The Mitsubishi Canter is a light truck produced by the Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors. It was originally introduced in 1963 as a commercial vehicle and since then has undergone several revisions and redesigns. The latest version of the Canter was introduced in 2013 and is still in production.
The Mitsubishi Canter is available in a variety of body styles including panel van, cab chassis, and crew cab. It is powered by a range of diesel engines and is available with both manual and automatic transmissions. The Canter is known for its reliability and durability, and is a popular choice for both commercial and private users.
If you’re looking for a light truck that is both reliable and affordable, then the Mitsubishi Canter is definitely worth considering.
That’s not to say that that the Mitsubishi Canter is without its faults. In this article, we take a look at the most common problems found on the Mitsubishi Canter and answer the question: is the Mitsubishi Canter reliable?
Mitsubishi Canter Engine Problems
There have been issues reported concerning the Mitsubishi Canter losing power, and this seems to often be the result of the air filter clogging, or possibly from a faulty turbine. Furthermore, it seems to be common with the Mitsubishi Canter for a turbo to fail, often caused by overheating. There are additionally cases of the turbo breather pipe displacing, which then can cause the engine to fail.
In defence of the Mitsubishi Canter engines, many issues can often be avoided through regular servicing and maintenance, and by addressing any small issues before they cause larger problems.
It is fairly common for the Mitsubishi Canter to have problems with the injectors, which often result in the van over-consuming fuel, and sometimes even emitting black smoke. The issues seem to be due to the injectors getting wet and then corroding onto the head.
Mitsubishi Canter Gearbox problems
The Mitsubishi Canter range features a wide variety of manual and automatic gearboxes gearbox. It can be common for the Mitsubishi Canter gearbox mountings to wear and need replacing. Other common Mitsubishi Canter gearbox issues can include the pin in the selector spindle coming out, and the vehicle jumping out of gear. It is not unusual for the gearbox to need replacing.
Mitsubishi Canter Starting problems
One of the most common problems with the Mitsubishi Canter is starting problems. This can be caused by a number of factors, including a dead battery, bad spark plugs, or a faulty starter motor. If this happens, it’s important to have the problem diagnosed and repaired as soon as possible.
How many miles can a Mitsubishi Canter last?
Mitsubishi Canter are reasonably reliable and can last for many miles if well maintained and serviced on schedule. Looking on AutoTrader, the highest mileage Mitsubishi Canter has covered an impressive 160,000 miles, so that should give an idea of how long they can last.