Holden recalls more than 5000 diesel Captivas

GM HOLDEN has issued a belated safety recall for more than 5000 early model diesel CG Captivas to rectify a roller rocker fault that, if not treated in time, can result in the vehicle stalling or – according to some owners – suffering serious engine damage.

Issued on Christmas Eve, the recall is the fourth this year for the CG Captiva, with others involving the ignition key cylinder on some manual vehicles, fuel pump control module and vehicle jack labelling.

The latest recall affects 5005 2007-08 model-year Captiva diesels produced between December 28, 2006, and February 28, 2008.

In its notice on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) website, GM Holden says engine rocker arm bearings might fail after prolonged exposure to degraded oil, causing a reduction in engine power or a stall.

The recall advice has come too late for at least some of the owners, with several reports on chat rooms of rocker and cam damage and – in some cases – failure of the rocker arms leading to engine damage costing thousands of dollars to repair.

Some of the reports dating back at least two years complain that the problem has surfaced out of warranty and that Holden has refused to cover the costs.

The company now has taken the problem on board, with free repairs for all affected vehicles, but it is unclear if owners who have already paid to have the problem fixed are being reimbursed.

In a statement to GoAuto, Holden said it would deal with customers on a case by case basis.

The engine in question is a 2.0-litre turbo diesel jointly developed by Italy’s VM Motori and General Motors.

Introduced in Australia in February 2007, the engine initially employed needle bearings in the roller rockers on the valve train. However, these were prone to failure as the oil degrades, with the problem surfacing as an engine noise.

Holden points the finger at infrequent oil changes, saying: “The customer may not be aware of the oil condition due to the absence of oil life monitoring in the Australian (and New Zealand) market.” If the driver ignores the racket and fails to have the vehicle checked, the bearing can deteriorate and fail, causing the rocker arm to break and leave a valve stuck open.

Holden says this can cause the vehicle to lose power or stall, but several owners have reported wider damage to the engine, with items such as the cylinder head having to be replaced.

GM reportedly altered the engine’s design in early 2008, dispensing with the needle bearings and replacing them with sturdier plain bearings in production vehicles.

Vehicles involved in the recall presumably are being fitted with these new rocker bearings in a kit distributed to Holden dealers.

Holden is writing to all owners of diesel Captivas in the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) range KL3CD26RJ7B052819 to KL3CD26RJ8H308370, asking them to make an appointment with their Holden dealership to have the work done.

Those wanting more information can phone the Holden Recall and Rework Assistance Centre on 1800 632 826