Problems with new Commodore Equipe Sportswagon

[jumpnut]

I've had Holden Commodores for many years as company cars but as I left my sales job 2 years ago we had to purchase our own. We decided at the end of last year that we would buy the Commodore Equipe Sportswagon due to the low price and extras such as leather, 18" alloys etc. If you look at it as the base model car which I suppose it is, you still get pretty good value for money.

So far in only 3 months I have had to go to the dealer 4 times. Initially to get a faulty engine warning light looked at and subsequently to investigate problems with the air-conditioning system, which appeared to have shut down completely. Also the factory have stuck the Equipe badge on crooked, the letter P so far offset it isn't funny. How it passes through their factory QA is beyond me. After all it is a $38K vehicle.

The engine warning light issue related to a faulty air-switch sensor, or so they tell me. It would come on and off intermittently which made it difficult to pick up at the service centre.

Initially when I first booked the car in to get it looked at it had been illuminated for a couple of days. Then luck would have it the day before its scheduled check it went out. The service centre could not pick anything up, told me they reset the computer anyway and off I went.

Within a few days it came back on again so I made another booking. This time, thankfully, when I took the car in the light was on. Again they said they could not locate the source of the problem as the diagnostics showed nothing so they reset it and off I went. Within days it was on again. This time they managed to pick up the problem and told me they would need to order the part. I was told that the switch would not cause any mechanical problems and the vehicle was safe to drive. Two weeks later the switch came in and was replaced.

In between waiting for the part to arrive the air-conditioning system started playing up. Now this one has been very frustrating to say the least. First the service agent tells me it is a known problem in the Series II. He even went so far as to say it has something to do with how we shut down the vehicle at the end of a drive....WHAT THE??? Anyway he tells me that Holden are aware of it and making modifications to the software to resolve the issue.

I decided to call another service centre and ask them questions of a similar nature. Surely if it were a known problem to Holden then other service centres would be aware of it. Well not the case. The second service agent knew nothing of it and told me plain and simple if there were a problem there would more than likely be a recall.

So I rang the other guys back, told them what I heard through another agent and they still claimed it was software related and that I would have to wait until the first week of March or thereabouts for the upgrade. Now you can all appreciate how frustrating it can be without air-conditioning in a modern car and to be told simply to wait, after spending $38K on the car seemed unacceptable. I spoke with the sales person who sold me the car, told them my utter disappointment in the whole process and that no-one seemed to be able to help and requested they contact their Holden sales contacts to get some answers for me. After 5 days they came back to say, "sorry you'll have to wait until March for the software upgrade, that's all we can do".

This issue has been bugging me for a few weeks now so I decided to do some searching on the net and ended up here. You wouldn't believe it but one member of the forum suggested it has nothing to do with software and is simply a sticky minus sign button on the air-con panel and that slight manipulation should see it corrected. So I rush out to the car, do as suggested and voila.....the damn thing works.

Now why didn't the service centres:

a: pick up on this;
b: know about this type of stuff (given their high level of expertise); and
c: search out a solution for me?

I really feel let down with this car. Let's hope nothing else happens. Further I feel that the sales people and service people have done very little to understand my frustration and try to work towards a solution. All they want you to do is "drop it in and we'll take a look at it for you", thinking of course that none of us have anything better to do with our time.

I'd be interested to hear of any other members problems, particular with Series II models from 2011 onwards.

Thanks in advance.
Chris

 

[vicarious]

no problems with mine, i heard on the grapevine that there is new software for the iq out in march, so lets hope it fixes the issue of when someone rings it comes up with a name not just a number.

 

[Bombaman]

The lack of air con in summer in a new car could in my opinion be calassified as a major problem. I would suggest giving your local fair training office a call and discussing your rights around the Lemon Law, if the dealer can't fix the car in a timely manner you re entitled to a a possible refund or replacement of the faulty car by the dealer.

 

[bombora]

I picked up my Equipe Sportwagon in Nov 2011, I've had a few problems too, some just niggly but one major one. Around Feb 2012 I noticed a juddering, stronger going up hill. Took it to the dealer, someone test drove it and said there was nothing wrong with it, they also attempted to charge me $59 for the privilege. I drove the car the next day and it was still juddering, explained this to the dealership who asked me to bring it in again, not very convenient veasue I live 30kms away. On the second visit I drove and was accompanied by the bloke in charge of the workshop. I'd just pulled out of the dealership and he noticed it straight away and told me they'd had 4 other cars with the same problem in over the last couple of months. He said it was the torque converter, they couldn't just replace it thoiught they had to contact Hlden to get permission, and they'd need the car for the day. This meant another trip, they actually had it 2 days. All seemd fine for the first few weeks after the repair, now 6 weeks later the problem is back. I'd be very interested to hear if anyone else has had thge same problem. I don't expect this when buying a new car, it cost over $40k.
Niggly problems - seatbelt alarm / beeper going off randomly - they fitted a new buckle piece. No aircon, the IQ screen freezing - these are intermittent and are usually fixed by pulling over, turning the car off, and re-starting.

