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Mitsubishi Pajero: 3.2 DiD (4M41) injector wear and fuel pump problems (NM/NP)

3.2 DiD (4M41) injector wear and fuel pump problems (NM/NP) is a common engine fault on the Mitsubishi Pajero on the 2000–2006 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $1,500 to $4,500 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 Pajero.

Vehicle
Mitsubishi Pajero
Engine
4M41
Years
2000–2006
Fuel
diesel
System
Engine

This page covers the Mitsubishi Pajero 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 Pajero faults39 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

A single common-rail diesel fuel injector photographed against a plain background.Example of the part — not this vehicle

A common-rail diesel injector. Contamination damages the nozzle at the tip.

Panoha · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

The NM/NP's early direct-injection 4M41 is strong but its fuel system is sensitive to fuel quality, and injectors typically need attention between 150,000 and 200,000 km - showing up as hard cold starts, rough idle, white or black smoke and diesel knock. The injection pump (and its internal solenoids) can also fail, stopping fuel delivery entirely, and repairs on this era of pump are specialist diesel-shop work. On any JDM import or NZ-new NM/NP with no injector history, budget for a set.

What you would notice

  • Hard starting, especially cold
  • Rough idle and diesel knock
  • White or black exhaust smoke
  • Surging or hesitation under load
  • Increased fuel consumption

How to check it

Where to look. Injectors under the engine top cover; injection pump on the side of the engine

  1. Cold-start the engine yourself - ask the seller not to warm it up first.

  2. Watch the exhaust for sustained smoke and listen for uneven knock at idle.

  3. Ask for diesel-specialist invoices showing injector or pump work and which brand of parts were fitted.

Parts involved: Fuel injector.

What it costs to put right

$1,500 to $4,500 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

  • “Have the injectors or injection pump ever been replaced, and at what mileage?”
  • “Does it start instantly when cold?”
  • “Where does the owner normally buy diesel?”

Now check the Mitsubishi Pajero 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.

  • TL Ranger Diesel - Mitsubishi Triton/Pajero 4M41 injector issue diagnosis
  • The Mitsubishi Pajero Owners Club (pocuk.com) - '4M41 injector pump not sending diesel to nozzles' thread
  • 4x4community.co.za - 'Pajero DiD advice' thread

Mitsubishi Pajero buyer questions

Is 3.2 did (4m41) injector wear and fuel pump problems (nm/np) serious on a Mitsubishi Pajero?

We rate it major and common on the Mitsubishi Pajero. The NM/NP's early direct-injection 4M41 is strong but its fuel system is sensitive to fuel quality, and injectors typically need attention between 150,000 and 200,000 km - showing up as hard cold starts, rough idle, white or black smoke and diesel knock. The injection pump (and its internal solenoids) can also fail, stopping fuel delivery entirely, and repairs on this era of pump are specialist diesel-shop work. On any JDM import or NZ-new NM/NP with no injector history, budget for a set.

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

$1,500 to $4,500 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 Pajero years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2000–2006 Mitsubishi Pajero. 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?

Cold-start the engine yourself - ask the seller not to warm it up first. Watch the exhaust for sustained smoke and listen for uneven knock at idle. Ask for diesel-specialist invoices showing injector or pump work and which brand of parts were fitted. Look here: Injectors under the engine top cover; injection pump on the side of the engine