DIY Expedition Camper on a 2020 Mitsubishi Fuso EarthCruiser CORE Chassis

kcshoots

Active member
$150k and they won’t lend you a reader to figure out the fault code it showed up with…??? Feel for you.
I asked and the answer was a shocking no. Considering that I am trying to diagnose and resolve the problem they created, I was shocked and still am that they have declined my requests to for them to resolve this, so I bought a code reader to confirm that there is a fuel Evaporative system error since new, and EC modifies the fuel system and vent and fill. Being that gasoline fuel venting is a safety and human-health issue, I would've expected immediate resolution or even better resolution before sending me home saying just "click the fuel cap". So hoping they will step up to resolve before my garage blows up. I'll keep posted of what ever the resolution--hopefully positive and soon.
 

SuperVan

Forager
Well I’ve got quite a story about my experience with them as well, should we end up around a campfire someday.
Good luck with figuring out your EC Gremlin.
 

kcshoots

Active member
Well I’ve got quite a story about my experience with them as well, should we end up around a campfire someday.
Good luck with figuring out your EC Gremlin.
What a shame. I really like to be positive and provide positive thoughts and feedback, but sadly I've only heard the same from the many other customers of theirs that I've spoken with. Good platform, good product, good ideas, but lack of customer focus, care and support are overriding and suicidal. I look forward to the campfire time and sharing some good stories as well.
 

chris_the_wrench

Fixer & Builder of Things
What a shame. I really like to be positive and provide positive thoughts and feedback, but sadly I've only heard the same from the many other customers of theirs that I've spoken with. Good platform, good product, good ideas, but lack of customer focus, care and support are overriding and suicidal. I look forward to the campfire time and sharing some good stories as well.

Am I misreading this, or did you buy a brand new vehicle from Earthcruiser/Core and it was kicking out a CEL light when you picked it up from them? And they won't fix the issue?? I sure hope that's not the case... I don't think thats acceptable on a base model chevy spark! We've been looking at chassis for our next rig, have to reconsider Core if thats really how it happened...
 

Howard70

Adventurer
Am I misreading this, or did you buy a brand new vehicle from Earthcruiser/Core and it was kicking out a CEL light when you picked it up from them? And they won't fix the issue?? I sure hope that's not the case... I don't think thats acceptable on a base model chevy spark! We've been looking at chassis for our next rig, have to reconsider Core if thats really how it happened...
Might be two sides to this story. I've dealt with the EarthCruiser company since 2014 and have found their customer service great. Just adding another data point for your research.

Howard
 

kcshoots

Active member
Am I misreading this, or did you buy a brand new vehicle from Earthcruiser/Core and it was kicking out a CEL light when you picked it up from them? And they won't fix the issue?? I sure hope that's not the case... I don't think thats acceptable on a base model chevy spark! We've been looking at chassis for our next rig, have to reconsider Core if thats really how it happened...
Let me confirm and be clear and focus on the facts.

When I picked it up new, the CEL was not on but came on before I even left Bend, so about one mile from EC after pick up. EC said when doing the walk thru of it during pick up that they have had about "one out of three" of their conversions trigger a check engine light and to tighten the factory fuel cap "a few more clicks". Realize that I have CORE #4, so in theory, there were only three delivered before mine but they have delivered roughly 80 Fuso and now NPR campers over about ten years. all likely with their same fuel tank as mine. Of course, I have tightened the fuel filler cap many times each with many "clicks", and have refueled the vehicle multiple times in attempt/hope the CEL would reset.

When I requested their support, their only response when there is even a response is to take it to a Mitsubishi dealer. Nearest supporting dealer is a four-hour roundtrip drive (EC is 4x as further), and the fuel filler is now installed in a temporary fashion while the camper box is built and until the storage boxes are made, so no point going to one until the fuel filler is properly installed. I asked EC once arriving home from pick up trip for them to lend/send me a code reader (which I would send back soon as the code(s) were read) to determine the code so that I/we would know the problem to resolve. EC declined to provide a code reader and suggested one for me to buy. So for $150k you get a problem as new, and not even a code reader to tell them what the problem is, or their support. (I'm just stating the facts, but you can sense my frustration with this insane lack of customer care.) I did buy the code reader they recommended and it did NOT work on the Fuso. They then acknowledged that the one they recommended to me was not the one they use even though they earlier told me they recommend it to all of their customers, which indicates that CEL's or other fault codes may be common with their vehicles. I have since purchased a code reader that does read the fault code, confirming it is a fuel evaporative system out of spec.

