VZ Fuel Gauge Problem

[toddsta]

The L/100 km indicator, as I understand, can go out of calibration. It uses fuel use data from the PCM to determine what rate fuel is being used. There is an adjustment to re-calibrate it in the start up menu on the dash computer. This requires logging what fuel the car consumes over a 100km trip and entering this in.

 

[MySV6]

My dash is not bad round town & VERY close on a long trip. If it says 8.0 litres per 100km then you can be sure you have used less than about 8.2. 200ml or less per hr of driving is probably good enough for me

 

[old mans ute]

I agree with the Litres/100km readout. I think this is IMPRESSIVELY accurate. Distance travelled and speed are also accurate. My GPS and the digital speedo readout are always within 1km/hr of each other. No refill figures since my last "recalibration" but prior to that, if I calculated fuel used from the trip distance travelled and average km/litre (which I zero at each refill), it was usually within half a litre of the fuel needed for refill.

 

[old mans ute]

Holden has an engineer working on the problem

Something is really happening at GM. One of our intrepid reporters sketched this engineer recently. Had to put pencil to paper as the batteries in his digital camera were flat. With such high tech support we can all look forward to an early solution to the fuel gauge problem.

 

[old mans ute]

It's True

Here he is hard at work. It must be Sunday morning and I don't have much to do with my time. Retirement is wonderful (sometimes). Sorry about the ding in the sill panel but I am a rank amateur with this el cheapo art and photo retouch program

 

[old mans ute]

Fuel Diary Update

Here are the Marker points and tolerances advised by GMH

Low Fuel Warning - 53 to 60 litres will fill the tank.
Very low fuel Warning - 59 to 66 litres will fill the tank
Prayer Time (dead empty) 61 to 68 litres to fill the tank

This is my first tank since the latest software (Disk 62 July 2005) was used to recalibrate the fuel gauge.

Low Fuel Warning: Calculated 40.83 litres used calculates 29.17 titres remaining

Very Low Fuel Warning: Calculated 50.44 litres used (485 km at 10.4 litres per 100 kms) actual refill 50.66 litres which calculates as 19.34 litres remaining (485 km travelled).

.22 litres in 50.66 litres used equates to 99.6% accuracy .. FANTASTIC
Based on this in a 70 litre tank There should be 19.34 litres remaining.

Using the same calculation with 19 kms DTE calculates to 1.98 litres remaining.

So nothing really has changed 50-51 litres is always going to fill this from 0 DTE.

Means a usable 50 litres and a range of less than 500 kms without jangling the nerves too much.

This time I have 5 litres in a container and I will run the car till it stops (unless the "empty trip" is on the freeway or in inner city.

Did this accidentally before and refilled with 58 litres and I am betting that 58 litres used will see me on the side of the road with thre funnel and the jerrycan.

Back in the 60s and 70s there were some incredible horsepower claims which were drastically revised as consumer laws got tougher.

Maybe manufacturers should be pressed to specify usable fuel volume (with a 5 litre reserve) rather than the bare volumetric measurement of the fuel tank. This would be a much more meaningful (also honest) figure.

In my old VB SLE 5 litre I added an aftermarket 80 litre tank in place of the standard 63 litre tank so I would have a reasonable touring range. 70 litres is still a bit miserly for a 5.7 or 6 litre V8 but if you only get to use less than 60 litres between refills it is quite poor. You start to visit the service station more often than you have meals.

 

[old mans ute]

Fix available by Christmas

Christmas is not too far away. Attached pic is a top secret draft of the suggested Christmas card to be sent to all VZ Ute owners by Holden's Customer Service Team.

 

[Shortsta]

My latest from Holden Service. I made enquiries on the weekend with the dealer i bought car from, as opposed to the one near where i live. Asked him straight up about a fix. He said....
"We have now been instructed to acknowledge the problem. 90% of all VZ have the issue. If MRA has been replaced and the problem persists, we are not to offer any more warranty repair attempts, as a fix has been developed, but not yet available. For the last 18 months we have been trying to 'fix', with the knowledge that success was limited, but we (the dealership) have been informed internally that a software solution has been developed and tested, and will become available in the first or 2nd week of September. Consequently we are telling all concerned not to bring their cars in until this fix is in our hands"
That sums up the conversation. i dont know if others have received similar info, but was relieved to hear a) there was a fix and b) didnt ask me to just bring it in for them to look at again. Am i being naive, or can anyone else confirm this advice from Holden?

 

[old mans ute]

Dealer Delusions

Called my service manager today and quoted him the above. Said it was news to him. He has heard nothing and certainly seen no hard copy instructions saying that they were to do no further warranty fixes or that a fix would be available in September.

He did say that Holden pay them 0.2 hours (12 minutes) labour to install the software updates under warranty so he is hardly excited over the $ income when compared to the customer angst.

For those of us who have been told there tanks have been removed, sender units replaced, float arms bent. instrument clusters replaced or any other such fiction, we can be pretty sure that these "remedial actions" have never taken place. Holden have been aware of ther real problem since September 2004 - an overly complicated software/engine management/fuel measurement system which they got wrong. Why would they pay a dealer a warranty claim to remove the tank, replace sender units etc, when they KNOW what the real problen is. Only problem is that they DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. Feel lied to guys. In most cases you have been. The 5 cent pieces in my tray liner were in the same place after the service as before it and you can't take a VZ ute tank out without removing the tub liner. It was booked in for removal but at the end of the day the service guys told me "they ran out of time".

My guess is this is fast becoming a major embarrassment for GMH and they are probably throwing money at a solution. (hopefully)

I think they need to be kept on their toes and they we should take up other members' suggestions to approach GMH as a group.

I am retired, have a little time to waste and as most of you have guessed by now, am ready to progress this crusade with an evangelical zeal, and quite prepared to co-ordinate a group approach.

My suggestion is an electronic petition, If you are prepared to put your details in an email to me I will consolidate and forward it to GMs customer assistance plus provide them with a hard copy.

Would appreciate an indication of what details members think (and are prepared to provide.

Suggestions are;

VIN
Date of Purchase
Current KMs and date recorded
No of attempts for a dealer fix under warranty.

I am currently placing a flyer on as many VZ windscreens as I can manage as I am sure there are heaps of disgruntled owners out there who have not yet had the pleasure of discovering the justcommodores website.

The flyer reads

I am another VZ Holden owner. The fuel gauge/fuel measurement computer in my car, and in that of many other VZ owners of my acquaintance are unacceptably innacurate and all attempts by GMH to remedy this fault under warranty have been an unmitigated failure. GM now at least admit that they are "working on it".

We, as a group, are presenting a list of unsatisfactory vehicles to GMH and if your vehicle suffers the same design fault, we invite you to join ith us in our representations to GMH.

We are collecting the following information

VIN
Date of Purchase
Current KMs and date recorded
No of attempts for a dealer fix under warranty

which may either be emailed to me at [email protected] or mailed to

VZ Fuel Gauge
PO Box 1243
BOWRAL NSW 2576

Thank you for your participation

 

[furrhead]

Can I just say, go to consumer affairs if you are in NSW, pay you $29.00 for the lodgement and go to the tribunal. You will be happy..................can't say any more.