Had a cruise control installed about a month ago, worked perfectly....took a 1000 mile round trip without a hitch. Then sunday before last, I went out early morning for a short trip. Came back to the car at noon, and the thing cranks and cranks, but won't fire! Car has about 4300 miles on it. Dealer sent over a flatbed wrecker, and put me in a Dudge Crappus rental. So far, it's been:

A cracked spark plug....nope, that's not it...

The cruise install "pinched" a wire....nope, that's not it...

The key's chip is busted, get a new key (the wife tried hers before it left my house, idiots...it ain't the key)....nope, that ain't it...

Mitsu tech support in LA is now officially stumped. They have no idea what the problem is, or how to fix it. Everything checks out.

If I find out it's an immobilizer problem, and Mitsu won't de-activate that function, I'm calling my AG's office. No excuse in having a security- only function which makes the car useless without provoding an override.

Any suggestions?

David

 

Familiar Automobile Lemon Law? You might be eligible to get refund on your car or get a replacement car?

 

Shootr2, which dealer is the car at?
Just wondering since Joe Bullard in Mobile had mine for 15 days to fix the transmission.

 

Yup....Joe Bullard in Mobile.

You've already had a tranny problem? This is not confidence inspiring...

David

 

It's my understanding that the immobilizer will allow the car to start without a valid key, it would just shut it off after like 10 seconds or something...

 

I had a problem with the trans from day one. 5th gear grind.
I did get them to give me a rental for the time that they had my car. The thing that took so long was parts. They had to get the 5th gear sent from Japan.
During all this, I sent a letter to Mr. Bullard and explained my disappointment with the whole new car process. He called me at my house and told me that when my car was repaired to go and see the finance manager and he would do whatever was required to make me happy.
I got the car detailed again for free, and got $925 back from the price cause of the BS hidden dealer mark-up.
I have not been back there since.
Be sure to call Mitsu USA and have them start a case file with your VIN #. This will help you if you have more problems later on.
Good luck

 

The immobilizer has an over ride code to shut it down so you can use a key without a chip. You have to get this code from the dealer.

 

nope, mine wouldn't it would crank and die as soon as it fired up. the tech told me that there is some magic way to get it started (have to call them so they can tell yah) but it will only start one time and if it dies on your way to the dealer your screwed. It's a good idea to get a third key, cause you need two to "reprogram" a new one so if one goes then you can use the other two to reprogram a new one without the dealer.

 

Shootr,

I sure sounds like the imobiliser system. I read through the factory trouble shooting procedure and if the unit goes bad there will not be a light on the dash to tell them or a code in the ecu in some cases. It's a manual process to check it out.

I would think that is the problem and they just are not following the procuder. I would ask them to show me in the shop manual (cd version is all they probably have) exactly what checks they have done on the imobliser system.

Also call MMSA and have them escalate this to your regional rep as there is no excusse for this and they are about to hit the lemmon law window if they don't get it sorted out.

 

basic question... is the pump turning on? are the plugs firing? are the injectors firing? these are not teh most common problems.. but they are a good start(dealers for get the basic formula on how a motor runs and actually rely on codes way to much for my liking)

 

They should at least be able to tell you why it's not starting, no fuel driver signal etc etc thats what they have the MUTII tool for (or is it MUTIII now).

 

My Evo is fixed, ready to be picked up. Could I please bring in the 2nd key, to re-program it with the new immobilizer code? Sure!

I get there, sign my paperwork, turn over the keys to the rental car, and hand them the 2nd key for reprogramming. They say they had to get a new immobilizer.

Upon inserting the 2nd key for reprogramming, the system checks the key....says everything's fine, and reprograms it. He then attempts to start the car...and nothing. No crank, no dash lights, completely dead. On all 3 keys (the 2 originals + the new one they got from MMA). Mind you, at least when it was towed in, it cranked like crazy, but wouldn't fire.

Again, they are stumped. They have no idea what to do. There is no override of any kind, the main computer has to be given the proper code from the immobilizer in order to function. MMA tech support just shrugs....

Needless to say, I'm back in the Dudge, and it's back to Square 1.

Not a happy camper....and the dealer refused to sell the car unless I agreed to 3rd party arbitration for all dispute resolution, which gets around the lemon law timing-wise.

They say they'll do their best, but they have no idea how long I'll be without the car....at this point, with the immobilizer a fixed part of the process, I'm not sure I want it back.

And I paid cash for this?

David

 

TAKE fuel rail off and check for WATER . You probably got bad gas .

 

Hey man, pm me and I will give you our regional reps name and number as I'm in the southeast region as well.

Call A lemon attorney man. Arbitration is part of the lemon process, not a way to get around it. bottom line is you paid for somethign you cant drive because they can't figure out what the problem is. That would seem rather clearcut.

Do you have a turbo timer installed by chance? Mine was acting like this till I unhooked the turbo timer, i think the harness i got was in correct.

Sounds like the ecu may be whacked not just the imobilizer computer.

 

Picked the EVO up today. In the end, they say it was a "loose or bent" pin in the main wiring harness, which provided the fuel pump with power. So it mimics the fuel shutoff of the Immobilizer.

Hell if I know. But within 24 hours of contacting MMA in CA it runs!

Hope it holds, I really enjoy this car.

Thanks for all the advice guys...

David