MajorCommonElectrical

Mitsubishi Lancer: Distributor failure causing stalling and no-start (4G13/4G15/4G92/4G93)

Distributor failure causing stalling and no-start (4G13/4G15/4G92/4G93) is a common electrical fault on the Mitsubishi Lancer on the 1991–2000 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $250 to $900 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 39 documented faults on the Mitsubishi Lancer.

Vehicle: Mitsubishi Lancer
Engine: 4G13 / 4G15 / 4G92 / 4G93
Years: 1991–2000
Fuel: petrol
System: Electrical

This page covers the Mitsubishi Lancer as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Mitsubishi Lancer faults39 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph for this fault yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of something else.

What goes wrong

The petrol engines in these Lancers and Mirages use a distributor that houses the crank angle sensor and ignition parts. The internal electronics fail with age and heat, and oil seeping past the distributor shaft seal can foul the sensor. The car then cuts out, often once it is fully warm, and may refuse to restart until it cools down. It is the most reported fault on the equivalent US-market Mirage of 1993 to 1999, and left alone it will eventually strand the car.

What you would notice

Engine cuts out when hot and will not restart until it has cooled
Intermittent no-start with the engine cranking normally
Stumbling, misfire or hesitation under load
Rev counter needle flickering or dropping while driving

How to check it

Where to look. Distributor mounted on the end of the cylinder head, driven by the camshaft

Start the car from cold and take a test drive of at least 20 minutes so the engine gets fully hot, then switch off and restart it straight away; a slow or failed hot restart is the classic sign.
Watch the rev counter while driving for flickers or drops.
Open the bonnet and look at the distributor at the end of the cylinder head: oil wetting around its base or down the head suggests the shaft seal is leaking into it.
Ask whether the car has ever cut out or been towed.
If a workshop inspection is possible: have the distributor cap taken off and checked for oil inside, cracking or burnt contacts, and have the crank angle signal checked with a scan tool or scope while hot.

What it costs to put right

$250 to $900 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the car ever cut out when hot or refused to start?”
“Has the distributor or crank angle sensor ever been replaced?”
“Has it ever needed towing?”

Now check the Mitsubishi Lancer 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.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

RepairPal 1993 and 1996 Mitsubishi Mirage common problems: 'No start due to failed distributor'
ReRev Mitsubishi Mirage years to avoid: 1993-1999 distributor failures leave owners stranded
au7o.io Mitsubishi known issues P0335/P0340 crank angle sensor

Mitsubishi Lancer buyer questions

Is distributor failure causing stalling and no-start (4g13/4g15/4g92/4g93) serious on a Mitsubishi Lancer?

We rate it major and common on the Mitsubishi Lancer. The petrol engines in these Lancers and Mirages use a distributor that houses the crank angle sensor and ignition parts. The internal electronics fail with age and heat, and oil seeping past the distributor shaft seal can foul the sensor. The car then cuts out, often once it is fully warm, and may refuse to restart until it cools down. It is the most reported fault on the equivalent US-market Mirage of 1993 to 1999, and left alone it will eventually strand the car.

How much does it cost to fix on a Mitsubishi Lancer?

$250 to $900 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 Lancer years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 1991–2000 Mitsubishi Lancer. 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?

Start the car from cold and take a test drive of at least 20 minutes so the engine gets fully hot, then switch off and restart it straight away; a slow or failed hot restart is the classic sign. Watch the rev counter while driving for flickers or drops. Open the bonnet and look at the distributor at the end of the cylinder head: oil wetting around its base or down the head suggests the shaft seal is leaking into it. Ask whether the car has ever cut out or been towed. If a workshop inspection is possible: have the distributor cap taken off and checked for oil inside, cracking or burnt contacts, and have the crank angle signal checked with a scan tool or scope while hot. Look here: Distributor mounted on the end of the cylinder head, driven by the camshaft