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Holden Commodore 2015 Problems

Are you having problems with your 2015 Holden Commodore? Let our team of motoring experts keep you up to date with all of the latest 2015 Holden Commodore issues & faults. We have gathered all of the most frequently asked questions and problems relating to the 2015 Holden Commodore in one spot to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Are coolant leaks common in 2015 Holden Commodores?

This is not an unknown problem with Holden’s Alloytech V6 engine and can often be traced back to a damaged gasket for the thermostat housing which is located at the rear of the engine block. And you’re right, to change this gasket which costs just a few dollars, involves removing the exhaust and transmission. The best advice is to have the thermostat itself changed while all this work is being done, as it will save you going through it all again if the thermostat ever fails (and they have been known to).

But definitely have it checked out as coolant leaks never fix themselves and a small leak today could easily be a big leak tomorrow, leaving you stranded with an overheating engine. Meantime, you might be lucky and discover that the leak is not from the thermostat housing at all. These engines are also prone to coolant leaks from a pair of O-rings at the front of the cylinder heads which can allow coolant to leak through the valley and out the back over the transmission tunnel, making you think the leak is from the rear of the V6. Don’t rule out the water pump as a source of leaks, either. The trade seems to think about 100,000km is the lifespan for an Alloytech V6’s water pump.

Holden Commodore: What is the difference between the SV6 and the SV6 Storm?

The Storm was a marketing package based on the SV6 and came with specific badging, front fog lamps, and sat nav.

What's a good mid-sized wagon to buy?

You’re buying a used car, it’s not new, so you have to expect some wear-and-tear issues. The older the car, the greater the wear-and-tear, and the more likely it is to have suffered mechanical failures or even a crash. That means you have to thoroughly check the car before purchase, and you have to rely on the honesty of the vendor. If the car has had clutch problems it should be recorded in the service book. It’s the same with the others you’re looking at, check them thoroughly, and if you’re uncertain have an expert check them for you. Of the three others you are considering I would avoid the Passat as a potential money pit, and go for the i40 in preference to the Commodore.

Holden Commodore: A good buy?

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

What's a good mid-sized wagon to buy?

You’re buying a used car, it’s not new, so you have to expect some wear-and-tear issues. The older the car, the greater the wear-and-tear, and the more likely it is to have suffered mechanical failures or even a crash. That means you have to thoroughly check the car before purchase, and you have to rely on the honesty of the vendor. If the car has had clutch problems it should be recorded in the service book. It’s the same with the others you’re looking at, check them thoroughly, and if you’re uncertain have an expert check them for you. Of the three others you are considering I would avoid the Passat as a potential money pit, and go for the i40 in preference to the Commodore.

Used Holden Commodore review: 2006-2015

The end is nigh for the Australian built Holden Commodore, with the factory closing down in October. The nameplate will continue, albeit on a slightly smaller imported model made by Opel in Europe.

What does this mean for the Aussie Commodore, and should you rush in and buy one now?

Our crystal ball is pretty murky looking, but the light that is showing through suggests that V8s, particularly special editions, may become a little more valuable, or at least depreciate at a lower rate. Manuals may do better than autos.

Standard Commodores, especially those with six-cylinder engine and automatic transmission have been built by the hundreds of thousands over decades and rarity is unlikely to kick in until the far side of 2037 … maybe even later.

HSVs are another topic altogether, and it seems that some models that are already highly regarded. Ask us again in a couple of years and we will review our hindsight.

The Commodore provides comfort even when being bashed along bush roads that have seen better days.

Commodore is a genuine five-seater as it’s wider than just about every other car on the market. But the person in the centre-rear seat will find foot space compromised by the transmission tunnel necessitated by rear-wheel drive. 

Wagons in the VE range, sold from September 2009, have the same wheelbase as the sedan, so they miss out on the huge load volume of their predecessors. Holden came up with the tag ‘Sportwagon’ to try and justify the loss of cargo space.

Boot space is good in the sedan and excellent in the wagon due to the latter’s longer wheelbase, prior to the VE series. They may have done a lot of hard work in the hands of uncaring sales reps and the like, so choose carefully.

Handling is impressive for a car of this size. Yet the Commodore provides comfort even when being bashed along bush roads that have seen better days, not to mention corrugated dirt roads. 

Roads that show up weaknesses in very expensive German cars of the same size class as the Holden are traversed in comfort by Commodores.

The introduction of the virtually all-new VE Commodore sedans in August 2006 saw a touch of European class in the styling and real enhancements to the ride and handling qualities. This gen-four Commodore is the one you should regard as the starting point if your budget is up to it.

The VE was significantly upgraded and sold as the VF from February 2013. Finally, the VF Series II arrived in September 2015. It featured more changes than had been anticipated, particularly in styling. The V8 models had engines that were virtually lifted directly from the HSV range.

The VZ Commodore saw the introduction of an all-new V6 engine. A forerunner to the unit fitted to the VE Commodore, it was a twin-cam unit of 3.6 litres. There were some improvements in feel when the engine was installed in the VE, but the engine still disappoints in this area despite several attempts to improve it over the years.

A smaller V6, this time of 3.0 litres and aimed at lower fuel consumption and emissions, was introduced in September 2009. It hasn’t been popular but is a more sophisticated unit than its bigger brother.

Five-speed manual gearboxes are on the crude side and very few were sold. Six-speed manuals were offered in the SS range. The VE transmission lineup was a big improvement; with six-speed automatic transmissions and six-speed manuals. 

Note that the most upmarket models aren’t called Commodore, rather they are tagged Holden Calais. Crammed with luxury gear, at least by the standards of their time, they are often driven relatively gently by sensible owners. No promises, though…

Holden Commodores are pretty easy to work on with good access to most mechanical components. The competent amateur mechanic can do most of their own repairs although it’s best to leave safety related items to professional mechanics. 

Spare parts prices are generally reasonably priced and Holden’s widespread dealer network is as strong in the bush as the metro areas.

Insurance is pretty reasonable for a car of this size and performance, though there can be added charges for the sportier models, especially those with V8 engines, even more so for young and/or inexperienced drivers.

Rust is seldom a problem in later model Commodores, but can be caused by poor quality panel repairs. Check for these by running your eye over the panels, looking for a slightly uneven finish. 

Paint that doesn't match exactly from one panel to another is another clue a car has spent time in a panel beater’s. 

Squeaks and rattles, most easily found when driving on a rough road, may indicate a Commodore has spent a lot of its time in the bush on dirt roads.

Severe wear in the cabin and boot may be an indication the Commodore is an ex-taxi; or could have been a hard-working commercial vehicle, perhaps driven by a hard charging sales rep or the like.

Check for brake fade on models before the VE Commodore by doing a succession of hard stops.

Look for oil leaks at the rear of the engine sump and check the dipstick level as some units had high oil consumption problems. 

Automatic transmissions are generally OK, but one that is slow to go into gear and/or noisy and harsh in its operation should be treated with caution.

Read the article
Holden Commodore 2015: HVAC problems

There have been problems with the HVAC system in the VF, and it's not just a noisy minority. Holden issued a service bulletin (13-SU-02) in 2103 for a software update for the VAC control module, but the jury is out on whether it really did fix the problem.

Used Holden Commodore review: 1997-2015

Big, tough and built for Australia, the Holden Commodore is perfectly suited to our driving conditions and meets the needs of drivers who demand more than simply transport in their family sedans and wagons.

Handling is impressive for a car of this size. Yet the Commodore provides comfort even when being bashed along bush roads that have seen better days, not to mention corrugated dirt roads. Surfaces that trouble very expensive German cars of the same size class as the Holden are simply shrugged off by our Aussie machines.

Commodore is a five-seater as it's wider than average. However, the person in the centre-rear seat will find foot space compromised by the transmission tunnel necessitated by rear-wheel drive.

Boot space is good in the sedan and excellent in the wagon due to the latter's longer wheelbase, prior to the VE series. Wagons in the VE range, sold from September 2009, have the same wheelbase as the sedan, so they miss out on the huge load volume of their predecessors. Holden came up with the tag ‘Sportwagon' to try and justify the loss of cargo space.

