Heater core update

[sunsetjim]

My spelling is way off this morning...

[sunsetjim]

No pics, as tge dealer kept all the parts. Plenty of frustration though...

[Alex1a1f]

Like others have said, this seems isolated and a possible dealer mishap. Fummins maintains a fleet of 20+ Mirages without a single mention of this issue. All in all, pretty sure this isn't a 'problem' but a rarity.

[Fummins]

Warning: The heater cores are faulty on these cars. They use crimp-on clamps that WILL eventually fail. Not even Mitsubishi tech servjce in Cali can figure it out. I've just had mine replaced for the 3rd time in 75k miles. I was advised to trade it before the warranty expired. Lucky I bought the bumper to bumper 100k mile platinum coverage warranty extension. I intend fully to trade before this coverage ends. No more Mitsus for me. And I really liked the car except for this one problem

Thanks for the warning but this isn't a common problem with the car but rather an isolated problem with your car and your dealership. A hand full of others had failures on their 14's but I don't recall hearing of any repeat problems...

I haven't seen any failures in 15' and 17's in almost 40 cars.. I'm gonna say your dealership is incompetent and the tech is bending the lines when installing it causing it to fail almost instantly. Likely trying to take a short cut to get the job done quicker since most techs get paid by the job not the hour. Or maybe they aren't even changing it and just jb welding it where it leaked? Who knows..... It's not a common failure. Find an independent shop or a different dealer. Or just fix it yourself if you can turn a wrench.

[inuvik]

No pics, as tge dealer kept all the parts. Plenty of frustration though...

So what is the issue? Are you getting coolant leakage or just poor heater function?

I'm thinking the dealer is:

1: Using improper anti-freeze which is causing accelerated corrosion
2: Using tap water to mix to 50/50 concentration (mineral content of water causing accelerated corrosion)
3: Not removing the air pocket from the newly installed heater core using a closed loop coolant charging system which is causing coolant to not circulate through the heater core.
4: A combination of one or all of these possibilities

If this was a design problem then this would show up as a reoccurring problem with other vehicles but so far (unfortunately for you) this is literally the only incidence of this being reported.