Mitsubishi Shogun Common Problems and Solutions
Door Warning Lights
Problem:
The door warning lights turn on at random times, sometimes when driving, and sometimes even when the car isn’t running. This is sometimes accompanied by a sporadic burst from your car alarm.
Solution:
If your Shogun was made before 2008, then it probably still has the older version of the contact switches on the door. When they fail, they send a signal to your interior light, even when the lamp is in the off position. Try changing the contact switch for a new version. We have plenty in stock, and it’s an easy repair. However, if that doesn’t work, then you will have to have a full diagnostic check carried out.
Difficulty level
Engine Overheating
Problem:
The engine is overheating, even after short journeys.
Solution:
This will most likely be a problem with your front to rear heating pipes. This should only affect cars that have a lot of miles on the clock or are particularly old and is usually caused by rusted pipes that are making you lose coolant. If you ignore this, then you are going to end up with a cracked head gasket. Find the heating pipes, and double-check the section of piping that’s high up in the driver’s side rear wheel arch. You can bypass the damaged section of piping, but it’s a much safer long-term solution to buy replacement heating pipes from us and replace the rusted ones.
Difficulty level
Car Is Pulling To The Side
Problem:
While driving, the car is pulling to the left or the right. This may be accompanied by the brake pedal sometimes getting stuck in the down position or a slight burning smell inside the car.
Solution:
This problem doesn’t happen often, but it’s worth being aware of. In some manual models of the Shogun, the brake calliper sliding bolts can sometimes stick. That’s causing the pulling to the side, which is also affecting the sensitivity of your brake pedal and that burning smell. Check where the damage is on your callipers. You’ll have to replace the faulty brake calliper sliding bolts, but this is not a task that takes long. We can deliver your replacement parts too.
Difficulty level
Slow to Brake
Problem:
It is taking longer and longer to come to a full stop when you apply the brake.
Solution:
It’s very likely that your brake discs have failed on one or all of your wheels. This will tend to happen in older models of the usually very reliable Shogun. The good news is that buying even a complete set of replacement brake discs from us is easier than ever, and there are lots of video guides available that can guide you through the right steps.
Difficulty level
Brake Disc
Bumpy Driving
Problem:
The car has become a lot bumpier than it used to be.
Solution:
This will be caused by general wear and tear on your suspension. Have a check for specific parts of the suspension system that might be causing the issue, but there’s a chance that you might need to overhaul and replace the entire system. While this can be a time-consuming task, it’s a lot more affordable to buy a suspension system from our parts page and do the work yourself than taking it to a garage.
Difficulty level
Crunching Gears
Problem:
The gearbox is making a crunching noise every time that you change gears.
Solution:
When a Shogun gets to around 60,000 miles on the clock, it’s going to start seeing problems. One of those is a worn-out gearbox, which will be what’s causing that crunching noise when you change gears. You’ll have to buy a replacement, which we can help with. It’s easier to remove and install a gearbox in a Shogun than you might think too.
Difficulty level
Gearbox Transmission
Erratic idling
Problem:
There are known issues with the fuel pump on the diesel engines. A known symptom on the Shogun is for the engine to idle erratically. This causes the needle to rise and fall instead of remaining at a constant speed.
Solution:
You will need to fit a replacement diesel pump to resolve the issue. We can help you find one at a very low price.
Difficulty level
Engine rattling noise
Problem:
If you are hearing a high pitched rattling noise coming from the top of the engine, it is caused by a problem with the top timing chain guide.
Solution:
The top timing chain guide will need adjusted to fix this problem.
Difficulty level
Timing Chain
Lack of power/ idling problems
Problem:
The EGR (Exhaust Gas Re-circulation) valve can get blocked up by a carbon build up on the Shogun. If this happens, you will notice that there is a problem with the acceleration and a real lack of power. You may also be noticing that the engine is idling very roughly instead of at a consistent speed.
Solution:
You will need to clean out the EGR valve to resolve this issue. Watch the video below to see how this is done:
Difficulty level
EGR Valve
Tow bar electric failure
Problem:
On the factory fitted tow bar there is an electrical connection for the lights etc. on the trailer. This has been known to get damaged by water ingress. If it is damaged the electrics and lights will not work on the trailer.
Solution:
You will need to get the electrics fixed to sort this problem.
Difficulty level
Electric Windows Stopped Working
Problem:
One or all of the electric windows has stopped working. They may have stopped working while in any position, meaning that your window could be left permanently open.
Solution:
Electrical faults are one of the more consistent problems with a Mitsubishi Shogun, and the window control motor will eventually fail. While this won’t affect every model, it’s worth knowing about just in case. The problem will be the control motor for the specific window that’s being affected, which you can find easily using our drop-down menu. If all of the windows have stopped working, then you most likely have a wiring fault, which can be very challenging to diagnose. In those cases, you will be best off going to a Mitsubishi dealer for a full diagnostic check.
Difficulty level
Window Motor
