Hi all,

Had a browse through the FAQ but all I could find was modding information :)

I'm looking at buying a TL or TW Magna soon and was wondering what sort of things I should be checking (apart from the standard used car items). Are there any common problems these models have that I need to be aware of when looking over/test driving?

Thanks!

Have heard some people complain of idle problems with the auto gearbox but apart from that i havent heard much, and either has my dad who is a service manager. As long as the car has had its regular services it should be ok.

Thanks Oxford :thumbsup:

Hi all,

Had a browse through the FAQ but all I could find was modding information :)

I'm looking at buying a TL or TW Magna soon and was wondering what sort of things I should be checking (apart from the standard used car items). Are there any common problems these models have that I need to be aware of when looking over/test driving?

Thanks!

Not sure if the TL+ are effected as well, but TJ's have faulty back window glue, and tend to leak. Easily fixed under warranty. Detected as squeaking noises around corners. Also the horns of TL 's screw up. Nothing major though, good solid beasties they are!

Not sure if the TL+ are effected as well, but TJ's have faulty back window glue, and tend to leak. Easily fixed under warranty. Detected as squeaking noises around corners. Also the horns of TL 's screw up. Nothing major though, good solid beasties they are!

Fixed TL/KL onwards. Mine looks different to my dads TJ II.

Fixed TL/KL onwards. Mine looks different to my dads TJ II.
My rear window seal was replaced under warranty as it was flaking. Check that the drivers seat isnt wobbly. Start it up and stop it a few times, sometimes they get immobiliser problems. Apart from that not too much else.

problems i've had so far are:
horns died on me
getting a new cat cause im getting a rotten egg smell
air-con not as cold as it should be
all gotten fixed under warranty :D
apart from that no other major dramas its a good car to drive :D

Fixed TL/KL onwards. Mine looks different to my dads TJ II.

mines got a TW one now - look different from the original

See sig.

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See sig.

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what was wrong with your hand brake mechanism?
how did you tell?

The drum warped.

The drum warped.

you werent getting a scraping/rubbing noise somewhere under 30ks driving forward?

you werent getting a scraping/rubbing noise somewhere under 30ks driving forward?
OH OH OH... I'VE GOT THIS EXACT ISSUE RIGHT NOW
*yes I'm excited, it's been annoying me for a while now* ('05 TW magna)

^^^Yes to both the above posts.

My rear window seal was replaced under warranty as it was flaking. Check that the drivers seat isnt wobbly. Start it up and stop it a few times, sometimes they get immobiliser problems. Apart from that not too much else.


Please explain :D

PS Anyone with TL/TW had problems with their high window mounted stop light falling away from window. I have had mine replace 3 times and it came away from the window again on Wednesday :shock: :angry:

My rear window squeeks like a *****, more so now that the car has firmer springs. It's the only thing you can hear apart from tyres on the highway, and sounds like it's trying to flex out of its home when I back down gutters.

My rear window squeeks like a *****, more so now that the car has firmer springs. It's the only thing you can hear apart from tyres on the highway, and sounds like it's trying to flex out of its home when I back down gutters.

Your rear window seals are going. Same happened to me at the start of a trip to Tassie (~8000km in a month - it only stopped when it rained). Do you still have warranty left?

Your rear window seals are going. Same happened to me at the start of a trip to Tassie (~8000km in a month - it only stopped when it rained). Do you still have warranty left?

I know they're going it's just a matter of paying to get them done when they start leaking (fingers crossed). It started happening about two months after warranty ran out, moving to uni soon and if I end up driving 250km home every few weeks i'll get them done to shut the noise up.

Please explain :D

PS Anyone with TL/TW had problems with their high window mounted stop light falling away from window. I have had mine replace 3 times and it came away from the window again on Wednesday :shock: :angry:

I have just bought a 2004 TL with the same problem! Has anyone got any solutions please? Can you get this fixed under warranty?

I have just bought a 2004 TL with the same problem! Has anyone got any solutions please? Can you get this fixed under warranty?

Yes you should be able to get this fixed under warranty. Ive had mine replaced in the past but for cosmetic reasons.

