Hi everyone - I'm new to this forum!

My 2007 Outlander ES just hit 70,000 miles, and I know I'm due to have some of that recommended service maintenance done on it.

Correct me if I'm wrong (my car didn't come with any owner's manual to verify)... Every 30,000 miles I'm recommended to have the coolant system flushed and the transmission fluid exchanged. Right?

So I should have had both of these things done at 60,000 miles. I've always heard mixed things from people about how flushing coolant and messing with transmission fluid actually screws up their car.

What's the deal on this? Should I have these things done? Wait until later? Not do it at all?

Thanks for all your help!

 

Very important.

Coolant degrades over time resulting in particulate in the cooling system, which blocks up the narrow passage ways in the radiator and heater core. This then leads to excess pressure, increasing the likelihood of head gasket failure.

The transmission fluid flush freakouts happen from goons that don't change it until well over 100k. Consequently, all the garbage floating at the top of the transmission ends up sticking around as it's the last to leave. Then the new fluid is added, and it gets pumped all around and jams up the solenoids, resulting in failure.

SO:

Change your coolant every 2-3 years (or 30-60k)
Change your transmission fluid every 60k
Change your oil with high quality synthetic lubricants every 3-5k. Especially if you want your engine to last.
Change your powersteering fluid every 3ish years, or when it smells burnt, or is no longer cherry red. There are conditioners that degrade, and will eat the pump.
Change your bake fluid every 2 years, as brake fluid is hygroscopic meaning it pulls moisture from the air. This produces a spongy pedal, reduces its boiling point, increasing stopping distance, etc, since water compresses easier.

 

Sebba is absolutely correct.

Also, using the wrong type of transmission fluid during a scheduled flush can cause problems. Even if it costs you a few bucks more, use the fluid required by Mitsubishi. If you're not doing it yourself and not going to your local stealership to have it done, then you should double-check that the shop is using the correct fluid. This applies to all the fluids, actually.

I perform operator-level PMCS once a month, even after my vehicle has just been in for a scheduled check-up, and I do walk-around inspections every week. During a roadtrip, I do the walk-around every two hours.

In my '98 Nissan Maxima, the car that my Outie just replaced, that level of scrutiny has kept me from getting stranded on the Vail Pass on a 4200 mile roadtrip and helped me avoid getting stuck in my carport because my fuel filter was clogged.

Staying on top of checks and maintenance is vitally important, whether you're the fourth owner of a Camry with 250,000 miles or you're humiliating C6 ZR1's and 911 GT2's in your shiny, new GT-R (yes, I know, Godzilla can't guarantee success if the driver is incompetent).

 

You always have something good to add. Thanks for that, definitely useful information.

You can beat a car as much as you want as long as it's been maintained properly. I whipped my little Nissan daily and she had flawless compression... until some illiterate, Mexican, boarder jumping, oxygen thieving, waste of genetic material, t-boned it.

Peeking under the oil cap usually gives a window into what kind of fluids have been used in the engine. Brown shyte and varnish buildup = crappy conventional oil.

Keep up the good work mprojekt, you're valuable around here.

 

Thx Sebba!

I figured that if I'm going to raid the forums for ideas, tips and tricks to modify and maintain my Outie, I might as well give something back, if or when I can.

 

i don't have my owers manual in front of me, but if it says something about changing trans filter, do not hink a flush is the same thing.

transmissions have a filter on the fluid pickup. if the filter is clogged, the trans could become damaged due to fluid starvation.

and do not forget about timing belt replacement. a lot of damage can be done by a timing belt failure.

 

Like those knuckleheads said before, very important.

OCIs can go past 5k miles, but like maintenance to a car, you need to be on top of it. I've done UOAs on Pennzoil Plat with my wife's long commute with some city driving in there...her oil is good for 7.5k miles...no more than that unless >90% highway miles. That thing can still get up and move at 119k miles!

also, most maintenance does not have to be done at the stealership. Mine has only been to the stealership once since my warranty ran out at 60k miles...and that was only because Firestone broke tire pressure sensors and they had to pay to get the sensors re-programmed into the computer. It only sees a mechanic for tire rotations, balances, and alignments...I've done the rest.

 

Haaay. I'm not a knucklehead. My head is distinctly cone-shaped.

 

Thanks for the advice. A few additional questions...

Will I get a transmission freakout if I do the flush now that it's at 70k? I didn't do it at 60k when I should have and I don't know if it was ever done at 30k either since I didn't own the car then.

Timing belt is recommended to be replaced after 105k miles, but the Firestone people told me 105k OR 7 years, whichever came first. Is that true or is he just trying to get me to change the belt right now?

Firestone quoted me $475 for an oil change, tire rotation, coolant flush, tranny flush, brake fluid exchange, air filter, and cabin air filter. Reasonable price?

 

Looking through the Warranty and Maintenance Manual...
Regular Maintenance -
105k miles:
Replace timing belt (except for 4B1 engine)

105k miles OR 84 months:
Replace spark plugs, iridium-tipped type
Change engine oil
Replace engine oil filter
Inspect disc brake pads and rotors for wear
Check brake hoses for deterioration or leaks
Inspect drive shaft boots for grease leaks and damage
Replace air purifier filter (if so equipped)

Severe Maintenance -
105k miles:
Rotate tires

105k miles OR 84 months:
Replace air cleaner filter
Replace spark plugs, iridium-tipped type
Replace timing belt (except 4B1 engine)
Change engine oil
Replace engine oil filter
Check automatic transaxle/transmission fluid level and condition
Inspect disc brake pads and rotors for wear
Inspect rear drum brake and rear wheel cylinders (except vehicles with disc brakes) for wear and leaks of all wheels
Check brake hoses for deterioration or leaks
Inspect drive shaft boots for grease leaks and damage
Inspect suspension system for looseness and damage
Replace air purifier filter (if so equipped)

Which maintenance schedule to follow depends on how often and how hard you stress your vehicle. Mitsubishi states that the Regular maintenance schedule applies only if none of the driving conditions in the Severe maintenance schedule apply.

Severe maintenance schedule is applicable if one or more of the following conditions apply:
-Driving on dusty, rough, muddy, or salt-spread roads
-Towing or police, taxi or commercial operation
-Extensive idling and/or low speed operation
-Repeated short-trip operation at freezing temperatures (engine not thoroughly warmed up)
-Extended use of brakes while driving
-Driving in sandy areas
-More than 50% of operation in heavy city traffic during hot weather above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius)