Pajero to Cape york & back.

[Big Col]

Hi everyone, Big Col is back on line, just back from my 5 week Cape York trip from Melb towing our off road van.
How did the Paj go?. Well i had some DPF etc issues just before i left, MM fixed all that and sent as on our way with their best wishes. Day two broke down half way between White Cliffs and Wanaaring (DPF flashing, engine light on, car in limp home mode) Organise rescue (dificult) car gets towed over 600ks to Dubbo for burn off. Diamond assist says stuff the van, not their issue and retrieval at our cost. Eventually get car done, four days lost and have to get back to van at our cost, plus we had to pay for oil which is a waranty issue!!!
Cape york out of question due to time lost plus wouldn't risk getting stuck even more remote. Driving out of Rockhampton both lights on again so back for fix before we get stranded again, best part of another day lost. On way home just out of Cootamundra both lights on again so more time lost getting fixed. Eventually home 4 weeks after leaving, 9000 ks and a few other nervous moments when the DPF burnoff happened and sometimes it failed.
Not a relaxing time and better half really jacked off.
These cars are not reliable!!! Do not go remote as it could be dangerous as you will get stranded at some stage. So much more to this saga and are happy to expand if requested. Boy will MMA get a serve. We all should be kicking up a huge stink. And i really need a holiday to settle my anger.
4x4 of the year, what a joke. I wouldn't feel relaxed taking the car to Echuca 2.5 hours from here in case i was stranded again. Not happy Jan!!!!

[bgiddins]

Faaaark...

You'd almost be entitled to a refund as it's "not fit for purpose".

Don't feel so bad now about tackling next year's trip in a 2000 NM V6.

That really sucks.

[Endorphin]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. I hope MMA come to the party for you. I guess I'll hang on to the Gen3 for a while longer then... Good luck.

[Ranger J]

Wow, that is a really bad rap! I hope that your NS is an isolated incident - as they are growing on me now

[Rich]

Big Col,
That is bloody bad news and puts the scares in me as I plan to do a trip in a month or so. Not as adventurous as yours though.

FOr some time this forum has been waving the flag at these issues and people have indicated that Mitsubishi are looking into them but are they.

I suspect they(MM) don't read the forums either to get people opinions.

I reckon they will only start doing something if it starts hitting them in the pocket (like most I guess). This willl happen if sales go down. If I had seen your report before purchasing I would not have bought one. Your report will put off a few other possible buyers.

An option would be to send your report to one of the 4wd magazines if you don't get any good feedback from them. Not sure if that is a good idea but I bought my Paj with expectation that it would be a very reliable tow vehicle with good off road capabilities. I am starting to doubt this.

I would be interested in how you found the roadside assist etc - if nothing else writing up your issues well allow you to let off steam and get it clearer in your head to report to them.

Any way I hope all gets sorted out for you,
Rich

[Mike DiD]

Maybe I'm getting old and cynical, but I suspect MM will say that since you have modified the engine with Gas injection, they can no longer be held responsible for problems that arise.

[Big Col]

Hi guy's
The roadside assist did not cover any of our vans retrieval or storage etc which i thought was not right, as it was MMA selling us a car that at that time, these faults were known by them, but not told to us. So if the car fails, surely it's their fault not mine. We must have made half a dozen lengthy phone calls at least, to arrange help from our remote location. A cost which we paid as well as accommodation on the night after we picked up our car which by the time we got it, we still had over 600 ks to do to reach our van plus the fuel to get back as well.
The diesel/gas conversion does not modify the engine in any way, it just alters the fuel. This in fact makes the exhaust emissions far cleaner and then less pollutants for the DPF to deal with. It could be said that the diesel/gas would help the whole issue of DPF and had i not had this system i could have had even more issues! But that can never be proved say i just deal with the facts. Nearly every DID Pajero is having these issues in some form or another. In fact the NRMA guy in Bourke told us that the police there had just taken delivery of three Pajeros and one already had to be towed to Dubbo after just 800 ks with the same bloody issue. Doesn't like short trips at low speeds which police do on their patrols. He said they had already been told to get rid of them.
Yes i believe that writing this is partly theraputic, but i would rather go on a nice relaxing holiday, just remembered i can't, because iv'e been sold a car that isn't reliable, and thats what MMA promote. 12 Dakar wins, but i bet it didn't have a DPF on it cause if it did it would be lucky to have made the start line.
Regards from Big Col

