1995 Eagle Talon

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.

MISMATCHED SIZES BETWEEN CRANKSHAFT AND BALL BEARINGS, ENABLING THE CRANKSHAFT TO MOVE. THE MOVING CRANKSHAFT DESTROYED THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR, AND THERE IS SIGNIFICANT WEAR IN THE BALL BEARINGS. ALL THREE INDEPENDENT DEALERS I CONTACTED REGARDING THIS PROBLEM DEEM IT BEYOND NORMAL WEAR--A DEFECTIVE PART. FURTHER RESEARCH AT THE DSM CAR CLUB (HTTP://WWW.DSM.ORG) REVEALED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN TALON/ECLIPSES, MODEL YEARS 1995-1998. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THE CAR ENGINE WILL STOP WITH NO WARNING, LEAVING THE DRIVER WITHOUT ASSISTED STEERING. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER, BUT THEY DISAVOW ANY RESPONSIBILITY.*AK

AFTER TAKING THE CAR TO A MECHANIC AND RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET IT HAS BECOME EVIDENT THAT I HAVE WHAT IS NICKNAMED OR CALLED "CRANKWALK". THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT RESULTS FROM THE CRANKSHAFT OR THRUST BEARINGS ALLOWING THE CRANKSHAFT TO MOVE FREELY. THIS MOVEMENT ALLOWS THE CRANKSHAFT TO MOVE, WHICH WEARS A GROVE INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK AND OR ALLOWS THE CRANKSHAFT TO HIT THE CRANK-ANGLE SENSOR AND BREAK IT, BOTH OF WHICH RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF THE ENGINE BLOCK. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT MITSUBISHI AND CHRYSLER HAVE NOT COME FORWARD WITH THIS MANUFACTURING FLAW. MITSUBISHI HAS SAID THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT HAS NOT MADE ANY REPARATIONS TO THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES. I AM BEING TOLD THAT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT BEING PUT TOGETHER AS A TYPE THIS, BUT I AM HOPING THAT THE MANUFACTURER WILL MAKE THINGS RIGHT WITH ME AND REPLACE MY ENGINE BLOCK AT THEIR COST. THANK YOU FOR THE SPACE WITH WHICH I AM EXPRESSING MY DISPLEASURE. THE RESULT OF THIS AND MY DISCUSSION WITH THE MANUFACTURER DIRECTLY, WILL DECIDE IF I OR ANYONE ELSE IN MY FAMILY WILL EVER PURCHASE A CHRYSLER OR MISTUBISHI PRODUCT EVER AGAIN.

THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING ON TO THE MANIFOLD AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF. ESTIMATE AT THE DEALER WAS FOR APPROX. $1,000. MECHANIC AT A LOCAL GARAGE SAID HE HAS REPLACED MANY ON THIS MOTOR FOR CHRYSLER AND MITSUBISHI. APPARENTLY CHRYSLER ALSO HAS REDESIGNED THE GASKET 3 TIMES IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE DEFECT. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE OF THE DANGER OF FIRE AND THE ORIGINAL DESIGN DEFECT.*AK