAIR THE CLUTCH EVEN THOUGH IT SHOWED SIGNS OF SLIPPAGE, AND THEY ATTRIBUTED IT TO ABUSE. THE CLAIM WAS UNFOUNDED AND EVENTUALLY REVERSED BY THE DISTRICT PARTS REPRESENTATIVE FOR MITSUBISHI AND THE REPAIRS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MY CONCERN IS THAT WITHOUT MY DILIGENCE MY CLAIM WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RESOLVED AND MORE IMPORTANTLY HAD I NOT CONVINCED THEM TO PERFORM THE INSPECTION THE INEVITABLE FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH MAY HAVE MANIFESTED ITSELF IN SUCH A MANNER TO CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE FAILURE RATES FOR THE DRIVETRAIN OF THIS VEHICLE SEEM VERY SUSPECT TO ME AND MAY WARRANT AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO THE RELIABILITY OF THOSE COMPONENTS. THESE ITEMS SHOULD NOT FAIL SO EARLY IN THEIR SERVICE LIFE OR WITH SUCH FREQUENCY UNLESS THERE WAS A MECHANICAL DEFECT THAT REQUIRED A RECALL. I AM ALSO SUSPICIOUS THAT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS SEEM TO HAVE RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO DISMISS CLAIMS REGARDING WARRANTY DRIVETRAIN REPAIRS. I WAS WARNED NUMEROUS TIMES THROUGHOUT THE SERVICE THAT IF ANY SIGN OF ABUSE WAS PRESENT MY WARRANTY WOULD BE VOIDED AND ALL THE CHARGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE INSPECTION AND REPAIR WOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY. THIS FELT MORE LIKE A TACTIC TO DETER OR SCARE ME INTO CONTINUING TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT WAS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. *LA
Make : MITSUBISHI
Model : LANCER
Year : 2003
Crash : No
Fire : No
Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10052636
Date of Failure: December 16, 2003
Component: POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
Summary:
AT 1000 MILES THE CLUTCH IN MY 03 LANCER EVO BEGAN TO SLIP OCCASIONALLY. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE MITSUBISHI SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP ME UNLESS THE PROBLEM COULD BE RECREATED. AT 3000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO GRIND INTO 5TH GEAR OCCASIONALLY. AGAIN I WAS TOLD NOT TO BRING IT IN UNTIL IT COULD BE RECREATED. AT 4000 MILES I WAS ABLE TO RECREATE THE CONDITION. MITSUBISHI AGREED TO REPAIRING THE TRANSMISSION UNDER THE TERMS OF THE WARRANTY. A CONVENIENCE INSPECTION OF THE CLUTCH WAS ALSO PERFORMED AT THIS TIME. THE INITIAL RESPONSE FROM MITSUBISHI WAS THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO REPAIR THE CLUTCH EVEN THOUGH IT SHOWED SIGNS OF SLIPPAGE, AND THEY ATTRIBUTED IT TO ABUSE. THE CLAIM WAS UNFOUNDED AND EVENTUALLY REVERSED BY THE DISTRICT PARTS REPRESENTATIVE FOR MITSUBISHI AND THE REPAIRS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MY CONCERN IS THAT WITHOUT MY DILIGENCE MY CLAIM WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RESOLVED AND MORE IMPORTANTLY HAD I NOT CONVINCED THEM TO PERFORM THE INSPECTION THE INEVITABLE FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH MAY HAVE MANIFESTED ITSELF IN SUCH A MANNER TO CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE FAILURE RATES FOR THE DRIVETRAIN OF THIS VEHICLE SEEM VERY SUSPECT TO ME AND MAY WARRANT AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO THE RELIABILITY OF THOSE COMPONENTS. THESE ITEMS SHOULD NOT FAIL SO EARLY IN THEIR SERVICE LIFE OR WITH SUCH FREQUENCY UNLESS THERE WAS A MECHANICAL DEFECT THAT REQUIRED A RECALL. I AM ALSO SUSPICIOUS THAT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS SEEM TO HAVE RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO DISMISS CLAIMS REGARDING WARRANTY DRIVETRAIN REPAIRS. I WAS WARNED NUMEROUS TIMES THROUGHOUT THE SERVICE THAT IF ANY SIGN OF ABUSE WAS PRESENT MY WARRANTY WOULD BE VOIDED AND ALL THE CHARGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE INSPECTION AND REPAIR WOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY. THIS FELT MORE LIKE A TACTIC TO DETER OR SCARE ME INTO CONTINUING TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT WAS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. *LA
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 22
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From: Philadelphia
Originally posted by hel_if_ino
its actual slippage of the clutch during a wot pull...
its actual slippage of the clutch during a wot pull...
