| Subject: | 2000 Montero Sport 4WD failure |
| Question: | I had a '92 Eclipse & no problems so I stepped up and bought a Montero Sport in '00. I drive 105 miles a day--all highway, and have put 80k on in 2 years. I do all the tune-ups. Now the 4wd doesn't work & the dealer told me it's 2 switches that have failed. The car has 80k & the warranty is up, but the 4wd has only been used 6-7 times. Those switches have low mileage! They tried to charge me $400 to fix it, I complained, they called Mistubishi, they won't cover it. I got the bill down to $295, but I still think this stinks. A $27000 4wd vehicle shouldn't fail after such little use. But the dealer & mfr. refuse to ackowledge the defect. Am I nuts? This seems like a bad design or defective switch. |
| Answer: | Mike, No, you're not nuts. Though Mitsubishi makes some of the best cars on the road, they definately are not known for their warranties. The drivetrain warranty, which would cover your 4WD mechanisms, lasts 5 years / 60,000 miles; which ever comes first. Since you've gone over that 60k mile mark, neither the dealership nor the factory are required to honor your warranty contract. Unless Mitsubishi issues a formal recall (which too is rare) you'll be left with no choice than to pay for this out of your own pocket. You're also right in suggesting that the 4WD shouldn't fail after such little use, and relatively low mileage. 80k miles in 2 years is a lot of miles, but its rare for the 4WD to fail. The one bright side is that you were able to get the bill down to $295. If you haven't already paid for the repair, you can find out how much it would be for you to buy the parts you need from the dealership, then have a local mechanic install them for much less than the dealership would charge. Just keep up the regular tune-ups that you've been doing. It'll keep your car running as long as your Eclipse did. |