Mahindra UTVs are tabbed as being “made in the USA”, instantly offering them some credibility in many consumers’ minds. And while many Mahindra owners have positive things to say about their experiences with owning one of these machines, many others have complaints about a number of common Mahindra XTV 750 Problems that seem to affect this model.
Mahindra XTV 750 Problems
The following are six of the most common issues found with the Mahindra mPACT XTV 750 and Retriever 750.
- Frozen Throttle Cable
- Gears Sticking or Grinding
- Brakes Squealing
- Engine Won’t Start
- Engine Overheating
- Excessive Cabin Heat
This guide will detail each issue and what usually causes it, along with some proven fixes for each.
Frozen Throttle Cable
In June of 2022, a recall was issued on Mahindra 750 UTVs. This recall was issued in response to a number of reported incidents involving the throttle cable retaining moisture and then freezing in low temperatures, resulting in a stuck throttle that could cause the brakes to fail to stop the vehicle, posing a crash hazard.
All Mahindra 750 UTVs produced between the years of 2015 – 2020 were subject to this recall.
If you own one of these UTVs, you should contact an authorized Intimidator or Mahindra dealer to have your vehicle fitted with an upgraded cable free of charge. Many owners have reported that Intimidator, who produced and offered the affected Mahindra models, has really stepped up to the plate in order to rectify the issue with the throttle cable, even sending mechanics hundreds of miles to repair vehicles as well as dealers ensuring these repairs are made rather quickly.
Additionally, under the same recall and applying to the same models/years, Intimidator is making a free repair to the onboard software of Mahindra 750 UTVs which is not preventing riders from exceeding 15 mph when the seatbelt is disengaged as it is intended to. This is said to pose a crash hazard and can be fixed under the recall as well.
Gears Sticking or Grinding
Many owners have reported the gears grinding or sticking in their Mahindra XTV 750. If your gear shift tends to stick and not engage, or you experience a grinding noise when shifting into low or high gear, you likely have an issue with your turnbuckle shift linkage.
This problem generally occurs due to one or both of the lock nuts vibrating loose, resulting in the shift linkage transferring to an incorrect position. You’ll need to readjust it back into place.
Locate the turnbuckle shift linkage within the engine bay. Using a wrench, hold the turnbuckle in place while using another wrench to loosen the two locking nuts on both ends. Once those have been loosened, rotate the turnbuckle counter clockwise shifting it to the left until it kicks into low gear.
You can then test it out by turning on the ignition switch and attempting to shift gears to ensure it’s in the correct position and is no longer grinding when you do. Once you’ve confirmed it to be in the correct position, tighten your locking nuts to hold it in place. If the issue persists, continue adjusting and testing as needed until you experience no more sticking or grinding.
Brakes Squealing
Another common issue with the Mahindra XTV 750 is a tendency for the brakes to squeal loudly. This happens even in newer machines, and can be noisy and embarrassing when driving around the neighborhood.
Squealing brakes seem to be exasperated by dry weather and driving in dusty settings. For folks in these settings, try hosing down your brake pads to clean them up a bit. You can also use soapy water to really clean them up. This has been known to cut down or alleviate brake noise in some instances.
But the main issue seems to lie in the fact that the Mahindra’s factory brake pads do not come pre-beveled. Brake pads without beveled edges are notorious for squealing, and not just in UTVs.
Nine times out of ten, beveling the edges of your brake pads will totally alleviate the squealing. You can do this on your own, but it will take some work.
To bevel the edges of your brake pads, you’ll need to remove your brake pads from your machine. Using a metal file, file down each pointed edge of the brake pad into a sloped (or beveled) edge rather than a perpendicular one. Reinstall your brake pads.
Engine Won’t Start
If your Mahindra XTZ 750 will turn over but not start, or seems completely dead, one of the following is the most likely culprit:
- Terminals/Wiring
- Battery
- Starter Solenoid
- Spark Plugs
- Old Fuel
Terminals/Wiring
You should first inspect your battery terminals. Ensure they are free of debris and corrosion, and give them a good cleaning. You can also apply dielectric grease or petroleum jelly which will prolong the lifespan of battery terminals.
Next, check the grounding wires connected to the battery. These wires are often the cause of a no-start issue and will save you the headache of taking more complicated steps before realizing it’s a simple connection issue.
Be sure and check the ground under the battery that grounds to the frame. It has a tendency to come loose and prevent your starter solenoid from functioning correctly. This issue may disguise itself as a dead battery.
Starter Solenoid
If you hear only a clicking noise from under the hood, you may have a solenoid issue. First, check all of the connections on the solenoid to see if they may be loose. Even if they don’t seem loose, a best practice is to loosen and then retighten them.
If nothing is wrong with the connections, you can try testing your solenoid by laying a screwdriver across the two large lugs and attempting to start it up. If it fires up, you can be pretty sure your solenoid is bad. Luckily this is inexpensive and simple to replace as you can purchase a new starter solenoid online for around $10.
Battery
The stock battery in the Mahindra XTZ 750’s are known for draining fairly quickly, especially if supporting added electronics. If you run added electronics to your battery, you’d be wise to invest in a more powerful one.
