Mahindra Scorpio: Technical Issues & Solutions

[Bikashrd]

Re: Number of Problems in Mahindra Scorpio

Dear All , I'm new to TAI , joined yesterday . Please bear with me for a longer write up. I own a Scorpio mHawk VLX (4X2) - 2008 - May . This vehicle has completed approx 75000 kms , with 60% in city and 40% in core jungles of Niligiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR) . My conservation work leads me into worst offroad tracks of jungles to observe animal behaviors and understand the anthropogenic impact. This veicle is more silent than the MM550 rattler. The Stock tyres (Bridgestone-Dueller) are still in good shape and possibly the tread is going to last another 5000 kms. Never has this vehicle failed/breakdown inside the park or given issues until April 2012. Last year even this has withstood the aggressive confrontation of a female elephant with baby. This pachyderm charged in BR hills and head butted the vehicle , bending and damaging the bull bar in front , though i was in standstill with engine stopped 50 feet away.
I used to service it regularly with Sireesh A.S.C in Marathalli. Most of the time , complains were on hard gear shifts. I was not happy through my 4 years of service experience with them , as they completely ignore the issues of the vehicle and the bills soar up with unexplained labour charges.
In April 2012 - the clutch was burnt , and needed replacement. I took it to the A.S.C , they quoted a bill of Rs.13000. I finally decided that since the extended warranty is over , to get it serviced with Bosch Service Centre (Raghavendra Motors) near Hoodi junction. The clutch replacement done - the bill was around Rs.11500 . They also did free up the clutch and changing the gears was noticiably smoother. This lasted for 30 days and then i found the pedal on the floor near KR puram bridge one day and clutch oil leaking badly . Called the Bosch Service centre and got the vehicle picked up in an hours' time. They fixed this with no charge , and it repeated again after 2 months in the last week of June on Castle Street - Brigade Rd Junction. The Bosch Service Centre sent their towaway vehicle to pick up my Scorpio to their centre in Whitefield. The leakage was fixed again. They did not charge me for this , as the Owner Mr.Bharat is very straight forward person and responsibly owned this repeat failure. After that the clutch play and gear shift were very smooth. At 69,000kms based on their suggestions , i changed the Engine Oil to Shell Helix HX6 and coolant only. Changed the brake pads too.

The engine became more quieter , i could see the response from 1200 rpm on 3rd gear and 1500 rpm from 4th gear. In city it Fuel Consumption is 11.5kms/ltr with A/C and 14.5 -15kms/lts in the highway & offroad. Overall the engine was quiter , smoother and even less rattling noise. The gear changes were very smooth and free. I continued to go BR hills , Nagarhole , Tholpetty & Bavali ranges . Absolute advantage in forests, that the vehicle presence doesn't disturb the grazing herbivores .

Back in the city , two days back , the clutch pedal gave in again infront of the Old Airport. Drove the vehicle in the 1st gear lock, without clutch until Kundanahalli Gate , a trick i learnt from the MM 550 drivers in Tholpetty. Asked Bosch Service to pick up the vehicle again. Looked underside - Clutch Oil leak again .

Few Questions . Is this a common problem with the mHawk VLX 2008 models ? Is the clutch slave cylinder on certain models of Scorpio mHawk 2008 had a faulty design and were prone to leakage ? Why is recurring over and over. Does this happen with newer Scorpios ? How do get a smoother gear shift and clutch pedal play , without the Oil Leakage or any clutch problem.

I'm still pretty happy with my Scorpio mHawk . The engine is in excellent condition. Any good suggestions & explanation from the esteemed community will be of great help . Very lucky until now that this has not happened in NBR.I don't want to go the ASC , as non of the technicians explain things correctly.

Best Regards
Bikash

 

[Superbad]

Re: Number of Problems in Mahindra Scorpio

Do check up with mukeshus for your problem with the clutch.
How did you notice the leakage. Does the oil spillage /leakage evident when the vehicle is at a standstill for long?

