GWM Haval Jolion Problems

The Haval product has only been on sale in Australia since 2015, so it’s a bit hard to gauge its long-term reliability prospects. Even more so when it’s a model like the Jolion which hasn’t been on local roads for anything like seven years (it was launched here in 2021).

Based on the experiences of CarsGuide readers, the Jolion has been responsible for some electronic woes and the odd build-quality issue. These, however, could be isolated problems rather than a general assessment of the model. At least with a 2024 model, you’ll have at least six years of warranty, so you could use that time to assess the car’s reliability and quality for yourself before making a decision to hold on to it beyond the warranty period.

There could be any number of reasons for this from an electrical or a mechanical point of view. Since the car is under warranty, why not tackle your Haval dealership with the problem as, legally, it’s their responsibility to put right.

But on another level, are you sure the vehicle is not using its electric motor to help power the vehicle? The transition between petrol, electric and a combination of the two can be pretty hard to pick sometimes, especially in newer vehicles with smoother engines and better sound-proofing. In fact, the Jolion Hybrid has been praised in road tests for the seamless way it transitions between petrol and electric power, so maybe because you’re not feeling or hearing this transition, it appears to be not happening, even when it is.

If the problem is getting worse, then there's clearly something deteriorating with either the doors themselves or the rubber seals that keep the air and water out. You could start by visually inspecting the rubber seals. Is there any obvious damage (such as a seat-belt buckle been left hanging out when the door was slammed shut)? Are there any witness marks or visible fretting on the paintwork from any component. Even a stray leaf caught between the door and the rubber can cause a leak, so give the area a good clean and see if that helps.

The door hinges could also be at fault, but I'd be a bit surprised if a car as new as this one has worn hinges already. In the bad old days, this problem was usually fixed by grabbing the window frame part of the door and bending it in slightly to achieve a better seal. That probably won't help you, but keep in mind the car is still under warranty, so make it Haval's problem.

Most of a modern car’s systems are now sealed which means you shouldn’t find any fluids under the car, with one possible exception. And that would be some water from the air-conditioning system. One of the things air-con does is de-humidifies the air passing through it (which is why it’s so good for demisting fogged-up windows). The result of that is that the water from the atmosphere removed by the A/C has to go somewhere, and that somewhere is usually on to the ground via a vent that stops the water collecting inside the cabin. However, this vent is more likely to be located under the dashboard or perhaps under the front seats, not the rear of the vehicle.

Don’t rule out, either, a simple case of rainwater which has collected somewhere along the chassis and drains out when you pull up for the night. Did you drive through a puddle just before parking the car? That could explain the liquid, too.

Given the liquid is clear and has no smell means it probably is water, but make sure you check the levels of everything else on the vehicle and keep an eye on them to make sure you don’t have a problem. And that includes the water reservoir for the windscreen washers.

Meantime, don’t forget that a fluid leak is a warranty issue for Haval to deal with.

A lot of cars are trimmed with leather these days, but it's also a fact that there's leather and then there's leather. Some is supple and rich and lovely, while some car-makers specify a grade of leather that is still technically a cow's hide, but is of distinctly inferior quality. These cheaper leathers are the ones that tend to get hotter, but it's also true that all leather will get hot if you lock your car and park it in the sun.

There are plenty of seat cover options, but a favourite for those who like their comfort is the good old sheepskin cover. Again, these are available in a range of quality and price-points, but a good set will definitely stay cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

This fault code usually has something to do with the car’s lane-keeping alert program. A lot of newer cars have this system which either warns the driver that they’re straying outside their lane, or in many cases will actually intervene with some steering input to correct the car’s path. Obviously, it’s important that this safety tech works as it should, and the warning you’re seeing is to alert you that the car thinks there’s something wrong with the lane-keeping system.

Depending on the make and model, these systems use radar, cameras and other sensors to detect the lane marking, the edge of the road and even potential obstacles. As such, any problem with any of these devices can throw the system into disarray. But it’s not always a hardware or software fault; sometimes something as simple as a bug-splattered sensor or camera can cause this warning light to flash up on the dashboard. Even minor scrapes and bumps can throw the system off balance, too.

If there really is a problem with the system or its computer control that is not damage related, then you need to take the car back to the dealership as these safety systems should be covered by the car’s warranty. Don’t delay the fix, either. A car without all its safety gear working properly is potentially unroadworthy.

The default purchase for somebody looking for a mid-sized hybrid SUV is the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. But if that’s too big, there’s the Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid, C-HR Hybrid and even the Corolla Cross Hybrid which sounds like the marketplace is getting crowded but is really just a reflection of the appetite right now for cars like these. And that’s the catch; the waiting times for a brand-new example of some of these cars is out to many months and even years. So your plan to shop second-hand makes plenty of sense, but don’t expect any bargains in a market currently being dominated by lots of demand and less supply.

Beyond the Toyota brand (which has been doing hybrids longer than just about anybody else) there’s also the Mazda CX-30, Subaru XV Hybrid, Haval Jolion Hybrid, Kia Niro, Subaru Forester Hybrid, Nissan Qashqai e-Power, MG HS, Honda HR-V e and more. For something a bit bigger, try the Kia Sorento or Hyundai Santa Fe hybrids. There are others out there, too, that are probably bigger or more expensive than you need, but it's very much a growing scene in the Australian marketplace.

It sounds as though the car has a major computer glitch if it keeps issuing phantom warnings and won’t operate things like the cruise-control or the menu-driven functions. Australia’s consumer laws on this subject are quite clear and compel Haval to fix the problems as part of the factory warranty it offers with the vehicle.

Don’t be tempted to let them get away with this. Make sure the problems have been logged with the dealership and with Haval (in writing) so that the problems will be treated as a pre-existing condition even if the warranty runs out down the track. If Haval refuses to fix a warranty problem, it is in breach of that same consumer law, at which point you can contact the ACCC who will make a judgment that can be legally enforced.

An independent inspection of the vehicle by your state motoring club might be a good thing to have too, as it will prove that an independent body has identified the problems and that they really do exist.

Any time you have a burning smell in a car, you have a potential fire. If something is hot enough that you can smell it, it’s possibly hot enough to burst into flames, especially if it contacts a fuel or oil leak somewhere on the car.

The fact that the smell occurs when going uphill suggests that it’s something in the driveline (engine or transmission) that’s getting hot because it’s working hard. It could also be a cable or hose that’s incorrectly routed too close to something that’s getting hot (like the exhaust) and causing the smell. In any case, the answer to your question is no, it’s not normal and it needs investigating.

Sometimes, a new exhaust system will create the odd strange smell as it heats up the first couple of times this shouldn’t be happening after 9000km. You need to take the car back to where you bought it from and have the dealership fix this before a real fire takes hold, or something important melts and stops working.