I have asked EC for support and guidance, which they have said to take it to a Mitsubishi dealer for support, and have even completely disregarded my concern for safety and health, as there is a visible layer of dust around the fuel tank (and not the surrounding areas) indicating a fuel vapor leak, as well as fuel vapor odor, which has horrified friends when they come over and recognize it when standing near the fuel tank. Even when kindly providing these concerns to EC, they have chosen to not address them at all. Obviously, gasoline fuel vapor is highly explosive, dangerous to human and environmental health and a major contributor to air pollution, hence the purposes for the fuel venting/evaporative system on all vehicles made over the last half-century or longer. EC modifies the fuel tank, and in doing so, also removes and replaces the factory fuel sender, which in doing so requires the fuel filler line and vent tube from the sender and from the sender to the engine to be removed and reinstalled. I have checked all of those lines and the fuel sender unit and found two possible sources for the leak--the vent line had a very loose hose clamp (essentially was not even tightened); I have tightened that. That same vent line was also laying on the tank with an S-loop that would/could create condensation puddling at the low spots below the entry into the tank and thus preventing fuel vapors from moving thru and entering the evaporative system. I have tightened that clamp and propped up that section of the vent line to ensure fuel can drain back into the tank. These changes have not cleared the CEL, although they likely won't until enough restarts/time driven or manually cleared, which I will try now that I know the fault code. I have only driven the vehicle home from EC and one trip to and back from a local friend/shop to build & install the camper box, so it has only been driven three times since leaving EC including the drive home from EC.

When I have asked EC for support from a local shop to me, or for them to send a technician to come to my home (plenty of these services available), they have not responded to my requests even after expressing my concern for safety. They have also not offered to address when they replace the pitman arm, which sounds like it will be done at my home. I will of course, kindly ask again that they support this issue and potentially serious safety issue. I would like to provide a positive update of resolution.

They have also yet to provide or offer to deliver the rear winch carrier which I bought and paid for five months ago, and they did not have available when I picked up, nor provided to a friend who picked up his EC six weeks after I picked up mine that EC agreed to provide him so that he could bring it home to me. (I referred that customer to them.) Now EC wants me to pay for shipping on an item that they were late to deliver nor delivered to a friend as mutually arranged with all to pick up. If anyone is traveling from Bend to Reno-Tahoe area, reach out and maybe you can pick it up and bring it to me.

If anyone has any suggestions for a positive resolution or repair of this issue, I'd be kindly grateful for your support and ideas to resolve.

I hope others do not have similar experiences, but also hope that my sharing will help to prevent or remedy any similar issues. I support our community working together, sharing, helping each other, and having many wonderful people and companies providing great products for us to use and provide us great experiences. I can't wait to have these issues resolved and to focus on these many wonderful companies and products and the experiences.
 

kcshoots

Active member
Might be two sides to this story. I've dealt with the EarthCruiser company since 2014 and have found their customer service great. Just adding another data point for your research.

Howard
Thank you for saying and great to hear. Any suggestion(s) of whom or how to resolve this CEL/issue?
 

Howard70

Adventurer
Thank you for saying and great to hear. Any suggestion(s) of whom or how to resolve this CEL/issue?

My comment was for @Bike_Mech who is apparently researching potential cabover rigs for the build of an expedition camper.

When either of my EarthCruiser EXP's needed attention I either drive 8 to 10 hours to reach a Fuso shop I've researched and have heard good reports of (if EC suggests it is a dealer issue) or I drive two days to take my truck to Bend. When I purchased the trucks I asked what was required for warranty service for chassis details or EC details and I was told those were the options - get it to a dealer or get it to Bend. Thus I accepted those conditions upon purchase and have been happy ever since. In my opinion the distribution of good Fuso dealerships / service centers is out of EarthCruiser's control and, at least in my cases, they've been very clear before my purchases that warranty work on EarthCruiser stuff would require getting the truck to Bend. I accepted that when I made the purchases. I do not have a CORE based EarthCruiser so my situation is potentially very different from yours.

Howard
 

Aussie Iron

Explorer
My situation would have been it would have gone back to them and not even driven home if the fault happened before I left town that is for certain. It's a new Vehicle not one with FAULTS on leaving their yard. Not good.