 

[Bikashrd]

Re: Number of Problems in Mahindra Scorpio

Looked below near the right front tyre , when the vehicle is in stand still for 5 minutes and a pool of liquid getting collected.

 

[Pradeep_rjm]

Re: Number of Problems in Mahindra Scorpio

Hey krish the hand rest on my hawk are the way it should be.
Even if the co drivers hand rest is made up, it stays as it is.
Had you gone for seat cover change??


Any updates,follow up with the customer care manager over mail.
Ask him what could be the reason behind this.
Which RM is handling your case?

I'm in touch with Mr.Najeeb Area CSM, Bangalore & Mangalore.

 

[Gurrala74]

Re: Number of Problems in Mahindra Scorpio

Hmm,

I wish mahindra does something soon and your rides become alright, but it is annoying to read such repeated complaints. Yes complaints can happen with any car, but they should not repeat again and again. Hope those Bosch fellows look into the root cause of the problem soon.

 

[mukeshus]

Re: Number of Problems in Mahindra Scorpio

I used to service it regularly with Sireesh A.S.C in Marathalli. Most of the time , complains were on hard gear shifts. I was not happy through my 4 years of service experience with them , as they completely ignore the issues of the vehicle and the bills soar up with unexplained labour charges.
In April 2012 - the clutch was burnt , and needed replacement. I took it to the A.S.C , they quoted a bill of Rs.13000. I finally decided that since the extended warranty is over , to get it serviced with Bosch Service Centre (Raghavendra Motors) near Hoodi junction. The clutch replacement done - the bill was around Rs.11500 . They also did free up the clutch and changing the gears was noticiably smoother. This lasted for 30 days and then i found the pedal on the floor near KR puram bridge one day and clutch oil leaking badly . Called the Bosch Service centre and got the vehicle picked up in an hours' time. They fixed this with no charge , and it repeated again after 2 months in the last week of June on Castle Street - Brigade Rd Junction. The Bosch Service Centre sent their towaway vehicle to pick up my Scorpio to their centre in Whitefield. The leakage was fixed again. They did not charge me for this , as the Owner Mr.Bharat is very straight forward person and responsibly owned this repeat failure. After that the clutch play and gear shift were very smooth. At 69,000kms based on their suggestions , i changed the Engine Oil to Shell Helix HX6 and coolant only. Changed the brake pads too.

The engine became more quieter , i could see the response from 1200 rpm on 3rd gear and 1500 rpm from 4th gear. In city it Fuel Consumption is 11.5kms/ltr with A/C and 14.5 -15kms/lts in the highway & offroad. Overall the engine was quiter , smoother and even less rattling noise. The gear changes were very smooth and free. I continued to go BR hills , Nagarhole , Tholpetty & Bavali ranges . Absolute advantage in forests, that the vehicle presence doesn't disturb the grazing herbivores .

Back in the city , two days back , the clutch pedal gave in again infront of the Old Airport. Drove the vehicle in the 1st gear lock, without clutch until Kundanahalli Gate , a trick i learnt from the MM 550 drivers in Tholpetty. Asked Bosch Service to pick up the vehicle again. Looked underside - Clutch Oil leak again .

Few Questions . Is this a common problem with the mHawk VLX 2008 models ? Is the clutch slave cylinder on certain models of Scorpio mHawk 2008 had a faulty design and were prone to leakage ? Why is recurring over and over. Does this happen with newer Scorpios ? How do get a smoother gear shift and clutch pedal play , without the Oil Leakage or any clutch problem.


Best Regards
Bikash

Hi there Bikash, at the right moment you took a wrong decision.
You should have gone for clutch change at authorised dealership.
If you were not Happy with Sireesh, you could have tried India Garage.

Here is breakup on the parts that were replaced on my Hawk, though the clutch didn't fail or burnt in my case.
It was showing symptoms of engine raising.
So went for the clutch change.

Here is the break up: http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...silver-45-000-kms-counting-40.html#post164792

And the changed parts: http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...silver-45-000-kms-counting-40.html#post165483

After the change of clutch the vehicle is like as it rolled out of the showroom.

