Holden Problems

If the car in question has the 1.8-litre engine, then this is definitely a known problem. Plenty of these engines suffered cracked cylinder heads which could allow the engine's oil and coolant to mix, producing the symptoms you saw. Holden actually issued a service program to replace the cylinder heads and other components to address the problem.

The other major cause of these symptoms is a failure of the transmission's cooling system. This actually piggy-backs on to the engine's cooling system (they use the same radiator) but if the transmission cooler fails, it can allow transmission fluid into the radiator and coolant into the transmission. Eventually, this will destroy the transmission both mechanically and electronically.

First thoughts are that the stepper-motor (which controls the idle speed) is faulty. That would explain both the high idle at low engine temps and the stalling and stumbling as you roll to a stop. This component is really just a small electric motor and shouldn't be too expensive to replace.

But have the car scanned first to make sure there are no other obvious causes for this behaviour. A faulty engine temperature sensor or some other small component could also produce these symptoms.

The ACCC operates a national website that lists all safety recalls. Included within that is a complete list of automotive recalls for Australian cars. You can visit the site here.

You simply search for your car's make, year and model and the website will tell you what recalls have been applied over the years. The alternative is to find a Holden service outlet who should be able to check your car's VIN and identify what recalls were relevant and whether they've been carried out (i.e fixed) or not.

This particular error code denotes a lean running condition. That is, the engine either has too little fuel or too much air entering it. It's actually quite common on this engine and can be traced to several possible causes. Some of those include bad fuel injectors, a worn fuel pump, an intake vacuum leak, or – and this is where we'd look first on this engine – a bad PCV valve.

This valve is responsible for controlling the crankcase ventilation, but if it fails, it can allow the lean mixture condition to emerge which is when you'll get the error code and a check-engine light. The good news, is there's a quick and easy check if you know your way around an engine.

First, remove the plastic engine cover to reveal the rocker cover and the PCV valve. With the engine running, place a small piece of paper over the hole in the PCV valve. If the paper is drawn to the valve, you have a leaking PCV valve probably due to a broken diaphragm which is allowing extra air to enter the engine and create the lean mixture. If that doesn't work, make sure the oil cap is fitted tightly as a loose cap can cause the same problem. This certainly isn't the case for all engines, but experience has shown that in your car, it's a good place to start.

If the PCV valve theory doesn't work out, you're back to looking at things like fuel pressure, injector condition, intake tract leaks, a bad mass airflow meter or even a powertrain module fault.

The knocking noise could be anything from a poorly secured spare tyre to the struts that hold the boot or hatch in the raised position.

On the surface, the two bootlids look very much alike. In shape, they may well be identical, but there's a catch. In 2012, Holden switched from the fully-imported Cruze to a locally built version of the same car. Which means that the two versions were painted in completely different factories (different countries, in fact) and the chances of two blues or reds or even whites colour-matching exactly are pretty slim.

If you look at the locally made Cruze line-up, you'll also see that many of the colours were shared with the Holden Commodore range (built in the same factory). The other thing to consider is that the paint on these cars was never stellar quality, and a decade or so of varying UV radiation exposure might mean that even two bootlids that started out the same colour, may not be now.

Compare the two bootlids in strong sunlight to gauge whether the colours actually match before committing to the swap. That said, if you do manage to match two bootlids in an identical colour, it will be a lot cheaper than having one resprayed.

No, the manual and automatic versions of the Crewman are rated to tow up to 1600kg and 2500kg respectively with a braked trailer. This is to protect the clutch of the manual versions which could easily be damaged trying to tow the automatic's 2500kg.

It's generally accepted that the more progressive take-up from rest of an automatic transmission makes it the better solution for a tow-car in the first place. And that extends beyond any single make or model.

The workshop you want is a specialist air-conditioning business. Air-con might have a simple job to do, but it’s a complex system with lots of interlocks to protect the various bit and pieces. If, for instance, the gas level is low, a sensor will detect this and disable the air-con compressor so the system can’t be damaged by running with low gas or lubricant. So, simply replacing sensors and other bits and pieces randomly is a great way to tear up money and still not fix the problem.

You need to have the system checked by somebody who understands the technology. They will test for leaks, check whether the system is holding pressure and then check the operation of the rest of the hardware including the compressor, receiver-drier, condenser, blower-fan and relevant filters.

If you’re lucky, the system may just need re-gassing, but you could also be up for some expensive new parts if there’s other damage or problems. But without a proper diagnosis, you’re flying blind.

Even though the Holden brand isn't selling new cars any longer, the brand still exists to service Holdens already on the road in Australia. Spare parts for an Astra are no problem to get hold of, either through a Holden service centre or from any number of suppliers, many of whom have websites you can look up.

That said, I wouldn't be too picky about having a 2018 car serviced by Holden, as any good workshop should be able to tackle any job on this relatively conventional car. But, if you do wish to use a Holden service centre, there are nine listed in the Perth area, so finding one shouldn't be a problem.

In many cases, this (usually) four-digit security code will be written down somewhere inside the owner's manual or the car's service manual. Both these documents should be stored in the glovebox. Another popular way to store the code was to write it on the back of the business card of the salesperson who sold the car new, and attach that to the owner's handbook somewhere.

Often, however, these books go AWOL, at which point you need to contact a Holden workshop with the car's VIN. From there, you should be able to check Holden's records and find the security code. You may have to provide proof of ownership of the vehicle, however.

If that fails, sometimes you can do an internet search on a specialist website, but to do that, you'll need to know the serial number of the stereo unit. Usually, that involves removing the unit from the car, a process that can range from very easy to incredibly difficult.

There are lots of places for a car to lose its coolant. The cooling system is a network of pipes, water jackets and other plumbing that is required to keep the engine cool, provide heat for the cabin and even cool the transmission.

Obvious places for a leak to occur are any of the joints in this plumbing, the water pump itself or any of the various components that store the coolant (heater core, radiator, overflow tank). A failed welch plug will definitely cause a car to lose coolant, but it usually starts out as a small leak before developing into a bigger one as the plug deteriorates further over time.

If the water is really running out as fast as your pour it in, the best idea is to get somebody to add water to the radiator while you look in the engine bay and under the car with a torch. A leak as big as the one you describe should be very visible.