What to check before buying a Holden: 3 common problems faced by Holden owners

If you are planning to buy a Holden off the used car market, there are some common problems that you should be aware of and what causes them. Though the cars aren’t manufactured anymore, top retailers do stock up on holden parts, and the vehicle can feel brand new with just a little bit of effort on your part. Here are three common issues that you should look out for when planning to buy a Holden.

Distended Timing chains:

The timing chain is a metal loop attached to a set of gears that power the camshaft and crankshaft. Over time, the chain can wear down or stretch, putting the whole system out of sync. It was a problem especially observed on the pre-2008 VE Commodore wagons driven less than 200,000km. The following are symptomatic of stretched timing chains:

• Misfiring engine: When your timing chain is distorted, it can skip a gear on the cam or crankshaft, and the engine’s timing will go haywire. It may misfire.
• You find metal shavings in the oil: If your timing chain stretches, it may erode into the engine oil. If you find metal in the oil the next time you change it, it might be worth your while also to check the engine.
• The engine rattles while idling: If the engine rattles when idling, it is a good indicator that some part is malfunctioning – it could be the timing belt or the timing belt tensor. Do not drive the car too far once you start noticing this noise. Get it fixed at the earliest.

Although there is no sure-shot way of guaranteeing that a timing belt is in good condition, it is good to check if the car you are interested in has been regularly serviced. If it has driven more than 200,000km, the previous owner may even have replaced the belt once, but you may still have to do so in the future.

Camshaft- position sensors:      

Another problem commonly reported by Commodore owners is a malfunctioning camshaft-position sensor. It is an electronic sensor to monitor the position and speed of the camshaft. Using this information, the Engine Control Module decides how much fuel to inject and when to ignite it. A well functioning sensor ensures fuel economy and smooth running of the engine. However, if it malfunctions, you may observe the following issues before it completely stops working:

• The “check engine” light turns on
• The engine will splutter; it won’t accelerate as fast as it used to and may even stall or shut down mid-drive.
• Varied fuel consumption – the car typically begins to guzzle more fuel
• The engine doesn’t start at all

Coolant Leaks:

Owners of cars with Holden’s Alloytec V6 engine, such as the 2015 Commodores, report coolant leaks as one of their issues. The coolant helps run your engine at an optimal temperature, increasing its efficiency and performance. If it leaks, you will most likely find splotches of bright green or pink liquid on the floor wherever you’ve parked the car. You will also notice unexplained temperature anomalies in your engine while driving. The coolant can leak due to any of the following reasons:

• A damaged thermostat gasket or a damaged head gasket: The former gasket is found at the rear of the engine, and although replacing it is not expensive, the entire process can be tedious. If the head gasket is damaged, you may not realise it while taking the car out for a test drive. A compromised head-gasket will not be able to keep the coolant from mixing with the engine oil, which could lead to serious engine trouble in the long run. Do ask your mechanic to check its health before buying a car.
• A damaged water pump can also result in leaking coolant. It circulates the coolant throughout the system, and if it develops a leak – say where it connects to the radiator – the coolant can leak out.

In conclusion

The problems mentioned above are some of the most common ones affecting Holdens, and fixing them requires you to replace the old parts with new, authentic holden parts. Before zeroing in on a car, check its entire service history to ensure you do not face a gamut of issues that you hadn’t initially bargained for.