Holden Problems

This could be the result of a worn or poorly adjusted transmission, a worn torque converter or even something simple like a low transmission-fluid level. So that’s job one: Check the level of fluid on the dipstick. If that’s okay, you really need to see a transmission specialist who has probably seen these exact symptoms before. What I can tell you for sure is that the automatic gearboxes fitted to Holdens of this era did have a finite lifespan before they needed either an overhaul or outright replacement.

But make sure your mechanic checks that the cause of the vibration is not a worn universal joint or bent axle or an out-of-balance drive-shaft. Even a sticking brake or a worn engine mount can induce vibrations into a moving or accelerating car, so rule all that stuff out first.

That price is towards the top end of things for this particular make and model, but within reason given the low kilometres on the odometer. Make sure it has a full service record as, even though it hasn’t been used much, it will still have needed proper servicing if it’s to remain reliable.

There are many, many things in a modern cat that can cause the check-engine light to illuminate. The cause could be anything from a sensor somewhere on the engine or in the exhaust to a problem such as low oil pressure, overheating, a dud fuel-injector or even a stretched timing chain that has allowed the crankshaft and the camshafts to become out of synch.

Basically, the car’s computer notices and logs anything that’s amiss and warns the owner that some form of servicing is required by lighting up the check-engine light. The other possibility, of course, is that whoever worked on the emissions control system you mentioned, may have neglected to manually turn off the check-engine light. It’s happened before.

This is not a good sign and suggests that you have a fairly major engine problem. Sometimes this can be caused by an automatic transmission’s oil cooler having split and emptying transmission fluid (oil) into the radiator’s coolant. If that’s the case, the transmission will also probably be damaged both mechanically and electronically.

Other causes are a catastrophic failure of the engine crankcase or – not quite as serious – a blown cylinder head gasket. But in either of these cases, the engine will need major repairs. The cost of which may exceed the actual value of the car.

Depending on the severity of the problem, a recycled, second-hand engine from a wrecked Barina of the same model might be a better option.

Potentially, this can be fixed by a specialist, but in reality, it’s probably going to be cheaper and simpler to fit a better stereo head unit and pick up a few modern features like Bluetooth and smart-phone connectivity. These units are relatively inexpensive to buy and there’s lots of choice out there. Consider upgrading the car’s speakers at the same time for an even better listening experience.

The biggest issue owners have experienced with this car is a tendency for the engine to consume oil and require a top-up between oil changes. Holden addressed this by changing the specification of the oil from a 5W30 to a 5W40 oil and released a new oil cap design. You’ll know if the new-design oil cap is fitted to your car as the owner’s manual will have been altered by a Holden dealer to reflect the new oil specification.

Beyond that, the biggest driveline complaint seems to be the noise generated by the engine. However, this seems to be a natural by-product of the 2.8-llitre turbo-diesel fitted to the Colorado 7 and is not a fault per se.

Folding metal convertible roofs are a pretty complex piece of gear, and there’s a lot that can go wrong with them. Often, however, it can be a really simple fix.

These folding tops feature lots of interlocks that will prevent the roof opening if the car thinks there’s something amiss. That could be something like a switch that prevents opening if the windows haven’t wound themselves down a few millimetres for clearance. In some cars there’s also a switch that tells the car if the main clasp has been unfastened, and in some cases there’s another that reports back to the car that the hand-brake is, indeed, applied and it’s safe to begin lowering the roof.

These protocols and protections vary from car to car, but in the case of, say, the park-brake switch. The problem can be as simple as a sticky switch in the park-brake assembly that is not triggering. And without that tiny piece of information, the car will decide it’s not safe to open the roof. Check the dashboard to see if the park-brake warning light illuminates when you apply the brake.

So start with all those little switches and clips and make sure the correct information is getting to the computer. If that doesn’t throw up a solution, you need to start investigating things like the electric motor and solenoids that physically operate the roof.

When things like a car’s lights start to develop a mind of their own, the car’s body computer is sometimes the root cause. This is the computer that controls everything from the central locking to the lighting and the climate control to the cruise control, as well as a lot more in between. If this computer module starts playing up, all sorts of weird things can take place, including the dashboard lights coming on of their own doing. If this happens overnight or when the car is parked for a long period of time, it could easily drain the battery and leave you with no electrical power.

An auto electrician is the obvious solution, but try this trick at home first. Remove the negative battery terminal on the car and leave it disconnected for an hour or two (or, even better, overnight) this is sometimes enough to reboot that body computer and return the car to normal operation. Be aware though, that even if this fixes the problem, it may recur sometime down the track. But at least then you’ll know what to do next time.

Your mechanic is right in deciding that a leak between the engine and gearbox will need the two components to be split to access the problem. Whatever it turns out to be. It could be a broken torque converter which would be expensive, or a simple oil seal which may cost just a few dollars. Either way, though, the labour involved in fixing even that cheap oil seal is going to make this an expensive operation.

Sometimes, you just have to let it go and cut your losses on a car that is starting to become worn out. To be honest, the Holden Captiva was not the most reliable or durable car ever made and many owners have discovered the hard way that this Holden badged car was actually a Daewoo, and not a good Daewoo at that.

Yes it did. In order to produce the engine’s 96kW and 280Nm of torque (291Nm in automatic form), Holden - or rather Isuzu, who engineered the vehicle and provided the driveline - used an intercooler to achieve that level of performance.

The factory intercooler was a top-mount (mounted on top of the engine) and there are plenty of aftermarket alternatives when it comes time for replacement. Some owners also choose to fit a front-mounted intercooler for better performance, although in an off-roader like the Rodeo, this can place the intercooler in harm’s way in an off-road scenario.