TT - Volume 258

TECH TALK – Volume 258
October 2020
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Information............................1
Takata Recall Key Statistics.....2
Behind the Scenes..................3
Vehicle Technical
Information...........................4
Awards, Rankings & News.....5
DATES TO REMEMBER
INFORMATION
WARRANTY: Important Upcoming Policy Change – Effective
December 1, 2020
Effective on repair orders opened on or after December 1, 2020, the new
claim submission time limit is changed to 60 days from 180 days (exceptions
indicated below). All warranty claim submissions, appeals, and claim
corrections must be completed within 60 days from the repair order open date.
All claim types that are incomplete beyond the 60-day time limit may not be
submitted, appealed, or corrected.
Exceptions:
•
•
ELECTION DAY
November 3rd
•
Any claims that were opened prior to December 1, 2020 retain the 180-day
time limit.
If a longer time period for claim submission, correction, review, and/or
appeal is required by law (please reference your state dealer statutes).
If repair completion is delayed due to backordered parts preventing timely
claim submission within the 60-day time limit, all supporting
documentation must be retained and uploaded to the PRC when warranty
claim is submitted. Once submitted, contact the Warranty Hotline who will
review and process approved claim.
For more detailed information; please refer to Warranty Bulletin WB2020-008.
VETERANS DAY
November 11TH
TECHNICAL REPAIR QUIZ FOR Q4
The Technical Repair Quiz is available for Q4 and will be on Mitsubishi
Academy until: December 31, 2020 @ 11:59 p.m.
THANKSGIVING DAY
Please share quiz availability information with your Field Manager.
November 26TH
Reminder: MMNA will be
closed November 26-27th
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TAKATA RECALL KEY STATISTICS
Congratulations to the following Dealerships!!
Highest Quantity of Air Bags Repaired
Auto Gallery Mitsubishi-Murrieta
2nd Highest Quantity of Air Bags Repaired
Cerritos Mitsubishi
Concord Mitsubishi
Mark Mitsubishi
Highest Completion Percentage of Assigned Vehicles
Morgantown Mitsubishi
Motor Mile Mitsubishi
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BEHIND THE SCENES SPOTLIGHT
Each month we will continue to introduce a member working behind the scenes at MMNA. It’s a great
privilege to work with some of the most talented people in the world. We hope that by putting a name
with a face, we will become more connected and perhaps even forge stronger business relationships with
those we may never personally meet.
This month, we introduce, Abe Buffington, Platform Specialist :
My automotive story began in a small Penske automotive shop where I quickly
learned the basics of automotive maintenance and repair. In my twenties I
attended Lincoln Technical Institute where I became Master ASE Certified and
graduated valedictorian earning an Associate degree in Automotive
Technology and Repair. This achievement enabled me to get my first
technician position in a dealership and though it wasn’t Mitsubishi, it was
another Japanese manufacturer (Nissan). I was fortunate to have a Service
Manager that believed in factory training and I earned my master’s status within about 5 years at the
dealership. After spending over 20 years in a variety of dealerships, I knew that I wanted more than to just
turn wrenches and earned a Bachelor of Science Business Information Systems degree. This achievement
propelled me into the corporate side of things as a Field Engineer where I could wet my tongue with
difficult to repair cases, work with over 54 dealerships in my territory, serve as the expert in Arbitration
hearings and more than anything else, be the guy to save a customer that otherwise would have
defected.
After a few years in the field, my career led me to run the Seattle Technical Training Center where I taught
the technical curriculum for dealerships and later jumped, into the Dealer Parts and Service Manager side
of things in my region. Later I held similar roles with Toyota, Denso, and ADP/CDK GLOBAL. While I loved
those experiences, I found myself missing the technical side of things and when I learned of Mitsubishi’s
move to Tennessee, I jumped at the opportunity and found a new home as the Platform Specialist for
Outlander Sport and Eclipse Cross. I now have the unique opportunity of improving our product each day.
On a personal note, I am a father of two wonderful children. My son Ethan is 17, graduating soon from a
STEM school and my daughter Nikki, 14, who amazes me each day with her ability to learn new languages
and instruments. I have always been an outdoors person and enjoy hobbies such as kayaking, hiking,
mountain biking and road cycling. In addition, home improvements, car repairs, model aircraft and laser
cutting are all areas of interest.
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who
gets the credit.”
~Harry Truman
MMNA WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU
We really would like to hear from you! Do you have any ideas, stories, techniques etc. that you would be
willing to share in a future Tech Talk issue? If so, please let us know by sending an email to
[email protected]. Be sure to include: Your name, title, and dealer name. We’ll be sure to
recognize you! Together, we can achieve the highest level of customer/work satisfaction!
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VEHICLE TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Since Tech Talk 257, the following bulletins have been published.
PUBLISH
DATE
GROUP
TSB/ATIN/TIN #
(Click for full
content )
SUBJECT
MODELS
9/30/2020
42A
TSB-20-42A-007
ADDITION OF HOOD AIR
OUTLET MAINTENANCE
PROCEDURE - SMR
2003-2006 Lancer Evolution
2013-2020 Outlander, 2013-2018
Outlander PHEV, 2014-2020
Outlander Sport / RVR, 20182020 Eclipse Cross
10/5/2020
15
TSB-20-15-001
RATTLE NOISE FROM HEAT
PROTECTOR OF EXHAUST
MANIFOLD
10/14/2020
52A
TSB-20-52A-002
NOISE FROM FRONT SEAT BACK
All Outlander and All Outlander
PHEV
10/23/2020
00
TSB-20-00-005
GENERAL PDI PROCEDURES FOR
2021 OUTLANDER SPORT
2021 Outlander Sport
10/26/2020
54A
TSB-20-54A-002
COUNTERMEASURE FOR AUTO
HEADLAMP OR SUNROOF
CONTROLS
2018 Eclipse Cross
10/27/2020
00
TSB-20-00-006
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 2021 OUTLANDER SPORT
2021 Outlander Sport
10/27/2020
23C
TSB-20-23C-001
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT
ILLUMINATES (P1740)
All Outlander Sport / RVR
10/30/2020
00
TSB-20-00-007
NEW MODEL FEATURES &
SERVICE INFORMATION – 2021
OUTLANDER SPORT
2021 Outlander Sport
IMPORTANT
Affected new or used vehicle inventory must be repaired before the vehicle is sold or delivered.
Dealers must check their vehicle inventory VINs on the Warranty Superscreen to verify whether the
vehicle is involved in a recall campaign.
It is a violation of Federal Law for a dealer to sell or deliver a new motor vehicle or any new / used
motor vehicle equipment (including a tire) covered by the notification under a sale or lease until the
defect or non-compliance is remedied.
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AWARDS AND RANKINGS
J.D. POWER 2020 INITIAL QUALITY STUDY



