I have a 2001 TJ Magna Solara. About 10 weeks ago, at 152,000 Ks, it lost all connection between the engine and gearbox. The garage said it had low gearbox oil pressure and that they'd had a fair few Magnas with the same problem. They suggested that a secondhand gearbox would be better than fixing the existing one as it is difficult to clean all the debris out of the old one.

I bought one from a wrecker, and was happy that it had only 130,000 Ks on it. It had exactly the same code on it. Got the driveshaft seals, torque converter seal, and rear crank seal replaced at the same time. They used Valvoline Maxlife transmission oil, which they said they use regularly, and which they have looked up as compatible. All up, with oil, it cost $1500.....and that's a huge amount of money to me.

It has performed perfectly since then. The wreckers gave me a 2 month warranty, which ran out 2 weeks ago.

Last night I drove about 5 Ks, parked for a few minutes, re-started and then the gearbox started playing up. It won't creep forward at idle, or even when I rev it a little. Only when I rev it a bit more will the gearbox connect. Changes badly when driving too, and in any gear, the Neutral light flashes constantly.

I REALLY don't want to face up to getting another gearbox job. Is it possibly something else ?

I have only I found out about the wave spring problem recently, since the whole job was done. If it's the wave spring AGAIN this time, should I approach the garage and try to get them to dismantle the gearbox and replace the wave spring with a new (hopefully redesigned) one.....for FREE, under their warranty ?? Ideally, they should have known that the wave spring would break in another gearbox from the same model. ( I now know that any pre-TL Magna wave spring is suspect).

I'm so disappointed at this. I live on a disability pension + casual work, and saved for ages to buy the best Magna I could...it was well-looked after.
I had it a year and a half before the gearbox died.
And the $1500 represents ALL of my savings for about a 6 month period. To have it happen AGAIN is too much.

Ooh...It was raining last night (just lightly), and I noticed elsewhere someone replying about someone else's gearbox :
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"have you washed the engine down lately or had some big rain where water could have splashed over the motor? water can get into the sensors at the top of the box and will produce the flashing light".
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Hmmmm....been in plenty of rain previously, and no problem.

(My neutral light flashes about once a second, by the way).

Just started car this morning....Neutral light not flashing (yet), but engine needs revving slightly in order to get gearbox to connect. However, having said that, it will creep forward slightly in neutral if I wait 10 seconds or so. Then it stops. Oil pressure needs time to build up ?

The real problem is that the garage which replaced the box is is a long way away....


EDIT : My car has been (very slightly but most definitely) smelling of coolant lately, and I had been meaning to post here about whether heater cores are known to leak. I just noticed somewhere else (on a non-car forum, actually) :
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"Are there any lights flashing on the dash? (Such as the 'N' gear selector light)
If so, it could possibly be that your heater core is leaking onto the ECU (check the passenger footwell area for wetness/coolant smell, and on the upper passengers side of what would be considered the transmission tunnel, behind the stereo (you'll need to remove a few plates) to inspect the ECU area for dampness)"
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However that was in reply to a question about the N light flashing....whereas the bottom line is that my car's gearbox is PHYSICALLY not working properly. My light was flashing last night as well, but that was incidental.

*Waits for Mal to reply stating not always wave spring* lol

I had the planetary gear set go on my 4 speed which resulted in no power to the wheels just engine revving (sometimes would get into gear), had it replaced by Brendon (Mal and Sean) at Mits-Fix with a 5 speed. The 5 speed would jump in and out of gear when at low speeds and had a very loud metallic rattling noise in reverse, 1st, 2nd and 3rd. As soon as it changed into 4th and 5th it was fine. Turned out to be the planetary gear set again and they replaced it under warranty inc towing (I live 2 hours away). Personally I would get them to check it or if it's too far take it to another workshop. Hopefully they might be nice enough to cover it if faulty.

The thing is that I chose and bought the gearbox from a wrecker, who sent it to the garage.
The wrecker's warranty has now expired, and the garage has no responsibility for the internal condition of the gearbox.
All I can hope is that it is not a serious problem.....though to my unskilled way of thinking, it may be an oil pressure problem again.

I'm just about vomiting from irritation and disappointment. I feel like taking the car to a Mitsubishi office and executing it outside with a large hammer.

UPDATE : I just phoned the wrecker, and though the warranty expired 2 weeks ago, they said to bring it in and they'd send it to "their gearbox guy" and see what they could do.

If it makes you feel better my auto was more reliable than my partners Holden Cruze. Auto issues at 25,000kms, occured 1 month out of warranty and even after replacement still having issues lol

Personally I would get a garage to check it and depending on condition of the car, get it fixed or buy another car. Poor luck though, hope it turns out better for you :)

Auto boxes are complex things and normally you don't even notice they are doing their job, which is the whole idea of an automatic really. lol
There is a whole industry centred around rebuilding auto boxes, not just Mitsu ones, so it's not just us - planetary gear sets, clutch packs etc. Not uncommon for a high km taxi to be on its second engine but fourth gearbox.

The problems will just get more common as the Magnas and 380s age though. Good (?) second hand ones will become scarcer.

Like any ageing car, upkeep gets more expensive as time goes by. There always comes a point where you call it quits.
I remember looking around the wreckers at rows of second gens without crash damage, and wondering why they got there - took me a while to work out the owners had probably given up on pumping money into them, and moved onto something fresher.

My $1.5K 2001 TJ has been faultless for 5 years, but if the gearbox goes I doubt I will bother to spend $3K on a gearbox rebuild.