Check out the RPM range in idling, i have got it set for 800 rpm , though it shows 1000 RPM, high RPM can damage the master slave cylinder.

That was one of the reason even my vehicle needed a clutch change so soon.

Get it connected with a smart tester and check the RPM range.

See whether all the parts mentioned in the link above has been changed by Bosch.

 

[Bikashrd]

Re: Number of Problems in Mahindra Scorpio

Hi Mukesh, Many thanks for the reply . I still have one quintessential question. They have changed all the parts as mentioned in your link.

1. Why does the clutch indeed fail or need a replacement at all for mHawk Scorpio 2008 batch within 1,00,000 kms of its run ?

This is a common problem for the 2008 batch, and shouldn't Mahindra recall these vehicles to see what exactly is problem. My question runs up to the fundamental engineering design of the clutch / master slave cylinder which is leading failures before 100k kms run.

I will try your suggestion to keep the rpm below 1000. Hopefully this should work.

For the A.S.C , Neither Sireesh nor India Garage are willing to pay attention to detail, since there too many vehicles they are selling. So service is a challenge. I need a single mechanic who knows the history of my car. I still continue to own a ZenLX - 2001 model. It is running absolutely splendid with no complains. Suraksha on hosur road has been servicing the vehicle for last 11 years , and they always have the same mechanic servicing my vehicle.

There are certain Scorpio mHawks - the newer ones , which have the clutch slave cylinder outside the bell housing with a forked clutch. The clutch slave cylinder inside the bell housing are the ones which are having more problems , which is in my vehicle. This is a trend which the Bosch Service Centre Candidly shared it with me and this is the 7th vehicle which has same problem.

Best Regards
Bikash

 

[mukeshus]

Re: Number of Problems in Mahindra Scorpio

Hi Mukesh, Many thanks for the reply . I still have one quintessential question. They have changed all the parts as mentioned in your link.

1. Why does the clutch indeed fail or need a replacement at all for mHawk Scorpio 2008 batch within 1,00,000 kms of its run ?

This is a common problem for the 2008 batch, and shouldn't Mahindra recall these vehicles to see what exactly is problem. My question runs up to the fundamental engineering design of the clutch / master slave cylinder which is leading failures before 100k kms run.

I will try your suggestion to keep the rpm below 1000. Hopefully this should work.

There are certain Scorpio mHawks - the newer ones , which have the clutch slave cylinder outside the bell housing with a forked clutch. The clutch slave cylinder inside the bell housing are the ones which are having more problems , which is in my vehicle. This is a trend which the Bosch Service Centre Candidly shared it with me and this is the 7th vehicle which has same problem.

Best Regards
Bikash

Yes even i fought through the mail, then they agreed to give discount on labour and all the parts were given to me at the dealer price.

Else bill would have shot upto 18000/-.

They didn't charge me for flywheel, even during a recent service a hose rubber tube connecting the slave cylinder was changed as that might leak as the vehicle ages.

Here is a part worth 192/- mentioned above was replaced which if not replaced during clutch change the Dot-4 oil of clutch might leak slowly.

For your query on the type of clutch, here is a pic that was there on the shop floor for mHawk: http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...silver-45-000-kms-counting-39.html#post161775

I blame it on the traffic conditions of Bangalore, the stop go condition would take a toll on the clutch.

It depends on how a person drives.

In my case everyone in my house drives, cannot help for the clutch overriding and acceleration.

 

[krish_go]

Re: Number of Problems in Mahindra Scorpio

Hey krish the hand rest on my hawk are the way it should be.
Even if the co drivers hand rest is made up, it stays as it is.
Had you gone for seat cover change??

Mukesh, Yes, i had new seat covers added. How to get a permanent fix? Currently, i am carrying a cutting player in the car and use it when ever there is squeezing noise.

 

[Bikashrd]

Re: Number of Problems in Mahindra Scorpio

Yes even i fought through the mail, then they agreed to give discount on labour and all the parts were given to me at the dealer price.

