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Japanese government chides Mitsubishi over recall delays

An official with the transport ministry in Japan has some stern words for Mitsubishi, taking the carmaker to task for not being more proactive and honest about its recalls. An investigation into The Tri-Star last December found Mitsubishi was tardy investigating problems and didn't explain itself forthrightly to the transport ministry about the issues. None of Mitsubishi's actions were illegal, and we should stress that this is a dialogue with Mitsubishi in Japan, not Mitsubishi Motors North America.
The official advised the automaker to, "Come up with plans for improvement, implement them and report them to the ministry." It looks like the company will get more practice than it wants in that department, having to announce another recall for the Outlander PHEV over software and hardware glitches. Those recalls come just after Mitsu finally figured out the problem with overheating lithium-ion batteries that caused a production halt of the plug-in hybrid SUV.

Mitsubishi Mirage will launch in US with three-cylinder engine [w/video]

We have a date with Mitsubishi Mirage (again). The Japanese subcompact is slated to arrive on our shores in September 2013, and it's one of the product offerings meant to help Mitsubishi's US arm raise sales in its next financial year from 55,000 to 80,000. If next year were 1989, we'd say there's no reason that couldn't happen, but from what we've seen, the Mirage is so magnificently meek (have you seen the interior?) that we aren't sure how it will manage that kind of US sales aggression in the 21st century.
Continuing that theme, Car and Driver reports that the Mitsu will launch here with a 1.2-liter, three-cylinder engine. Make no mistake, this is a very popular engine in the Mirage and responsible for its excellent fuel economy. The hatch is doing so well in other markets with its two naturally aspirated tri-cylinders that the Thailand facility that builds the Mirage will have its capacity increased by 33 percent to try and meet demand. In European spec, the 845-kilogram (1,859 pounds) subcompact with the more powerful engine offering 79 horsepower and 78 pound-feet of torque gets 57.3 miles per US gallon and takes 11.7 seconds to get from zero to 62 miles per hour. The question is whether Mitsubishi will boost the output of that engine for our market. If not, only the 70-hp Smart ForTwo will have less horsepower - but the Mirage, interestingly enough, weighs about the same as the microcar.
On its UK site, Mitsubishi said the reveal of the Mirage in back 2011 meant "redefining the standards by which to judge a compact passenger car." We can't wait to find out if that's still true and what that means when it gets here. To prepare yourself, there's video of the Mirage in action below.

2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport recalled for leaky transmission

The Basics: Mitsubishi Motors is recalling 45,731 Outlander Sport crossovers from model year 2015. Built between June 25, 2014 and November 25, 2015, the affected vehicles use the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and continuously variable transmissions. The Problem: A clamp on the CVT hose may have been installed incorrectly. If the hose comes off, transmission fluid can leak out. While the transmission will start acting up – and eventually grind to a halt – the bigger concern is what happens if the transmission fluid comes into contact with hot surfaces: fire. Injuries/Deaths: Thankfully, it doesn't sound any owners have crashed, caught fire, or been injured or killed due to loss of transmission fluid. Mitsubishi didn't list injuries or fatalities in its recall paperwork with NHTSA, but the chronology only describes "warranty claims," which sounds like the vehicles never caught fire. The Fix: Dealers will inspect the hose clamps on all 45,000 Outlander Sports and reinstall them if there's a problem. Repairs are free of charge. If you own one: Since NHTSA's bulletin doesn't advise owners on whether they should or shouldn't drive their vehicles, we recommend looking for leaks and checking your transmission fluid level as soon as possible. If it's low or leaking, you probably shouldn't drive. Featured Gallery 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport View 9 Photos News Source: NHTSAImage Credit: Mitsubishi Recalls Mitsubishi Crossover Economy Cars