Great Wall Steed Engine Problems

It would appear that you have a good case for a refund or a new car, but it’s a matter of negotiation with Great Wall in the first instance. If you don’t have any success go to the Victorian Government’s Consumer Affairs Department and enlist their help in negotiating a satisfactory outcome.

A problem like this is all but impossible to diagnose remotely. There are literally hundreds of reasons why this could be happening, and simply guessing at an answer and replacing that part randomly is not the way to proceed. The fact that no fault codes have shown up Is a puzzle, too. Don’t forget, though, that there’s probably a second fuse-box somewhere inside the vehicle as well as the one under the bonnet that you’ve already checked.

I’m not sure about the flashing anti-theft light. Sometimes these flash constantly whenever the car is locked as a message to would-be thieves that there’s an alarm system fitted. That said, the problem could be something to do with the immobiliser system which would stop the vehicle in its tracks if it thought the car was being started by somebody without the correct key fob.

The bottom line, of course, is that this vehicle – provided it’s been serviced correctly – is still under Great Wall’s factory five-year/150,000km warranty which was introduced back in 2019. So make it Great Wall’s problem.

P0513 is indicating a problem with the car’s ignition key, which should have the car’s VIN and skim PIN code to deactivate the immobiliser. If you have a spare key, try that. P0 430 indicates a problem with the catalytic converter. There are a number of possible causes for this, it could be fuel system problem, a clogged converter, or a damaged oxygen sensor. Take the car to a dealer and have it investigated.

Sometimes the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) can become so blocked up that it’s impossible for the vehicle’s onboard systems to clean it. If that’s the case, either manual cleaning or a completely new DPF unit might be required.

A diesel specialist should be able to figure this one out. Until then, you’re stuck with limp-home mode as the vehicle should not be operated without a functioning emissions system, of which the DPF is a crucial part.

In modern vehicles, there are usually two oil warning lights. The first – an orange or yellow light - is to alert you that the oil level in the sump is becoming too low. This is easily fixed by stopping and topping up the engine oil. Provided you do it promptly and don’t ignore it, you shouldn’t do any permanent damage.

The second light is a red one and indicates that your engine has insufficient oil pressure to lubricate the moving parts. Sometimes, when this light shows, it’s already too late and permanent damage will have been done. But if you do see the oil-pressure warning light, drive to the nearest safe place to stop and switch off the engine as soon as possible. The vehicle will then need to be towed to a workshop to be checked out.

If you stopped the engine early enough, you might be able to repair the cause of the low oil pressure. But in many cases, it’s all over and done by the time the light flickers on, and you may need a replacement or reconditioned engine.

Engine longevity is closely linked to how well maintained it’s been. As such, there’s no definitive lifespan for a specific make and model. An engine that has been treated well and maintained correctly will easily outlast the same make and model engine that has been driven hard and missed critical servicing and upkeep.

That said, 260,000km seems like a lot of kilometres for this vehicle. Which is not to suggest it’s necessarily ready to explode, rather that you’d have to know for sure it was a pampered car with an impeccable service record for it to be a reasonable bet. But a gamble of some sort it would definitely be.