Holden Barina 1987

Holden Barina 1987 Q&As

Check out real-world situations relating to the Holden Barina here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.

• What does a code 89 mean in a 2012 Holden Barina?

  The answer to this will depend on exactly which model Barina you have. In some models (typically earlier ones) the code is simply a servicing reminder to make sure the owner knows maintenance is due.

  But in some versions of the Barina of this era, fault code 89 usually relates to a problem with the car’s thermostat. So don’t drive it any farther as the faulty thermostat could cause the engine to overheat with catastrophic results. Have a mechanic check things out and see if the thermostat is indeed faulty. If it is, it’s a relatively cheap fix, certainly compared with the cost of a new engine.

  Sometimes the code relates to a switch in the thermostat that is responsible for switching on the car’s electric fans, but either way, it could lead to overheating. Don’t ignore it in any case.

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• My 2016 Holden Barina keeps showing a warning light on my dashboard when I'm driving. Is it being caused by the emission's monitoring system?

  The only real way to properly overcome a dashboard – or a 'check engine’ – warning light is to fix the problem that caused it to light up in the first place. Cars like yours have lots of sensors dotted around them to keep an eye on things like the emissions controls and a small glitch in one of these can cause the warning light to illuminate.

  The best way forward is to have the car electronically scanned at a workshop equipped to do so. From there, the car can tell the mechanic what’s wrong and you can pinpoint the exact problem. Otherwise you’ll be stabbing in the dark, as these systems can be very complex and made up by lots of different sensors and triggers, all of which can give the same warning light.

  Beyond that, a car’s oxygen sensor (which lives in the exhaust system and sniffs the engine’s emissions) is a likely culprit. But don’t guess: scan the car’s computer and find out for sure.

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• Do I have an air leak in my 2010 Holden Barina's intake manifold?

  This generation of Holden engines was prone to failure of the crankcase ventilation valve (PCV). When it failed, it caused a vacuum leak in the engine that could easily cause rough running and hard starting. It would also possibly trigger a check-engine light.

  Depending on the model and year of the car, you might be able to fit a replacement PCV, but sometimes the solution was to replace the entire rocker cover assembly, which included the valve in question. In many cases, the valve failure was accompanied by a failed rocker cover gasket that leaked oil on to the spark plugs, making the car run even more erratically. Don’t be tempted to try a second-hand PCV from a wrecked Barina. The chances are every high that it’s PCV will be trashed, too.

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• What is causing my 2013 Holden Barina to misfiring on engine cylinder three?

  If the fluid in question was fuel, you have a petrol leak and a big opportunity for the engine to catch fire. If it was water, it could be condensation from the atmosphere or perhaps even residual water from when you last washed the car. If not, the water could have come from the car’s cooling system, at which point you have a coolant leak and that needs to be fixed before the engine overheats. If the fluid was oil, suspicions would be a leaking rocker cover gasket.

  Fundamentally, there shouldn’t be any unexplained fluids in the engine bay or on the engine, and if there are, something is probably leaking. By the way, the fluid you notice could have actually been the cause of the misfire; spark plugs can misfire if they’re in contact with water or, especially, oil.

  My money’s on the fluid, indeed, being oil. The park plugs on this engine are located deep inside the rocker cover. Any leak from the gasket on that cover allows the oil to pool in the spark plug tube, which means it’s a fair chance this is the cause of your misfire, too.

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