Hello again, always seem to find my way back because of more annoying little issues with this car. Im a fussy person, so im very over the issues. Someone please help me. lol. :ninja:

Firstly my brakes have been terrible for over a year, ive had them looked at by brake specialists, ive had them flushed, bled, new fluid, ive checked every bolt for loose ones, ive checked pads for glazzing, i replaced the pads (no change), ive had them looked at over services etc etc etc, no one seems to be able to find a problem, nor everyone thinks that there is a problem. The pedal feel is terrible, they do not grab till late, they are a little noisy when braking (not squealing or anything, slightly dull ruffle sound), the overall braking performance is nothing like it used to be and its annoying as ****.

Secondly, the car torque steers like crazy! Have to fight the wheel like crazy any time im accelerating it, even rather lightly (eg: 2nd gear, put foot down a little bit, build up the revs etc, by the time the power comes in your struggling to keep it on your lane. Also there is a bit of creaking from the front end over speed bumps, could this be the cause? Could it simply be for eg the front sway bar bushes causing this? Or other ideas

Thirdly. Cruise control stalk is not working when I push it up (to resume or acc), im able to set it, cancel, de acc, etc just not accelerate/resume. Fixable?

Finally, to top off my day, today the rear window reg has gone again. Had them all replaced in the past but back again. Anywho, there was a slight noise, then the window would not go up, it would go down, but it was a bit noisy. It will not go up. I can hear the motor this time around, but im thinking maybe the cable has snapped? And thats whats stopping it from going up. Its now fallen into the door.
How easy is it to replace myself? Im not terrible with tools or cars. Is it possible?
Is the door skin easy to remove? Any tips??

Thats all i could think of for now!
Thought being a uni student, getting a car that would be what was thought to be low maintenance (beyond usual servicing) would be a smart thing, but i always find myself pouring money into this pit every so often. Pity my warranty is finished.

Any help will be great, apologies if this is covered elsewhere. I had a quick search but i couldnt hold back and I had to rant.

Regards.

Also there is a bit of creaking from the front end over speed bumps, could this be the cause? Could it simply be for eg the front sway bar bushes causing this?

Yep, very likely this is the problem.
New front sway bar bushes are cheap as chips from your local stealership, around $12 the pair.
Fitting them however is not an easy DIY job, it's very difficult without a hoist.
A small chance that new bushes will also reduce your understeer.
Sorry I can't help with the other issues!

Regs I stock, torque steer I would be interested in driving it to feel it, I have my 380 and for a fwd is very good

Brakes, could be as simple as pad selection

Also if the wheels in your avatar are on the car these could be a big part of the issue as they do look large and this will make the car feel more harsh. When was the last wheel alignment

Also there is a bit of creaking from the front end over speed bumps, could this be the cause? Could it simply be for eg the front sway bar bushes causing this?

Yep, very likely this is the problem.
New front sway bar bushes are cheap as chips from your local stealership, around $12 the pair.
Fitting them however is not an easy DIY job, it's very difficult without a hoist.
A small chance that new bushes will also reduce your understeer.
Sorry I can't help with the other issues!

Gee I got quoted almost $40! Yeah mate no hoist, so might be best getting them fitted if thats the issue.
Thanks mate.


Regs I stock, torque steer I would be interested in driving it to feel it, I have my 380 and for a fwd is very good

Brakes, could be as simple as pad selection

Also if the wheels in your avatar are on the car these could be a big part of the issue as they do look large and this will make the car feel more harsh. When was the last wheel alignment

The motor seems to be fine, thinking the cable might be the problem, ill open it up tomorrow. Hmm mine used to be okay, but the last year or so it has been bad, sometimes worse than others.
I have changed the pads during this saga, going from the oem mitsubishi pads, to bendix general ct's. No change from memory.
Nah wheels arent on the car, was looking at them but never happened haha ($$), car is bone stock. Last alignment approx 25,000km ago. Thanks buddy!

