2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO Complaints

THERE IS A STRONG FUEL SMELL IN THE CABIN WHEN I AM ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 70MPH, I HAVE TRIED TO CHECK IT OUT BUT THERE ARE NO APPARENT FUEL LEAKS, MY MECHANIC SUSPECTS THE EVAPORATOR SYSTEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THE AIR BAG SENSORS WERE CORRODED. THE DEALER ADVISED HIM THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE AIR BAG SENSOR, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER WHO CONFIRMED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER (09V435000) AIR BAG: FRONTAL: SENSOR CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,986. UPDATED 04/26/12 *BF UPDATED 05/10/12

2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION MR CABIN FUEL FUMES / STRONG SMELL. WHEN AIR TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE 100* THE CAR HAS A STRONG FUEL SMELL, TO THE POINT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE THE CAR DUE TO THE FUEL SMELL INSIDE THE PASSENGER CABIN. *TR

THE SMELL OF RAW FUEL ENGULFING THE INSIDE OF THE CAR MAKING IT NEAR UNBEARABLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT FEELING DIZZY OR SICK. THIS CAN'T BE SAFE. NO VISIBLE LEAKS AND THE DEALER CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. THIS IS UNSAFE AND I'M ASSUMING CAN LEAD TO A FIRE. IT CAN ALSO INCAPACITATE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS DUE TO THE FUMES WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. *TT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION EQUIPPED WITH DUNLOP DIREZZA SPORT ZI TIRES, TIRE SIZE 255/35R18. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN A LOUD FLAPPING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CONTINUED DRIVING AT A REDUCED SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT TIRE CENTER WHERE THEY INFORMED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE EXHIBITED SEVERE TREAD SEPARATION AND THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN.

I HAVE A 2008 LANCER EVOLUTION. THE SERVICE REQUIRED LIGHT FOR THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM CAME ON. I ONLY HAD AROUND 59000 MILES ON THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPEN. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS AN INTERNAL FAULT IN THE AWC PUMP. THEY SAID IT WOULD COST $2250 PLUS TAX TO REPLACE. SO I CALLED MITSUBISHI TO SEE IF THEY WOULD REPLACE THE PUMP FOR FREE SINCE IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. THEY SAID NO SINCE MY 3 YEAR OR 36000 MILE WARRANTY WAS UP. A LOT OF EVOLUTIONS IN COLDER CLIMATES HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE COLD WEATHER MAKES THE FLUID IN THE AWC PUMP TO THICK AND IT CAUSES IT TO BURN UP. WITHOUT THE PUMP WORKING THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM IS NOT FUNCTIONING RIGHT AND MAY CAUSE A WRECK IF IT LOCKS UP. MITSUBISHI EVEN RELEASED AN AWC ECU REPROGRAMMING FLASH TO TRY TO KEEP THE PUMPS GOING OUT IN COLD WEATHER. I LIVE IN VIRGINIA WHICH WAS ONE OF THE STATES THEY LISTED FOR THE REFLASH. THEY KNOW THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT REFUSE TO REPLACE MY PUMP WITH THE NEW MODEL. THIS IS THEIR FAULT. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR A NEW PUMP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MITSUBISHI EVOLUTION X (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, HE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE PEDAL FRACTURED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE STUB WAS STILL INTACT AND HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE BY APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE STUB. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO HIS AND WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

