NHTSA Complaint #10090761 — 2001 MITSUBISHI MONTERO

ENGINE REPLACEMENT AT 79K MILES. FEBRUARY 04 I NOTICED A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR. THE MITSUBISHI MECHANIC SAID IT WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE BUT THAT HE WOULD JUST CHANGE THE OIL TO SEE IF THAT HELPED. THE SALES TICKET SAID, NO PROBLEM FOUND. AUGUST 04 THE KNOCKING CAME BACK. ON A TRIP THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON BUT THERE WAS OIL IN THE VEHICLE. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MITSUBISHI. THE MECHANIC THEN CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS THE ENGINE. THE PICKUP TUBE WAS CLOCKED BUT THE ENGINE WALLS WERE CLEAN. THE RESULT WAS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. MITSUBISHI WOULD NOT COVER THE CHARGES BECAUSE IT WAS PASS THE WARRANTY MILEAGE. NO ONE CAN DETERMINE HOW THE PICKUP TUBE WAS CLOGGED WITH SO MUCH CRUD. HOWEVER, MITSUBISHI SAYS THAT IT DOES NOT MATTER IF IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE PICKUP TUBE IT WAS PAST THE WARRANTY.*AK