 

[Roscoe]

The only problem i have had with my sport wagon equipe is rushing air noise on the drivers side door,probably just a door adjustment,other than that i am very happy with it.

 

[My ve]

12/09 international sportswagon never had a drama except air noice from air deflector on drivers door & top trim bad fit roof at back door & it goes hard lol

 

[GarryB]

Torque converter problem on new sports wagon.

I picked up my new omega sports wagon in April this year. Over the last month I started to notice a shudder or vibration problem under light load conditions. When I say a light load I mean i would be going up a very slight incline. This could be at any speed whether it be say 50kmh or on cruise control at 120kmh for a couple of hours. It's done a bit over 9,000 Kim's and I finally put it in for it's first (free) service yesterday. The mechanic did a test drive with me. We drove a few hundred meters down the road at 50kmh and the first shudder happened. He said take me back, I know what the problem is. He then dropped me off at home and it vibrated around 6 to 7 times within the space of 5 minutes.
He said the problem is the torque converter and I've since found out I'm now number 500 and something on the waiting list for a new torque converter and none available anywhere. The suggestion from the holden dearlership is it could be months before a new one is available, in other words they don't know.
Sounds like there is a recall notice that may not be too far away......
Will update when I get further info.
Garry B.

I picked up my Equipe Sportwagon in Nov 2011, I've had a few problems too, some just niggly but one major one. Around Feb 2012 I noticed a juddering, stronger going up hill. Took it to the dealer, someone test drove it and said there was nothing wrong with it, they also attempted to charge me $59 for the privilege. I drove the car the next day and it was still juddering, explained this to the dealership who asked me to bring it in again, not very convenient veasue I live 30kms away. On the second visit I drove and was accompanied by the bloke in charge of the workshop. I'd just pulled out of the dealership and he noticed it straight away and told me they'd had 4 other cars with the same problem in over the last couple of months. He said it was the torque converter, they couldn't just replace it thoiught they had to contact Hlden to get permission, and they'd need the car for the day. This meant another trip, they actually had it 2 days. All seemd fine for the first few weeks after the repair, now 6 weeks later the problem is back. I'd be very interested to hear if anyone else has had thge same problem. I don't expect this when buying a new car, it cost over $40k.
Niggly problems - seatbelt alarm / beeper going off randomly - they fitted a new buckle piece. No aircon, the IQ screen freezing - these are intermittent and are usually fixed by pulling over, turning the car off, and re-starting.

 

[goldsmithsimon]

I've got 6700kms on my series 2 sportwagon and now have the same problem. Bad vibrations/shuddering under light loads and going up hills. Holden have had my car fo 3 days and have confirmed it is the torque converter, service adviser told me I was the 5th one in 2 weeks. Told me they will have the car put back together in next 2 days but I will have to wait up to 6weeks for replacement torque converter! Does this mean they are no longer producing auto sportwagons as there is a severe shortage of torque converters. WTF!!! At first I was told it was not safe to drive and had to leave car at dealership. They could not supply a courtesy car and was basically told Bad Luck! Lucky company I work for had a spare car for me to use. Now I am told that Holden have said the car is safe to drive until spare torque converter is available. Funny how these things happen! Other than this I think it's not a bad car for the money and is quite well equipped. Just a pity Holden service is still absolute s**thouse.

 

[burleighboy86]

I've got a my10 sv6, so just miss out on all these torque converter problems. I got mine second hand when it had done 56k, and now it's just clicked over 70k, and have had no worries at all. I say no worries, but have had the engine light come on twice. Months apart, but both about a minute after I left work in the morning. I turned it off and re-started, and the light was gone. Must just be the computer having a spaz or something...

 

[richie83]

Add me to the list. Purchased an Equipe sportswagon in December 2011. Had some fairly major issues, including one total failure of the computer. I've also got the shuddering, initially thought to be fuel contamination (which they are still trying to bill me for), had the torque converter replaced in March, only to have the problem reappear. They checked it again, advised there was a new revision of torque converter being manufactured. Car has just gone in today to have the torque converter replaced with the new revision.