Anyone else have the #6 injector problem?!?!?

[2k1GTZ-PHX]

my gtz was running beautifully...until....this morning! i was on my way to work when suddenly th check engine light came on, blue smoke started blowing out the tailpipe and the car was having a rough idle.

i immediately took it to the dealer and they told me that the #6 injector went bad and had to be replaced. i've never heard of injectors going bad within 40k miles....what's worse is that the dealer is not going to cover it ($315 later!) b/c it went out of warranty 4k miles ago.

has anyone else had this same problem?

[manybrews]

injectors are a RARE failure on any mitsu (except the old starions, which were vitually garanteed to fail).


i think ive replaced a half dozen injectors in 10 years.

[2k1GTZ-PHX]

okay, i really think the dealer does not have a freakin' clue as to what is wrong with my gtz. they called me at 4pm to let me know that they replaced the #6 injector and while taking for a test drive, the car started doing the same problem again and now they told me it is the #1 injector and the #3 & 5 are "weak".

first of all, i confronted them and said how in the hell does injectors go bad...and then i asked them how it was possible for #6 on the right bank to effect the #1 on the left bank? why wasn't this spotted on the first diagnostic check???

has anyone out there EVER had this happen to them. i am getting really pissed at this dealer and i think they are just replacing parts b/c they have no idea as to what is wrong with my car!!!! :evil:

[Auto-9]

time for a new car!

[Fishboy55]

Manybrews knows what I suspected. Injector failure in todays engines are rare. You might be having fuel pressure problems. The stock FPR (piece of shit) controls both banks. The dealer said your injectors were "weak". I'm assuming he's talking about flow. If he's talking about how they pulse, thats controlled by the ECU, which could point to larger problems.

I'd take it out of the dealers and find a reputable mechanic, especially since you're out of warranty. There should be hundreds of them in Phoenix, and if you have any trouble, Marc can recommend one (Black2k1GTZ) Just send him a PM.

Chip

[2k1GTZ-PHX]

thanks a lot chip for the advice. the dealer is still working on the car and "should have it ready for me" early afternoon "barring no other complications."

that kind of statement makes me extremely nervous.....

would you happen to know what is and is not covered under the 5 yr/60k mile powertrain warranty??? my books are in the car and i do not have any way of reading through them b/4 i pick up the car.

thanks!
nick

[Fishboy55]

Sorry Nick, mine are in the car, and it's not with me. Again, manybrews may know. I tried to check mitsu's website, but there were no details. When you pick up your car, bitch at the service manager and make him prove the injectors are NOT covered under the powertrain warranty. They just might be. It's not like they're a part that requires maintenance, and they don't do anything with them at the 30k checkup. Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

Chip

[manybrews]

the newer injectors are a little more prone to failure than the older ones (meaning since about 1999 the injectors are a little weaker, but im talking VERY FEW cars here).

i dont think the injectors are technically covered, but you never know. i dont deal with the paperwork, nor do i get to make those decisions.
actually, the dealers not making those decisions either.. thats up to mitsu, and the dealer can only do what they allow (meaning if mitsu isnt gonna pay the dealer to fix it under warranty, the dealer certainly isnt gonna fix it unless you pay).

[DJ Galant]

i hate dealers man....$315 for an injector???? MAn this is outrages!!!!!!!
Get some aftermarket injectors like RC or venom ....they are about $80 a piece....awesome injectors besides....
F*CK DEALERS AND THEIR OVERPRICED SERVICES...

[manybrews]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DJ Galant)</div><div class='quotemain'>i hate dealers man....$315 for an injector???? MAn this is outrages!!!!!!!
Get some aftermarket injectors like RC or venom ....they are about $80 a piece....awesome injectors besides....
F*CK DEALERS AND THEIR OVERPRICED SERVICES...</div>

its mitsu, not the dealers that set the prices.

