Model dates in the fault code section are wrong

[mixin]

The fault code section has some misleading details that should be cleared up to prevent any identification mishaps...

This is how it is now:

Computer Fault Codes
VL Commodore 1986 - 1988
VN Commodore V6 1988 - 1991
VN Commodore V8 1988 - 1991
VP Commodore V6 1992 - 1994
VP Commodore V8 1992 - 1994
VR Commodore V6 1994 - 1996
VR Commodore V8 1994 - 1996
VS Commodore V6 1996 - 1998
VS Commodore V8 1996 - 1998
VT Commodore V6 1998 - 2000
VT Commodore V8 1998 - 2000
VX Commodore V6 2000 - 2002
VX Commodore V8 2000 - 2002
VY Commodore V6 2002 - 2004 - Coming Soon
VY Commodore V8 2002 - 2004 - Coming Soon

And this is how it should be, with the corrections marked in red:

Computer Fault Codes
VL Commodore 1986 - 1988
VN Commodore V6 1988 - 1991
VN Commodore V8 1989 - 1991
VP Commodore V6 1991 - 1993
VP Commodore V8 1991 - 1993
VR Commodore V6 1993 - 1995
VR Commodore V8 1993 - 1995
VS Commodore V6 1995 - 1997
VS Commodore V8 1995 - 1997
There is the VSIII ute & statesman derivatives to fit in this gap.
VT Commodore V6 1997 - 2000
VT Commodore V8 1997 - 1999 (Holden 5L)
VT Commodore V8 1999 - 2000 (Gen3 5.7L)
VX Commodore V6 2000 - 2002
VX Commodore V8 2000 - 2002
VY Commodore V6 2002 - 2004 - Coming Soon
VY Commodore V8 2002 - 2004 - Coming Soon

[The1985divo]

Also in checking VN Fault codes it should read paper clip, but i says "Paper" towards the end.

[jetspin_vn]

VL Commodore 1986 - 1988

Wrong... my VL is a 1989



EDIT: wrong again, as my understanding is that the VN was first produced in 88, as the origional table suggests. And another point, the VSIII has the same engine and transmission packs as the VSI and VSII, thus 1995 - 1997 cover it.

[The1985divo]

Wrong... my VL is a 1989



EDIT: wrong again, as my understanding is that the VN was first produced in 88, as the origional table suggests. And another point, the VSIII has the same engine and transmission packs as the VSI and VSII, thus 1995 - 1997 cover it.

yep there are 88 VNS

[mixin]

Wrong... my VL is a 1989



EDIT: wrong again, as my understanding is that the VN was first produced in 88, as the origional table suggests.

The VL ceased production in june/july 1988, and the VN commenced in August 88. No models run concurently!

, the VSIII has the same engine and transmission packs as the VSI and VSII, thus 1995 - 1997 cover it.

No, the VSIII V8 is the roller cammed model as fitted to the VT , not the VS 1 & 2.

[jetspin_vn]

Well you got me on the roller cam bit, but the VN began production in 1988, and my own VL is a 1989 model, so go figure.

I know what your getting at, and yes you are right but remember that there are some exceptions!!

[mixin]

There were no VLs made in 1989 whatsoever, so there is no chance of it being an '89 model.

The only slight chance of something like that is if it may have been first registered in 1989.

Definately no VLs were built after August 1988 when the Elizabeth production line was changed over to VN assembly, and Dandenong was closed.

What does the model year letter code say on the body tag? Bet it notes an '87 or '88 model year code. The '88 model year code was also shared with August '88 VNs, but from Sept 1 1988 the letter changed to the '89 model year code (follows the GM US tradition).

[Gobbles]

I would have to say that perhaps the reason jetspin has an 89 Model VL might be something to do with him being in NZ but that said ..... they would not make both VN and VL and sell them at the same time so i dont know what the go is there

[jetspin_vn]

The VL VIN number, assigned by Holden as per a coding schedule, uses the letters 'F' 'G' and 'H' to represent the build years of 1986, 1987, and 1988.

The letter in my car, is 'M'

Date of first purchase/regn = 2 May, 1989 with an odometer reading of 15km.

If your not convinced, I'll photograph the bloody thing for you.


EDIT: Sorry mate I don't mean to sound cranky, but you can't argue with the VIN. Not that I have any idea exactly what M is, I presume it's 89.

