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Mitsubishi Recalls CVT Transmission For "Hesitant Acceleration"

Mitsubishi Motors’ American division will operate a new recall. This would be the second announced this month for its CVT transmission.
2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 8 photos
Photo: Mitsubishi
2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport with CVT transmission2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport with CVT transmission2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport with CVT transmission2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport with CVT transmission2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport with CVT transmission2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport with CVT transmission2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport with CVT transmission
The safety campaign affects the 2016 Lancer with a CVT, as well 2016 Outlander and 2015-2016 Outlander Sport models. According to the filing made to the NHTSA, Mitsubishi’s Constant Velocity Transmission could exhibit a delay in certain driving conditions. The Japanese brand will install a new software for the 82,436 vehicles affected by this service action.

The documents sent by Mitsubishi Motors to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say that the problem can be exhibited during the initial acceleration from a standstill, or when accelerating after constant speed operation or coasting down. In other words, the CVT is hesitant to accelerate when it is not already doing the said action.

Mitsubishi has explained that the glitch appears because the range switch experiences a momentary loss of signal, which the CVT’s ECU interprets as a manual shift from neutral (N) to drive (D). The transmission then activates a failsafe to prevent “shift shock,” and also avoid a slippage of the CVT’s metal belt.

The said failsafe is the cause of the hesitation in acceleration, and it is generated by a command sent by the transmission’s control unit to the engine’s control unit, which is told to limit torque output, thus causing the described “hesitation.”

Mitsubishi technicians are instructed to reprogram the CVT’s control unit to ignore the momentary loss of the range switch signal, so that the affected models will not experience this problem anymore. The Japanese automaker estimates that the repair procedure will take approximately 30 minutes.

Mitsubishi will contact known owners of the affected models. If you own a 2016 Lancer, Outlander, or Outlander Sport with a CVT transmission, expect to hear from the automaker. You can always check the NHTSA website using the VIN of your vehicle to see if it is included in any recall action.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
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Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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