Holden Problems

The widow is probably rattling in its channel, which should be obvious when you remove the door panel to check it. The dealer should be able to fix it, and since the car is in warranty it’s their responsibility to do it. Keep at them, if not take it to a body shop.

Injector wear is prevalent on common-rail diesel engines with the high fuel pressure and rapid cycling. A diesel mechanic should be able to check the injectors for leakage.

A Holden dealer, or an auto electrician should be able to sort it out for you.

The Chevrolet Equinox - also known as the Holden Equinox in Australasia - is built on General Motors' D2XX compact front-wheel-drive and crossover SUV platform. This means the Equinox is primarily a front-wheel-drive model though a part-time all-wheel-drive model is available.

There are no 4WD Equinox models with low-range or lockable hubs.

The car is still under warranty, so you should expect that the repairs would be covered. It’s no unreasonable that they want the car for a full day; you have to give them every chance to find the cause. As they claim they couldn’t find the problem when driving the car, it would be a good idea if you were to test-drive it with them to demonstrate the problem you are concerned about. That way there is no doubt in your mind or theirs about what it is you feel needs to be fixed. The fact that the transmission oil is very black suggests there is something wrong internally. Have the diagnostic check done, and then work out who pays for what and what needs to be done to get your car running again properly.

Halfway on the dipstick suggests that it doesn’t need topping up, try waiting until it gets to the lower mark on the dipstick and see how far that takes you. Holden, or any other carmaker, won't tell you how much oil consumption is ok with their engines, but all engines use some oil. There are two basic reasons an engine might use oil, leaks, or burning. Leaks can usually be seen and easily fixed, burning isn’t so obvious and is more costly to fix. If it is burning oil you should see some evidence in the form of blue smoke from the exhaust. Go along with Holden’s recommendation and do the test.

It could be a problem with the diesel pump, it might be a problem with the turbocharger, or it could even be an internal problem with the engine itself. Get it to a diesel mechanic for a proper diagnosis.

There was a recall on the Epica in 2012 to correct reduced brake performance and/or a spongy low brake pedal due to a sticky valve in the Electronic Brake Control Module.

As it is an intermittent problem it’s hard to be definitive, but I would suggest you look at the fuel system, and check for a faulty electrical connection that could affect the operation of the fuel pump or injectors.