[Nova Artist]

Indeed, your comments are certainly a cause for concern with regards the DPF. It is almost as if they were trying anything they could to get Paj to Euro 4 std in order to enable it to be sold here, and may not have thought the idea of a manual only car was good for sales, so slapped on a DPF without proper testing on the auto so it passed the Aussie testers.

As for Dakar - these cars would not be going slowly - so this low speed issue would not have cropped up in such vehicles even if they did have DPFs.

Up until your notes above, I had thought the DPF issue to be not a concern for myself, as short journeys of <10km would be in the Astra, and only longer journeys are attempted in the Paj - but you were having issues, when you were certainly going more than 10km at a time - so I can see this issue worrying a fair few of us.

Thank you for your comments.

[Eastie]

G'day Col,
I'm really sorry to hear your trip was ruined. Hopefully time will permit you a successful trip down the track.

Instead of waiting for your dealer or MMA/MMC to acknowledge the faults or make an offer I really recommend you sit down for an hour or two and type them a letter that clearly outlines the issues you've had with the vehicle and the affect this has had on your trip and your family and what you expect them to do, upto and including taking the vehicle, swapping the vehicle or refunding your money. If you want send me a PM with your email in it and I'll send you a copy of the letter I sent off (not quite as bad, but similar issues) and an outline of what they have done and offered to do to date. Unless it's in writting it's not legal - that's how they treat it. Be aware that If you mention legal action they will likely shut up shop and you'll end up further out of pocket ahving to negotiate through a solicitor.

Similar to yourself my trust in the NS Pajero is near breaking point. This is the first Pajero I've owned after making the move from Patrols and I would not currently consider purchasing another, in fact if there's no resolution in the coming months to the problems they are well aware off I'll weigh up the loss and likely sell it before too many km's go on the clock. I chose Pajero based upon their good reputation with previous models. From my expeience there are some really good things going for the NS, but the overall package has not met my expectations to date.

Although I take it your trusted has been shattered you may be surprised with the results a well explained letter can get and if not you can't say you didn't try. Again, I'm really sorry to hear what should have been a great trip turned into a disaster.

Eastie

[mikens]

The DPF issue on the auto doesn't sound good at all (on this & other threads) . I feel sorry for everyone being being affected and especially in Col's case in such a horrible way. You'd expect to have a vehicle that works for the price you pay. Col, hope you get a good response from MMA.

I hope MMA are listening - and although the DPF issue isn't relevant for the manual, it gives the Mitsubishi Pajero a bad name - reduces sales and will probably reduce resale values too. Not good.

Also - Diamond Care not covering trailers is also a bit of a worry?! I put my NRMA Premium Care on hold thinking that Diamond care would be the same. Silly me. I think i'll be giving them a call.

Mikens

[marquis]

Glad I have the NP DiD Auto...

I sure as hell would not purchase another Pajero unless they fix the problem...

[MinniTheMoocha]

That is such a sad story to hear Big Col. I would certainly be taking it much further than a simple letter and phone call.

You may or may not know that there is soon to be a 'lemon' law that forces manufacturers to replace / refund vehicles and other large purchase items if they fail to perform.

Your story would easily fit the criterea for a lemon.

What I can't work out is why it is affecting some and not others? I have done some good 4WD trips testing its capabilities. This was some way from home (over 4 hrs driving into the bush) and had my little boy in the back. If there was a reason for concern I certainly wouldn't put him or myself at risk.

