NHTSA Complaint #11306591 — 2016 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER

THIS VEHICLE AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER MANUFACTURERS ARE USING JATCO CVT TRANSMISSIONS WHICH IS DESIGNED WITH A METAL BELT ROLLING ACROSS 2 OPPOSING SIZE PULLEYS IN THE TRANSMISSION TO MAKE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING SMOOTHER AND FASTER. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY IS THAT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THE BELT AND THE PULLEY START TO GRIND AGAINST EACH OTHER AND REDUCE THE SIZE OF EACH AND CAUSE SLIPPING OF THE TRANSMISSION. METAL SHAVINGS BEGIN TO APPEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION PAN SHOWING THE WEAR. THE DESIGN ALSO MANDATES THAT THE VEHICLE OWNER CHANGE THE FLUID AND FILTER EVERY 30,000 MILES AT THE COST OF $200 TO $300 OUT OF THE OWNERS POCKET. WHEN THIS TRANSMISSION STARTS PRODUCING METAL SHAVINGS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE TRANSMISSION PAN, SUCH AS IT HAS IN MY VEHICLE, WHICH ONLY HAS 103,000 MILES AND THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD, REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION IS THE ONLY OPTION. THE DEALERSHIP COSTS $9,400 AND A COUPLE OF TRANSMISSION SHOPS HAVE QUOTED $7,400. THIS TECHNOLOGY COSTS THE CONSUMER MORE TO NOT ONLY OPERATE BUT ALSO DEVALUES THE PRICE OF THEIR VEHICLE IN A SHORT SPAN OF TIME. MOST TRANSMISSION EXPERTS ESTIMATE AND HAVE EXPERIENCED TROUBLE WITH THIS TRANSMISSION TO LAST NO MORE THAN 3 TO 5 YEARS BEFORE IT MUST BE REPLACED. I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP AND TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR A 2ND OPINION ABOUT THE SLIPPING. THE TRANSMISSION ONLY SLIPS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS FIRST ENGAGED INTO GEAR. AFTER A 2 SECOND HESITATION, THE VEHICLE DRIVES WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. I HAVE CONTACTED THE BBB, THE LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL, MITSUBISHI'S US HEADQUARTERS, SEVERAL ATTORNEYS, WHO WON'T REPRESENT ME BECAUSE NOBODY HAS GOTTEN INJURED, AND I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TRANSMISSION (JATCO USA, INC}. MITSUBISHI AND THE DEALERSHIP WON'T RESEARCH WHY THIS TRANSMISSION IS FAILING AT THE LOW MILEAGE.