When the auto-fire kicker launches a ball (that should then go to either the upper left flipper or to the gumball), the ball gets jammed in 80% of the cases somewhere halfway of the lane. Often it doesn't get further than a third up and rolls back in the rocket kicker. I think it gets shot with enough power, but that the launch isn't "clean". It hits the side of the lane, oscillates and makes a sudden stop. It doesn't happen at a fixed spot. It just abruptly comes to a halt, as if the ball had "bad spin" or something. It happens with all balls including the powerball.

This is annoying, especially when after LITZ the balls need to be shot back into the gumball. It often just gives up and then the game is totally confused about where the balls are.

I already disassembled/reassembled the kicker but couldn't find any obvious defect. I added a washer to the pivot arm to reduce sideway movements but that didn't help.

I would really appreciate any hints!

(For what it's worth: the rocket kicker often misses the hitch-hiker lane at the other side... a related problem ?)

Thanks LTG.
Indeed, the auto launch was hitting the side of the ball. As I couldn't find any other way to adjust it, I had to bend it a little. I get 90% good shots now.
And the 2 screws for the rocket kicker also fixed that problem!

Next: get some consistency from the eject out of the slot machine. It is hard to catch the ball and definitely not possible to get it bumping of the right flipper onto the left flipper.