Else bill would have shot upto 18000/-.

They didn't charge me for flywheel, even during a recent service a hose rubber tube connecting the slave cylinder was changed as that might leak as the vehicle ages.


Here is a part worth 192/- mentioned above was replaced which if not replaced during clutch change the Dot-4 oil of clutch might leak slowly.

For your query on the type of clutch, here is a pic that was there on the shop floor for mHawk:

I blame it on the traffic conditions of Bangalore, the stop go condition would take a toll on the clutch.

It depends on how a person drives.

In my case everyone in my house drives, cannot help for the clutch overriding and acceleration.

Hi Mukesh,

Thanks once again for posting the details of the parts and expenses. Hope Mahindra pays attention to valuable customers. The new Scorpios mHawks are coming with changed clutch assembly now . Hopefully it will have lesser trouble than guys like us . But the unpredictability has increased on my side, in case i'm stuck in the offroad tracks of the jungles with a failed clutch. Your link is indeed very helpful , where you have caught the complete assembly description of the clutch. The hose rubber tube is the primary culprit. Possibly this needs replacement every 2 years.

I also checked with LUK - they happen to be the OEM supplier for the clutch assembly for Mahindra Scorpios.

Next time , i might go for complete overhaul of the clutch assembly and get the new unit fitted. So this could be the solution rather getting stuck somewhere.

Best Regards
Bikash

 

[renmat]

Mahindra Scorpio Problem

Hi,
I own a Mahindra Scorpio Slx 2008 Model. When I drive down any slopes in 3rd or 4th gear, engine will switch off with a shivering. If I apply the clutch or I change it to Neutral, it will not switch off. Please help to find out the problem.

 

[mukeshus]

Re: Mahindra Scorpio Problem

Hi,
I own a Mahindra Scorpio Slx 2008 Model. When I drive down any slopes in 3rd or 4th gear, engine will switch off with a shivering. If I apply the clutch or I change it to Neutral, it will not switch off. Please help to find out the problem.

Hi there Renmat.

I probably had this issue, esp in 2nd gear near, while slowing down near humps. Which after changing Clevis clutch pin, there was no shivering.

Ask the A.S.S to change this pin.

 

[jayadev]

Re: Number of Problems in Mahindra Scorpio

@Mukesh, why did you mention that higher rpm above 1000 can damage the MSC?
kindly explain if you know the technical reason.
Thanx.

 

[mukeshus]

Re: Number of Problems in Mahindra Scorpio

@Mukesh, why did you mention that higher rpm above 1000 can damage the MSC?
kindly explain if you know the technical reason.
Thanx.

This information was passed on to me from a member who drives a Scorpio for more than a decade,he drove my vehicle.
Even after shifting to 5 gear with constant gear changes at 40 kmph, the vehicle was moving ahead.
I didn't ask him why, but after that change i get a decent mileage on long trips.

But he had to say that the pressure plate will be in too much stress.

 

[Pradeep_rjm]

Re: Number of Problems in Mahindra Scorpio

Some more update on the Scorpio.

Apparently the flashing light is not the engine warning light. This was due to issues with the internal wiring fault that resulted in stopping scorpio on the middle of the road. The WS has done a workaround until they receive a 'new KIT' that that will remedy the problem hence the scorpio is detecting an issue and flashes the 'CHECK' light intermittently. I presume this is not because of oxygen sensor failure. Anyway, I've told my Dad not to drive till the issue is sorted out.

On the rattling too, the scorpio is smooth on good roads but the problem starts when riding on average roads with potholes (which are common sighting near our place). Compared to other cars (i.e have driven fortuner, Estilo & Ikon on same roads) the rattling is obvious on Scorpio. Hope there is a cure for this too.

Will keep you posted on the developments in two weeks time. Till then have a good time and drive safely with seat belts on.

Hi All, Finally the wiring harness has arrived and the kit would be installed on Friday. Will keep you posted once it's done.