2002 Mitsubishi Lancer Powertrain & Transmission Problems

I HAVE PURCHASED THIS CAR AS A SECOND OWNER AS I WAS TOLD. THE TRANSMISSION WAS ACTING FUNNY AT FIRST AND I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS NORMAL BECAUSE THE CAR WAS SITTING FOR A WHILE. THE CAR HAD ONLY 115,000 MILES WHEN PURCHASED, THE REASON I BOUGHT IT WITH LOW MILES AND APPEARANCE. LAST WEEK WHEN IT WAS DRIVEN, THE CAR ACTED EVEN FUNNIER UNTIL IT STALLED: THE CAR WILL NOT ENGAGE IN ANY FORWARD GEARS, IT WILL ONLY ENGAGE IN THE REVERSE GEAR. AFTER RESEARCHING THE FACT, I WAS TOLD BY MANY SOURCES THAT THE 2002-2005 LANCERS HAD A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS IN MANY WAYS. I NEED TO KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE AND WHAT COULD BE DONE ESPECIALLY AFTER I LOOKED AT THE BLOGS ABOUT WHAT'S SO NAMED " LANCERS". IT WILL BE A SHAME FOR A MANUFACTURER TO RELEASE A CAR IN THE MARKET WITH SUCH PROBLEM. *TR

MY SLAVE CYLINDER FAILED DUE TO LEAKAGE FROM THE TRANSMISSION. AS I WAS DRIVING UPHILL AND TRIED TO SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR THE CLUTCH PEDAL JUST WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR AND MY CAR GOT STUCK IN NEUTRAL. ITS COSTING ME 1000 DOLLARS TO FIX IT. THERE IS A TSB OUT ON THIS PROBLEM AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS HASN'T BEEN MADE A RECALL YET??? IT LOOKS LIKE A QUITE COMMON PROBLEM FOR PEOPLE AND A COSTLY ONE AT THAT. VERY UNFAIR THAT WE ARE HAVING TO PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS WHEN THIS WAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. *TR

THE SLAVE CYLINDER ON MY 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THIS HAPPEN AND I COULD NO LONGER GET MY CAR TO GO INTO GEAR. I HAD TO GET OVER FROM THE LEFT LANE OF TRAFFIC TO THE SHOULDER OF THE RIGHT LANE WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO ACCELERATE BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. I HAD TO CUT OTHER DRIVERS OFF AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE SLAVE CYLINDER LEAKED BRAKE FLUID ALL OVER THE CLUTCH AND NOW THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED TOO. MITSUBISHI KNEW THIS WAS A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY CHANGED THE DESIGN IN 2004. I HAVE READ ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM FROM OTHERS WHO HAVE THE SAME CAR. *TR

CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER WENT BAD I WAS STOCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY NOT ABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEARS. VERY COSTLY REPAIR FORCED ME TO REPLACE CLUTCH PLUS THE CYLINDER. *TR

I DRIVE A 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER OZ RALLY AND OUT OF NOWHERE I LOST ALL RESISTANCE IN THE CLUTCH AND WAS STRANDED WITH A BLOWN SLAVE CYLINDER. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

FAILURE OF THE SLAVE CYLINDER 5 TIMES IN MY CAR TWICE IN 2005 TWICE IN 2006 TO 2007 AND ONCE PRESENTLY THIS PART IS UNBELIEVABLE HOW MANY TIME DO I HAVE TO CHANGE THIS ONE PART AND SPOKE TO A MITSUBISHI REP AND SAID THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME. 2002 MITSUBITSHI LANCER OZ EDITION. *TR

PURCHASED CAR BRAND NEW IN 2002, DAILY DRIVER NOTHING SPECIAL. HAD TO REPLACE FULL CLUTCH ASSEMBLY IN 2004 DUE TO MASSIVE MECHANICAL FAILURE (COST 900$ OUT OF MY POCKET) NOT EVEN 1 YEAR LATER, CLUTCH FAILS AGAIN DUE TO MECHANICAL FAILURE (680$ TO REPAIR) NOW IN 2007 I AM LOOKING AT ANOTHER BUSTED CLUTCH, THE SLAVE OR MASTER CYLINDER GAVE OUT WHILE DRIVING. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS CAR TO NEED A CLUTCH JOB 3 TIMES IN 4 YEARS...... *TR

