Mitsubishi Outlander ZK (2015-2017) Questions & Answers

Look on the LHS front door. Usually there is a sticker

Can't comment on the ZK model as i have the ZH 2010 model outlander 4 cylinder 4WD 2.4 litre
But my experience might have some relevance

No issues at 170,000kms. Always dealer serviced by the logbook
My vehicle did a lot of towing a trailer right up to 1600kg towing and 725 kg load limit of the vehicle
Up and down mountains to 1300m altitude as i built my own house and renovated a couple of other houses

I manual shift a huge amount as the mountain roads mean i use the engine rather than the brakes to mostly slow down or keep momentum up on the hills. The car remains in 4WD AUTO mode all the time with LOCK selected momentarily on the real slippery stuff.

My ZH model has a SEPARATE CVT auto transmission cooler rather than being combined as part of the radiator.
I believe both Ford (territory) and Nissan (xtrail) have this combined radiator arrangement and if the radiator splits then coolant from the engine can contaminate and totally destroy the auto transmission
It's the only reason i can see why the 2010 + Xtrails seem to trash their cvt autos using the EXACT SAME cvt jatco brand and model as the 2010 outlander. But it's usually at High Km's of 200,000 or more
Many fit a separate after market transmission cooler to avoid the issue, especially on the territory

Not sure how Mitsubishi do things now that they are owned partly by Renault !!!. ?

So CVT auto should be ok based on my experience if the services are followed and the Transmission doesn't overheat with excessive loading or sand driving and the engine radiator is NOT going to cause an issue if it splits

ALSO

Try and get the longest manufacturer warranty you can (mine was 160,000km's and 10 years drivetrain)
is about all you can do because if the CVT auto dies out of warranty then it's "Throwaway the car" as your looking at $7-$9k for a CVT replacement. Manufacturer warranty is at least peace of mind as these are expensive repairs

If i were to buy again a car NEW i probably would buy CVT again as i found a smaller 4 cylinder petrol engine (low torque non turbo) makes using cruise control possible without the normal (ANNOYING) hunting up and down the gears that a normal auto does. That's a big bonus for me

Thanks. Is that separate transmission cooler standard, an optional extra, or an after-market fitting?

HI. I have a 2016 zk 2l with CVT. My car developed a high pitched noise from the CVT at 7000km. Mitsubishi replaced the CVT oil and the noise went away for about 3,500 km. The noise only happens between the 1250 and 1450 rpm, just as the car is doing about 50kph. The noise only happens after the car is warm and the noise is worse on hot days, days over about 32 degrees. Mitsubishi advised me that it is a characteristic for the Outlander and they will NOT fix it. We have another Outlander which has done 20,000 and it hasn't developed a noise the CVT. If you buy an Outlander with a CVT then there is every chance that it will develop a whine in the transmission. The noise is loud enough to be heard over road noise and the radio when played at a low volume.