Lock/Unlock indication and Engine/Transmission shudder

[Kiwozi]

Hi folks,
I am a new member to your forum having only found all this wonderful info yesterday while looking for info on a couple of issues I am having with my 2010 Exceed (NT I believe )
My Exceed was ex Corporate from South Australia, I purchased it in Perth where I enjoyed it for 4 yrs before relocating myself and Paj to NZ a little over 3 yrs ago. Has been a fantastic vehicle with no issues until recently.

My direction indicators no longer flash when locking or unlocking the vehicle and I am not aware of the precise time that this happened or of any changes made.

Now at 109,000kms and for a little more than a year and approx 30,000kms the vehicle has developed an obvious yet minor shudder. The shudder is very specific, it happens only at a combination of 1500 rpm, 5th gear, 80kmph and coasting with light accelerator pressure.

I would welcome any thoughts and feed back on either of these issues and thanks to all for the great info I have read so far.

Best regards
Brett Thomas

[spot01]

Welcome to the forum - wish I had a Paj when I was touring around NZ!

Do your hazard flashers work?
Have you checked the hazard fuse?
If these are OK, I think there may be settings in the cars body ECU to control this, but I think only a dealer can alter them using a special computer. Also check in the Drivers Handbook for any info on this.

Is your car an auto?
If so, it may need a trans fluid change, particularly if it has been used for towing or hard use. Only use genuine fluid or there may be a non genuine fluid (Penrite?) but check carefully that it really is compatible with this box.
The NTs I had from new sometimes had a very slight shudder under those conditions when the converter locks up, so may be normal. My NW & NX won't go into lockup in 5th until 90kph, so I think Mitsi may have reprogrammed them to reduce this issue. You could check with a dealer to see if there is a software update for your car's auto (particularly if it hasn't been to a dealer for some time).

[Kiwozi]

Thanks Spot01,

Yes Hazard lights work correctly when operated from switch on Dashboard...

and I do have an Auto.. and it has not done much in the way of heavy work at all. Vehicle has just been in for a service and transmission and diff oils are all apparently clean. (Not at Mitsi dealer)

I agree it is most likely happening at the point at which the converter is attempting to lock but if the speed, revs and gear selection is maintained the shudder persists... where as this did not happen previously nor was there any momentary sign of the converter locking at this range of rev, speed, gear......

I may have to pay for a visit to my local Mitsi dealer :-)

[vladguan]

Is your alarm activated? Does the red led on the dash (at the base of the windscreen) flash?

[erad]

"Vehicle has just been in for a service and transmission and diff oils are all apparently clean. (Not at Mitsi dealer)"

This could be your problem. Maybe the serviceman didn't use the correct fluid in the transmission.

[tuscanmotorist]

Do I presume your Paj is a NT Diesel?

If so I had a lockup shudder and even swapped the gearbox rather than new torque converter as MMM advised.
Then MMM changed tranny fluid and being the diesel thats $480 just for the fluid.
$800 for the flush with fluid and filter.

Still had the shudder in fact it was marginally worse.

This forum had an article on a reflash to the computer changing the lockup speed

It worked a treat its now perfect.

Just the %$#!! computer and MMM not admitting an issue.

[m_and_m]

Hi folks,

Now at 109,000kms and for a little more than a year and approx 30,000kms the vehicle has developed an obvious yet minor shudder. The shudder is very specific, it happens only at a combination of 1500 rpm, 5th gear, 80kmph and coasting with light accelerator pressure.

Hi Brett,
Under the conditions you are describing the transmission is 'partially' locking the torque converter clutch. Whereas at 90kph 4th gear it would be 'fully' locking it.
You might find you can re-create the partial lockup at 60 kph too -only under very light throttle. See if it shudders at this lower speed too, and see if it shudders at 'full' lockup.

Unfortunately I can't offer a solution though. If the recent service changed or topped up the transmission oil, I'd suspect that as the cause if they didn't use genuine Mitsubishi fluid. The trans is very sensitive to the oil used.

