2014 starter / flywheel / ring gear issues (Update: repaired under warranty)

[MetroMPG]

Sorry to keep asking, but what was the root cause? Do you know what was preventing the starter from engaging the flywheel properly?

[dspace9]

Sorry to keep asking, but what was the root cause? Do you know what was preventing the starter from engaging the flywheel properly?

No, not really. According to that tech bulletin, starter grinding "may be caused by improper meshing of the starter gear and ring gear due to incorrect backlash"

In other words, they built a car with gears that don't sync.

Root cause is a manufacturer's defect. Does this answer your question?

I'm not sure your level of mechanical knowledge. FYI The starter is a small electric motor that engages the fly wheel, which gets the pistons going, etc.

[MetroMPG]

Thank you!

improper meshing of the starter gear and ring gear due to incorrect backlash

That's what I hadn't seen before. Essentially a misalignment of the gear teeth.

As to why they're not aligned, some engineer at Mitsu probably knows. (Ring gear out of spec? Starter out of spec?)

Once it starts grinding, the problem just gets worse.

[dspace9]

Once it starts grinding, the problem just gets worse.

Yep no problemo, just annoying I had to go through so many hurdles. Hope the new starter Mitsu is putting on my Mirage works perfect!

[dspace9]

Spoke too soon, now Mitsu headquarters did a 180 and won't pay their share for the new starter and flywheel. Dealer is making calls, but the dealer said they would cover this, now they aren't. This is ridiculous. Mitsubishi, you have poor customer service, and the 10 year warranty is a scam.

[Fummins]

Wow that sucks! So they still have your car? If you already picked it up I wouldn't pay.

[dspace9]

Wow that sucks! So they still have your car? If you already picked it up I wouldn't pay.

I still have my car, they haven't touched it, but I'm back to square one.

The starter on the early Mirages is garbage, and what I really cant wrap my head around is, what good is a 10 year warranty if they don't cover such an obvious manufacturer's defect. Salt on the wound was when they said they were going to pay 2/3 of the cost, then this week they back track today.

Who gives a good-will credit and takes it back?

I'm annoyed haha

[MetroMPG]

This is bizarre. What reason are they giving? Has the work already been done?

[stevedmc]

I still have my car, they haven't touched it, but I'm back to square one.

The starter on the early Mirages is garbage, and what I really cant wrap my head around is, what good is a 10 year warranty if they don't cover such an obvious manufacturer's defect. Salt on the wound was when they said they were going to pay 2/3 of the cost, then this week they back track today.

Who gives a good-will credit and takes it back?

I'm annoyed haha

My car came with a couple of different warranties. If I remember correctly, the bumper to bumper warranty was only for 36,000 miles or 5 years. It covered everything. This is what your starter would have been covered under.

After the bumper to bumper warranty expires you have a warranty that only covers the drive train. This warranty is 10 years or 100,000 miles. When I purchased my car, the dealer made it clear that this only covered stuff inside of the engine/transmission. Any external parts such as spark plugs, starters, alternators, etc. would not be covered.

It doesn't cover wear items either such as clutches. It could possibly cover something like a ring gear, but your situation is very iffy because it could have been either a bad ring gear, a bad starter or both. Starter would have only been covered under the five year warranty, and the ring gear should have still been covered under the ten year warranty.

It looks like they waited for your five year warranty to expire and then shift the blame onto your starter, which isn't covered after five years.

[MetroMPG]

If he has records of bringing this exact problem to the dealer's attention prior to the expiry of the warranty (if it has in fact expired), my understanding is the problem should still be covered.