Holden Problems

By 'rides' I’ll assume you mean 'slips', which then slowly allows the car to build up to speed (as in, the rest of the car catches up with the engine). There are two major causes of this, the first is a clutch that is out of adjustment, and the second is a clutch that really needs replacement.

The problem you have, though, is that even if the clutch on the Barina is adjustable (and some clutches aren’t) the fact that you’ve been driving it with the clutch slipping suggests that you’ve already damaged the clutch to the point where it would need to be replaced anyway. Continuing to drive it can also put 'hot-spots' on the car’s flywheel (to which the clutch attaches) and that can mean the flywheel also needs to be resurfaced when you replace the clutch.

I reckon, at the minimum, you’re looking at a new clutch kit. Ignoring it will eventually wind up with the clutch expiring completely and you walking home.

The first response of most mechanics on this would be that you have a head gasket leak in the engine. Coolant in the oil and/or oil in the coolant are classic symptoms of this. It happens because the faulty head gasket allows the two fluids to mix but, depending on exactly where the gasket fails, you don’t necessary get both symptoms. A workshop can pressure test the engine’s cooling system and perform what’s called a TK test to show up any contaminants in the coolant that have found their way there via a blown head gasket.

But before you go tearing into the engine, check the service records to find out how old the coolant is. Coolant will discolour over time and kilometres and what you’re seeing as a `milky colour’ might simply be old coolant that has gone cloudy and needs changing.

Depending on what sounds the engine is making will determine whether the engine is a throwaway or can be fixed. But if the consensus is that the engine in your car is beyond redemption, then I reckon a second-hand engine from a wrecked Captiva would be the best bet. I don’t think the car itself would be worth enough money to justify a rebuilt engine which could run to $10,000 or more.

Nobody wants to tell you this, but fundamentally, the Captiva was a pretty ordinary car. Lots of owners had lots of transmission problems (which you already know about) and plenty of diesel engines destroyed their turbochargers and – in some cases – the rest of the engine in the process. The petrol V6 was no beacon of excellence either, with a terrifying propensity to consume timing chains.

Who at Holden has rejected your claim for help in repairing the car? If it was the dealer, I’d simply go around that business and talk directly to Holden’s customer service department. The fact that the car has a full Holden service history might sway opinion at head office, but I wouldn’t be going to the bank on it given the age of the vehicle.

It all depends on what engine is fitted to your car, Karen, as Holden used a range of gearboxes in this series of Commodores. If your car is the base-model version (the Omega) it will be fitted with a four-speed automatic (code-named the 4L60E). If your car is an SV6, it will have either a five-speed automatic (5L40E) or a six-speed manual (the Aisin D173/AY6 unit). If your car is a V8 Commodore, it will have either the six-speed automatic (6L80) or a six-speed manual (Tremec T56) fitted.

Of all those transmission options, the five-speed automatic was the odd one out as it was only used from the launch of the VE until the first facelift in 2008 when it was replaced by a six-speed automatic.

The prime suspect for this is a blocked vent that normally funnels condensation from the air-conditioning system to the outside of the car. If this vent becomes blocked or split, the condensation can enter the cabin. Other possibilities include a damaged heater matrix which can leak coolant into the cabin or a sunroof with blocked drainage channels that can also leak into the vehicle.

Excess black smoke from a diesel engine is bad news as it can – among other things – cause the engine to run hot enough to cause internal damage. As for a cause, it could be anything from contaminated fuel to a block air-filter, a faulty sensor or a damaged intake system. Modern diesel engines like this one also have a habit of forming black deposits in their intake tract (a by-product of the engine’s own emission controls) and this can cause all sorts of problems including black smoke.

Another possibility is that the car’s diesel particulate filter (DPF) is blocked and the car is trying to regenerate it (clean it out) by dumping lots of fuel into the engine, and that’s causing the excess smoke. Either way, it needs to be fixed to avoid the potential for costly engine damage, not to mention the environmental havoc the car is causing in its current state. An electronic scan of the onboard computer would be a good starting point.

Open the bonnet of the car and find the build plate. It will probably be attached to either the firewall or the suspension tower. The plate is a small, metal plate that lists information such as the car’s model, build number, its engine details, trim code, the build date and the colour code. This information can then be given to a paint shop and the correct colour brewed up to make for a perfect colour match for repairs and touch-ups.

The prices of second-hand cars have sky-rocketed recently due to a lack of supply. People are simply not selling their old cars at the usual rate (as trade-ins and private sales) so the laws of supply and demand apply. That is; more demand plus less supply equals higher prices. This phenomenon has been most strongly felt in the case of locally-made Holdens and Fords, perhaps because of nostalgia and the `they don’t make ‘em any more’ factor. Either way, it’s true that the second-hand Holden Calais that cost $6000 this time last year can be worth almost double that now.

With just 120,000km showing, your car is a relatively low-mileage example and the fact that it’s a V8 is good news. Beyond that, however, you haven’t given me much to go on. For a start, 2006 was a change-over year for Holden models; the VZ left showrooms and the new VE model entered. The difference between a VZ and VE in price is significant, particularly in V8 form. I’d also need to know whether your car is a Calais V. All those things have a bearing on value.

For the record, though, a VE Calais sedan in good condition with similar kilometres to yours would probably be advertised for around the $14,000 mark or even more. And that’s almost twice what it was worth just a year ago.

To connect your mobile phone to the Holden Cruze’s optional Bluetooth system for hands-free phone operation, the first step is to check your phone settings to ensure that Bluetooth is enabled and that the phone is `visible’ or `discoverable’.

From the info-screen in the car, select Add Device (Handsfree) at which point the car’s Bluetooth system will search for and find the signal from your mobile phone. When that happens, a four-digit code should be displayed on the screen which is then keyed into the phone’s keypad to make the connection. The car will then ask you if you want to pair your phone and you press `Yes’ to complete the pairing process.

As many as five mobile phones can be connected to the Holden Cruze Bluetooth system. You can then choose a different phone to pair by choosing one from the device list displayed on the info-screen. Once the connection is established, you can operate many of the phone’s functions through the car’s information screen including your address book and adjusting the volume of the phone call.

For more instructions on how to play music through the system, more setup options, and troubleshooting problems, refer to the vehicle’s owner’s manual.

On the lower-right corner of the dashboard, you’ll find the rotary switch that controls the headlights. On the same switch panel (just to the left of the main headlight switch) are a pair of sliding controls that control the headlight aiming (the right-hand slide) and the dashboard-light brightness (just to its left).

When the car’s headlights are turned on, the dashboard lights are automatically dimmed, and sometimes this provides insufficient light to see the gauges clearly in bright daylight. But by holding the adjustment slide in the up position, you can turn the dashboard lights to their brightest level of illumination.