DEXOS 1 spec Oils for 2012 VE Commodores.
After making a few enquiries direct to my local dealership recently I discovered that the Holden dealer I purchased my 2012 Commodore from was NOT using the GM mandated DEXOX 1 spec oils for the 2012 commodores. In fully synthetic formulation these are expensive oils and from what I have read on this forum it seems other dealers might be equally slack with respect to the 2012 series 2 VEs.
GM provides the warranty to you not the dealer . The dealers can say what they like (and do it seems) but in the least they should all be using the correct spec products in the vehicles that are brought in for service.
I mostly do all my own engine oil changes (because I change the engine oil frequently) but from now on I may be doing all of them. Currently I am using Mobil 1 DEXOS 1 5w-30 fully synthetic which is one of the approved oils (as I changed the oil at 12 hundred - 1,200 - kms). This is expensive oil but it is readily available retail and is the correct spec.
For those with 2012 cars you might be interested in the email reply I sent to my Holden dealer after the service manager advised in writing which oils they were using in the 2012 Commodores. GMH mandates that 5w-30 DEXOS 1 spec oils must be used in 2012 Commodores and warranty is specifically conditional on using the correct lubricants and fluids specified by GMH.
Here are a couple of references on the approved DEXOS 1 oils
GM dexos information center
dexos™ Licensed Oils List Continues to Grow
Here is the message reply I sent to my Holden Dealer after they advised me in writing what they were using/offering to customers for the 2012 Commodores. I specifically asked them about the 2012 Comodores so as not to cause confusion with earlier years and their reply specifically referred to the 2012 cars and the oils they were using/offering for them.
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MR. XXXXX
Thank you for your reply. I had heard that some dealerships were NOT using the correct engine oils as mandated by GM for the 2012 Commodores.
GM requires that the 2012 Commodore engines run on 5W-30 Grade DEXOS 1 spec engine oils.
The GMH new car warranty to owners on the engine is prejudiced if the incorrect lubricants are used (and of course dealers cannot vary the GMH warranty). The warranty EXCLUSIONS states, in part:
"Misuse
This Voluntary Warranty does not cover damage caused by:
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(d) use of incorrect types and grades of fuel, oil or lubricants,........."
With regard to the 3 oils mentioned in the email:
The "10W30 Semi Synthetic GTX Professional" mentioned does not meet the GM requirement because (1) the grade is wrong and (2) this is NOT a DEXOS 1 spec oil.
(You would need to use Castrol GTX Professional DX 5W-30 - a Dexos 1 oil - which as far as I am aware is not available in Australia)
The 3rd item mentioned, " 05W40 Fully Synthetic Castrol FMX Magnatec" does not meet the GM requirement either because (1) the grade is wrong and (2) this is NOT a DEXOS 1 spec oil.
(You would need to use Castrol Magnatec Professional DX 5W-30, a DEXOS 1 spec oil).
The 2nd and "recommended" item mentioned - 05W30 Fully Synthetic Castrol Edge - also fails because (1) as a result of its spec, Castrol specifically excludes this as an oil suitable for 2012 Commodores and (2) this is NOT a DEXOS 1 spec oil.
In fact Castrol states that for all Commodore vehicles manufactured from August 2011 , Castrol Magnatec Professional DX 5w/30 (a DEXOS 1 spec oil) should be used.
( The Castrol Edge product which is correct for the 2012 Commodores, namely, Castrol Edge Professional DX 5W-30 - a DEXOS 1 spec oil - is not yet available in Australia as far as I am aware).
Thus of the 3 engine oils mentioned as being used by the dealership for the 2012 Commodores, NONE meet the GMH requirement for the 2012 Commodore engines. Not what I would have expected when buyers are strongly encouraged to have their Commodres serviced at the Holden dealer service centres.
Castrol does however have a suitable high quality fully synthetic product available here which meets GM requirements, namely
Magnatec Professional DX 5W-30 (DEXOS 1)
http://www.tds.castrol.com.au/pdf/10793_Castrol_Magnatec_Professional_DX_5W-30_3376289_2011_11.pdf.
GM publishes a list of it's licensed DEXOS 1 oils (see the site ref. below), this information is available elsewhere and GM no doubt have covered this is technical advices to dealers.
GM dexos information center
If dealer service centres cannot or do not bother to supply the correct products for customers cars then you have a problem. It should not be necessary to do so but when I have services carried out at XXXXXXX in future I will be supplying the engine oil so as to ensure the correct product is used and so the engine coverage in my new car warranty is not prejudiced.
Thank you again for your reply.
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