[Auto-9]

The beauty of a monopoly https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif

[2k1GTZ-PHX]

it has only gotten worse!!!!

okay, so i pay the dealer $570 for 2 new injectors...the car was running fine and then 130 miles later...the service engine soon light came on again!!!

i'm taking the old injectors to a shop to be tested. i still dont' believe they were bad in the first place.

oh, and while i was at the dealer...yeah, i brought up the ecu and fpr issue...they had the tech that worked on my car come out and talk to me. his only response was, we hooked it up to the "mut 2" machine and that is what it said the problem was so that is what we fixed. i asked him about the ecu or fpr and he said that b/c the machine did not say anything about that he only replaced the injectors.

nice to know that some tech's do not know how to diagnose a car without a machine telling them what is wrong...

no offense to manybrews...i'm just really pissed b/c 1) i spent all that money 2) did not fix the problem (obvisiously) 3) did i say it did not fix the problem??

[manybrews]

the MUT 2 is mitsus scan tool.. its what we use to interface with the PCM, TCM, and all other body computers.

on todays cars, it literally can tell you hundreds of different things, BUT... you still generally need to test things.
for example, if you had an "injector" code, it means that the PCM saw an open circuit for the given parameters. it does NOT mean that the injector has failed, as it could be wiring, terminals, or even the PCM throwing this code. it still has to be diagnosed by someone whos not retarded, as these guys seem to be.
of course, there are other codes it could have.. like a "misfire" code which just means the PCM saw a misfire. it has no way of knowing wether its from fuel, spark, mechanical failure, or goofy software.. once again, this requires diagnosis.

so you have a right to be pissed, since your car has been misdiagnosed.
the chance of an injector failing is slim, and the chance of more than one failing is nearly impossible (although it COULD happen... ive seen some pretty weird shit on these cars in the past).

[2k1GTZ-PHX]

manybrews--i have to ask you, are you a certified tech for mitsu? i'm taking your last post with me to meet with the service manager tomorrow.

now, on to the ongoing dilemma....i'm meeting with the service manager tomorrow. after 150 miles of driving, the SES light came back on. my car is not running rough like it was before.

i had the injectors checked...they were dirty...but, napa was able to clean them and said they are working within specs when i picked them up.

i've never had any problems with my gtz up to now and this is really making me want to get rid of my gtz!

[Auto-9]

I believe he is...diagnosing problems isn't as easy as it used to be 8) Remember the famous line "today's cars have more computers onboard than the first space craft." It isn't easy, especially with so much controlled by the computers.

[BlueESV6]

I have never heard of the injector going bad but "blue smoke" coming out does not sound good. Would the injectors be covered under the emission part of the warranty (50K miles) since it has to do with the fuel/emission area of the car?? ... seems mitsu should eat the cost of that one!!

[manybrews]

diagnosing cars today CAN be hard. very hard, in fact.. there is over 2 miles of wiring in your galants (no shit)..
there are about 17 seperate solid state control modules (some simple, some VERY complex)..

of course, there are mistakes that are going to be made.. it just happens. BUT... a reputable dealer should stand behind thier diagnosis, and if they misdiagnosed a problem, should fix it at no additional cost.



yes, i am a mitsu master tech.. have been a mitsu tech for more than 10 years, and a master mitsu tech for 3.. But be careful about showing others this "post" of mine, as its a little unprofessional..
although it sounds like they are also acting unprofessional, so maybe its fine.

[2k1GTZ-PHX]

alright...here's the final piece to the puzzle....i met with the service manager today....

manybrews---thanks a million! i did not show them the post. i just told them i had a friend that was a tech at another mitsu shop and then gave them the story.

should the injectors be covered under the 50k warranty...I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD....but, since i am not in Cali, they are not covered...expensive lesson about emissions warranties.

as for the SES light coming on again after they "fixed" the injector problem, the tech said that he could not see anything wrong and thought it was a "ghost" code and not to worry about it unless it comes on again.

then, basically the tech told me that the v6's in arizona, louisiana and some other state have been having problems with the injectors. he was blaming it on the additives in the fuel (or lack there of). he told me that i should put fuel injector cleaner in my car everytime i change the oil...but he then said that is only delaying the "inevitable."

to me, this is a crock of crap. if they have been having these kinds of problems, why in the heck is mitsu not ponying up and taking care of the problem??

so, to sum up, basically, my car is running good again...for now...and it ended up costing me $590 (after i had the 2 injectors checked...they were just dirty and needed to be cleaned...$21 to do that instead of the $570 to install 2 new ones).

am i ever going to take my car to a dealer again...NOT ONLY NO, BUT HELL NO! (unless it's manybrew's shop!!!!)

expensive lesson....for sure!

