Mitsubishi L200 common problems
Japanese pickup trucks like the Mitsubishi L200 have a formidable reputation when it comes to build quality. The number of Mitsubishi L200 problems reported compared to its rivals is quite low, but there are a couple of niggling common faults. In this article, we list the most common Mitsubishi L200 issues.
The Pickup Truck Reliability Survey was carried out by our sister title, Professional Pickup & 4×4 magazine, in late 2017. It was the most comprehensive survey on pickup truck reliability every carried out, with over 400 respondents.
In total, the owners had amassed over 24,000,000 real-world mileage, and the combined age of all the pickups in the survey was around 1,800 years.
Mitsubishi L200 leaf springs crack
The Mitsubishi L200 leaf springs are known to crack if the owner regularly carries heavy loads or tows heavy trailers and is usually signalled by a regular knocking sound coming from either of the rear wheels. Fixing it can be expensive, as the whole housing – including bushes – usually needs replacing on both sides, as just replacing on one side can lead to a lopsided truck.
Mitsubishi L200 heater matrix problems
The Mitsubishi L200 heater matrix forms part of the vehicle’s cooling system; it reuses heat from the vehicle’s coolant to heat up the cab. However, it is known to fail quite early and leak, which results in the smell of anti-freeze working its way into the cab and the fogging of interior windows. Replacing the heater matrix is quite a difficult task due to its location, and we recommend having professionals to carry out this work if you’re not an expert.
Mitsubishi L200 head gasket problems
Problems with the engine overheating can also affect the head gasket, which another common component failure on the Mitsubishi L200. Owners should be aware of a bubbling sound once the engine has been turned off; this is a sign of the radiator failing which also leads to head gasket breaking.