I know enough to not launch it hard from a dead stop, and never did.
What I did do, however, was go WOT from mid-rpms in 2nd gear while already rolling (clutch fully engaged, foot not even on pedal). The clutch smelled bad every time I did this.
Now, maybe the 10 drivers before me fried it. That's possible. But it seems like too much of a coincidence.
Can you normally go WOT in 2nd, after clutch is engaged, without burning it?
Reading through the zillion posts, it sounds like some cars have a prob, some don't. I'm wondering if Mitsu made a change somewhere along the line...
Originally posted by siberian
What I did do, however, was go WOT from mid-rpms in 2nd gear while already rolling (clutch fully engaged, foot not even on pedal). The clutch smelled bad every time I did this.
What I did do, however, was go WOT from mid-rpms in 2nd gear while already rolling (clutch fully engaged, foot not even on pedal). The clutch smelled bad every time I did this.
My car has a build date of Mar 2003 and I have 14,500 miles on it with NO problems and about 50 HP in mods. I beat on my car, very spirited driving. However, I never launch, miss shifts, grind gears, drop the clutch, ride the clutch. I always speed match during shifting, leave the car in gear when braking, drive slow (no positive manifold pressure) for the first 5 minutes of a trip, always wait for full clutch disengagement before I shift, always wait for full clutch engagement before standing on the gas.....I've owned two other all wheel drive, 4G63-powered cars in the past.
My clutch feels as strong as day one, and I don't have the SS clutch line and the clutch restrictor disk is still in place. I'd like to say that this "problem" is all attributable to driving styles, but perhaps there is a flaw in some components / workmanship on certain cars. With Mitsu simply saying that every burnt clutch is "abuse" without even giving it a second look, perhaps we'll never know.
I guess the 2nd Gen DSM crankwalk was all because of abuse and neglegence, too.......Right?
I plan on keeping the stock clutch in for as long as it holds up. IN the near future, I will be addind about another 50 HP or so. Maybe it will start slipping then. Maybe it won't.
9000....CLUTCH ON THE WAY OUT......I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE SOMTHING TO DO WITH 5TH GEAR...I NOTICED THE THE BURN CLUTCH SMELL WHILE JUST ACCELERATING IN 5TH, LIKE I DUMPED THE CLUTCH MEANWHILE I HAD BEEN CRUSING IN 5TH FOR LIKE 15 MIN ON THE HIGHWAY! AFTER SPEAKING TO A FRIEND OF MINE AT MITSU HE SAID HE HAS SEEN ALOT OF CLUTCH PROBLEMS ALREADY...DONT LET THEM BULL**** U EITHER...CLUTCHED ARE WARRANTIED IN THE MANUEL TO 12,000 MILES
Do Not type in all caps it is against the rules.
Do Not type in all caps it is against the rules.
Last edited by timzcat; Feb 26, 2004 at 11:22 AM.
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 22
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From: Philadelphia
I just recently talked to the guys in a mitsu service department about the clutch. They swore to me that there is no problem. Then they added that well yea, a guy was just in for a replacement at 12,000 miles, but they blame his driving.
They said they don't replace clutches under warrantee. I realize every dealership seems to have a different policy.
The really sad thing is even with the weak clutch, rusting bumper mounts, and bad paint, I still may buy one
They said they don't replace clutches under warrantee. I realize every dealership seems to have a different policy.
The really sad thing is even with the weak clutch, rusting bumper mounts, and bad paint, I still may buy one
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1
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Stock clutch is good but not good enough. Main problem is in the slave cylinder restrictor (TAKE IT OUT). Bottom line even with a good clutch this car has 271hp stock, AWD the week link is the clutch. Ask anyone in racing and they will tell you that a clutch is part of maintanence.
