MN Vibration between 110 to 130 KPH!

[snowman]

have you looked at getting the tailshaft balanced CD?

http://www.sydneydriveline.com/index.html

[Cowboy Dave]

No but perhaps I should. Or rather MMAL should bloody do it for me. It's on my to do list. Unfortunately my to do list has gotten so long that I now need lists of the lists. What happens after that is that I decide it's easier to do none of it and just sit watching NewTriton go by all day and all night.

Also my wife doesn't drive and the Triton is how I get to work every day which makes it more difficult. I do have the time however to make excuses and make them often...

[Homer]

I do think MMA should have a look at it Dave. Finding time is always the big issue.

It doesn't sound like a big complaint in the scheme of things, but when it is your car and every time you get on the highway it vibrates and carries on, it would certainly give me the shits big time. Especially considering when you are on the highway it can be for a considerable time with little else to think about..

I had a relatively small vibration at around the same speeds on neutral throttle that drove me nuts...turned out to be that piston complaint as it went away when they were changed....

Anything more noticeable would be a real pain.

[Cowboy Dave]

I've learned to drive around (through) it. You just go a little slower or faster and no vibration. We all know (well except you Brisbane blokes with your connections) how painful it can be to get a dealer service guy interested in diagnosing a warranty complaint and at the moment I'm in a place where the annoyance of driving with it is marginally less than the annoyance that I know will accompany my next visit to a dealer. I figure I've got another 9 years before the warranty drops out. Who knows maybe if the tailshaft implodes I can try and score a locked diff while I'm at it...

Of course if it became a known and published problem with a recognised fix then life would become much easier for the likes of me - so come on the rest of you blokes, get on with it...

[Pure Mongrel]

Well got my service done and here is what I learned ...

1) Dealers don't want to do anything on a Saturday. I was basically told if I want to get the problem looked at than I need to book it in on a weekday.

2) They apparently had to put a liter of oil in my Diff, claiming that may be the cause.

3) Even though the dealership is located on the Pacific motor way, I was told that that it would take too much time on a Saturday to drive it up to the speeds I was talking about so they have not felt the shudder.

4) Drove the car home via the Pacific and Logan motorways and ... The vibration is still there! It even felt worse, but that could be a reflection of how pissed off I am at the moment!

I am now not sure what to do next.

1)Book it in for a weekday so they "have time" to look at it, although I fear they are preparing me for a knock back as the service manager stated "That way management can be there to test drive the Ute"

or ...

2) Take it first to a workshop that specializes in drive shafts, etc and get a report from them? (By the way does anyone know a good workshop for this on the South side of Brisbane?)

[Longranger1]

The can't look at it on a Saturday excuse doesn't wash - they are servicing the the thing are they not? If they claimed to have put a litre of oil in the diff, then were there any signs of leakage from the diff (pinion seal, wheel bearing seals, cracks etc)? Check the diff filler plug to see if has been opened.

Be prepared for the attempted brush-off mate. Something fishy here...

[Pure Mongrel]

No leak.

The service manager claimed that they have come across a few Tritons that needed this done from the factory?

Judging by the lack of road dirt around the plug, I am guessing they at least checked it.

I have a feeling I am up for a difficult time a head.

I spend almost more time in my car than I do at home. It is essentially my mobile office and I do enjoy driving it ... when there is no shudder.

I know what a diesel engine operating feels like.

I know what faulty steering feels like.

I know what faulty suspension feels like.

I know what wheels out of alignment feel like.

It is none of the above.

I am not mad that there is a fault. I can except that that happens, but it really annoys me that they are my best friends before I hand over my hard earned ... but the minute they have your money banked and you drive off the lot ... they don't want to know you!

One of the reasons I picked the Triton was for the warranty, but if its not worth the paper it is printed on than I feel like I have been cheated.

Worse still ... if it is a drive shaft problem (which I am sure it is) and I get it fixed, than I have voided my warranty as far as I can tell?

[Homer]

If you go to a specialist to find the problem, present the findings to MMA straight away.
Shouldn't void your warranty I wouldn't think, but if you get it fixed by the specialist MMA wont reimburse you.

[hvac guy]

has anyone got none standed tyres and still have the problem my old man had a camry that had the same problem for years back and forth to dealers etc and got new tyres one day and the problem stoped

turn out out to be a bad batch of tyres and yes they had no problems balancing.

[Cowboy Dave]

I changed tyres, suspension and had several wheel alignments. Problem still there.

[Pure Mongrel]

My rig is as stock standard as you can get. I still have the original tyres.

If you go to a specialist to find the problem, present the findings to MMA straight away.
Shouldn't void your warranty I wouldn't think, but if you get it fixed by the specialist MMA wont reimburse you.

Seems the right way to go. If I can find out exactly what it is, then I can argue my case properly with MMA.

[Longranger1]

If the dealer doesn't want to help you then ask them to put it in writing (if you can) to state the reasons why they cannot help you in this matter - you do have statutory rights in regards to vehicle warranties.

If you go to a specialist and they find the cause of the problem then let MMA know also (in writing) of the findings. At this stage they should be really taking an interest as legal action is a distinct possiblity for them. If it goes through to consumer affairs then it will have possible media intervention as well.

