Holden Problems

Something, somewhere in the vehicle (probably the driveline) is causing the car to go into what’s called limp-home mode. This is designed to limit speed and power and, therefore, protect the vehicle from further damage due to the original problem.

You may have a fuel problem or an exhaust problem or maybe there’s something wrong with the emissions control system, or even a simple electrical sensor that’s faulty. The point being that you won’t know what the actual problem is until you scan the vehicle to see what the computer has seen going wrong. Until then, you’re just guessing and the vehicle will continue to go into limp-home mode. These problems don’t fix themselves.

The trick to a diagnosis here might be to find out what rotational bits and pieces are involved. To do that, you need to work out whether the noise is wheel-speed related, driveshaft-related or engine and transmission-related. The driveshaft spins fastest, followed by the driveshafts and finally the wheels, axles and brakes. So that’s probably the key to it.

Even something as simple as a bent or loose brake shield can cause a rattle, squeak or grinding noise, and some owners have gone so far as to strap GoPro cameras under the car and take it for a drive to see what’s going on. A mechanical workshop will probably be a bit more scientific, but the basics of troubleshooting remain the same.

As far as the driveline locking for a moment, you could be looking at a related problem or a completely separate issue. It’s probably wise to make sure the transfer case isn’t suddenly shifting into neutral or low-range on its own for that split-second, as that could cause driveline chaos. But a sticking brake caliper or faulty ABS module could potentially also cause the same sensation.

Some cars cycle their ABS systems when you first start up and take off, and this can lead to a metallic noise for a second or two and a slight buzz through the car. It can be intermittent, too. Are you sure that’s not what you’re hearing?

The clicking noise is probably the central locking actuators that physically lock and unlock the doors. If they’re constantly cycling, it won’t be long before they fail. Which sounds like why the car locked you in.

The reason they’re cycling constantly is probably something to do with either the sensors that tell the car a door is ajar, or the body computer that controls a huge array of functions in a modern car. An auto electrician is probably your best bet to have this sorted.

Manual gearboxes generally work better/more smoothly when they have some heat in them and the oil gets a little thinner and better able to lubricate. So you’re right on that account. If the gearbox was crunching on every gearchange, you’d also probably suspect the clutch might be worn, too. But since it’s only the one gearchange that’s making the noise, then your theory that the synchromesh rings are worn holds water.

But before you do anything drastic, make absolutely sure the clutch is disengaging fully and that all the clutch lines and pedal action are spot on. A dodgy clutch can also produce this sort of crunching noise. And, yes, it can be worse when the vehicle is cold.

Meanwhile, for some reason, the synchromesh on second gear is the one most likely to fail on the majority of cars (probably because second gear cops and awful hiding and copes with very high loads). So, in that sense, yours is a copy-book case of worn synchros. (First gear is also highly loaded, but since you only really shift up from first – hardly ever down to first on the move – its synchromesh rings don’t cop such a spanking.)

If the problem gets worse, you’ll probably find the upshift from first to second will also start to graunch. That’s when you’ll know for sure that the synchros need replacing. As you point out, though, to really diagnose this the fault requires an inspection of the parts and that means the gearbox out and pulled apart. While you’re in there, change the other synchromesh rings and the transmission’s bearings. And don’t put it back together without a new clutch.

In the meantime, however, if you’re prepared to shift very slowly and carefully while the vehicle is cold, you can actually drive around this problem. Many car owners have done so for years without further problems. Not best engineering practice, perhaps, but it’s a money saver.

The answer to this will depend on exactly which model Barina you have. In some models (typically earlier ones) the code is simply a servicing reminder to make sure the owner knows maintenance is due.

But in some versions of the Barina of this era, fault code 89 usually relates to a problem with the car’s thermostat. So don’t drive it any farther as the faulty thermostat could cause the engine to overheat with catastrophic results. Have a mechanic check things out and see if the thermostat is indeed faulty. If it is, it’s a relatively cheap fix, certainly compared with the cost of a new engine.

Sometimes the code relates to a switch in the thermostat that is responsible for switching on the car’s electric fans, but either way, it could lead to overheating. Don’t ignore it in any case.

Many mechanics at this point would put their money on a bad earth somewhere on the car. Even though the LED light is working, the car’s computer thinks otherwise and, since LEDs draw so little current in the first place, they can be a bit hard to diagnose. Even so, the fast flashing suggests that there’s definitely a problem. To be honest, an auto electrician is probably your best bet at this stage.

Some owners of older cars have found that switching to LED headlight globes can cause the car to think that there’s a blown light somewhere as the current being drawn by the LEDs is so small compared with the normal globes the car came with. Fundamentally, the computer can’t see the current that should be being drawn when the lights are on, and fires the check-light warning symbol. You may find it’s the LED indicator light unit itself that is faulty. These can develop random failures in the internal circuitry that controls them.

The first thing to do, though, is to try the home computer reset which involves disconnecting the battery overnight and seeing if that calms the computer’s nerves. It might not work, but it’s free to try.

The problem here could literally be a thousand different things. You may have a different fuel problem than simply a blocked filter (injectors, pumps etc) or you might even be looking at an electrical or electronic problem with a sensor or computer module. What you need to do is have the vehicle electronically scanned to see if the on-bord computer has logged any problems that will guide the mechanic to the cause.

The other thing you could try would be to run the car on LPG and see what happens. If it runs perfectly on LPG but still struggles on petrol, you’d be very tempted to think the problem is indeed in the petrol fuel system.

This engine has a reputation for failed EGR valves which are part of the emissions control system and live within the rocker cover. Without this valve working properly, the car’s tailpipe emissions can be higher than they should be, as well as causing the oil leak you’ve noted. And any time you have oil hitting a hot exhaust system, there’s the potential for a fire.

In some cases you can simply change the EGR valve, but experience suggests that with some engines, the solution is to replace the entire rocker cover which will incorporate a new EGR valve. The parts can usually be bought online.

The SVS light is otherwise known as the Service Vehicle Soon light. It indicates that there’s something wrong with the car’s engine management (in the case of your Statesman). In this make and model, it’s often triggered by a faulty oil-pressure sensor which is relatively cheap and easy to replace.

But that shouldn’t cause the misfire. Which means you need to look further and that would start by giving the car an electronic scan. It’s worth knowing that these engines used spark plugs that required replacement at 80,000km intervals. These won’t cause the computer to log a fault code, but they do fail remarkably reliably at this mileage, and a misfire is the first symptom.

Let’s start with the basics here. Is your vehicle a petrol- or diesel-engined Rodeo? If it’s the former, you may have disturbed the wiring when changing the filter. So go back and check all the connections. If you can’t hear the pump whirring when you turn on the ignition, then you either have a fuse or wiring problem or the pump itself has died.

It’s pretty common for this to happen and most electric fuel pumps have a lifespan of something like 100,000km. But this can be a lot shorter if the car has ever been filled with contaminated fuel.

If your Rodeo is a diesel, there’s a chance it will need to be primed before it will restart after a filter change. That is, it needs to have any air in the fuel system removed before it will run. Locate the fuel filter in the engine bay, and you should see a small plunger at the top. With everything refitted, you can manually push on this plunger to prime the pump and remove any air. All things being equal, the engine should then start and run.

Speaking of back to basics, make sure you haven’t installed the new fuel filter the wrong way around. These only flow in one direction and installing it backwards will not allow the fuel to flow from the tank to the engine.