Holden Problems

Since both variants of Colorado here use essentially the same engine, I’m not sure what sensors would be different and require changing. That said, the MY17 Colorado got recalibrated hill-descent and hill-start functions, so maybe there are some differences there.

The major mechanical difference that I can see between a 2014 and a 2017 Colorado is probably the power-steering. In late 2016, the vehicle switched to an electrically-assisted system in place of the previous hydraulic set-up. So the later engine would probably lack the pulleys and mounting hardware for the hydraulic power-steering pump that your vehicle requires. Perhaps they can be removed from the old engine and fitted to the later one.

Perhaps an easier solution would be to return the engine originally supplied and ask for the correct version for your car. If the engine supplied originally was not fit for purpose, then you’ve every right to ask for a replacement unit that is.

I think there’s a bit of confusion sneaking in here. Your Calais doesn’t have a timing belt, its engine is fitted with a timing chain instead. However, if it’s a V6 engine, then there’s every chance the timing chain does need to be replaced.

This seems counter to conventional wisdom where a timing chain should last the entire life of the car. But in the case of the particular V6 we’re talking about, the chain was definitely a weak point and lots of Calais and Commodores have needed replacement chains. That was particularly true if the engine received less routine maintenance than the handbook stipulated.

The first sign can be a rattle when the engine is started; sometimes you’ll get a check-engine light on the dashboard because the chain has stretched sufficiently to allow the camshafts and the crankshaft to become out of phase with each other. Either way, it’s new-chain time and you can expect to pay something like $2000 to have the job done, possibly more.

Most workshops will be able to carry out this work and, when it comes to finding a local garage, word of mouth from friends and family is usually a good way to proceed.

Diagnosing problems like this one are difficult, Willie, mainly because you can bet your bottom dollar that the car won’t reproduce the problem when your mechanic drives it. But three or four times every tank of fuel is not funny and, should the problem rear its head just as you’re about to enter a busy road or turn across traffic, it could be very dangerous, too.

But the fact that the car runs perfectly most of the time suggests that it’s not a problem with any of the actual, mechanical engine parts, or it wouldn’t run properly at all. That leaves you with fuel, spark or the computer that controls everything as your most likely suspects. A dodgy sensor such as a crank-angle, camshaft-angle, temperature, oxygen or throttle-position sensor can cause problems like these and sensors have definitely been known to throw up intermittent faults.

The best bet is to have the car scanned by a dealership or workshop with the correct computer gear. Otherwise you could be chasing your tail for weeks, wasting time and money as you change sensors that were working properly and still not fix the problem.

It sounds to me, Michael, that your repairer is not being entirely scientific about the diagnosis procedure. Changing things because they might fix the problem is an absolute hiding to nowhere in modern cars, purely because there are so many sensors and systems that can cause all sorts of problems.

While your repairer is correct that a diesel-particulate filter problem can cause a loss of power, so can a faulty intercooler, a dirty MAF sensor, leaking injector O-rings and a leaking boost pipe. Okay, so those things have all been fixed, but which one was causing the problem?

The smart way to go with a vehicle like this is to plug it into a scanner and download all the fault information that has been logged by the on-board computer. Only once you know what components are dodgy can you make an informed decision about what bits and pieces to replace. Beyond that, you’re stabbing in the dark and forking out big dollars every time a mechanic says "let’s try this…".

So, no, you’re not stupid in thinking that all the possibilities should have been considered before work began, and I’d be having that very conversation with the workshop involved. It may be that all those components that have been replaced were, in fact, faulty, but replacing things until the problem goes away is often a very expensive way to tackle a problem.

These late Commodores (the very last of the locally-made Commodores, actually) do, in fact, have a history of fuel injector problems. Holden has claimed that poor quality fuel is the cause, but some technicians disagree, arguing that it’s a problem inherent in the injector’s design. Some owners have been told that it’s better to run these cars on 95 or 98-octane fuel, even though the LS3 V8 is rated to run on 91-octane ULP. But it seems even cars that have been run on the pricier brew are still recording problems with the injectors.

