Sorry if this has already been covered.


So I recently got a warning light for my SWAC system on the car and went the a friend that works for mitsu, the light was for code C161E. He told me mitsu send out a reflash that is supposed to fix this problem. He said it was a cold weather issue where the pump has issues with viscosity and the flash is supposed to help with this issue. I didn't get my first light till around 40k km and I like spirited driving in the winter, -5C to -30C.

I'm told this is a "general" warranty item so I'm SOL but I figured I should share.

On a side note, I see a recall in mitsus' future.

Obviously this is only relevant to people in cold climates.

Sorry if this has already been covered.


So I recently got a warning light for my SWAC system on the car and went the a friend that works for mitsu, the light was for code C161E. He told me mitsu send out a reflash that is supposed to fix this problem. He said it was a cold weather issue where the pump has issues with viscosity and the flash is supposed to help with this issue. I didn't get my first light till around 40k km and I like spirited driving in the winter, -5C to -30C.

I'm told this is a "general" warranty item so I'm SOL but I figured I should share.

On a side note, I see a recall in mitsus' future.

Obviously this is only relevant to people in cold climates.

Not sure where you are from but if you check in the "Canada" forums there are LOTS of us who have our pumps blow every winter... That "re-flash" does sweet F%@$ all... they need to run thinner oil.

Calgary, and my'n just finished killing itself. Is it covered under powertrain warranty? I mean it is part of the diff and not a wear item...

It's part of the bumper to bumper warranty... not powertrain...

I dont understand.. how is not part of the powertrain warranty. It's part of your AWD system. Say your oil pump fails.. and your engine goes bye bye. its the same shit.

I know, doesn't make sense, but it's not!

I'll just start yelling and see if that gets me anywhere. :innocent:

Now that the higher trimmed Outlanders have been fitted with S-AWC, wouldn't they encounter the same pump failure as the Evos? Is the fluid used different between the 2 models?

Mitsubishi should cover it even if out of warranty as per what our local dealer told me. There is a special instruction due to the extent of the issue. Make them call HQ.

Mitsubishi should cover it even if out of warranty as per what our local dealer told me. There is a special instruction due to the extent of the issue. Make them call HQ.


Is this up to a certain miles on a X or does that not matter? I think mine might be having this problem but I'd like to know my facts before I go to the dealer to see about this getting fixed.

Mitsubishi should cover it even if out of warranty as per what our local dealer told me. There is a special instruction due to the extent of the issue. Make them call HQ.


If this somehow turned out to be true it would honestly turn my point of view on the product. Honestly going through them multiple times and being denied kills the hope.

Mitsubishi should cover it even if out of warranty as per what our local dealer told me. There is a special instruction due to the extent of the issue. Make them call HQ.

Anyone tried this to verify? Mines in need of replacement as well!

Mitsubishi should cover it even if out of warranty as per what our local dealer told me. There is a special instruction due to the extent of the issue. Make them call HQ.

Would like confirmation on this as well, as my light showed up today during my lunch break while on interstate. Error code: c161e.

Turned the car off for about 15 minutes. checked the fluid in the trunk after a little bit and it was sitting at the maximum line. Started the car back up and the light didn't come back on until around 5 minutes or so later. Don't most people with the pump failure have it show up as soon as the car turns on?

Also I have not heard any whining either. Hoping it's just a fluke do it being hotter (85 degrees), as I can't really afford a $2000-$3500+ bill if it's not covered under warranty.

The car drives as a DD without issue without the pump working but obviously you just have open diff AWD so it sucks. You may not get all of it covered and the dealer will probably give you a hard time but yes the pump itself will be covered. I went half on labour for it but thats only like 300$ so it doesn't make you want to shoot the car.

Mitsubishi should cover it even if out of warranty as per what our local dealer told me. There is a special instruction due to the extent of the issue. Make them call HQ.

Had my dealer call hq and they would not authorize warranty repair!

Mitsu sucks. It's sad what the consumer goes through on this vehicle

Had my dealer call hq and they would not authorize warranty repair!
Do you have extended warranty?

My issue with this is weird. Mine will never come on unless it is 70-ish degrees or above outside, and it's never instant. It takes at least 10 minutes of driving for it to show up. Even if I get the light and turn off the car, and turn it back on, the light stays off for 10 minutes or so.

Took the car to the dealership this morning, and since it was only 50 degrees this morning - no light. They said they couldn't do anything about it without the light even though the code was still in memory. Not sure what to do about this, especially if they aren't going to cover it under warranty, and why would higher temperatures make the pump fail?

RYAN P is working on a fix for all this!!

Do you have extended warranty?

No I do not!

My issue with this is weird. Mine will never come on unless it is 70-ish degrees or above outside, and it's never instant. It takes at least 10 minutes of driving for it to show up. Even if I get the light and turn off the car, and turn it back on, the light stays off for 10 minutes or so.

Took the car to the dealership this morning, and since it was only 50 degrees this morning - no light. They said they couldn't do anything about it without the light even though the code was still in memory. Not sure what to do about this, especially if they aren't going to cover it under warranty, and why would higher temperatures make the pump fail?

Mine behaves the exact same way. It's strange because there was a TSB about it for extreme cold weather (which we get plenty of in MN) but this only happens to me when it's warm outside. I did get the re-flash for the TSB late last summer, which I thought took care of it, but I started getting the Service Required light again this week:wallbash: