Holden Problems

It’s not possible to say that you won’t have any problems with the Colorado, and there are a lot of people who have had problems of all sorts with it. If you’re unsure, don’t buy it.

Yes, there’s no reason to be concerned about buying a Commodore of that age and kilometres.

The problem with the Cruze transmission is well known.

You have done the right thing by registering your concern with Holden, and it has responded by telling you a diagnostic check is needed to assess the situation with your car.

Pay the $135 for the test, and providing it confirms the problem I would expect Holden to replace the transmission at its cost.

I can certainly understand your frustration. This sounds like a reasonably common issue with the Cruze however, which along with the fact that your vehicle is now undrivable could stand you in good stead for a no-cost or at least discounted replacement outside the factory warranty period. 

My advice is to be the squeaky wheel until the issue is resolved.

Follow up:

Hi Malcolm, 
Thanks for your reply. I bought this car because the Commodore was bigger and more expensive. Holden have agreed for me to pay $320 instead of $590. Which is not bad but I feel it is not about the money but that this is a poorly made part. I've also asked them to reset my transmission as this gets a bit rough. 

Thanks again,

Peter

Go to a suspension specialist like Pedders and they should be able to help you with shock absorbers, suspension bushes etc. to improve the ride. You could also talk to a tyre expert about tyres that might be more comfortable.

He shouldn’t have done anything without disconnecting the battery. The computer is the component that senses a crash situation and moving it has caused it to set off the airbags. My view is that it’s the mechanic’s problem.

A conventional automatic transmission is the one that we have been used to in cars dating back to the 1940s.

Holden introduced its first automatic in 1961 with the EK model. A conventional transmission is one with a torque convertor between the engine and transmission so provide smooth easy drivaways. It basically disconnects just above idle speed so the engine can idle, but engages again when you accelerate away.

The transmission uses fluid to operate the various clutches inside the transmission for smooth shifting. The conventional transmission has proven to be very reliable over the years, but it isn’t the most efficient in terms of fuel consumption, particularly when compared to a manual gearbox. Engineers have been trying for years to make a more efficient transmission that has the smoothness of operation and the efficiency of a manual gearbox.

The two most successful have been the CVT “Continuously Variable Transmission) and the dual-clutch transmission, such as VW’s DSG and Ford’s Powershift. The CVT is designed to keep the engine revving at its most fuel-efficient speed by continuously varying the gearing.

To do that it uses a system of pulleys and a belt. It seems odd when driving it because the engine sounds like it’s revving its head off at a constant speed instead of climbing and dropping as it would normally do. The CVT was first used on a small DAF car in the 1970s, and picked up by Volvo when it took over DAF. It took a long time to develop the transmission, particularly the drive belt, to be used on anything other than a very small engine. Those problems have largely been fixed, but you’re correct that Nissan, and also Honda, had troubles when they first used the CVT.

The dual-clutch transmission is really a manual gearbox with two clutches that operate in synch with each other, one releasing one gear while the other engaging another gear. VW, Ford and Holden have had a lot of trouble with it, mostly related to the clutch packs, and the electronics.

It should be noted that both the CVT and the dual-clutch auto are more fuel-efficient that the conventional automatic, and both now seem to be largely trouble free.

I wouldn’t rush into selling it, I would get a second opinion on the turbo, and I doubt his prediction of further problems down the track as a result of replacing the turbo.

At 161,625 km the Captiva is still a relatively young car, and should still have a few years of service left in it. Instead of the Captiva, consider a Mazda CX-5, Kia Sorento, or perhaps a Nissan X-Trail.

You’re right that lots of owners have had trouble with the automatic transmission in their Cruzes, but yours being a manual isn’t affected by that problem. I wouldn’t be taking the advice to get out of it.

It’s hard to know how Holden has managed to largely get away with this problem.

Ford was heavily fined by the ACCC for what is a similar situation. An automatic transmission of any sort should not fail to the point of needing to be replaced in 70,000 km, and in my view should be replacing them at no cost to the owner. The fact that your car hasn’t been serviced by a Holden dealer should have no bearing on the problem. It is a dud transmission and Holden should accept full responsibility for it. Talk to the people at the ACCC and get their advice on the approach you should take with Holden.