The faulty injectors send the engine into a potential lean-mixture situation, at which point the on-board computer intervenes and sends the car into limp-home mode to avoid engine damage. That’s why you’re seeing all those warning lights on the dashboard, while the injectors themselves are what’s causing the rough running you’ve reported.

There’s been no recall on Holden’s part, but the word on the street is that a Holden dealer will replace the injectors free of charge if you present the car at the dealership with the symptoms in evidence. Holden’s announcement that it will cease to trade in Australia should not affect this situation.

Jump-starting a modern, computer-controlled car is fraught with dangers. Get it wrong and you can fry the electronics and that’s bound to cost plenty if you damage – and need to replace - the on-board brain. The conventional advice is to connect the positive lead of the jump-start kit to the positive terminal of your car, but attach the negative lead of the jump-pack to a solid, metal part of the car. As in, not the actual negative battery terminal. That reduces the chance of sparks that could ignite the flammable gasses batteries give off. Make sure the ignition is switched off when you connect, too.

The best advice is to also make sure you’re using a set of surge-protected jumper leads ort a jump-pack that’s similarly protected as it’s the power surge (or spike) that kills electronics. The other piece of advice is; if you’re unsure about jump-starting, leave it to somebody who knows.

It sounds like the entire car is shutting down. And if that happens at speed, or just as you’re preparing to pull out into moving traffic, that’s an incredibly dangerous thing to be happening. The best advice is to have the car scanned electronically, at which point the real problem might raise its head.

Beyond that, you’re clutching at straws, because whatever is going on is a fairly serious problem. Scanning the on-board computer doesn’t take long, and diagnosing the problem this way will save you time and money in the long run. It might even save you from a crash.

It sounds awfully like your car’s body computer is at fault here, Leslie. The body computer is the brain that talks to the keys and then commands the doors to unlock and the immobiliser to disarm so the engine can start. This unit also controls things like the power windows, interior lighting, and even the intermittent windscreen wipers. It also talks to the engine control module, and without that conversation happening properly, the engine won’t start. The problem is that the body computer can develop faults with some of these functions while others work perfectly, making diagnosis even trickier.

If it is on the blink, a faulty body computer can have all sorts of effects including doors that won’t lock or unlock, and can even cause the doors to lock momentarily before magically unlocking again the minute your back is turned.

I have also heard of keys becoming worn out with age and use, and if the car requires the key to be in very close proximity to unlock doors, the key could be at fault, too. The other possibility is that an aftermarket alarm system is interfering with the car’s standard functions.

Car alarms have a really bad habit of draining batteries. Aftermarket ones are the worst, but even the factory alarm can cause a run of flat batteries if it’s not working properly. The faster flashing red light on your dashboard is the clue that something has altered in the alarm or its settings.

An auto electrician can be your best friend in these cases. By the way, not all scanners are created equal and some of the cheaper, online versions don’t cover all the functions of a modern car. A Holden workshop will have the proper scanning tools to make a coherent diagnosis.
 

The big difference between the two Cruzes you’ve nominated is that the earlier car was built in South Korea while, from 2011 on, production moved to Holden’s Australian production facility in Adelaide where it was built alongside the Commodore. There’s a school of thought that suggests the locally-made versions would be of better build quality than the Daewoo-made version, but in reality, there’s not much in it.

That said, we’d go for the later, Australian-made car, as these had a much better range of engines from which to choose. Specifically, the locally-made Cruze could be had with a 1.4 or 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine either of which was smooth and pretty zingy. Or, you could opt for the two-litre turbo-diesel or the non-turbo 1.8-litre petrol as seen in the early, imported Cruze.

The diesel is very frugal and offers a relaxed driving experience, but the two turbo-petrol engines are the pick of the crop for smoothness and performance. The one to avoid? The non-turbo 1.8. It was breathless, noisy and generally unpleasant.