Rear Wheel Misaligned? (UPDATE: some rear axles out of spec; warranty replacement)

[cinder]

Why the welding ? Cheaper . Can this become a norm for all / most manufacturers ?

[Madison320]

Yeap, I just read it. People are sound pretty pissed there.

I feel a little better. At least we're not the only ones!

[Madison320]

You could get your alignment checked and get out of doubt.

I agree. I have a dumb question about alignment. Is there a factory spec for each car model or is it a standard setting?

Also since it sounds like everything is welded and non-adjustable, can they just bend it or hammer it back into alignment?

[3dplane]

I agree. I have a dumb question about alignment. Is there a factory spec for each car model or is it a standard setting?

Also since it sounds like everything is welded and non-adjustable, can they just bend it or hammer it back into alignment?

Not a dumb question.
1: yes each model has it's own specs. A few pages back you can see them on the alignment printouts that some of us has posted.
2: no place can legally bend suspension parts into alignment due to the structural integrity loss that occurs and the legal consequences it may have in an accident.

[Madison320]

Not a dumb question.
1: yes each model has it's own specs. A few pages back you can see them on the alignment printouts that some of us has posted.
2: no place can legally bend suspension parts into alignment due to the structural integrity loss that occurs and the legal consequences it may have in an accident.

Thanks for the response.

If my alignment is not to factory spec and can't be adjusted, that has to be covered under warranty, doesn't it? What's the purpose of a warranty?

[Madison320]

Got the call back from Corporate, and their answer was to take it to a dealer to have it diagnosed. Basically, runaround. I went though the same thing when I had excessive camber before installing the lowering springs, but that camber apparently went into increasing the toe after the springs were installed. They just said "We can't do anything unless something's broken."

I don't understand. If your car is out of alignment, and can't be aligned, it's broken. Period.

[R01k]

Thanks for the response.

If my alignment is not to factory spec and can't be adjusted, that has to be covered under warranty, doesn't it? What's the purpose of a warranty?

I don't understand. If your car is out of alignment, and can't be aligned, it's broken. Period.

As we all know, most warranty terms don't follow normal rules of logic when applied. This is probably not the exception. Although I'm waiting for a final response from Mitsubishi, the Case Manager already mentioned that if the misalignment is not a factory defect, it will not be covered under the warranty. Provided that you don't check the alignment at the time of purchase, the question then becomes how to determine the source of the issue for that particular car - the factoy or you?

[cinder]

We were considering a '15 DE w/ a C.V.T.. Not so with the way Mitsubishi is handling this . Also passing on the '15 FIT w/ a C.V.T. thanks to all the bugs that need to be worked out .

[R01k]

We were considering a '15 DE w/ a C.V.T.. Not so with the way Mitsubishi is handling this . Also passing on the '15 FIT w/ a C.V.T. thanks to all the bugs that need to be worked out .

I don't blame you.

[3dplane]

Thanks for the response.

If my alignment is not to factory spec and can't be adjusted, that has to be covered under warranty, doesn't it? What's the purpose of a warranty?

I don't understand. If your car is out of alignment, and can't be aligned, it's broken. Period.

Totally agree with you!

Unfortunately manufacturers take their sweet time looking into issues and turning them into customer satisfaction/special policy operations.

I see this first hand when there is a well known issue with certain models and it takes sometimes years before the manufacturer comes out with a policy. (working at a GM dealership that is now also mitsu)

The problem in the case with the mirage is that the dealer don't know if this misalignment is customer induced or not,and even if they know it's not they probably can't just order the rear axle assembly because mitsubishi may not authorize the repair because as far as they are concerned there is or was nothing wrong with their product!

They are quite anal with the warranty repairs.

The only reason I'm not jumping up and down about getting a new axle for mine is because I know that I would be getting the same twisted crap that's on my car now.
But thinking about it maybe I should be complaining to mitsu until they approve an axle,replace it,do the alignment check and call them right back with the out of specs results to prove that it is not customer induced misalignment but manufacturing defect.

Or if I had the free time,get the keys one by one to the brand new ones on the lot and put them all on the alignment machine and start cases on all of them. Maybe that would help proving that it is not customer abuse.

Point in case,the more complaints they get,the more pressure on them to do something about it. When that happens is anybody's guess.