MITSUBISHI MOTORS OF AMERICA HAS A AWD ECU SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR VEHICLES SPECIFICALLY DRIVEN IN COLD CONDITIONS. DEALERSHIPS AND MITSUBISHI CORPORATE HAVE DENIED MY CLAIM TO OBTAIN THIS SOFTWARE BECAUSE MY CAR WAS SOLD IN CALIFORNIA AND THEY HAVE SAID IT IS NOT ELIGIBLE. I TAKE MY VEHICLE EVERY YEAR UP IN THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAIN RANGE WHERE TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS ARE SIMILAR TO ANY OF THE NORTHERN STATES WITHIN THE SERVICE BULLETIN. THE MITSUBISHI SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER IS SC-09-002 ALSO AVAILABLE HERE ON GOOGLE DOCS TO READ ( HTTP://DOCS.GOOGLE.COM/FILEVIEW?ID=0BZNIGP9LGBK8NTU5OTRINJGTZTJHMC00MJY0LWI2NMMTOWZHZJU1NZFKNDCZ&HL=EN) IT STATES THAT "THIS REPROGRAMMING PROCEDURE WILL MODIFY THE ALL-WHEEL-CONTROL (AWC) ECU SOFTWARE TO ACCURATELY MATCH THE OPERATIONS CHECK OF THE AYC/ACD MOTOR WITH CURRENT AMBIENT CONDITIONS. EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER CAUSES INCREASED EXCESSIVE LOAD ON THE MOTOR, WHICH COULD RESULT IN DAMAGE TO THE MOTOR. THIS BULLETIN DESCRIBES PROCEDURES TO REPROGRAM THE AWC ECU WITH NEW SOFTWARE PARAMETERS TO PREVENT THIS CONDITION." THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT IF I'M USING MY AWD VEHICLE IN COLD CONDITIONS AND THE CRITICAL AWD COMPONENTS FAIL DUE TO DRIVING IN COLD CONDITIONS AS STATED IN THE SERVICE BULLETIN AND CAUSE ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN HURTING OTHERS WHICH CAN BE PREVENTED WITH A 20 MINUTE SOFTWARE UPDATE THAT IS AVAILABLE NOW. *TR

PURCHASE MY 2008 MITSUBUSHI EVOLUTION X ABOUT ONE MONTH AGO WITH 2,900MILES. I DON'T DRIVE IT OFTEN SINCE I HAVE A COMPANY CAR. MY CURRENT MILES IS 4,400MILES. I AM BEGINNING TO NOTICE ALOT OF SMALL CHIPS TOWARD THE BACK DOORS BOTTOM CORNER NEAR QUARTER PANEL ON BOTH SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. BEEN ON MANY FORUMS AND ALOT OF EVO X OWNER ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PAINT PROBLEM.THE ROAD CONDITION HERE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE, SO I DON'T SEE WHY THE PAINT IS CHIPPING AWAY. IM AFRAID WHEN I REACH 10,000MILES, THE CAR INTERIOR WOULD STILL BE FAIRLY NEW BUT THE EXTERIOR WOULD HAVE PAINT CHIPPED EVERYWHERE. ANOTHER ISSUE ARE THE RECARO SEAT FABRIC ARE COMING OUT NEAR THE HEAD REST PART. THE FABRIC ARE CONING OUT RIGHT WHERE THE FABRIC TUCK UNDER INTO THE CARBON FIBER LOOKING PLASTIC PIECE NEAR THE HEADREST. YOU ARE ABLE TO SEE THE STAPLES THAT ARE COMING OUT. THIS IS HAPPENING TO BOTH SEATS, DRIVER AND PASSENGER. I HAVE READ SEVERAL FORUMS BUT OWNERS WHO HAVE SPOKE TO MITSUBISHI ABOUT THE PAINT ISSUE WERE TURN DOWN.THOSE OWNER SAID MITSUBISHI ARE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *TR

THE PAINT IS CHIPPING ON THE BOTTOM SIDE, OF THE BACK REAR DOORS NEXT TO THE FENDER. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. AS TALKED IN THE FORUMS IN EDMUNDS.COM I HAVE A 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION, WITH 3,500 MILES ON IT AND THE PAINT IS COMING OFF THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, AND MITSUBISHI WONT DO ANYTHING I NEVER DROVE MY CAR IN GRAVEL, I THINK THE DESIGN FLAW HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE AERODYNAMICS OF THE CAR, AND POOR PAINT. *TR