2014 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications.  The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU.  In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment.  FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle.  Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW.  These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes.  An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time.   In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU.  This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners.  Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation.  The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage.  There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation.  The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU.  If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC.  Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC.  All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled.  In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024.  With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

AYC PUMP FAILURE

NHTSA ID

11194489

Incident

Mar 9, 2019

Mileage

40,000 mi

ON 09/15/2018 AT ROUGHLY 11:30 AM WHILE OPERATING MY 2014 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION X WITH 32,XXX MILES I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER, INCREASED EXHAUST NOISE AND THE ILLUMINATION OF POWERTRAIN FAULT LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. AFTER PULLING OFF THE ROADWAY TO INSPECT THE ISSUE A SMALL ENGINE BAY FIRE HAD BEEN FOUND (CHARD PAINT/INSULATION AND A STILL SMOLDERING WIRING HARNESS). AFTER ENSURING THAT THE FIRE WAS OUT AND SAFE THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT IT HAD BEEN PURCHASED FROM (MANGINO MITSUBISHI OF CLIFTON PARK) AND DROPPED OFF. THE CAR IS USELESS IN ITS CURRENT STATE AND HAD TO BE TOW FROM THE DEALERSHIP TO A STORAGE FACILITY WHERE IT HAS BEEN EVER SINCE. BUT I REFUSE TO REPORT THE DAMAGES TO MY INSURANCE BECAUSE I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO COVER DAMAGES CAUSED BY BOLTS THAT WERE INSTALLED IMPROPERLY AT THE FACTORY. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE TECHNICIANS AND SERVICE ADVISERS AT THE DEALERSHIP. THEY'VE INFORMED ME THAT A FAILURE LIKE THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN IF THE BOLTS ARE PROPERLY INSTALLED AND THAT THEY DON'T SEE WHY IT WOULDN'T BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT MITSUBISHI IS TRYING TO AVOID BLEMISHING THERE REPUTATION AND IS REFUSING TO ADMIT TO A FAULT THAT CAUSED A FIRE IN A VEHICLE. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO RUN A BUSINESS. IT IS UNSAFE AND UNETHICAL AND AM ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE TO RECEIVE THE BENEFITS OF THE WARRANTY THAT I PAID FOR.

NHTSA ID

11186330

Incident

Sep 15, 2018

Mileage

32,769 mi

ACD PUMP HEAVILY CORRODED FROM NORMAL USE. THE LOCATION AND MATERIAL ARE GUARANTEED TO CAUSE CORROSION. THERE ARE EVEN AFTERMARKET RELOCATION KITS AVAILABLE. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED.

NHTSA ID

11063484

Incident

Jan 18, 2018

Mileage

60,000 mi

THE CAR AXLES FROM THE FRONT WHEELS FELL OFF THAT THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING AND I COULDN'T STOP THE CAR. FOR 2014 CAR AND 184295 MILES IT WAS VERY STRANGE. IT HAPPEN IN THE STREET L JUST WAS COMING OUT OF THE HIGHWAY. POLICE REPORT (17-34721) INSURANCE CLAIM (171234952) RECALL (1-263434426)

NHTSA ID

11003506

Incident

Jul 3, 2017

Mileage

184,295 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, AN ABNORMAL CLICKING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING INSIDE THE VEHICLE ONTO THE FLOOR BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V446000 (POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10966440

Incident

Mar 17, 2017

Mileage

46,000 mi

ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2014, I PURCHASED A 2014 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION GSR. ON OCTOBER 17, 2014, WITH A LITTLE OVER 2700 MILES THE SERVICE/MAINTENANCE LIGHT COMES ON AND I DROVE THE CAR TO MITSUBISHI TO HAVE THEM CHECK THE CAR OUT. ON OCTOBER 21, 2014, I RETURNED TO DEALER AND THE CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY WAS DRIVEN INSIDE AND PLACED ON A LIFT TO BE INSPECTED. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT IT WOULD BE A LONGER WAIT THEN EXPECTED DUE TO MITSUBISHI'S HEAD OFFICE BEING LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA, AND TIME ZONE DIFFERENCE. I WAS NOT GIVEN A LOANER CAR, STANDARD PRACTICE ON A BRAND NEW VEHICLE WITH FULL WARRANTY AND HE ( SVR. MANAGER) DID NOT GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION WHILE I WAITED. THE NEXT DAY, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM VIN FROM MITSUBISHI SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHO TOLD ME MITSUBISHI, WANTS TO GET AUTHORIZATION FROM ME TO BREAK DOWN THE CARS ENGINE/TRANSMISSION IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD AND IT WOULD COST ME $1100, IF THEY SAW THAT IT WASN'T A DEFECT ON MITSUBISHI'S PART. I GAVE THE AUTHORIZATION AND WAS CALLED AGAIN BY VIN, WHO ADVISED ME THAT THE CAR HAD A DEFECTIVE SEAL AND THE CAR IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. ON OCTOBER 22, 2014, AT ABOUT APPROX. 4:25PM I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MITSUBISHI SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO GIVE ME A NEW UPDATE ON THE DEFECTIVE PARTS AND REPAIRS. VIN TOLD ME THAT THE CLUTCH & FLY WHEEL HAD BURNED OUT AND THAT MITSUBISHI WAS NO LONGER GOING TO COVER REPAIRS, WHICH HAD NOW REACHED $3,200. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE CAR FROM MITSUBSHI; WE BOUGHT IT WITH 11 MILES ON IT AND IT IS INCONCEIVABLE THAT A BRAND NEW CAR CAN HAVE SUCH DEFECTIVE PROBLEMS. MITSUBISHI IS NOT UPHOLDING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND WE FEEL WE HAVE BEEN SOLD A LEMON. HOW CAN A VEHICLE GO IN FOR AN OIL LEAK AND SUDDENLY HAVE ALL THESE MAJOR ISSUES? OCTOBER 27TH I WAS TOLD BY THE DISTRICT MANAGER OF MITSUBISHI THAT THE CAR WAS NOT GOING TO BE COVERED AND MITSUBISHI TOLD ME TO "DO AS YOU PLEASE." *TR

NHTSA ID

10650428

Incident

Oct 17, 2014

Mileage

2,690 mi

This Technical Service Bulletin instructs the dealer to update the Hands Free Module software to improve the Bluetooth connection when certain devices are connected to Wi‐Fi.

Service Manual Revision - This Technical Service Bulletin provides the replacement procedure for the Differential Mount Bracket Bush of the Rear Axle Differential Carrier Assembly in the applicable Service Manual sections.

This is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has launched the 3rd quarterly technician quiz for 2023.

This Technical Service Bulletin provides instructions and material safety data sheets for removal of rap-film adhesive residue.

This Technical Service Bulletin reviews the regulations that require a label showing the reduction in load carrying capacity be affixed to vehicles when the total net weight of accessories is more than 1.5 percent of the vehicle's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or 100 lbs.

This is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has launched the 2nd quarterly technician quiz for 2023.