Black Smoke & Power Loss: Mitsubishi Proudia SOS

I had a similar issue with my 2015 Mitsubishi Galant last summer. The symptoms you're describing match what I experienced, black smoke, power loss, and that distinctive exhaust smell. Turned out one of my lambda sensors (oxygen sensors) was shot, and it was messing with the fuel mixture. Took it to my regular mechanic, and they diagnosed it pretty quickly. The faulty sensor was causing the engine to run rich (too much fuel), hence the black smoke. They replaced the sensor and cleaned up the exhaust system since some carbon had built up. It wasn't a major repair, but definitely not something you want to ignore since it can affect your fuel economy and potentially damage your catalytic converter if left unchecked. The whole job took about half a day in the garage. Since then, the car's been running smoothly, no more smoke, normal power, and the engine light cleared up. Just make sure whoever works on it has experience with Mitsubishi's engine management systems. These sensors can be a bit tricky to diagnose if you don't know what you're looking for.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Sounds exactly like what I'm going through right now. I'm relieved to hear it wasn't anything too major in your case. Hey, do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the whole repair? Also, just curious, has everything stayed running smoothly since then, or have you noticed any other issues pop up? Asking 'cause I want to make sure I budget properly and know what to expect down the road.

Hey again! Just wanted to give you an update since you asked about the costs and long-term results. I actually just got back from the mechanic last week and can confirm it was a similar issue with my Galant. The total bill came to 375€ to replace that faulty lambda sensor, and I gotta say, it was money well spent! The Exhaust aftertreatment malfunction that was driving me crazy is completely gone now. The car's been running like a dream since the fix, no more black smoke, engine light's off, and power's back to normal. It's honestly such a relief! I've put about 5000 km on it since the repair and haven't had a single problem. Even my fuel economy has improved, so I'm actually saving a bit on gas now. Don't stress too much about future issues, once they sort out that sensor, you should be good to go. Just keep up with regular maintenance and you'll be fine. Trust me, it's worth getting it fixed properly rather than letting it drag on. Let me know how it goes with yours!

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! I actually just got back from the mechanic myself. Took your advice and found a Mitsubishi specialist, what a difference! They confirmed it was indeed the oxygen sensor causing all the drama. Ended up paying around 400€, which wasn't as bad as I'd feared. Got it fixed yesterday and honestly, it's like driving a different car! No more black smoke, power's back to normal, and that awful smell is gone. The engine's purring like it should now. Such a relief it wasn't anything more serious. You were right about the fuel economy too, already noticed I'm using less fuel on my commute this morning. Really glad I didn't put off getting it checked. Thanks again for sharing your experience, it really helped me know what to expect and not panic too much about it. Definitely keeping this mechanic's number for future reference! Take care!