Pajero's Diesel Drama: Glow Plug Woes & Black Smoke

Been there with my 2009 Mitsubishi Montero Diesel last winter. Had nearly identical symptoms, hard cold starts, black smoke, and that annoying pre-glow light that wouldn't quit. Got it checked at my regular garage and yep, two glow plugs were completely worn out. The mechanic showed me the old plugs, they were pretty much done for. Had all four replaced since the others weren't far behind. The job took about 3 hours including diagnostic time. Definitely not something you want to ignore, worn glow plugs can lead to starting problems and eventually damage your engine's compression. After the fix, it was like having a different car, starts right up even in cold weather, no more black smoke, and fuel consumption went back to normal. Get it checked soon. Make sure to find someone who really knows Mitsubishi diesels, they're a bit different from other makes.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really helpful to know it was the glow plugs in your case. Just curious, do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the whole job? Also, has everything been running smoothly since then, or have you noticed any other issues pop up? Asking because I want to get a sense of what I might be looking at cost-wise and whether it's likely to solve all my problems in one go.

Hey! Yeah, after getting it fixed at my mechanic, I can tell you exactly what it cost me, ended up paying 560€ for sorting out the defective glow plug. It was just one that was completely worn out in my case, not all four like I initially thought. Everything's been running like a dream since the repair. My Montero starts up right away now, even on those nasty cold mornings, no more crossing my fingers and hoping it'll fire up! The black smoke's completely gone, and I'm not hemorrhaging fuel anymore either. Honestly, it was worth every cent. The mechanic actually showed me the worn-out plug when they replaced it, and wow, it was in pretty rough shape. No wonder the engine was struggling! Been about six months now since the fix, and I haven't had a single issue pop up. The engine's running smoother than ever. So yeah, if your symptoms are matching what I had, there's a good chance you're looking at the same problem. Just make sure you get a proper diagnostic done, these Mitsubishi diesels need someone who knows what they're doing.

Update for everyone, I finally got my Pajero sorted! Took it to a new mechanic based on some local recommendations. You guys were spot on about the glow plugs, had three bad ones that needed replacing. Cost me around 700€ total, including labor and diagnostics. The whole experience was so much better than my last mechanic. This guy really knew his stuff and walked me through everything he was doing. Even showed me the old glow plugs, they were completely shot! No wonder my car was struggling. Started it up this morning in the cold, and what a difference! No more black smoke, starts right up, and the pre-glow light's working normally now. The engine's running much smoother, and I can already tell it's using less fuel. Really appreciate everyone's input, especially about getting it checked by someone who knows Mitsubishis. Saved me from more headaches down the road. If anyone's having similar issues, don't wait around like I did, get those glow plugs checked! Thanks again for all the help!