ECU Relay Issues on Outlander, No-Start Solutions

Hey there! I dealt with a similar issue on my 2003 Mitsubishi Pajero. The symptoms were exactly the same, car wouldn't start at all. After taking it to my trusted mechanic, it turned out to be a faulty main relay, just as you suspected. Cost me about 120 Euro to fix, including parts and labor. My mechanic replaced the relay, and the car's been running fine since then. What's your Outlander's mileage, and are you getting any warning lights? This could help narrow things down. Also, does it make any clicking sounds when you try to start it?

Thanks for sharing your experience! My mileage is currently at 116093 KM, and I just had a service done last month. When I try to start it, there's absolutely no clicking sound, just complete silence. It's interesting that you had the same issue with your Pajero and it was indeed the relay. I'm honestly hoping it's just that since it seems like a relatively straightforward fix. Did your mechanic try any specific tests before replacing the relay? I'm trying to avoid throwing parts at the problem without being sure.

Hey again! Yeah, I totally get not wanting to throw parts at it blindly, been there, done that! With my Pajero, before replacing the relay, my mechanic actually did a quick voltage test at the relay terminals to confirm it was the culprit. The fact that you're getting no clicking sound at all sounds exactly like what I experienced, it's like the car was completely dead, right? Just to be extra sure, my mechanic also checked the battery connections (even though I had just had a service), because sometimes the symptoms can be similar. But in my case, the voltage test showed the relay wasn't sending power to the ECU. The complete silence when turning the key was the big tip-off. Since your Outlander has pretty similar mileage to what my Pajero had when this happened (mine was around 120,000 KM), it could very well be the same issue. One thing I learned from my experience, if you decide to replace the relay, make sure to get an OEM part. I initially tried an aftermarket one and had to replace it again after just two months. The OEM one's been solid for over two years now. Want me to ask my mechanic about the specific test procedure he used? He's pretty good about explaining these things, and it might help you or your mechanic diagnose it faster.

That's really helpful info, especially about sticking with OEM parts! Yeah, I'd actually love to know the specific test procedure your mechanic used. The similarity in mileage and symptoms is making me feel more confident that it's probably the relay. It's exactly as you described, totally dead, like there's no power at all. I'll get my multimeter out tomorrow and check the voltage at the terminals like you mentioned. If those readings are off, I'll probably go ahead and order an OEM relay. You've saved me a lot of headache by warning me about the aftermarket parts, definitely don't want to do this job twice! Thanks so much for all your help with this. It's great to hear from someone who's actually dealt with the same problem!