Ok
Cable is not avail on its own

Did you machine or replace rotors

Has alignment been done since issue started

Anthony my TL had similar torque steer issues so first off I fitted a front tower strut bar which helped cornering more than straight ahead, but it did help some. Second thing was having my front tyres 4psi higher than the rears (38 front and 34 rear), this helped a little too. Thirdly I went to Pedders and got a suspension check and ended up replacing both front shockies but I think the main thing that stopped most of the scary wobbly bits was the fantastic wheel alignment they did for me. They did front and rear and realigned the rear to the front as well, to the tenth of a millimeter. My rear wheels were actually both left of center by a few millimeters causing my car to actually crab ever so slightly sideways up the road which I think was causing my perceived instability.

Now I love the way she drives, nice and stable and feels like I think she should. Before it was scary even crossing the centreline overtaking as she felt like she was falling over a cliff as she transitioned from one road camber to the other, now I'm happy to push her to a much sharper edge.

Bendix CT's are the entry level pad in there range a replacement for the Advance pad. I would also think the Mits OE pads were also a general driving pad. maybe step up to a set of Ultimates from Bendix next time around.

Madmagna
All good, is it possible that it has just slipped off the track so to speak?
Rotars have not been machined. I remember when i first got the car they seemed warped but i cannot remember if i had them replaced because the last few years they have seemed fine. Quite meaty still too. Could this be the issue?
Alignment was done with the new tyres, approx 25000kms ago, is not pulling to one side or anything. Cant really remember what it felt like before to be honest.

texacola
Hmm yeah mine has the strut brace from the factory, the car used to handel very well for a FWD, had to really push it to feel the affects. Hmm ive been running mine at approx 38-40 since having these tyres. Older set were always around 36is.
Also went to Pedders about a year ago and got a suspension check, found nothing to my surprise, was sure that even the bushes on the say bar would be worn... Also got the brakes flushed at the same time. Wonder if anything was even done.
Glad to hear your TL is serving you well! Bloody good cars!

Steeler
I went for the GTs over the ultimates as cleaning wheels is bad enough haha and i was quite happy with the standard pads so thought they would be quite similar!

Thanks boys.

Rotars have not been machined. I remember when i first got the car they seemed warped but i cannot remember if i had them replaced because the last few years they have seemed fine. Quite meaty still too. Could this be the issue?
I'm not sure if it'd fix your issue, but if you change to different pads you really should machine the rotors at the same time.


Alignment was done with the new tyres, approx 25000kms ago, is not pulling to one side or anything. Cant really remember what it felt like before to be honest.
If you've gone that long without an alignment, I would be getting one asap. With a problem like yours I would be looking at the most obvious/simplest fixes first.

Plus, I find my wheel alignment goes to shit as soon as there's rain on the roads - I'd be getting a wheel alignment every 2,500km if I had time/money to burn...


I went for the GTs over the ultimates as cleaning wheels is bad enough haha and i was quite happy with the standard pads so thought they would be quite similar!
I had Bendix General CTs in my Magna and found them to be a bit spongy. I'm not sure if it's as bad as what you're reporting, but they lack the bite that a performance pad like the Ultimates have.

I'm not sure if it'd fix your issue, but if you change to different pads you really should machine the rotors at the same time.


If you've gone that long without an alignment, I would be getting one asap. With a problem like yours I would be looking at the most obvious/simplest fixes first.

Plus, I find my wheel alignment goes to shit as soon as there's rain on the roads - I'd be getting a wheel alignment every 2,500km if I had time/money to burn...


I had Bendix General CTs in my Magna and found them to be a bit spongy. I'm not sure if it's as bad as what you're reporting, but they lack the bite that a performance pad like the Ultimates have.

Thanks mate.
Yeah, well i was told at the service that the front pads needed replacing, so i was thinking that that could have been the cause for the soggy brakes, but even after i replaced them nothing really changed. Maybe rotars are contributing to this. My braking used to be exceptional, slightest touch of the pedal and you would already feel them doing their job well. Nowadays the first part of the pedal travel barely does anything, and when i finally do get to where it starts grabbing its soggy and feels quite compromised.
Ill get an alignment done this week and see if it changes anything. Last time it only seemed to correct problem for a few weeks then it just went to shit again.

