1995 Eagle Talon

THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FOUND LARGE AMOUNTS OF NUTS AND BOLTS ROLLING BACK AND FORTH ON BOTH PANELS IN THE TRUNK. BOTH PANELS WERE REPLACED IN THE REAR SEAT AREA. THE ENGINE STALLED, THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST BADLY. THE CHAIN BOLT VALVE, TIMING COVER, TIMING BELT, TIMING CHAIN/BELT, THE BALANCE SHAFT BOLT, AND THE FRONT AND REAR STRUTS WERE REPLACED. A NEW OIL PAN WAS PLACED IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IDLED ABNORMALLY AND LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW BATTERY, AND A LEFT FRONT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. THERE WAS A KNOCKING ISSUE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. MR SCC *JB

INTERMITTENT - WHILE STOPPED, VEHICLE VIBRATES/STARTS TO STALL AND STOPS - "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" COMES ON. CAR WILL RESTART INSTANTLY AND RUN O.K. (LIGHT GOES OUT). INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" COMES ON AND ENGINES HESITATES - WILL CLEAR UP OR STALL. DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE HAS NEVER LISTED A CODE IN THE SYSTEM. ON 05/21/2002 DODGE DEALER RECOMMENDED THROTTLE BODY REPLACEMENT PURSUANT TO SERVICE BULLETIN NO. 18-04-96 (ERRATIC IDLE AND MIL ILLUMINATED) EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (COST: $335.50 FOR THROTTLE BODY PART, $40.00 INSTALLATION AND $65.00 FOR DIAGNOSIS). PARTS REPLACED IN 2001 TO ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THESE PROBLEMS: SPARK PLUGS, VALVE COVER GASKET, IDLE AIR CONTROL, TIMING BELT, WATER PUMP, FUEL FILTER; FUEL INJECTION AND THROTTLE BODY WERE CLEANED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO OPERATE WITH THE PROBLEMS NOTED AND IS UNRELIABLE. PLEASE ADVISE.*AK

THE CRANKSHAFT THRUST BEARING BECOMES SEVERLY WORN DUE TO A *KNOWN* DESIGN FLAW IN THE OILING SYSTEM (MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE DESIGN FLAW AS EVIDENCED BY THE TSB'S SENT TO ITS DEALERS REGARDING THE ISSUE). THIS WEAR EVENTUALLY CAUSES EXCESSIVE LATERAL PLAY IN THE CRANKSHAFT WHICH DAMAGES THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR MOUNTED EXTERNALLY TO THE ENGINE BLOCK (THIS FAILURE HAS BEEN KNOWN TO OCCUR AS EARLY AS 10,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER OR AS LATE AS 100,000 MILES). THIS WILL, WITHOUT WARNING, KILL THE ENGINE. ON AN EXPRESSWAY DOING 70MPH, IT'S A DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TASK TO NEGOTIATE 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC DOING HALF THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT IN A CAR COASTING ON ITS OWN DEAD WEIGHT WITH NO POWER-ASSISTED BRAKES OR STEERING (I'VE HEARD OF MORE THAN ONE INSTANCE WHERE THE FAILURE CAUSED AN ENGINE FIRE). THIS PROBLEM ONLY AFFECTS THE *TURBO* ENGINE DESIGNATED "MITSUBISHI 4G63 2.0L TURBO" IN THE EAGLE TALON AND MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE MANUFACTURED DURING AND AFTER THE 1995 MODEL YEAR. I KNOW OF 3 OTHER TURBO TALON/ECLIPSE OWNERS IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY AREA ALONE THAT HAVE HAD THEIR CAR JUST *DIE* WHILE DRIVING. SOME HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM "FIXED" UNDER WARRANTY ONLY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RETURN AFTER THE WARRENTY HAD EXPIRED. THE FAILURE RATE IS PRETTY MUCH 100% AND *WILL* HAPPEN TO *EVERY* 4G63 EQUIPPED TALON AND ECLIPSE MADE DURING AND AFTER THE 1995 MODEL YEAR EVENTUALLY. UNFORTUNATLY, THE NUMBER OF TALON'S AND ECLIPSE'S ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH THE OPTIONAL TURBO ENGINE IS A TENTH THE NUMBER EQUIPPED WITH THE BASE MODEL ENGINE MANUFACTURED BY DAIMLER CHRYSLER WHICH DOES NOT EXHIBIT THIS PROBLEM. THAT, ALONG WITH THE UNREPORTED WARRENTY REPAIRS, FALSE ACCUSATIONS BY DEALERS THAT OWNERS HAVE "NEGLECTED" THEIR VEHICLES, AND SEEMINGLY WIDE VARIATION ON THE MILEAGE THAT IS ACCRUED BEFORE THE FAILURE OCCURS HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO PROVE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD, IS A DESIGN FLAW, AND POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.