Mitsubishi 380: Combination switch cracking — losing headlights and indicators together, and a recall
Combination switch cracking — losing headlights and indicators together, and a recall is a common electrical fault on the Mitsubishi 380 on the 2005–2008 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $0 to $700 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 8 documented faults on the Mitsubishi 380.
- Vehicle
- Mitsubishi 380
- Years
- 2005–2008
- System
- Electrical
What you are looking at
No photograph available
What goes wrong
The stalk switch on the steering column that runs the headlights and the indicators cracks, and it was recalled for it. The failure takes both functions at once, so a driver can be left with no headlights AND no way to indicate — at night that is as serious as a fault gets on an otherwise sound car. The heat these cars live in is what does it, so NZ and Australian examples are equally exposed since they are the same Adelaide-built vehicle. A recall from this era will not have been chased up with a current owner two or three keepers later, so a buyer cannot assume it was done.
What you would notice
- Indicators working intermittently or not at all
- Headlights not switching on, or only on one setting
- High beam not engaging
- The stalk feeling loose, notchy or gritty
- Having to hold the stalk in position for something to work
How to check it
Where to look. Combination switch on the steering column, behind the stalk
Sit in the car and work the stalk through everything it does before you drive it: indicators both ways, park lights, headlights, high beam, and the flash-to-pass.
Get somebody to stand outside and confirm each one actually lights, because the switch can feel fine while a circuit inside it has failed.
Wiggle the stalk gently and feel for looseness or grittiness rather than a clean detent.
Then take the VIN off the windscreen or the door frame and ask a Mitsubishi dealer whether any recall is still open on it, which costs nothing and settles both this and the fuel-system recalls in one call.
Ask the seller directly whether the switch has ever been replaced.
What it costs to put right
$0 to $700 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.
Ask the seller
- “Has the combination or indicator switch ever been replaced?”
- “Has the recall work been carried out on this VIN?”
- “Do the indicators and headlights work every time?”
Now check the Mitsubishi 380 you are actually looking at
Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.
Where this comes from
- Australian Car.Reviews — 'Recalls & faults: Mitsubishi DB 380 (2005-08)'
- ProductReview.com.au — Mitsubishi 380 DB owner questions and answers
Mitsubishi 380 buyer questions
Is combination switch cracking — losing headlights and indicators together, and a recall serious on a Mitsubishi 380?
We rate it critical and common on the Mitsubishi 380. The stalk switch on the steering column that runs the headlights and the indicators cracks, and it was recalled for it. The failure takes both functions at once, so a driver can be left with no headlights AND no way to indicate — at night that is as serious as a fault gets on an otherwise sound car. The heat these cars live in is what does it, so NZ and Australian examples are equally exposed since they are the same Adelaide-built vehicle. A recall from this era will not have been chased up with a current owner two or three keepers later, so a buyer cannot assume it was done.
How much does it cost to fix on a Mitsubishi 380?
$0 to $700 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.
Which Mitsubishi 380 years are affected?
Our research records this fault on the 2005–2008 Mitsubishi 380. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.
How do I check for it before I buy?
Sit in the car and work the stalk through everything it does before you drive it: indicators both ways, park lights, headlights, high beam, and the flash-to-pass. Get somebody to stand outside and confirm each one actually lights, because the switch can feel fine while a circuit inside it has failed. Wiggle the stalk gently and feel for looseness or grittiness rather than a clean detent. Then take the VIN off the windscreen or the door frame and ask a Mitsubishi dealer whether any recall is still open on it, which costs nothing and settles both this and the fuel-system recalls in one call. Ask the seller directly whether the switch has ever been replaced. Look here: Combination switch on the steering column, behind the stalk