Let's face it, a lot of dealerships wouldn't have the talent base to diagnose these sorts of problems, if you have given them the opportunity to investigate and they stall, then seek professional advice and use it as your bargaining chip. It is costly (especially of your time) and a PITA. I wish you the best of luck in resolving the issue.

[Pure Mongrel]

Thanks mate:)

[sam]

Mate I really feel for you and hope you can get this prob sorted as I know exactly what it's
like when you have an issue that takes the gloss right off your purchase as we did and
after 6 rear diffs and alot of grief to try and fix a diff whine prob we called it a day and
got rid of it .

Once again hope you get it sorted .

[Pure Mongrel]

CD have you had the latest software update done to your ute.

Yesterday they installed the latest software and as of my 100km trip this morning ... No shudder. It even drives better, like the ute I test drove in fact. More responsive and smoother feel to the motor.

When I picked up my ute the service manager said that old software has been known to cause "chatter" and that Mitsubishi techs from Japan had been out recently to adapt the software to our "crap" fuel.

To be hounest I thought he was just spouting and that they did the software upgrade as a "hope this shuts the customer up", but bugger me if it actually seems to have fixed the problem.

[Cowboy Dave]

No I don't have the updated software.

Interesting to hear that this might have fixed it. Also a little bizarre. Keep us posted as to whether the shudder remains banished.

Guess it's time to book mine in for an update.

[Pure Mongrel]

Just got back from another 100km round trip. No shudder still and more performance. Happiest I have been in the ute. Finally feel that I did not make a mistake buying it.

[Cowboy Dave]

Okay just dragging this old thread up to see if anyone other than pure mongrel has achieved a fix?

I took mine in to be checked and it has the latest ECU software but still has the vibration.

I also had a mechanic drive it with a logger fitted to check the engine and the print-outs appear to demonstrate that there was nothing going wrong in the engine area.

The mechanic's findings, combined with my observations, go something like this:

* The vibration becomes apparent at approximately 115kmh under throttle.
* The vibration disappears when you hit about 120kmh.
* The vibration is also apparent if you take your foot off the throttle from about 85kmh and up.
* The vibration can be felt through the steering wheel but also through the body (arm resting on door etc).
* The vibration has an harmonic quality to it.
* The vibration appears less noticeable when towing.

I enquired whether the mechanic thought it could be the tailshaft out of balance. His view was that it was more a front end issue than the back end.

The issue has been with mine since I bought it and I now have 32,000 on the clock.

Since buying it, I have done the following things, none of which has had any impact on the issue:

* Changed tyres
* changed rims
* Several wheel alignments
* Several wheel rotations and balances
* Fitted new suspension from ultimate
* Changed front rotors and pads (irrelevant but worth adding maybe)

Transmission issues and/or torque converter has been mentioned before. This is possible but I note that other members with manual vehicles have reported similar issues.

Has anyone got any suggestions/solutions?

My truck is due for a service and I am keen to get this resolved but not trusting of the dealer to diagnose it without help.

[NowForThe5th]

CD, I've just read back through this entire thread and there only seems to be one mention of whether it's downstream or upstream of the gearbox. So, my first question is: does it happen at the given speeds regardless of which gear you're in? If so, then it's likely to be a driveshaft problem (since by multiple wheel alignments and balances you've eliminated wheels and tyres. Other possibilities are half shafts and wheel bearings experiencing some sort of harmonic but I'd think that unlikely.

Like most, I would first have suspected rear tailshaft balance but the other possibility is the front drive shaft, especially if the vibration can be felt through the steering.

[Cowboy Dave]

Hmm, never occurred to me to change gears. I'd say 99% of the time I'd be in 5th at those speeds. Might have to hit the freeway and jam it in 4th to check I guess.

[Cowboy Dave]

Okay so I tested it in 4th tonight as well as the usual 5th and the vibration is still there. It goes in for service tomorrow so who knows what they might come up with?

[Homer]

You'd think it has to be tailshaft related?

[Bad Kitty]

You know CD, I felt this driving home from Sydney on the weekend. Never really paid much attention until I read this thread and identified that it was the same thing. I always thought it was something to do with either a wheel balance or the tyres being AT not HT... Mine only does it at 125 kmph though, not in the 85 range...
As its about to go for the 30,000 km service, I'll ask them about the 'upgraded' software to see if that is something that could fix the problem too. Bit interested to find out whether it solves your MN's issues...

[Kegsy]

These are commercial vehicles, I've never driven a ute yet that hasn't got some little vibration or knock, and I've owned and driven quite a few.

I'd say unless it's of a violent nature it's all good, just part of the charm.

[RHKTriton]

Think you're on the money Kegsy. These are Trucks with truck bits! Agricultural engines, billy cart suspension, light body work - the amount of noise that enters the cabin from all directions and attention to suppressing these factors are minimal.

However, buying one of these types of vehicle should mean that your not expecting an Audi or similar ride.

Just a side note, Top Gear Aust are taking the new VW Amorok for a test next week.