1993 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER CAR LATE ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND IT STALLED OUT IN A RURAL AREA. WE HAD IT TOWED TO OUR MECHANICAL AND THINKING IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE CAM SHAFT HAD SPLIT. HE SAID THAT THIS IS VERY UNUSUAL. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH I HAVE LEARNED THAT MITSUBISHI HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE FACT THAT WITH THE MIRAGE THERE CAN BE A PROBLEM WITH STALLING DUE TO AN ENGINE SHAFT DEFECT. WHEN I CALLED MITSUBISHI ALL THEY SAID WAS THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THAT AND BECAUSE THE CAR IS A 1993 WITH 103,000 MILES THERE IS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO. I STRONGLY FEEL THIS IS A WARRANTY ISSUE NO MATTER HOW OLD THE CAR IS OR HOW MANY MILES IT HAS. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE OR NORMAL AND ROUTINE CARE COULD HAVE PREVENTED. IT IS A SERIOUS MATERIAL DEFECT. *NLM

Mileage: 103,000

THE FIRST HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED ON 3-8-1999 @30,886 MILES. THE SECOND HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED ON 1-24-2002 @ 55,691 MILES. THEY WOULD NOT HELP COVER THE COST BECAUSE IT WAS LONGER THAN ONE YEAR EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS ONLY 24,000 MILES ON THE HEAD GASKET. I HAVE KEPT ALL RECEIPTS ON MY VEHICLE AND HAVE KEPT UP WITH ALL THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE. THERE MUST BE SOME DEFECT INVOLVED.*AK

WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING CAMSHAFT FAILED TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO HAVING VEHICLE IN SHOP FOR A TIMING BELT FAILURE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. IT TOOK $1400.00.*AK ( SEE ODI # 733265).

I HAD A TIMING BELT INSTALL , ONE WEEK LATER MY CAR STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY, SO I CALL MITSUBISHI AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY TIMING BELT PROBABLY CAME OFF. I HAD ALREADY PAID $400.00 TO INSTALL MY TIMING BELT, SO WHEN I WENT DOWN TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CAM SHAFT HAD BROKEN, SO I WENT AND TALK TO A MECHANIC AND THEY TOLD ME THAT ONLY WAY A CAM SHAFT CAN BREAK IS THE TIMING BELT WAS NOT INSTALL RIGHT OR CAM SHAFT WAS DEFECTED , I HAD TO PAID $1400.00 TO GET IT FIX , SO I NEED SOME HELP TO SEE WHAT REALLY HAPPEN......THANK. *AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THEN SHORTLY AFTER ENGINE STALLS . AFTER RESTING A COUPLE OF MINUTES ENGINE CAN BE RESTARTED, BUT PROCESS WILL OCCUR AGAIN. *AK

TEMPERATURE SENSOR FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. *AK

WATER PUMP LEAKED. TT

THERMOSTAT FAILURE. TT

ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD/HEAD GASKET LEAKED DUE TO WARPED ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD. *AK

ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR FAILED.