Get your brakes bleed again.

Also spent this morning/arvo pulling off the door trim to check out the window regulator. Motor is still working so i suspected it was the cable. I was right. The cable has broken through the plastic retainer and thus wont wind up. Anyone know if this is fixable with some contraption, or will an entire new regulator be required. Window had just been propped with wood to keep it up for the moment lol.

http://i48.tinypic.com/245ekgz.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/veulgl.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/25gw1lw.jpg

Get your brakes bleed again.

sorry forgot to mention, brakes were flushed again at the last service approx 2 months ago.

New reg is needed, there are not parts available for the reg

With the brakes, I would not go Ultimates if you dont like the CT, I would think that your issues is the rotors are glazed, they may have looked ok last pad change BUT they still should have been skimmed, even a lot of pad manufacturers now state warranty is void if rotors are not machined. You dont have to take off a lot, just a wipe will get a nice fresh surface for the new pads

with the cruise control maybe check your brake pedal switch? I had this happen to me on a Holden and was just a sticky brake switch (or clutch switch if manual trans)

Hello again, always seem to find my way back because of more annoying little issues with this car. Im a fussy person, so im very over the issues. Someone please help me. lol. :ninja:

Firstly my brakes have been terrible for over a year, ive had them looked at by brake specialists, ive had them flushed, bled, new fluid, ive checked every bolt for loose ones, ive checked pads for glazzing, i replaced the pads (no change), ive had them looked at over services etc etc etc, no one seems to be able to find a problem, nor everyone thinks that there is a problem. The pedal feel is terrible, they do not grab till late, they are a little noisy when braking (not squealing or anything, slightly dull ruffle sound), the overall braking performance is nothing like it used to be and its annoying as ****.

Secondly, the car torque steers like crazy! Have to fight the wheel like crazy any time im accelerating it, even rather lightly (eg: 2nd gear, put foot down a little bit, build up the revs etc, by the time the power comes in your struggling to keep it on your lane. Also there is a bit of creaking from the front end over speed bumps, could this be the cause? Could it simply be for eg the front sway bar bushes causing this? Or other ideas

Thirdly. Cruise control stalk is not working when I push it up (to resume or acc), im able to set it, cancel, de acc, etc just not accelerate/resume. Fixable?

Finally, to top off my day, today the rear window reg has gone again. Had them all replaced in the past but back again. Anywho, there was a slight noise, then the window would not go up, it would go down, but it was a bit noisy. It will not go up. I can hear the motor this time around, but im thinking maybe the cable has snapped? And thats whats stopping it from going up. Its now fallen into the door.
How easy is it to replace myself? Im not terrible with tools or cars. Is it possible?
Is the door skin easy to remove? Any tips??

Thats all i could think of for now!
Thought being a uni student, getting a car that would be what was thought to be low maintenance (beyond usual servicing) would be a smart thing, but i always find myself pouring money into this pit every so often. Pity my warranty is finished.

Any help will be great, apologies if this is covered elsewhere. I had a quick search but i couldnt hold back and I had to rant.

Regards.


put braided brake lines on, super dot 4 brake fluid, new pads, machine rotors or replace....and that should be better than new

Re the torque steer, the rear inner lower control arm bush on the front suspension is quite a large lump of rubber with big cut outs, you can't see it to assess it's condition without pulling the lower wishbone out, but if worn your toe in/out goes all over the place as you accel or brake. I discovered this after the increasing number of "lock ups" led to an increasing number of trips into the gravel traps at race tracks. I didn't experience too much torqu steer as we run a welded diff, so if all other remedies don't fix the problem, have a look at those bushes.

Hmm that might be worth a look at, because its really, really bad. put the power down in 1st or 2nd and your fighting it just to keep it on the lane. Getting another allignment done to see if it helps a little, if not we shall assess things again.
Thanks for your help everyone!
Been super flat out hence the slow replies on this thread.

In regards to window reg, very easy to do yourself! Got the new unit fitted in a halfa. Works like a treat!