[BlueESV6]

I feel bad for your situation... and not that I'm defending the shops argument about additives but... when I lived in New Mexico and Colorado they put an additive in there... MSHP or something that did not make engines happy... it was an EPA thing!

Hope your car stays healthy!!! https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

[manybrews]

as for the warranty, well, thats not abnormal. only companies that arent selling cars worth a damn are using warranties over 3/36 or 5/50.
the "bad injector" thing is news to me, as i have yet to replace one on a galant.. but i live in the midwest, so maybe its true.. its just usually we hear stuff like that through the grapevine.

and theres no such thing as a "ghost" code. if the light came on, something triggered it.


and for mitsu ponying up to fix an injector problem ,well, theres a few things about that.
first is that there really isnt an injector problem that im aware of.
second is that NO company on the planet is going to spend money on something like that, unless it saves them money in the long run.. these recalls that you get are forced by the government, and they are all either safety or emission related.
a failing injector problem is just a gamble you take as a consumer.

[2k1GTZ-PHX]

manybrews--where at in the midwest are you from? i lived in wichita, ks for 16 years and then omaha, nebraska for 8.

i picked up the galant in omaha...no problems with gas there!

if you ever hear about the injector issue, please let me know! but as far as the ghost code...that was straight from the mechanics mouth with the service manager standing next to him.

next time the SES comes on...it's definitely not going back to those guys! let's just keep the fingers *crossed* and pray it does not come on again!!
nick

[BlueESV6]

I wonder if altitude played a part... when I lived in denver the octane was lower and that additive did not make the car happy...

Phoenix is like 5-6K feet isn't it? Maybe it a local thing in that part where altitude is higher... just a guess.

https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

[2k1GTZ-PHX]

5k-6k altitude...man, i live in the valley of the sun! j/k it's only like 2-3k above sea level...i'm hoping when the "big one" hits california, i will have some beach front property! haha :wink:

[manybrews]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(2k1GTZ-PHX)</div><div class='quotemain'>manybrews--where at in the midwest are you from? Â*i lived in wichita, ks for 16 years and then omaha, nebraska for 8.

</div>

minneapolis.

[2k1GTZ-PHX]

minneapolis is a fun city--been there a couple of times. i have a couple of clients that live up there.

thanks again for all of the help the past couple of days!!
nick

[2k1GTZ-PHX]

just got the call from the head service guy at mark mitsu. he told me that he talked to mitsubishi and they are going to reimburse me for the costs of the work done to my car!

how's that for a good monday! now, all i have to do is get my computer to work and life will be back to normal! https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

thanks a ton to all of you for the help in combatting the dealer!!

[Layton]

Write Mitsu regarding the POOR service at your dealer. I took my car in for some work under warranty; 8 return trips later, the problem still wasn't fixed. Since it was now out of warranty, I gave up and fixed it myself in a couple of hours. So, I wrote the owner of the dealership and Mitsu. The owner tried to "fix" the situation, but I told him where to go. I'm very happy with my new dealership. About a month later, Mitsu wrote me as part of their investigation into the former dealership. They came down on the dealership's service department like a ton of bricks.

If your letter is professional, Mitsu should act on it and investigate the dealership.

[RED2KESV6]

I just saw this thread today (haven't been here for a while). I had the same problem as 2k1GTZ-PHX about a year ago. With only about 13K miles. Took about 5-6 trips to the dealer :x . One more trip and i was ready to file under Lemon Law. First they tried replacing the spark plug in whichever cylinder the code said the problem occured. Did that a couple of times for different cylinders. Then they replaced an injector, but the problem came back. Replaced 2 more injectors and the ECU. Finally, after they replaced the other 3 injectors on the rear bank, all new plugs, new plug wires, the problem went away. Dealer claims Mitsu knows there were problems with the injectors; tech said replacement injectors have different part #. I'm still waiting to see if the problem comes back. I live in CA, and my manual says injectors are covered 5/60, and I think also under emissions warranty 8/80, which they should be - injectors going bad certainly affect emissions.

[Gilhuly]

The part I don't get is why you are buying two new injectors - that sale was the result of incorrect diagnosis - the injectors were dirty, not deficient. Make them take em back if you don't want em.