Could my Holden Commodore have a manifold leak?

A manifold leak will throw the engine’s fuel-air ratio out the window and can cause poor cold running and hard starting. The old school way of checking for a vacuum leak is to get the engine idling and then spray either carburettor cleaner (or something else flammable) around the intake area of the engine. If the engine suddenly picks up revs, you almost certainly have a vacuum leak. But be careful, spraying flammable stuff around a running engine comes with a fire risk. The other thing to check would be the throttle body and the sensor attached to it that tells the computer how much throttle has been applied. Again, these can start to give false readings, throwing the fuel-air mixture out.

Coolant issues with my 2011 Holden Commodore SV6

Before you do either of those things (replace the engine or the whole car) find out where the coolant is leaking from. You might find that it’s a simple case of a leaking hose or a worn out water pump that is causing the leak. If that’s the case, it could be fixed for a few hundred dollars or perhaps even less. Even if the problem is a rotted welch plug or a blown head gasket, the cost to fix it won’t be anywhere near as high as replacing the engine. On top of that, you know the history of the engine you have, while a second-hand engine can be a bit of a lucky-dip: You might get a good one, you might not.

Where to find a replacement transmission for a 1995 Holden Commodore?

All the V6 Commodores from this era used much the same automatic transmission, a four-speed unit. While most of these units were identical, there were some detail differences across the years, so make sure you get the transmission with the correct number of electrical pins to be compatible with the wiring loom in your car. It shouldn’t matter whether the replacement transmission came from a car with a floor-shift; it should still hook up to your column shift mechanism with no problems. You might have to swap a few bits and pieces involved in the shifter mechanism to mate it all, but you’ll be able to make it work.

2003 Holden Commodore VY Crewman shuddering under acceleration

This could be the result of a worn or poorly adjusted transmission, a worn torque converter or even something simple like a low transmission-fluid level. So that’s job one: Check the level of fluid on the dipstick. If that’s okay, you really need to see a transmission specialist who has probably seen these exact symptoms before. What I can tell you for sure is that the automatic gearboxes fitted to Holdens of this era did have a finite lifespan before they needed either an overhaul or outright replacement. But make sure your mechanic checks that the cause of the vibration is not a worn universal joint or bent axle or an out-of-balance drive-shaft. Even a sticking brake or a worn engine mount can induce vibrations into a moving or accelerating car, so rule all that stuff out first.

2019 Holden Commodore is vibrating at idle

First thoughts would be that you have a fuel injector that is not spraying either the correct amount of fuel and/or in the correct pattern for proper combustion. This will certainly bring on the symptoms you’re seeing, as well as ruining fuel economy. It’s also most likely to show up if the engine has been sitting for a while. But the reality is that a modern engine like this one has literally hundreds of electronic sensors and systems that can all add up to poor running and economy. The best bet is to have the car scanned to see if the on-board computer has logged any faults. Without this intelligence, you’re flying blind, replacing parts that may or may not fix the problem.

Why is the engine light on in my 2010 Holden Commodore

There are literally hundreds of things that can cause a check-engine light in a modern, computer-controlled car. A problem with the ignition, fuel system, emissions-control system, air-intake, lubrication, cooling and much, much more can cause this light to illuminate. The best way to proceed is to have the vehicle electronically scanned. That way, the computer can tell the mechanic where the problem is and, hopefully, precisely what’s causing the check-engine light to flicker on. For the record, however, a common fault with the V6 engine in this series of Commodores is a stretched timing chain that the computer interprets as incorrect valve timing (which it is). Plenty of owners of this model have discovered this as the cause of their check-engine light.

My Holden SS V8 commodore is chugging

The first thing to do is make sure your battery is earthed properly and all the relevant electrical contacts are tight and clean. Low voltage or a poor connection can easily cause the problems you're seeing, especially if they've all occurred more or less at the same time. The next thing is to have the vehicle electronically scanned. That will tell you what faults the on-board computer has spotted, and you can then tackle them logically instead of replacing parts that don't fix the actual problem. The rough running could be anything from a dud oxygen sensor to a fuel-injection problem and lots in between. I would suspect the heating and air-conditioning problems are separate to the engine's poor running, but anything's possible when a car's electronics start playing up.

Can my 2005 Commodore VZ run on e10?

It's good news. Your car is indeed compatible with E10 fuel which means you can use the slightly cheaper fuel without risking damage to your vehicle. The car should also run exactly the same as it does on normal unleaded petrol, although you may find you use slightly more fuel per 100km. This should, however, be more than offset by the savings you'll make at the pump.

Will a VT Commodore V6 3.8-litre engine fit into a 2004 WK Statesman V6 3.8?