Top-ranked Japanese brand in the industry
Outlander Sport tied for third in small SUV category
Greatest year-over-year improvement ranking, moving
From 30th in 2019 to 6th in 2020
Headquarter News
KELLY BLUE BOOK 5-YEAR COST TO OWN AWARD

The Outlander was awarded Cost to Own for the second
consecutive year among 3-row Mid-size SUVs
INTERESTING FACTS
IN HONOR OF ELECTION DAY & VETERANS DAY
These beautiful views will have to
wait to be seen by most MMNA
employees for a bit longer. Due to
an increase in COVID cases, we will
not be returning to the office in
calendar year 2020.
Tech Talk improvements will
continue to be ongoing. Please let
us know if you would like to share
an idea or information for an
upcoming issue.
 In the 1800's, the Agrarian economy involved most Americans.
In 1840, farming was the occupation of 69 percent of working
Americans. Farmers weren’t able to travel easily until the
harvest was over. Also, the onset of winter weather made
traveling a problem, so elections happened in the late fall.
 There was an amendment proposed in 1916 in the US
Constitution that all acts of war should be put to a national
vote, and every person that voted yes, had to register for
volunteer service in the army.
 American astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS)
can vote in elections from orbit by secure email.
 Veterans Day was once called Armistice Day, which was
created to honor veterans of World War I.
 June 1, 1954 was when the United States changed the name to
Veterans Day, honoring all military veterans.
 The holiday is not a day that “belongs” to one veteran or
multiple veterans, which is what an apostrophe implies. It
is a day for honoring all veterans – so no apostrophe needed.
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