Yes you should be able to get this fixed under warranty. Ive had mine replaced in the past but for cosmetic reasons.
Cheers for that I will check it out with the dealer. I have only had the car for 2 days & the battery died the day after I picked it up.

wifeys TJ did the same.
the prob is that they are stuck on with double sided tape, and the constant hot/cold cycle kills the tape. is a common prob with all these kinds of things, like phone aerials.
i got her to take it to the windscreen joint i used to work at (i do phone systems and the like now-a-days, but am a windscreen fitter by trade also) and got themto glue it on with the same black 'urethane' that they glue windscreens in with. now it shouldnt go anywhere, coz thats exactly what that stuff is designed for.
only draw back is that u have to use some masking tape on the light for a few days to hold it in place so the urethane can set completely. (it actually sets in under 24 hours, especially in this warmer weather, but a few extra taped days is good insurance).

hope this helps.

i think it's in my signature....

I've basically got all the common probs...

-dodgy electric drivers seat - all plastic cogs replaced
-rear window creaks - haven't bothered yet
-fuel sender unit died - replaced yesterday
-remotes chew batteries every month or so :nuts: - new battery again today

They're all pretty minor, nothing costly.

Thats weird with the remote batteries, I havent changed mine ever and I've had mine for almost 2 years.

I have a wobbly drivers seat on my TL......seems there are a couple of bushes off the worm drives to go forward/back get loose.......anybody know the part no's for these?

wifeys TJ did the same.
the prob is that they are stuck on with double sided tape, and the constant hot/cold cycle kills the tape. is a common prob with all these kinds of things, like phone aerials.
.

The high mount light assy is NOT held on by double sided tape, it's more like a softish, yellow in appearance hot glue. I also think the heat causes them to drop, along with the roof lining being poorly designed, pushing down on the light!
Just make sure you don't have an aerial cord stuck under the light, as that will increase the force to pop it off! Phone installers like hiding the excess cord there!
Sikaflex makes the best adhesives to repair the light, in my opinion.

I have a wobbly drivers seat on my TL......seems there are a couple of bushes off the worm drives to go forward/back get loose.......anybody know the part no's for these?

The forward and back movement in the TL's driver's seat is due to the isolator bush not having enough compression.
Adding a 1mm washer to the track drive assy will compress the bush and reduce movement. Get 2 washers (part# 04060025) and place them under the bolt heads, and torque to 40Nm.
The washers are very cheap, few dollars from memory.

Pics would be great ! :cool:

The forward and back movement in the TL's driver's seat is due to the isolator bush not having enough compression.
Adding a 1mm washer to the track drive assy will compress the bush and reduce movement. Get 2 washers (part# 04060025) and place them under the bolt heads, and torque to 40Nm.
The washers are very cheap, few dollars from memory.

Where are we talking about? Any chance of a pic or diagram? I would love to have less play in the seat.

The forward and back movement in the TL's driver's seat is due to the isolator bush not having enough compression.
Adding a 1mm washer to the track drive assy will compress the bush and reduce movement. Get 2 washers (part# 04060025) and place them under the bolt heads, and torque to 40Nm.
The washers are very cheap, few dollars from memory.
Hey thats good news.....!!

I went to a local dealer today and it turns out the bushes aren't available but they will gladly sell me the whole seat adjuster base for $750 list price..!!

They had 4 in stock....sounds like they swap them out if a warranty claim comes up..!

Try another dealer.

Mine was fixed with the washers as descibed.

If unavailable get some washers from Bunnings hardware that fit.

Its only movement in the bushes that cause the seat to have freeplay

Look under the seat with a torch while someone sits in it and rocks it back and forth. You will see what needs to be done.

Cheers

Good thinkin', 99 :cool:

Hey thats good news.....!!

I went to a local dealer today and it turns out the bushes aren't available but they will gladly sell me the whole seat adjuster base for $750 list price..!!

They had 4 in stock....sounds like they swap them out if a warranty claim comes up..!

Someone on ebay a while ago had a bunch of motorised seat basses, about $50 was what they were after.

ok got those washers today i will whack them in tomorrow and see how it goes!!

Yes.....great success...!!.....thanks for the great tip for the driver's seat...!

Thats weird with the remote batteries, I havent changed mine ever and I've had mine for almost 2 years.

It is probably not the battery. If the car is under warranty they just replace the remote.

They are very badly designed, in that the battery holder is held on to the main circuit board by very inadequate soldered joints. The other problem is that the whole assembly is not supported top and bottom in the clamshell. When you drop the thing (inevitable at some stage!) the weight of the battery acts like a slide hammer and breaks the soldered joint.