My trip to work is 17km away and is very much stop start at peak times. Lately it's been used for the family bus and is not doing so many km's and as yet it has not had a problem. Only time will tell.

Please keep us in the loop.

[Wilmo]

That is such a sad story to hear Big Col. I would certainly be taking it much further than a simple letter and phone call.

You may or may not know that there is soon to be a 'lemon' law that forces manufacturers to replace / refund vehicles and other large purchase items if they fail to perform.

Your story would easily fit the criterea for a lemon.

What I can't work out is why it is affecting some and not others? I have done some good 4WD trips testing its capabilities. This was some way from home (over 4 hrs driving into the bush) and had my little boy in the back. If there was a reason for concern I certainly wouldn't put him or myself at risk.

My trip to work is 17km away and is very much stop start at peak times. Lately it's been used for the family bus and is not doing so many km's and as yet it has not had a problem. Only time will tell.

Please keep us in the loop.

My story is the same as yours, yet my trip to work is 7km. I have taken my Paj up North on a 3000km round trip (between 3000-6000km), lots of slow 4wding on the beach and tracks, and only had one DPF light on at 8100km, and then I drove it for 15 minutes until the DPF extinguished itself and haven't had a problem since.

Sorry to hear your trip was ruined Col, but maybe, just maybe its got something to do with the Gas injection you fitted? - the DPF burnoff uses an increase in fuel to create hotter EGTs, and this process would be calibrated to use Diesel, not Diesel/Gas, and in the right stoichiometric ratio to create optimum burnoff heat - the gas injection would alter this.

I certainly haven't had the issues you describe with limp home mode with mine and believe your post inflames an already sensitive issue, but truth be known the vast majority of Auto DID's aren't having issues beyond the occasional DPF light, which is supposed to come on at times (its in the manual). I towed a Tinny loaded with gear and water for a week up North with me too, so towing didn't seem to bring on anything untoward.

Good luck getting the issue resolved with Mitsubishi to your satisfaction though.

[freddysolar]

Wow. Thanks for your informative summary Col,
I am expecting delivery of my NS Diesel Exceed this week (to replace a very reliable '93 NJ series diesel). I tow a van. I purchased the Exceed based on Magazine reviews and my past reliable history with Pajeros (this will be my 4th diesel Paj).
Reading your comments (and other forum contributors on the matter) now has me worried.
Perhaps every NS (auto) owner with these problems should be writing to MM strongly complaining that the vehicle is not fit for purpose. Only by weight of numbers will the big boys do something.
Please continue to keep us informed. Best regards.

[MalF]

This is my post from the DPF thread, I put off a Fraser Island trip because of this issue. I really think we need to get together on this and put up a united front??
HI Guys, add another one to the list. Light comes on about every 2 weeks with mixed driving, had 2 regenerations, fuel drained and replaced only to have light come on after 30k's. Then replaced the DPF, 600k's later so far so good. Worn out my welcome with Mitsubishi Custumer Care. This is a MMA problem not ours.
1 Do not pay for regeneration
2 demand a loan vehicle
I am dismayed to read these stories and I am beginning to doubt the wisdom of my purchase. I keep being reassured that engineers from Japan are here looking into it?
I think it is getting close to the time that we banded together to put pressure on MMA. How about a list of everyone with this issue to start with?
I do not believe the car is "suitable for purpose" in its current condition and as such should not be sold and if the don't come up with a permanent fix then we should get a refund (wouldn't that cause a stink?). I guess it is not of MMA's making as it is an imported vehicle but it certainly shouldn't be our problem.
Perhaps the "Club" could approach MMA and get an "official" take on the problem and when thay anticipate a fix. When I talk to MMA I get platitudes and sympathy but they won't let you talk to theit trchnical people or gice you any technical info direct, it has to go through the dealer which ends up like Chinese Whispers.
A shame really as it is a great vehicle otherwise (LWB VRX with Family Pack)