Mitsubishi recalls more than 300 Colts

MITSUBISHI has recalled 332 examples of its slow-selling Colt light car sold between June 1 and August 23 this year over a possible rear suspension fault.

The recall notice submitted to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission states that a stone-chipping-resistant agent sprayed to the underside of the vehicle may have been inadvertently applied to the rear torsion axle retaining bolts.

“In the worst case, driving the vehicle on rough roads may result in the bolt(s) coming loose and possibly detaching, resulting in decreased vehicle stability,” said the ACCC.

Owners of affected vehicles will be contacted by letter and are advised to contact their local dealer to arrange for a re-tensioning of the car’s rear torsion axle retaining bolts.

Mitsubishi recently stopped importing the Colt to Australia as it prepares to launch the new Mirage light car in the final quarter of 2012, although a small number remain in showrooms.

The brand revealed the first images of the Mirage last week ahead of its public debut at the Tokyo show at the end of this month.

In a strange twist, the current Colt model replaced the original Mirage in the Mitsubishi range when it was launched here in 2004.

Mitsubishi was unable to sell the Colt in Victoria this year due to regulations requiring the fitment of electronic stability control on all passenger vehicles with compliance plates dated from January 1, 2011.

From November 1 this year, all new-model passenger vehicles across Australia are required to have ESC fitted, although current models remain exempt until November 2013.

Mitsubishi has sold just 932 Colts so far this year, giving it just a 0.9 per cent share of the bustling light-car segment, which is dominated by the Mazda2 and Toyota Yaris.