You can tell this has happened when the thing stops working, and it will audibly rattle when shaken! Mitsubishi must replace 100's of them!!

This can be prevented by putting a small piece of Raven door seal (adhesive backed foam plastic) on the top of the battery to support it, when the remote is re-assembled

Cheers,

Lionel

i've dropped my remote a few times
still works fine :D

Problems with my TL so far:
clear coat peeling in three places
doogy fuel guage
rear window brake light keeps falling off the window
one air vent wont open

handbrake mechanism had to be replaced on my car, was making a scraping/rubbing noise, MMAL where aware of the problem and fitted an upgrade part, havent had the problem since.

otherwise the car is faultless, and i use mine as a courier vehicle and fairly well flog it every day. Aircon is still freezing cold, engine feels a little bit grumpy when cold (but you tend to expect that out of a car with more then 80,000 on it) but when its up to temp it feels like brand new, gearbox is maybe a little bit clunkier then when it was new, but i consistantly overload the poor girl so my gearbox has to work way harder then anyone elses would, brakes are strong as, steering is strong, suspension is still great despite its regular overloadings and 200 speed bumps a day it goes over, just absolutely nothing to complain about man!

Before i had the magna i had a VS commodore that was in PEEEERFECT condition, only 90,000km on the clock. Doing the job im currently doing i turned it into a pile of rubbish in about 18 months, the magna on the other hand i have had for over 3 years and its still solid as!

handbrake mechanism had to be replaced on my car, was making a scraping/rubbing noise, MMAL where aware of the problem and fitted an upgrade part, havent had the problem since.

haha yep i had the same problem
got fixed under warranty and the problem went away
however a few weeks later it returned :confused:
oh and i also have a noisey clutch
got the joints lubed and problem went away
however this has also come back

Dash replaced, both front seat rails fixed (both ****ed again), front and rear windscreen seals replaced, all rubber strips on car repainted due to flaking, electric ariel replaced, CD player replaced, front speakers replaced, right hand side door seal thing replaced, leather gear boot replaced, ummmm theres more but I cant think of them right now

Dash replaced, both front seat rails fixed (both ****ed again), front and rear windscreen seals replaced, all rubber strips on car repainted due to flaking, electric ariel replaced, CD player replaced, front speakers replaced, right hand side door seal thing replaced, leather gear boot replaced, ummmm theres more but I cant think of them right now

lol Keep it coming...

Lionel is correct about the remotes, I filled mine with paper and clamped it shut, fixed it for a while but it kept happening. I thought i'd broken the solder from being too rough taking the battery out but the dropping explains it.

Mirrors, check for noise and check that they all move correctly.
Front power seat should be checked also.
Just make sure its been serviced correctly, and the tranny doesnt rev between gears and you should be fine

Dash replaced, both front seat rails fixed (both ****ed again), front and rear windscreen seals replaced, all rubber strips on car repainted due to flaking, electric ariel replaced, CD player replaced, front speakers replaced, right hand side door seal thing replaced, leather gear boot replaced, ummmm theres more but I cant think of them right now

Jeez and I was pissed off with just the clunks and rattles mine has. I really feel for you mate. Going by whats been written here it appears that most TL's are crap. so much for "better built" Not hard to see why the 380 doesn't seem to be selling very well. After my TL experience I wouldn't buy a 380 or any other Mitsubishi either. I think my next car will be a Subaru Liberty. In another year or so I hopefully will have gotten used to the losses in value on the TL. $32k down to $11k in just over 2 years is a bit hard to take at the moment. I'm only glad I didn't pay the original price of $38k+ I'll probably give it to my son as it will be cheaper than selling it and buying him a small car.
bollie7

Going by whats been written here it appears that most TL's are crap. so much for "better built"

Gotta agree with that HOWEVER - most of the warranty issues are all trim or interior issues. I've never had an issue with the motor etc.

The only issue I have had is warped front rotors & the rear brake light. I am at about 165,000 kms. Any problems that usually happen to this model once the km's are up? I have taken it back off the Mrs for myself to drive.

TW AWD No problems aside from airbag light was staying on, got it fixed by Mitsubishi.:)

Thanks xboxie
Has anyone else had any major problems with their car at 150k plus kms?? Are there any commom problems?