Well, after a week of dealing with the mitsu customer service rep, and the dealership, they finally replaced the alternator. I have installed driving lights, and they said that they maybe pulling too much current. I told them that this car has a 120 amp alternator, and the 8 amps they pull would not bother it. The XLS comes with a lot more features that pull power compared to mine.
I told them that it was funny that when they first tested it, it was fine. I took it in yesterday, and now there is at least a 1/2 volt drop. I guess they found a working DMM at the dealership, or the district manager was there. I haven't tested it out yet, but I am going to drive it around today.

 

dude, you're overreacting to a non-existing problem.

the voltage is computer controlled, and varies constantly by multiple inputs (load, temp (engine, air, etc), RPM, etc).
There is almost assuredly nothing wrong with your car. Voltage DOES and WILL change.
A half volt drop is NOTHING.

drive your car and relax.

 

I don't think you understand. When I am driving, you can hear the blower motor slow down whenever the AC compressor turns on. At night, the headlights will dim when the AC comes on. Try driving down a dark road in the middle of no where when the lights will dimm for a 1/2 second, then return to normal.
Well, I got back from driving around, and it did not make a bit of a difference. I looked to see if they did actually install a new alternator. When I opened the hood, I noticed that they did not tighten the ground strap. I no that will not make a difference. I then looked, and saw they scratch the side of the engine cover. I know that they had removed the bolts from the alternator, I hope that they swapped it like they said they did.
I am now back to my original theory that the aux fan is pulling too much current when it turns on. This is starting to get upsetting.

 

In your first post you said the voltage was dropping into the 12V range. Are you monitoring this with a volt meter while driving? If so how far is it actually dropping? If it goes below 13V with all the accessories on something is wrong. If not, no worries.

 

I connected my DMM directly to the battery and drove around. With the headlights on ac on high, it was at 14.2v. When the AC compressor turns on, the voltage will drop 10 13.4. It drops for just a 1/2 a second then back up to 14.2. This car has a 120 amp alternator, that is what I have read. If this is true then there is major current draw on the system, since they replaced the alternator.

 

Well, in my opinion 13.4V is within the threshold of a good alternator. A/C on with the high beams, you can expect a drop off in voltage. Now don't confuse amps with volts. It really doesn't matter the amperage output of the alternator, when there is a major draw,voltage will drop for a short time before the alternator has time to recover. 120A is the MAXIMUM output of that unit, and the fact that the voltage recovers shows that you are not drawing anywhere near that maximum. Remember that this is a computer controlled system, and there is a series of events that occur between the voltage drop and the alternator incresing it's output.

 

So, you are telling me that an instantanious 1v drop is ok? I don't think so. I have never seen that happen. I have seen the voltage drop a couple of tenths of a volt but not a full volt. I am telling you that thisvoltage drop occures weather I have the lights on or not, it does not matter where I have the blower motor set,it happens. If this truly has a 120 amp alt,then there should be nothing in that car that will pull that much current. I have had a 600watt (55amp draw) stereo is a 95 Mirage. The alt in that is 65 amp. With the stereo full volume and the AC on the lights would not flicker.
Look, I am not here discuss electrical theory, I wanted to know if anyone else was having this problem.

 

This trend is nuts. Mitsiboy is saying his lights dim and isnt complaining about volts and amps or anything else. I went out to my outlander today and had the ac on, lights and radio and my lights didnt dim. Nothing happen. I would say go to the dealer and have them fix it or just ride it out until something bad happens.

 

for the last time, IT IS NORMAL. It happens on every car on the planet. And you have never seen that happen? Out of what, the 3 cars you've owned? Ive owned 40 and worked on them for 16 years, and Im telling you you have no worries.
Its obviously not a problem if the new alternator (which was replaced for no reason as I knew would be the case) does the exact same thing.
You have to realize that the alternator does NOT respond instantaniously to a 50 amp draw.

 

Well, I guess that there are no other Outies that have headlights that dim, and blower motors that slow down when the AC compressor comes on. I guess the 20 cars that I have owned in my 15 years of driving, makes me a novice owner. I have never had a car that has a visible voltage drop when the ac comes on. Does yours?
I finally taked to the reg. manager. He was told a different story, and set of symptoms, than what I told him. They have a major communication problem. He is the most intelligent person I have delt with so far. I hope that they will fix this problem ASAP.