SV6 complete engine fail at 110000k. and the car isnt even 3 yrs old...

[VS 5.0]

Itwent to holden dealer that has serviced it all its life.....

"Poor oil quality caused failure of bearings, oil quality affected by lack of proper servicing by owner" is a line you could expect to see used.

Having an unserviced car that fails is a great way for manufacturers to wash their hands of liability.

If the dealer has indeed serviced it all its life then I wouldn't expect them to try that on. Would just be digging a hole for themselves.

 

[Sabbath']

If the dealer has indeed serviced it all its life then I wouldn't expect them to try that on. Would just be digging a hole for themselves.

It was due for a service, infact over due by 2000k,

This was a filter i removed from an Alloytec that was overdue for a service by under 5000km.

Alloytec motors love to buildup sludge, dealers know this.

Here is another Alloytec. Albeit he was about 8000km over, it bricked the motor due to poor maintanence.

 

[maxthedralf]

is that sludge just the **** oil that holden use.. i find it hard for an engine to do that naturally. i know that engines will build up sludge,. but thats over a stupid amount of time without any care. not in between services.

 

[Smashfist]

I see HFV6's regularly with lunched main bearings, and in 100% of cases servicing is late or missed. Conversely, I see them regularly with 200,000km+ pulled apart for maintenance (repairing oil leaks etc) and with good service history they look brand new.

If you fail to service your car correctly you deserve to have a big repair bill. I've seen expensive repairs rejected even within warranty because some retard #### spends $35k on a car and won't spend $300-$500 every 9 months/15,000kms to service the ####ing thing. I had one in recently that had approx. 25,000km and 18 months-2 years between services and couldn't understand why he had to pay for it.

So if your engine is lunched and you service it late, it's your own damn problem. Pictures such as Sabbath's are painfully common and owners just don't understand how it's their fault when they start having engine dramas. I'm also starting to regularly see it on Cruze turbo's that go 25,000km between servicing (the first thing they do is lunch a turbo because sludge blocks the oil feed lines).

It's also important to note the OP states a location of Auckland and hence, being in New Zealand, Australian consumer laws don't apply to him.

At any rate, good luck arguing consumer laws when you haven't carried out prescribed maintenance in accordance with manufacturer requirements.

 

[Voodoo_SV6]

Being "under three years old" would mean its a S2 SIDI.

15,000 km/ 12 month service intervals and warranty demands service within 3000kms or three months of the scheduled service. So he is within this limitation, but who leaves oil in for 15,000kms, let alone any longer.

If the service history was impecable at the same Holden dealer, then you have half a chance- if not at Holden, or not 100% perfect, I doubt you'll have any joy

 

[Noeleter]

Seems to me that if this is an issue Holden should be setting service intervals at 10 000 km not 15 000 km!

 

[VS 5.0]

Agreed. Looks like 15,000 is pushing the limits with these engines..... probably any engine for that matter.

Is it set at that for marketing purposes ? "And see, this car will be cheaper to own coz you only have to service it every 15,000.".....until you miss it by 5 seconds then boom.

 

[commodore665]

Seems to me that if this is an issue Holden should be setting service intervals at 10 000 km not 15 000 km!

Exactly , to me even 10,000 km is a bit high , Alloytecs are noted for being sludge monsters , I do mine every 6 months regardless of KM , and it goes to the dealer for their scheduled service .

 

[Smashfist]

Agreed. Looks like 15,000 is pushing the limits with these engines..... probably any engine for that matter.

Is it set at that for marketing purposes ? "And see, this car will be cheaper to own coz you only have to service it every 15,000.".....until you miss it by 5 seconds then boom.

The problem is that 15,000km is really the limit. Then people go and push it another 5,000 or 10,000 because "she'll be right". If someone is doing the 15,000km regularly and services like clockwork every 15,000 as per recommendations, it's perfectly fine - have seen many high km engines with front covers off that look shiny and new still.

If I had one it would get interims (so every 7,500km) just in case, but if you do stick to the 15,000km it will still be fine, just don't push your luck.

The other thing I find interesting is that 5L of oil was drained out of it. They take 6.5-7L. Was it perhaps run low on oil? (and the OP failing to check his oil regularly).

 

[gossie]

Agree with the above only 5 litres came out of it. It would have been very low on the dipstick with only that much in it.
Why did you not keep it topped up to where it should be may I ask? Do you check fluids under the bonnet weekly, or at least when fueling up?