[mixin]

I would have to say that perhaps the reason jetspin has an 89 Model VL might be something to do with him being in NZ but that said ..... they would not make both VN and VL and sell them at the same time so i dont know what the go is there

That is right, VL & VN were never made together. There were quite a few VLs left to flog off at runout time though, and there were some amazing deals to be had. An ex workmate of mine bought one in the January holidays of 1989 for $7K less than the VN he was looking at, and it's a far better car than any early VN.....

The VL was only assembled in 2 locations: Victoria & South Oz. I worked at the old plant removing parts of the production line when the VL was finished & the plant was closed down. If it has a J as the plant code letter, then it must have magically appeared from no-where, as there was nothing left to build it from!

The SA plant had the production line rejigged to suit the VN. This was completed by Mid '88, so no VLs could have been made there after then.

Where the VL was made is denoted by a J or an L like this:
8X198GL200342L
An L there denotes South Oz assembled, and a J denotes Victorian assembled.
The letter at the end of the serial number stamped on the strut tower, as well as at the end of the body number on the build plate also denotes what plant. M (Melbourne) = Victoria, A (Adelaide) = South Oz.

The VL VIN number, assigned by Holden as per a coding schedule, uses the letters 'F' 'G' and 'H' to represent the build years of 1986, 1987, and 1988.

Yes, that's quite right, but I'll explain model year a bit better:
The model year runs from september 1 of the year before until August 31 of that year.
Ie, a 1987 model year (code=G) is from 01/09/86 to 31/08/87.

The letter "I" s never used in the year/date codes to minimise confusion with the number 1

So we know '86 is F, '87 is G, '88 is H.
Now "I "is not used, so theoretically, the next code for the '89 model year would be J.
BUT!
This is where it jumps the gun:
For the VN, the model year letter was moved up early. The '88 model year just for the VN is J (ran for less than one month in August '88).
After that, they continued consecutively: '89 is K, '90 is L, '91 is M etc etc.

The letter in my car, is 'M'
Date of first purchase/regn = 2 May, 1989 with an odometer reading of 15km.
If your not convinced, I'll photograph the bloody thing for you.

M is a 1991 year code - ie from 01/09/90 to 31/08/91.

Assuming you have a code like this:

8X198GL200342L, then the G is in the position of the model year.

If it was an M there it would make it a 1991 model!

I reckon it is a 1988 model, denoted by a H which can somewhat like an M because the tag is painted over in the factory, and the paint can gather on the crossbar of ther letter "H".
By the time it was shipped to NZ, and with the slow sales of VLs thanks to the well publicised VN release, it is not out of the question for it to have taken until May the following year to sell it.

To be 100% sure, you'd have to drill out the rivets, remove the plate & look carefully from behind - I guarantee it will be a H.

If you drill out the rivets & take the plate off & photograph it - and I'm talking a virgin photo here, no "digital enhancements" allowed, and it really is an M, then I will put my money where my mouth is & give you $100.

Mix'

[jetspin_vn]

Heh, you've proved yourself worthy. I havn't been back out to look at it yet coz its too dark now, so I'll take what you've said to heart and have another look in the morning to see if I can convince myself it H not M.

I can also see that being a problem, as all the regn' details denote the letter to be M. Insurance could screw me over if they wanted to, and theoretically Im driving an unregestered car using plates for a car that doesn't exist!!

Hmm, perhaps I'd better have a REAL good look at this, its the sort of thing they would check. And just my luck if I have a crash and enough paint was taken off the area to reveal the letter H.

This has been very interesting indeed....

[jetspin_vn]

In another strange twist, the plant code on my VIN is... K!! According to my owners manual, and your good self, there were only two production lines in Melbourne and Adalade, codes L & J.

This just got real confusing. Anyone know of a secret underground VL production line?! Surley there were no NZ assembled ones, every source I have and every person I have spoken to uses the words 'export 2 litre model'

For the mystery solvers amongst us, here's the cars VIN as recorded in the owners manual and as I read it on the VIN plate...

8L197MK713665L

As I read it, this makes it a GM Holden Commodore Berlina 6 window sedan with 2.0 EFI engine, built in 1991 at an unknown plant, serial number 13665, and model code VL.

Talk about wacky.

[Garth]

ok, ill change those code details, but what is your sorce? that way i double check

[diagonal sleeper]

tomato tomato, lets call the whole thing a cuccumber? lol
look at your 'booty tag' i mean body bag. Look! WOW now you know when your car was manufactured.

[immortality]

post pics of the VIN plate and the body plate, sounds likesomething dodge going on here

[Julie]

I wouldn't be too worried fellas, that post is 2 years old