Dan.
 

kcshoots

Active member
My comment was for @Bike_Mech who is apparently researching potential cabover rigs for the build of an expedition camper.

When either of my EarthCruiser EXP's needed attention I either drive 8 to 10 hours to reach a Fuso shop I've researched and have heard good reports of (if EC suggests it is a dealer issue) or I drive two days to take my truck to Bend. When I purchased the trucks I asked what was required for warranty service for chassis details or EC details and I was told those were the options - get it to a dealer or get it to Bend. Thus I accepted those conditions upon purchase and have been happy ever since. In my opinion the distribution of good Fuso dealerships / service centers is out of EarthCruiser's control and, at least in my cases, they've been very clear before my purchases that warranty work on EarthCruiser stuff would require getting the truck to Bend. I accepted that when I made the purchases. I do not have a CORE based EarthCruiser so my situation is potentially very different from yours.

Howard
Yep.
My situation would have been it would have gone back to them and not even driven home if the fault happened before I left town that is for certain. It's a new Vehicle not one with FAULTS on leaving their yard. Not good.

Dan.
Yes, this would had been ideal, but occurred late on a Friday with a drive home over a weekend and due to several EC delayed pick up dates, I did not have the schedule to accommodate staying over a weekend to get it resolved.

Being a bare chassis truck, it came home to get a camper built, so it's a construction project for many months to a year, and therefore most of the time not in an easy state to drive it for a couple of days to get to a dealer or EC for repair. I expected to take it for repairs and maintenance after the camper was built, but not before it has even a few hundred miles on it.
 

kerry

Expedition Leader
That customer service is abysmal. Quite remarkable that they wouldn't loan you a code reader and recommended one that didn't work. I hope nobody has purchased that same code reader expecting it to work in the middle of nowhere to get them up and going again. Can you post up the brand of code reader that works? At least on older Fuso's I was under the impression only the Mitsubishi proprietary scanner would function.
 

SkiFreak

Crazy Person
As far as I know, the Fuso trucks made after the FG84/FG140 are OBDII compliant and the codes can be read by most code readers.
Alas, as you mentioned Kerry, older models output proprietary data, which normal code readers cannot interpret correctly. Sigh................
 

kcshoots

Active member
That customer service is abysmal. Quite remarkable that they wouldn't loan you a code reader and recommended one that didn't work. I hope nobody has purchased that same code reader expecting it to work in the middle of nowhere to get them up and going again. Can you post up the brand of code reader that works? At least on older Fuso's I was under the impression only the Mitsubishi proprietary scanner would function.
I put the one I've found that works into video and a link to it. Here are the links: https://amzn.to/336VrP6 And an OBD2 to J1939 adapter cable should you need one: https://amzn.to/3B1Z1qa https://youtu.be/RVmlkGnBnjU
 

kcshoots

Active member
As far as I know, the Fuso trucks made after the FG84/FG140 are OBDII compliant and the codes can be read by most code readers.
Alas, as you mentioned Kerry, older models output proprietary data, which normal code readers cannot interpret correctly. Sigh................
I tried two OBDII readers and neither worked. There is an OBDII port and also the J1939 port (also on the transmission), but I think only the J1939 port works for reading codes and engine info, but if you find out different, please share. I would like to have a monitor in the vehicle displaying key levels while driving.
 

Bluvan

Member
I am sorry to hear of your troubles. After watching your pick up video I was wondering about the outcome.

I am in the Tahoe area and have a truck in the queue with EC. It should be a couple months fingers crossed. PM me and we can maybe work something out if that timing works.

On my mid 80’s whoopty passing smog check requires an evap test on the fuel system which I was struggling to pass every other year. The shops use a smoke tester to pressurize the fuel system at the cap and look for the smoke. YouTube has lots of hacks for that. I found a simple plumbing test manifold from the hardware store and a couple fittings I could hook up to a fuel tank vent line, pump up to 1 psi with a bike pump and follow the odor no need for smoke. In my case a small rotted line and simple fix to then hold the 1 psi. I believe the system tests to less pressure but the test gauge was hard to read below that.

may be worth a quick pressure test to indicate a simple leak or something more.

good luck and thanks for posting the video series
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,527
Messages
2,875,534
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top