You can test your battery to ensure it’s 12+ volts. The fuel injection in the Mahindra XTZ 750 is heavily reliant upon your battery getting at least 12 volts to function properly. If your battery is struggling, you can give it a charge and then test it again. If still not getting the recommended voltage, you should replace it.
Spark Plugs
Check your spark plugs to ensure they are not coated with a foreign substance such as fuel, oil, or coolant. You should also inspect the tips to ensure they do not look burnt or corroded which would indicate the need for replacement.
It should be noted that if you use your XTV for frequent short trips, such as a drive to the mailbox and back, you likely have a spark plug issue if you find that your engine won’t start. This type of driving can wreak havoc on spark plugs (as well as batteries), so inspect and replace both as needed.
Old Fuel
If your machine won’t start after sitting without use for a while, you may have an issue with degraded fuel. Add a combination of Sea Foam Motor Oil and new fuel to your fuel tank in order to flush out any remnants.
Engine Overheating
The engines used in the Mahindra XTZ 750 are prone to overheating, which can occur for a few different reasons.
- Fan Switch
- Air Blockage in Coolant System
- Blown Head Gasket
Fan Switch
The XTZ 750’s engine is factory-set so the temperature sensor will not trigger the fan until reaching temperatures that are oftentimes too high for the engine to withstand, especially in warm weather. As such, the fan may not trigger in time to stop the engine from overheating.
To alleviate this, some owners have resorted to bypassing the need for the temperature sensor to automatically engage the fan switch in a couple of different ways.
Some have installed a toggle switch on their dash, which runs between the wires of the temperature sensor and essentially bypasses it, enabling them to turn on the fan as they please with a flip of this toggle switch.
Others have gone to the extent of rigging their machines so that the fan automatically engages and runs constantly whenever the engine is on.
Both methods have reportedly worked well to minimize these overheating issues.
Air Blockage In Coolant System
An air bubble blockage somewhere in your coolant system is another reason your Mahindra XTZ 750 may be overheating. How does this happen?
Many times if the cooling fan is not triggering correctly, your engine will overheat and allow air into the system. The air will usually find its way to the water pump, which won’t pump air. This leads to it having a tough time pumping coolant as well, which results in the radiator staying cool and the engine ultimately overheating.
Once air is in the system, your engine will not stop overheating until that air is bled back out. To bleed the air from the system of your XTV, follow the steps below.
- Raise the front end of your vehicle about a foot higher than the back end by parking on a hill or via a lift
- Ensure the engine is cold
- Remove any bleeder bolt from the radiator
- Remove radiator cap
- Fill it until coolant comes out of the bleeder
- Reinstall the bleeder bolt
- Continue filling radiator until it overflows
- You’ll need to repeat steps above for any overflow reservoir as well
- Start the engine and let idle – you’ll most likely see bubbles
- Once the bubbles stop, shut off engine and replenish coolant if necessary
- Repeat this process until you no longer see bubbles
- Reinstall radiator cap (and reservoir cap if applicable)
Your coolant system should be free of any air blockage at this point. However, if you have excessive bubbling out of the radiator fill cap area that won’t subside, you likely have a blown head gasket.
Blown Head Gasket
Any overheating the engine experiences puts your head gaskets at risk of blowing. And blown head gaskets will lead to recurring overheating. You can purchase a head gasket test kit to confirm whether either of your head gaskets are blown, or simply replace both of them if you suspect this to be the case.
Excessive Cabin Heat
Staying on the topic of heat, one of the more common complaints with the Mahindra XTV 750 is heat from the radiator blowing into the cabin and heat from the engine warming the seats to an uncomfortable degree.
The cabin heat happens due to the radiator venting under the dash, which blows warm/hot air out through the driver side footwell directly onto the feet and legs of the driver. The heat also flows from spaces around the steering column and gear shift.
The heat affecting the seats generally blows up from behind and between the seats, but also warms the seats from the underside. Both the cab and seat heat can be incredibly uncomfortable, especially during summer months.
There are a few potential solutions to these heat issues.
Boot Covers
To combat the heat in the cabin, Intimidator created two factory boot solutions that fit over both the space in the steering column and the space around the gearshift. Both of these boots look fairly native to the machine and aren’t eye popping.
Remove the Doors
Removing the doors on each side of your XTV can help to resolve the heat issue as well. This may not be ideal for some owners, but it will make a noticeable difference as the added airflow helps to disperse the heat in the cabin area faster.
Heat Shields
To combat both the seat and cabin heat, you can purchase a heat shield online. There is one made specifically for Intimidator and Mahindra vehicles, which is offered by Benson Ace/Benson Power. It fits under your seat cushions and cuts out the heat by around 75%. These can be purchased for $250, but keep in mind they only fit one row of seating.
If that’s a little too pricey for your liking, you can also rig up a heat shield on your own by way of a heat shield/sound deadening mat on Amazon and a sheet of aluminum from somewhere like your local welding shop. This combination will cut down on heat as well.
While most heat shields live up to their name and cut down the heat in the cabin and warming of the seats, they bring the added benefit of cutting down on engine noise and cabin dust for occupants as well.
Conclusion
While some of these common issues can be avoided by adhering to a proper maintenance schedule, others are completely out of owners’ control. And while Intimidator seems to want to assist owners with issues that affect the operation of their vehicles, owners should be prepared to troubleshoot issues that don’t fall into that category on their own.