2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER, 5 SPEED MANUAL. THE CAR IS A DAILY DRIVER, AND IS NEVER DRIVEN HARD. IT JUST TURNED 68,000 MILES. DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT TO A RESTAURANT, THE CAR MAKES A LOUD NOISE AND ROLLS TO A STOP. IT RESTARTS BUT WILL NOT GO ANYWHERE IN ANY GEAR. I LOST ALL GEARS. I HAD IT TOWED HOME, AND I SEE NOTHING OBVIOUS. I ENDED UP AT A TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE I PAID TO HAVE IT TAKEN APART AND THEY FOUND THE TRANSMISSION ITSELF WAS OK, BUT THE AXLE SHAFT HAD BROKEN INSIDE OF IT. THE TRANSMISSION STILL HAD TO BE DISASSEMBLED TO RETRIEVE THE BROKEN PIECE. A NEW AXLE CANNOT BE FOUND FOR THIS CAR ANYWHERE BUT THE DEALER WHERE THEY WANTED 750.00. THE TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSIS WAS 300.00. PARTS I HAD TO REPLACE UPON REINSTALLING, WAS 488.00. I HAVE ALL DOCUMENTATION. I HAD TO BORROW AND RENT CARS FOR 10 DAYS UNTIL I HAD MY PARTS, OF COURSE THEY HAD BE ORDERED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S CLUTCH BURNED UP. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO A SERVICE DEALER TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE ISSUE.

I WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY, STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, WHEN MY CLUTCH SUDDENLY WOULDN'T DISENGAGE. I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR, I KILLED THE ENGINE, PUT IT IN SECOND, AND STARTED IT BACK UP, JUST ENOUGH TO GET BACK HOME. RIGHT NOW THE CAR IN NEARLY UNDRIVABLE, AND THIS APPARENTLY HAS HAPPENED TO A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE. *JB

1- GEARS BEGAN TO GRIND, THEN BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO ENGAGE GEARS AT ALL 2- CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER WENT BAD UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS 3- SLAVE CYLINDER WENT BAD CAUSING CLUTCH TO GO BAD- $1200 REPAIR WITH ONLY 55K MILES (((NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY))). *NM

PUSHED IN CLUTCH PEDAL, HEARD A LOUD POP, AND CLUTCH PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT WERE THE CAR STALLED. GOT THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALER STATED SEALS INSIDE SLAVE CYLINDER BLEW OUT AND COATED THE CLUTCH DISC, PRESSURE PLATE, AND FLYWHEEL WITH FLUID. REPLACED SLAVE CYLINDER AND PRESSURE PLATE, AND RESURFACED THE FLYWHEEL. I HAD TO PAY $1009.35 TO GET THE VEHICLE BACK. *NM

THE DAY PRIOR TO THE FULL FAILURE OF THE PART, I EXPERIENCED LOSS OF PRESSURE IN THE CLUTCH PEDAL IN NORMAL DRIVING. THE CAR'S MILAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 43,000 MILES. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME BY SYNCHRO-SHIFTING TO MINIMIZE USE OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL.*AK THE NEXT MORNING FULL FAILURE WAS EVIDENT AS THE PRESSURE HAD DROPPED TO THE POINT WHERE THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST SERVICE STATION BY AAA WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BAD MASTER CYLINDER IN THE CLUTCH. THE PART WAS REPLACED THE NEXT DAY AND IT WAS REVEALED THAT THE SLAVE CYLINDER WAS FAULTY AS WELL. THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THESE PARTS LEAD TO THREE MISSED DAYS OF WORK AND A TOTAL PARTS AND LABOR BILL OF $770. BOTH THE MASTER AND SLAVE CYLINDERS IN THE CLUTCH WERE REPLACED WITH OEM MITSUBISHI PARTS AS NO THIRD-PARTY MANUFACTURER HAD THEM AVAILABLE AT THE TIME. THE OLD PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.