Both those models of Holden used the same engine; the L36 (Holden's internal code) Ecotec V6. As such, you should be able to fit the engine from the VT Commodore into the Statesman with very few other changes. The biggest hurdle will be if the Commodore donor car was a manual-transmission vehicle, as the ECU may be different to the Statesman's unit to allow for control of the electronic transmission. The best bet is to retain the Statesman's wiring and computer and change over only the engine hardware from the Commodore. The other (minor) catch is that the VT's version of the V6 was tuned for 147kW, while the later version of the same engine in the Statesman was good for 152kW. There was a small torque difference, too (304Nm plays 305Nm). So you'll be trading off a small amount of performance but, realistically, not enough to notice.

I have purchased a VF commodore via private seller in QLD. Can I register the vehicle in my name, after obtaining a RWC?

Whether you can register the car or not, is not your biggest hurdle here. Because somebody else (a finance company or bank in this case) has a financial interest in the vehicle, the law in Queensland states that the car may be repossessed by that finance company or bank as a means of recovering the debt, even though the debt was not incurred by you. Fundamentally, the private seller who sold you the car was not legally in a position to do so for the simple reason that the car was not theirs to sell. Because that financial institution still had a stake in it (as loan security or whatever) the car was not fully owned by the private seller. The car did not, as the law calls it, have a clear title. Read more about car finance How to buy a car that's been financed If the financial body decides to repossess the car, you would have the choice of letting them do so (and waving goodbye to your money and your car) or paying out the amount of money in dispute. Either that or contact the seller and convincing them to make good on their loan repayments. You can avoid this situation by doing a PPSR check (in most states) which will alert you to a vehicle that is encumbered. The official advice it to never buy a car with money still owing on it or is in any way encumbered. The other alternative is to buy from a licensed car dealer or trader as, under the law, they must guarantee clear title on any vehicle they sell. So, before attempting to spend more money on registering the car, talk to the company with the interest in the car and try to come to an arrangement regarding the car’s future. You will have very little recourse if the car is repossessed as the company involved is well within the law to take this action.

Holden Commodore 2000 Problems

No car is perfect, but we've gathered everything relating to the Holden Commodore 2000 reliability here to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Holden Commodore: Winding noise in wheel

Answered by CarsGuide 9 May 2016

It won't be the sway bar, but it could be a wheel bearing. The best course of action is to have a mechanic assess it for you and replace the bearing if necessary.

Used Holden Commodore review: 1997-2015

24 Feb 2016 · by Ewan Kennedy

Ewan Kennedy reviews the VT, VX, VY, VZ, VE and VF Holden Commodore between 1997 and 2015 as a used buy.

Used Holden Commodore review: 1997-2014

13 Oct 2014 · by Ewan Kennedy

Commodore was the best selling car in Australia for many years so there are hundreds of used family Holdens on sale at any one time, meaning that smart buyers can take their time and find exactly ...

Holden Commodore recalled for fourth time in three months

2 Jul 2014 · by Joshua Dowling

Holden Commodore recalled because the LPG system may cut out or catch fire.

Used Holden Commodore review: 1997-2012

6 May 2013 · by Ewan Kennedy

Holden’s Commodore was the bestselling car in Australia for many years, though it has slipped recently due to many buyers switching from large cars to compact SUVs. There are hundreds of used ...

Holden Commodore: Thermostat gauge

Answered by CarsGuide 5 Jul 2011

The important thing about where the needle sits is not so much where it sits on the scale, but that it’s always in that position. In other words you need to be concerned if it suddenly starts to sit in a different position to normal. I wouldn’t expect the needle to move much going up or down hills, normally they stay pretty much in the same position. Check that the thermostat is the correct one, and that it’s not stuck.

Commodore wagon LPG conversion

Answered by CarsGuide 28 Jun 2011

The Ecotec engine will be fine on LPG, many thousands have been converted. My preference would be for the injection system, it runs better, is more reliable, less prone to backfiring, and delivers the savings you want. But that said the older venturi/mixer system also works fine. Both Impco and Emer are respected brands. If you want to get more info on them talk to other owners who have had those systems installed.

Engine

Misfiring Commodore Lumina

Answered by CarsGuide 28 Jun 2011

It’s probably an ignition issue so start by checking the spark plugs and leads, and perhaps replace them if they haven’t been replaced in a while.

Engine

Ask Smithy Xtra Commodore excess water use

Answered by CarsGuide 7 Jun 2011

Have a mechanic do a leak check on the head gasket to see if it isn’t leaking there.

Engine

Ask Smithy Xtra incorrect fuel gauge

Answered by CarsGuide 10 May 2011

It’s normal practice for carmakers to leave a small reserve in the fuel tank when the gauge indicates that the tank is empty so you don’t completely run out of fuel before you get to a service station. If you really wanted to have the gauge recalibrated take it to an automotive instrument maker.

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