All I have to say is that Mitsubishi Corporate sucks a$$ and this is gonna be a long rant, so read at your own risk.

I had a rod bearing shatter on me a few months back. After a little fighting with Mitsu over the fact that I only had receipts for oil filters and not oil (like I would just buy filters and not change the oil) I finally got them to warranty it. Of course I had to authorize a tear down first so they could check for any signs of lack of maintenance or abuse. So they replace the short block for me. Also while they were in there they told me my ACT (with only a couple thousand miles on it) was almost dead, so I went and bought an Exedy twin disk to have them install, but when I finally saw the ACT, it was still in perfect shape. I had them install the Exedy anyway and kept the ACT for later use. They put everything back together and give it back to me, they drive the car over and it is barely idling. I pop the hood and the upper IC pipe isn't even connected. I have them come reconnect it as well as a vacuum line I found also disconnected.

A couple days later, maybe 25 miles at most put on the car in that time, and I am driving down the road and hear a horrible sound, sounded like I was dragging something across gravel under the car. I drive it straight back to the dealer and using their "special listening tool", known to others as a long screwdriver, they determine that it is just a loose timing belt tensioner, they replace that and didn't fix a thing, turns out the motor blew the main thrust bearing. So at this point, Mitsu had left the dealer out to dry blaming it on improper installation.

I checked back in with them, they rebuilt the block, and this time as soon as they started her up, it threw the main thrust bearing again. They determined that the oil holes in the casting of the block weren't lining up or some crap, even though the field rep insisted to the dealership that Mitsubishi does not make inferior products, there is no such thing as a bad Mitsubishi part". So, I guess I got the 1 bad part Mitsu ever made. Make that 2 since the engine blew twice.

So they replace the short block again. This time they get it back to me ok, things seem to be going ok, except for a CEL that kept popping up and going away. Code was for Misc/Multiple Misfires. I told the dealer, they told me if it goes away, ignore it, but if it keeps coming back, let them know. Well, I was ignoring it, finally decided to change the plugs and wires to see if that would solve the problem. It didn't. On top of that a ticking sound started around 4k RPM under acceleration. Slowly the ticking started coming in at lower and lower RPM's and without acceleration needed, but only once the car was warmed up. Then I started loosing power big time, almost like I lost a cylinder.

I took it back to the dealer again, they said the CEL was cause the ECU needed to be re-flashed, so they did that, and that the ticking was the water pump, so they replaced that. Ticking is still there. They send the head off to a machine shop after using their "special listening tool again" to get it checked and they had new valves put in. They thought the ticking went away, but it was just masked by the new lifter tick. They then thought it was an injector after talking to a friend of 1 of the mechanics, that wasn't it. Finally the dealer gave up and called Mitsu for help.

My EVO has been at the dealer for over 2 months now, waiting on Mitsu to make up their mind what they are going to do. Finally today I get a call from the service manager telling me that Mitsu is refusing to do any more warranty work on my car. How can they cover my car under warranty, never fix my car, break it on their own and then tell me I am on my own? They are saying that because I have a "race clutch" in there, that my intention is to race the car. I have never raced my car, I do not plan to race my car, I wouldn't have even had that clutch if I wasn't told I needed a new one, not to mention that THE DEALOR INSTALLED IT!!!

Needless to say I am a little beyond pissed at the moment. I currently own 3 Mitsubishis, and have owned others in the past. I am about as loyal of a customer as they can ask for and they are screwing me big time. I even purchased the extended warranty, what good is that? I am not even into the extended portion yet and they are voiding my warranty cause they feel that I plan to race my car?? What kind of logic is that?? I haven't even made it to my 1st oil change since they replaced the 1st block.... so when did I have time to do all this "planned racing"?

If anyone actually read this whole thing, sorry for the long post, just had to get it out somewhere before I go off on the customer service dept. on the phone tomorrow.

 

That sucks !! I feel you man, take it to another dealer I would definitely fight that!

 

I would check the lemon law for your state. Normally if they cant fix a fault in 3 or 4 attempts and it affects the value of the car you can use the lemon law.

 

I wish I could bring it to another dealer, but the same field rep runs all the service departments around here, not to mention that Mitsu dealerships are a dying breed.

I plan to take the fight to Corporate though. My car has been down for about 4 months within this whole ordeal, I atleast want to be compensated for my down time due to them waiting so long just to decide to screw me, as well as the money I spent for an extended warranty that aparantly they never intended on honoring.

 

Get a lawyer

 

I believe that the lemon law only applies within the 1st 18 months of ownership, and I have had it for over 3 years now.

 

Lawyer time.

 

Maybe so, but starting tomorrow, I will be calling corporate everyday pushing to have them fix this before it gets to that point. Hopefully they will realize that they can't give me back a car that they broke and not fix it because of what they think I plan to do with it.

 

Yeah I would start calling corporate. Keep a log of who you talked to, time, etc. Having that will really help in court if it has to go that for.

 

If you car is modified you should realize that even if you had a subbie, bmw, mistu, etc. then any sort of warranty work is usually not performed.

Crappy situation, and I wish you the best of luck...

 

No way they can start to fix under warrenty and then give up cause they are crap. A lawyer will have a field day with that. Dont let the ******* get away with it. If you had other engine/power mods, rather then a clutch, then you'd have to suck it up. But its not like ya blew the diff or tranny.

Good luck

 

What a crappy situation Stories like this sometimes make me wish I hadnt modded my car, just in case..

 

Start sending them letters via registered mail. Dont use the phone unless you can record the calls, with their permission. Also try the consumer protection board b4 you get a lawyer involved. If they cant help then get a lawyer.

 

Read your manual there is probably a section on what to do about warranty disputes. Like someone said.. log all calls, certify all letters, get everything in writing inluding the jackasses who are trying not to honor your warranty. It will never get to the mediator or courts, when they realize that your not gonna take it they will fix your car.

 

You can have a sticker on your car and mitsu will think you are racing the car, they are ridiculous. I work at a dodge dealership and perform all kinds of warranty work on heavily modded srt4's that are definatly beat the **** out of. I love my EVO but when it comes to warranty work mitsu is sad. Good luck man with getting the problem solved.