Manuals! Why didn't the buyers of new Magnas and 380s buy more manuals? Lazy sods! lol

I've got some old car mags. It appears with the second gens they made many more autos (the TS Advance V6 : 1000 made, 800 of them autos and I've got two of those which I'm ditching in favour of a manual)) and they cost more new (about 1500 on top of new price for the auto) So the manufacturer prepared and pushed the more expensive option and people buy it and later owners rue it... Still, the auto in my ts370000k's is still chugging along nicely,. for now. The difficulty is now finding manual gearboxes (F5M33) for the 6g72 engine.

Its it just me or do TJ's KJ's have more auto problems then TE-TH models, I seem to read about a lot of TJ's where the auto has died with way less then 200,000k's. My KH has done 275,000 still going ok.

TF - 249,000 no probs ... touch wood.

Its it just me or do TJ's KJ's have more auto problems then TE-TH models, I seem to read about a lot of TJ's where the auto has died with way less then 200,000k's. My KH has done 275,000 still going ok.

My TJ (straight 4-speed) sedan is at 267,000km and still on the original box (I assume, having owned it since 179k)
My TJ2 (4-speed tippy) wagon had its auto reconditioned at 167,000k, its now at 221,000km

Though as far as I know, tiptronic aside, the autos are identical, it seems more failures occur in models with tippy.

External filter probably helped with the longevity of earlier 3rd gens as well.

Have you checked the fluid level? No obvious leaks, or gaping holes in the transmission?

No other sounds when it's in gear but not moving, with the engine revving?

I've been in this situation before. Dead 4spd due to wave spring.

Anyway, I sourced an earlier 4spd to replace it. This would be the 4spd with the spin on external filter. I believe, but could be wrong, this model transmission had the thicker/better wave spring.

Doesn't help you now OP, sorry.

Have you checked the fluid level? No obvious leaks, or gaping holes in the transmission?

No other sounds when it's in gear but not moving, with the engine revving?

I've been in this situation before. Dead 4spd due to wave spring.

I believe, but could be wrong, this model transmission had the thicker/better wave spring.


The TWs got a revised wave spring. I think the wave spring is unchanged from TE-TL

The TWs got a revised wave spring. I think the wave spring is unchanged from TE-TL

As always, a lot of the bugs are ironed out in the latest model - just as the Magna was discontinued. *sighhh*

My TJ (straight 4-speed) sedan is at 267,000km and still on the original box (I assume, having owned it since 179k)
My TJ2 (4-speed tippy) wagon had its auto reconditioned at 167,000k, its now at 221,000km

Though as far as I know, tiptronic aside, the autos are identical, it seems more failures occur in models with tippy.

External filter probably helped with the longevity of earlier 3rd gens as well.

My KH is a 2000 model and doesn't have the external filter. I wonder why more failures occur in models with tippy?

So
The garage has seen this many times, the garage uses a Valvoline "multiblend" fluid with "no troubles" this in itself rings all alarm bells.

Sadly, if you have no drive then you have a failed pump, be it from the spring letting go and a bit getting through or from another pump related failure.

$1500 all up is too much for a job with only a 2 month warranty for starters. I know you have already paid this money so is too late however I would go back to the wreckers and see if you can negotiate with them. They have sold a used part which was working at the time of the sale so they can not do anything more however if I was the seller I would try and negotiate something to help my customer.

Best starting point is check fluid pressure again. IF there is an electrical issue you will at least still have 3rd gear forward and reverse

Also in my opinion the TF and TH box are better due to the filter externally. You can fit any TF, or H box into your car as well, numbers do not need to match as long as the box is NOT TE, TL or TW

is there any news on the idea of putting 380 gearboxes into a TL/TW? These are cheap on Ebay.

So
The garage has seen this many times, the garage uses a Valvoline "multiblend" fluid with "no troubles" this in itself rings all alarm bells.

Sadly, if you have no drive then you have a failed pump, be it from the spring letting go and a bit getting through or from another pump related failure.

$1500 all up is too much for a job with only a 2 month warranty for starters. I know you have already paid this money so is too late however I would go back to the wreckers and see if you can negotiate with them. They have sold a used part which was working at the time of the sale so they can not do anything more however if I was the seller I would try and negotiate something to help my customer.

Best starting point is check fluid pressure again. IF there is an electrical issue you will at least still have 3rd gear forward and reverse

Also in my opinion the TF and TH box are better due to the filter externally. You can fit any TF, or H box into your car as well, numbers do not need to match as long as the box is NOT TE, TL or TW

Thanks to all for the replies, folks.
Transmission oil level was good.
I could actually drive the car, so after phoning the wrecker (they said they'd "see what they could do"), took it over there and left it with them. They are taking it over to their transmission specialist. The car appeared to start off in 2nd or 3rd gear, and the gear only started to connect after I revved it a little. There was also a corresponding flat spot when accelerating on the highway....I suppose between 3rd and 4th.

I'm hoping for an easy fix. I had lately been smelling something which I thought might be coolant in the car (although when the garage had it 2 months ago, the idiots left a window open and rain got in, making the carpet smell strange) and I have found out that if a little coolant leaks inside the car (from the connections to the heater core, I guess), that it can affect the ECU. Hopefully it is this.
Hard to tell the difference between a very slight coolant smell and the residual smell from wet carpet.
I did peek behind the carpet on the inside of the firewall but couldn't see anything.




Best starting point is check fluid pressure again. IF there is an electrical issue you will at least still have 3rd gear forward and reverse



ER....why is this ? Are they somehow different from 1st, 2nd and 4th gears ? Because I DID in fact have reverse and (apparently) 3rd...

MadMagna, I have written down your info about interchangeability of auto boxes. I had previously been told that the numbers had to match exactly. Perhaps that is just another way of saying that TE, TL or TWs will not fit ??
I'm not questioning your expertise. Just checking. You're certain about this ? ANY TF or TH box will fit in ?