[Kiwozi]

Thanks Vlad,
Yes door lock, unlock interior lights and alarm all appear to be functioning as always have when operating the key remote buttons. Just the indicators no longer flash.

[Kiwozi]

Hi Erad, Correct, Service was not with Mitsi agent..
Transmission oil has not been changed or topped up but has been rechecked using procedure I located on this Forum and it appears oil is slightly discoloured.

[Kiwozi]

Do I presume your Paj is a NT Diesel?

If so I had a lockup shudder and even swapped the gearbox rather than new torque converter as MMM advised.
Then MMM changed tranny fluid and being the diesel thats $480 just for the fluid.
$800 for the flush with fluid and filter.

Still had the shudder in fact it was marginally worse.

This forum had an article on a reflash to the computer changing the lockup speed

It worked a treat its now perfect.

Just the %$#!! computer and MMM not admitting an issue.

Hi tuscanmotorist, Thanks for your reply.
Yes it is Diesel and the shudder (to date) only occurs at 80kph, 5th gear and 1500 rpm, reducing or increasing accelerator pressure to go beyond these parameters or slipping into 4th gear with Tiptronic has the shudder go away. I will try your suggestion of 60kph and look for the post on "Flashing the computer"

[Thefoz]

My NT has developed exactly the same shudder at 80kmh and only on no throttle. After reading this thread I thought it might be the torque convertor causing the shudder.
It was coincidently booked in for a transmission service at a well known transmission shop in Melbourne. I had them test drive it to confirm my suspicions and they confirmed that it was the convertor lock up causing the issue.
Option one is to pull out the auto and replace the convertor which was about $2200.
Option two was to do a transmission flush, change the filters and add a tube of anti shudder additive.
Option three was to do nothing and live with it.
I chose option two and even though the shifts are much smoother the vibration is still there.
Does anyone have the link to the reflash to repair this problem? I cant seem to find the thread.
Cheers

Paul

[oscaroo]

Hi folks,
My direction indicators no longer flash when locking or unlocking the vehicle and I am not aware of the precise time that this happened or of any changes made.

Gday

What was the solution/problem to the blinking when lock/unlocking? There's a few posts where people mention the problem but never end up saying what caused it or what the fix was. :-(

[Scubapro]

I had the same problem with my flashers not working with the lock. I had to disconnect the battery to change my terminals. When I reconnected my battery the flashers started working with the lock. So far so good. Worth trying to see if that works for you.

[oscaroo]

Gday

Yes I've done what you suggested before and then they also started working again. But a couple of weeks later they went back to not working again. I've left it as it is for now.

When the service comes up I'll take it into Mitsubishi. I am hoping they don't just do the batter reconnect thing too.

[powerslave]

My NT has developed exactly the same shudder at 80kmh and only on no throttle. After reading this thread I thought it might be the torque convertor causing the shudder.
It was coincidently booked in for a transmission service at a well known transmission shop in Melbourne. I had them test drive it to confirm my suspicions and they confirmed that it was the convertor lock up causing the issue.
Option one is to pull out the auto and replace the convertor which was about $2200.
Option two was to do a transmission flush, change the filters and add a tube of anti shudder additive.
Option three was to do nothing and live with it.
I chose option two and even though the shifts are much smoother the vibration is still there.
Does anyone have the link to the reflash to repair this problem? I cant seem to find the thread.
Cheers

Paul

For those who have an NT with auto and have this problem, get Mitsubishi to check the firmware version of your AT controller/ECU. There is a known problem with older firmware where the frequency of the lockup PWM combined with other rotational masses can cause the whole car to shudder (mine did it really bad). The problem usually occurs as you describe, between 75-100 KM/hr and only when coasting (very light throttle).

It's going to save you heaps of time and money if you get this checked first and it is the real source of the problem, as it's an easy fix.