ACCELERATOR PEDAL OR THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS BACKING UP AND THE CAR REVVED REALLY HIGH AND CRASHED ME INTO A POLE. I THEN TRIED TO PULL FORWARDS AND THE CAR REVVED AGAIN AND LUNGED FORWARD, SMASHING INTO 2 CARS. I DID NOT EVEN HAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS AT THE TIME. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE ONLY WAY THAT I COULD MAKE THE CAR STOP WAS TO PUT IT IN PARK. I HAD NO DAMAGE TO MY OWN CAR BUT DID CAUSE QUITE A BIT TO THE OTHER CARS. I HAD A FRIEND WHO IS A MECHANIC LOOK AT MY CAR AND HE SEEMS TO THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I ONLY BOUGHT THE CAR 7 MONTHS AGO AT A DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS ALREADY DARK BROWN. I'M NOT SURE WHY THIS WOULD BE, I HAVE HAD 3 OIL CHANGES ON MY CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT AND I'VE ONLY PUT 9000 MILES ON IT SINCE I BOUGHT IT 7 MONTHS AGO. THERE SHOULD NOT BE THAT KIND OF WEAR ON THE TRANNY AFTER THAT LITTLE OF USE. I KNOW THAT I DID NOT ACCELERATE SO IF THE CAR IS DOING IT ON ITS OWN, I REALLY DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN.*AK

I BOUGHT A NEW 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER AND AFTER ONE MONTH STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SURGES FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT SINCE IT WASNT DOING IT AT REGULAR OCCURENCES, THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG BY DRIVING IT. ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM WORSENED SO I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. AGAIN THE CAR WAS DRIVEN BUT THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG AND BLAMED IT ON THE TIRES. I FELT INSULTED AS THOUGH I COULDNT TELL WHAT WAS GOING ON IN MY CAR. I FINALLY GAVE UP AND DECIDED IF THE PROBLEM CAUSED DAMAGE, MAYBE THEN THEY WOULD LISTEN TO ME. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED FOR 2 YEARS UNTIL I GAVE UP AND ONCE AGAIN TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION AND FLUID CHANGED BEFORE CHECKING IT FOR FURTHER PROBLEMS COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THE COST OF THIS WOULD BE $170.00. I FELT THIS WAS UNFAIR SINCE I HAD BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR THIS PROBLEM ONLY ONE MONTH AFTER THE PURCHASE . I CALLED MITSUBISHI MOTORS AND SPOKE TO MAINTENANCE WHO TOLD ME THE SAME THING. I THEN ASKED WHETHER MY WARRANTY WOULD BE VOIDED IF I HAD IT DONE SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR A FRACTION OF THE COST. SHE ASSURED ME IT MUST BE DONE BY A MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP. I TOLD HER OF 4 OTHER POEPLE WITH THE SAME CAR HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS BUT SHE TOLD ME THAT EACH CAR WAS INDIVIDUAL AND IT DIDNT MEAN THAT IT WAS THE SAME ISSUES CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I HAVE GOTTEN NO RESOLVE OVER THIS AND FEEL ITS NOT FAIR TO HAVE TO PAY SUCH A HIGH PRICE FOR A PROBLEM WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED IN THE BEGINNING. *AK

CAR SHIFTS VERY HARD, NOT LIKE HOW A 4 CYLINDER ENGINE SHOULD. HAS A "POPPING" SOUND TO ACCOMPANY THE HARD SHIFT. SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE VEHICLE HAS "GRINDED" BETWEEN SHIFTS. ENGINE HAD REVED TO 4000-5000 RPM'S FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS BEFORE FINALLY SHIFTING INTO GEAR. THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS WITH 19000 MILES AND IT IS ONLY A YEAR OLD. HAS TAKEN OFF ON ME ONCE, WHERE I HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID SLAMMING INTO THE BACK END OF A CAR WITH CHILDREN IN THE BACKSEAT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE "PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED." MEANWHILE EVERY TIME I GET INTO THE CAR, THE SHIFTING GETS WORSE. TECH LINE SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLEM, AND TOLD THE DEALER THAT DROPPING OUT THE TRANNIE WOULD ACCOMPLISH NOTHING AND WOULD BE A WASTE OF TIME.*AK

CAR ACCELERATED TO FULL THROTTLE AND TOOK OFF WHILE TRANSMISSION WAS IN PARK. LOCAL DEALERSHIP MITSUBISHI OF ORANGE PARK JACKSONVILLE FLA KEPT CAR FOR FROM 3/11/03 UNTIL 3/25/03 TO TRY TO MAKE CAR DUPLICATE SITUATION BUT TO NO AVAIL. THEY KEPT IN TOUCH WITH MITSUBISHI TECH SUPPORT BUT NOTHING COULD BE DETERMINED TO WHY CAR DID SUCH A STRANGE THING. THIS HAS BEEN KNOWN TO HAPPEN ON CARS WHILE IN MOTION, ESPECIALLY ON OLDER MODELS.

WHILE SITTING AT AN INTERSECTION VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED OUT INTO TRAFFIC. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK