Holden Reviews

Rather than continuing to replace expensive bits and pieces that aren’t – so far – curing the problem, have the vehicle electronically scanned to see what fault codes are being logged by the on-board computer.

If you’ve completely replaced the ignition system, then you might need to start looking at the fuel system. The V6 engine was a direct-injection unit which means it can start to be affected by a build-up of carbon in the intake system. That alone could be enough to cause your problem.

But don’t rule out a dud injector or failing fuel pump, either, as both these things can an allow the engine to idle properly, but develop a case of the staggers when you put the engine under load. Even a dirty fuel filter can cause this sort of mayhem, but until you interrogate the computer, you’re flying blind.

Burnt transmission fluid can definitely cause the problems you’re having. If it’s burnt or contaminated, it might be black or very dark red, rather than the nice, clear, bright red it should be. It’s off the to transmission specialist for this one, as the lack of drive could be caused by many things. An experienced mechanic will know this transmission and should be able to diagnose it swiftly.

The bad news is that you might have avoided serious damage if you’d had the transmission inspected when it first started to behave erratically. But continuing to drive it with a problem can often cause further and more serious damage. You may now find that the cost of repairs is greater than the value of the vehicle.

The two holes near the bottom of the dipstick are your Low and Full markers. If the oil is below the Low marker (the bottom-most hole) then you need to add oil. If the oil level is above the Full marker hole, then the engine has too much oil in it.

It’s pretty important to keep the oil level between the two holes. If you do that, you’ll be doing the engine a big favour. Too little oil can damage internal components, while too much oil can blow seals, contaminate the engine’s intake system or create oil leaks.