Anyone else notice the front subframe holds a little water inside it?
Wondering if anyone has done anything about this or has a suggestion? Are the 2015/2017 subs differ3nt?
Anyone else notice the front subframe holds a little water inside it?
Wondering if anyone has done anything about this or has a suggestion? Are the 2015/2017 subs differ3nt?
Last edited by MetroMPG; 10-11-2018 at 04:39 PM. Reason: (added info to title)
Can you get a picture of where you're talking about?
Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block
Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100
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View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)
I had my car jacked up pretty high sideways (1 side of the car off the ground) and had a small puddle run out of the corner
15 and 17' look the same. They are full of holes everywhere. I wouldn't worry about it. Every car has holes in the subframe. They are wide open at the front of the crossmember where the motor mount bolts to it. They collect rocks and snow, I've only had two cars get packed with crap causing the motor mount to vibrate the car like crazy.
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage SE wussie cvt edition. 1.2 automatic: 37.7 mpg (US) ... 16.0 km/L ... 6.2 L/100 km ... 45.3 mpg (Imp)
MetroMPG (10-11-2018)
Counterpoint! I think this is potentially serious.
I've been wondering if/when we were going to discover a corrosion-related Achille's heel in these cars, and I think MightyMirageMpg just identified it.
If you live where road salt is used, this will probably be a major failure point on these cars in the future, unless the metal thickness was designed to corrode more slowly than the drivetrains wear out. (Unlikely!)
(This perspective from from a Geo Metro aficionado who is very familiar with the Metro's fatal rust-related design flaw: the unibody had a similar hollow structure that trapped water and caused the front control arm mount points to rust away. Many, many Metros went prematurely to the junkyard, killed by hard-to-repair structural rust with lots of life left in their little Suzuki drivetrains.)
My brother has an 8 year-old Dodge Caliber that trapped a little water in the front subframe just like the Mirage's. It rusted to the point that the subframe started to fail and the front alignment went out (the front suspension hard points became soft points!). Lucky for him it was replaced under a goodwill warranty by Chrysler -- it became a widespread problem in Calibers and Jeep Patriots (same platform). His independent mechanic quoted well over $1000 to replace the subframe before they found out about the warranty.
Advice to all Mirage owners:
Start rustproofing your front subframes! Annually.
I guarantee I'll be doing that when I get one. Thanks to MightyMirageMpg for pointing this out. (If I coulda given you a dozen "thanks", I woulda.)
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 62.4 mpg (US) ... 26.5 km/L ... 3.8 L/100 km ... 74.9 mpg (Imp)
spork (11-01-2018)
What about all the holes in the unibody frame? Most cars have hollow boxed frame sections near the front behind the subframe and have oval holes in them for tying the car down while towing. The Mirage does too. The place I'd see rusting out first would be just in front of the rear wheels where they made a little shelf for crap to collect.
Most car's I see rusted out are from the east. It's pretty rare to have serious rust problems out here. Unless you live in the sticks and it's impossible to keep a clean vehicle.
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage SE wussie cvt edition. 1.2 automatic: 37.7 mpg (US) ... 16.0 km/L ... 6.2 L/100 km ... 45.3 mpg (Imp)
You're not wrong: Unibody holes are also bad if they let water in and it pools in some kind of depression (can't easily run/dry out).
Sounds like the subframe allows it to pool in a low spot & not dry out.
Of course, it's going to be worse if a hole that lets water in is in the line of fire from tire spray, since that'll put a lot more salty water into the cavity.
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 62.4 mpg (US) ... 26.5 km/L ... 3.8 L/100 km ... 74.9 mpg (Imp)
You aren't joking i.owned a caliber too. Go figure.
Guess the only logical thing to do is too rinse it out with a hose dry it and try to spray some kind of preventative inside like Fluid Film.
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Could it have been water draining out of the A/C drain hose? It hangs down right in the vicinity of that corner of the subframe as you described. My subframe has holes in the bottom that look they would pretty much preclude much accumulation. I replaced the subframe on my sons Mirage after he bent it running the car into a ditch the winter before last and neither his or the used subframe I bought had any accumulation of anything in them.
craigq (10-13-2018)