Holden Problems

The early VE model Commodore V6s certainly had all sorts of dramas with stretched timing chains that could run into thousands of dollars to fix. Holden changed the design of the chain and while it did help, we’ve still heard of later post-2008 model Commodore V6s exhibiting the same problem.

The problem is made worse (accelerated) by poor servicing, so if the vehicle in question doesn’t have an absolutely up-to-date service handbook with evidence of every scheduled service being carried out in full, we’d be walking away. Same goes for a car that rattles on first start-up, won’t idle properly or has a check-engine light illuminated on the dashboard.

The bad news, Andrea, is that your car is probably worth between $8000 and $11,000 and maybe even less as a trade-in. Certainly that figure will be less if you don’t fix the engine problem, so that’s your starting point for working out the mathematics of your situation.

The one thing you haven’t told me is whether the car is a V8 or a six-cylinder car. If it’s a V8, I reckon you’d be spot on the money with a lifter, rocker or valve-spring problem as these engines were notorious for these components wearing out in roughly the mileage you’ve noted (sometimes less). The good news is that it’s not a terribly involved or costly (relatively) fix.

If, however, the car is a V6, then you might be in a bit deeper. These engines were even more notorious for stretching their timing chains and that can lead to all sorts of engine noises as well as a check-engine light illuminating on the dashboard. This is a bigger, more expensive fix, too, and since a V6 Calais will be worth less in the first place, it might be better to simply replace the whole engine. There’s also the very strong possibility that the cost of repairs will simply not stack up against the value of the car.

A car that feels unstable even in a straight line is a potential death trap. The higher speeds on the open road (as opposed to driving around the suburbs) are obviously amplifying the problem, but whatever it is needs to be fixed fast. To be honest, I wouldn’t be driving it at all.

You could be looking at a problem with either the steering system itself, worn suspension or even a loose (or rusted) front cross-member that is allowing things to move in directions they shouldn’t. Don’t rule out poor wheel alignment or even incorrect tyre pressures, either. Has the car been crashed and repaired? Poor crash repairs can leave a car misaligned, making it steer and handle oddly. Either way, get it checked and fixed pronto.

The vast majority of complaints regarding the Holden Adventra emanate from under the bonnet. In the case of the V8 version (the CX8) the engine is a bit prone to experiencing wear in the top-end of the motor, namely the lifters and valves springs. A ticking noise when the car is first started each morning is the clue to this and although a lot of these engines will, indeed, make this noise on start-up, if the noise doesn’t go away in a few seconds, you have a problem.

The V6 (CX6) meanwhile which was available in the later version used the DOHC Alloytech engine which soon gained a reputation for stretched timing chains which needed to be replaced at a fairly substantial cost. The first hint that all is not well is a rattling noise from the top of the engine, combined (often) with a check-engine light illuminated on the dashboard.

Beyond those issues, many owners have complained about poor fuel economy and patchy build quality. Make sure, too, that any prospective purchase hasn’t been used off-road beyond its limits. Just because it used a higher ride height and all-wheel-drive did not mean the Adventra was a hard-core off-roader.

The six-speed automatic transmission in the Cruze built between 2011 and 2013 was, indeed, a bit suspect in some cases. Unfortunately, that puts the vehicle in question right in the middle of things. Holden instigated a fix which was applied when a car with gearbox dramas was brought in for repairs. Sometimes individual parts of the transmission could be replaced, at other times the transmission was replaced as a whole unit.

Any Cruze with a gearbox that flares during shifts, shudders, refuses to select a particular gear (including reverse) or loss of drive was covered by this special service directive. When fixed, Holden was extending the warranty of the transmission to five years or 150,000km. That won’t help you now, but it would pay to check whether the car you’re looking at has, in fact, had this work carried out. A car with these repairs carried out would be a better choice than one that hasn’t.

A car with a little extra ground clearance is great for camping as it often allows you to get a little farther away from the masses in their caravans who tend to huddle around the shower block at bush campsites.

The Subaru Outback is a good, solid choice and if you can find an independent workshop to service it, you’ll avoid the cost of dealership prices. And you’re right, the all-wheel-drive would be great for gravel roads. Another vehicle to look at would be a late-model Ford territory diesel which is big and clever inside and has the option of all-wheel-drive. The diesel engine is a plus on the bush where that fuel is more readily available (in really remote areas) and gives you more range for big holidays in the mulga.

Don’t rule out things like the Mitsubishi Pajero, either, which won’t be as around-town friendly, but is a proven quantity and is absolutely tremendous off-road. The same goes for a Toyota Prado or Nissan Pathfinder prior to the current model (which is a bit less hard-core adventure).

The HSVi plate on your car suggests it was ordered with some off-line upgrades when it was bought new. This was pretty common among those buying brand-new Holdens but for budget or company-policy reasons, couldn’t stretch to an actual HSV. The modifications were done by a sister company to HSV, called HSVindividual but the modifications themselves weren’t necessarily that same ones found on a HSV vehicle. In fact, many of the mods were pretty pedestrian, including cargo-liners for utes and even roo-bars for Holden models.

Other common modifications included sunroofs and bigger wheels and tyres and although nobody seems to have a list of what codes meant what modifications, any code that starts with `EW’ seems to relates to alloy wheels. So I’d imagine the EWT relates to that. As for FAT, I can’t find any reference to it on any information source; perhaps it has something to do with the Automatic Transmission?

Engines like the Honda four-cylinder have lots and lots of electronic sensors scattered around the engine bay to keep them running sweetly and efficiently. High-pressure water can definitely get into places it shouldn’t be and send things haywire. Next time you get the engine up to temperature, park the car somewhere dry and leave the bonnet open to see if whatever is wet will dry out naturally.

Of course, that’s dependent on the burning-plastic smell not being something that’s about to catch fire. In fact, this is the more serious problem as a small piece of trim or soundproofing could also have moved during the high-pressure washing process and could be touching a hot component such as the exhaust system. If that’s the case, it can easily catch fire with predictable results. I would definitely be having somebody who knows what they’re looking at take a look to identify the source of the smell. Keep a fire extinguisher handy while you’re doing so, too.

My friend, if I could find somebody to give me $5000 for a 2009 Captiva with a dodgy turbocharger, I’d be taking that deal in a heartbeat. The reality is that your car is worth about $5000 in decent working order, and nowhere near the $8000 you’ve calculated. That’s because you never really get back the money you spend in repairs; even if you spend $3000 on fixing a $5000 car, it will still only be worth about $5000. That’s the cruel reality of the used-car industry.

A cheaper, second-hand turbocharger is one way to go, but then you open yourself up to the risk of having bought, and paid to have installed, a turbo that is almost as worn out as the one that has failed on you. There’s no nice way to put this, but I’d be getting rid of that Captiva for the best price I could and not looking back.

All three of the engines used in the Holden Equinox (1.5 turbo-petrol, 2.0 turbo-petrol and 1.6 turbo-diesel) used a timing chain rather than a timing belt. While timing belts usually need periodic replacement, the timing chains fitted to the Holden engine should be good for the life of that engine.