1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse

CAMSHAFT STARTED MAKING SAME NOISE AT 97,000 MILES AS IT DID AT 47,000 WHEN IT FAILED AT 65 MPH ON THE HWY. ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND ALL POWER WAS LOST. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND IT IS NO LONGER COVERED BY WARRANTY. I BELIVE THAT THE LIFE TIME OF THE PART MAY ONLY BE APROX. 45,000 MILES. THE MECHANIC DESCIBED THE PROBLEM AS THE "CAM SHAFT WAS WALKING". HE ALSO SAID THAT HE HAD SEEN A FEW OTHER CASES.*AK

EMITS A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL OR EXHAUST INTO THE CABIN, AND AROUND THE CAR. PREVIOUSLY, THEY CLAIM TO HAVE ADDRESSED IT, BUT MITSU ASKS ME TO BRING IT BACK TO LET THEM LOOK AGAIN. THIS IS UNBEARABLE, AND PROBABLY UNSAFE. I THINK THEY WANT ME TO BRING IT IN AT THEIR CONVENIENCE, AND THEY WILL NOT FIX IT UNLESS YOU HELP THEM SEE THE IMPORTANCE.*AK

AFTER THREE VISITS TO THE DEALER (SOMETIMES BY TOW TRUCK), THEY REPEATEDLY INDICATED THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ON THE FOURTH VISIT, THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT WAS REPLACED. THE CAR WOULD SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING AT VARYING SPEEDS WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED IN NOVEMBER OF 2000. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER WHERE THEY ONCE AGAIN CLAIM THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE OIL GASKET COVER WAS REPLACED ON 12/29/98. SUBSEQUENT COMPLAINTS OF AN OIL LEAK WERE DISMISSED AS NOT CAUSING THE PRESENTING PROBLEM OR I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO OIL LEAK DESPITE PROVIDING DOCUMENTATION FROM OTHER REPAIR ESTABLISHMENTS. HOWEVER, AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD, AN OIL LEAK WAS DIAGNOSED ON 9/19/00. THESE ARE SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED.

HELLO..... I WOULD LIKE TO ALERT YOU TO A MAJOR PROBLEM REGUARDING ALL 1995-1999 MITSUBISH ECLIPSE CARS. ALL CARS ARE PRONE TO CRANK WALK WHICH WILL ON AVERAGE DO $2,000 TO $6000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, THIS IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLITAN FROM MITSU... THIS IS A LARGE SAFETY CONCERN IN MY OPINION, JUST LIKE THE RECALL ON THE TRANSFERCASE. IF CRANKWALK WAS TO HAPPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, LOCAL IS 75, SUDDEN SHUTTIN OFF OF THE ENGINE WOULD CAUSE POWER STEERING FAILURE, NOT TO MENTION A FEW OTHER PROBLEMS (ABS WOULD FAIL)...... THIS WOULD WITHOUT A DOUBT IN MY OPINION, CAUSE AN EXTREME ACCIDENT. PLEASE, DON'T JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT ... GO TO WWW.DSM.ORG AND DO A SEARCH FOR "CRANKWALK" GO TO WWW.ROADRACEENGINEERING.COM, AND VIEW THEIR TECH INFO ON CRANK WALK... THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM THAT IS THE DIRECT RESAULT OF A DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THIS STRIKES ALL TRANSMISSIONS, ALL MAKES (TURBO OR NOT), TALON OR ECLIPSE. PLEASE CHECK THIS OUT.... THIS IS HAPPENING TO OEM ENGINES, MODIFIED, AND DEALER REBUILT ENGINES... PLEASE CONTACT ME REGUARDING THIS PROBLEM... I DO HOPE THAT SOMEONE WILL RESEARCH THIS..... I AM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING TO REBUILD AN ENGINE JUST BECAUSE A CRANK AND BAREINGS WERE MADE OUT OF SPEC AT THE DEALER..... THEY ALSO HAVE NO VALID REASON TO BLAME MILD MODIFICATIONS FOR THESE FAILURS WHEN DEALERS HAVE TO DEAL WITH SEVERAL OF THESE A MONTH (DEALERS HAVE REPORTED OVER 3 WALKING CRANKSAFTS IN 3 DIFFERENT YEARS OF ECLIPSE WITHIN 1 MONTH!!!!!!!) -- THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THE OWNERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR, THIS IS NOT STANDARD WARE. *AK