Idle stepper motor Id say at a guess. A common fault, they get gunked up as the crankcase breather goes into the inlet manifold just before the idle mechanism.But I dont know why is should read 1000rpm....? When my stepper motor sighed enough it would just idle very low or not at all.

 

This is a bit of a similar topic, so is it normal for the Outlander temp guage to heat up to exactly half and then fluctuate one bar down, and then back up etc....If you crank the heat and turn the fan high, it drops again. But when the heat is cranked, it is so hot I can't keep my hand in front of the vent. Is this normal?

I think there might be air in my cooling system since the rad cap failed on me as soon as I drove it off the lot (I looked under the hood and saw all the coolant on the front of the Outie and very very little in the overflow tank (about one inch left). I also see air in the part of the overflow tank that is connected to the black overflow hose. Is this normal?

I tried to "burp" the engine but only coolant came out.
Just trying to firgure out if I need to do something...The dealership is 90 minutes away by highway.

Thanks!

 

Mitsubishi has apparently acknowledged the issue as mentioned in one of the first posts of this thread. The reflash fix has seen poor results from what I've heard and experienced first hand. The next step is replacing the ECU in the 07/08's with the 09 model. I don't know what the difference between the ECU's is but this is what is being recommended by the local dealers in Alberta at this time. I haven't had mine swapped yet but once it is complete I will let you know my results.

And I have to agree with the majority in this thread - the Outlander does not produce enough heat at idle, nor do the majority of new vehicles these days due to attempts to reduce emissions and increase efficiency. The idle is set way too low and living in a climate that often drops below -20C, I'm seriously considering selling the Outlander. I can sit here all night and name vehicles that will MELT the dash at idle with the heater on high.

 

I have an 09 and from startup until the engine is warm my tach varies around 1000. After it's warm it goes down and stabilizes near 500-600. Not sure if earlier outlanders do this but might be part of the ECU difference (or just emissions related). Either way when it idles at 1000 i get a bit of vibration so that's the downside. Hasn't gotten below freezing so i haven't experienced if there is a lack of heat yet or any idle adjustments for it.

 

there were interesting posts on this thread that were very techical for me but did shed light on the outtie.

I own one and i do agree that the outtie doesnt warm up faster compared to the cars i've owned. I even have a remote starter installed in my outtie but even after 20 mins of idling in my closed garage, it's still cold inside the car when i get in. In addition, my outtie always experienced hard starts when it gets really cold, dealer mentioned it was a relay that moisture is coming into the relay. they sealed it but it still happens.

I live in winnipeg and winter is worst here. it was only -2 this morning and it was very cold what more when it gets -45 come jan/feb.

I understand that there were TSBs issued for it. I havent tried to ask the dealer about it as everyone is saying that it doesnt help. I think it''s because im a person who's not into complaining as long as the car starts (outtie is the first and only car that i bought new, i wont buy a new car again unless i win the lottery). Im sure there are a lot of outtie owners who experienced the cold temp while idling but not bother complaining. However, MMNA should fix it as they know it's a known problem.

 

Judge,
There are two separate issues you are describing.
The first is low heat at idle. There was a TSB for 2007s and maybe some 2008s that would increase the idle speed a couple of 100 rpm at temps below -15. I had that one applied but it didn't make much difference.
The second is the moisture in the relay TSB, completely different from the low idle heat. There are 4 relays under the hood in the fuse box that can be replaced by the dealer. The original ones were black, the replacements were green. I had a problem my first winter with a very harsh shift into drive that caused a check engine light and drivability issues. The dealer replaced the 4 relays and I haven't had a problem since. It is supposed to happen at very cold temperatures, when you have driven a short way and then stop and restart the car. That's exactly how it happened to me.

edit: warming a car for 20 minutes in a closed garage seems like a great way to CO poisoning? Just saying.
You'll warm the outie a lot faster by idling for a minute or two and then driving it gently...even in really cold weather. Calgary hits the -30s often enough.

 

thanks for the clarification. my dealer just put a sealant in one of my relays as a temporary solution didnt get the green replacements as they say they have to order the parts but they didnt phone me to replace it till now. didnt complain even though i experienced rough shifting last winter for a short time but didnt prompt the check engine light to come on. btw i have an 07 ls.

i understand no car is perfect but spending 30k plus interest on a new car with troubles (although not big ones) is still not worth it. i would rather spend 15-20k on a slightly used car with lower maintenance check-up charges. (I need to start saving for that $800 - 30k check-up), not to mention about $50 oil changes (im doing diy next oil change), and always asking yourself, would this void my warranty?

my garage is detached so no worries on co2. but my work is just 10 min away and i find it amusing that my car interior is still cold upon reaching work. that's why i somewhat miss my old mazda protege.

 

07 LS here as well. One of the things about these new engines is that the more efficient they get, the less heat they produce. at Idle, there is very little fuel used and it's burned very efficiently meaning very little extra heat. Aluminum blocks also work as great heat sinks and transfer heat to the air much more effectively than steel.

I would work on getting the relays changed out. The new ones made a difference for me.

I do all my own oil changes. I just buy the mitsu oil filter and keep receipts and detailed records of the things I do. Mitsu drivetrains are not known to be weak, so I don't anticipate any problems.

 

"but my work is just 10 min away and i find it amusing that my car interior is still cold upon reaching work. that's why i somewhat miss my old mazda protege."


That's hilarious...I was thinking the EXACT same thing...I just traded in my Protege5 for the outlander and am amazed at how slow the outlander heats up.....

 

=== do you buy your oil filter from the dealer, if not where do you buy it, can you give me the part number that you buy and if you know where to buy it online?
thanks.