The introduction of the virtually all-new VE series Commodore sedans in August 2006 saw a touch of European class in the styling and real enhancements to the ride and handling qualities. This fourth-generation Commodore is the one you should probably regard as the starting point if your used-car budget is up to it.

The VE was significantly upgraded and sold as the VF from February 2013. Finally, the VF Series II arrived in September 2015. It featured more changes than had been anticipated, particularly in styling, than were expected form a car in its final iteration prior to Holden's withdrawal from local manufacturing in 2017. The VF II is still relatively rare as a used vehicle, but keen buyers may like to hunt one down.

Engines didn't always coincide with the major body changes. Most Commodores prior to the VZ range have a pushrod V6 engine of 3.8 litres. There's also a supercharged variant of this 3.8-litre, but it was never a real success, as buyers preferred to opt for V8s, so was discontinued in 2004.

The VZ Commodore saw the introduction of an all-new V6 engine. A forerunner to the unit fitted to the VE Commodore, it was a twin-cam unit of 3.6 litres. As fitted to the VZ it wasn't particularly smooth or quiet. There were some improvements in feel when the engine was installed in the VE, but the engine still disappoints in this area despite several attempts to improve it over the years.

A smaller V6, this time of 3.0 litres and aimed at lower fuel consumption and emissions, was introduced in September 2009. It hasn't been popular but is a more sophisticated unit than its bigger brother.

There were two V8s in the pre-VZ Commodores; one an old Australian design of 5.0 litres, the other a Chevrolet unit adapted to Holden specifications with 5.7 litres. This Generation III Chev V8 is much better than the old Holden donk. The 5.7-litre Gen III was replaced by a Gen IV with 6.0 litres in January 2006.

Prior to the VE series, almost all Commodores came with four-speed automatic transmissions. Five-speed manual gearboxes are on the crude side and very few were sold. Six-speed manuals were offered in the SS range. The VE transmission lineup was a big improvement; with six-speed automatic transmissions and six-speed manuals.

Note that the most upmarket model in the range isn't called a Commodore, rather it's tagged Holden Calais.

Holden Commodores are easy cars to work on with plenty of access to most mechanical components. The good amateur mechanic can do most of their own repairs although it's best to leave safety related items to professional mechanics.

Spare parts prices are generally reasonably priced and Holden's widespread dealer network is as strong in the bush as the ‘burbs.

Insurance is very reasonable for a car of this size and performance, though there can be a big increase for the sportier models, especially with supercharged or V8 engines.

Holden Commodore was the best selling car in Australia for many years so there are hundreds on sale at any one time. Take your time and find exactly which one suits you best.

Rust is seldom a problem in later model Commodores, but can be caused by poor quality panel repairs. Check for these by running your eye over the panels, looking for a slightly uneven finish.

Paint that doesn't match exactly from one panel to another is another clue a car has spent time in a panel beater's.

Squeaks and rattles, most easily found when driving on a rough road, may indicate a Commodore has spent a lot of its time in the bush on dirt roads.

Severe wear in the cabin and boot may be an indication the Commodore is an ex-taxi; or could have been a hard-working commercial vehicle, perhaps driven by a hard charging sales rep or the like.

Check for brake fade on models before the VE Commodore by doing a succession of hard stops.

Look for oil leaks at the rear of the engine sump and check the dipstick level as some units had high oil consumption problems.

Automatic transmissions are generally OK, but one that is slow to go into gear and/or noisy and harsh in its operation should be treated with caution.

Read the article
Holden vs Ford V8 ute

For a V8 auto ute I would definitely go for the Holden. Ford has given up on developing the Falcon but Holden is still committed to the Commodore and keeping it fresh and relevant.

Commodore or Aurion for durability and everyday driving?

I think you’re comparing apples with oranges in comparing these two cars. But to try and give you a guide I would say the build quality of the Aurion is a little better than that of the SS. I would also say the Aurion’s V6 engine is of a higher quality and standard than the SS’s V8, and would use less fuel, but I would say that both are equally drivable and practical in city traffic. My feeling is that the SS is an emotional purchase, the Aurion a safe one.

Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. Carsguide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.
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Complete guide to Holden Commodore 2015
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