Holden Calais Pricing and Specs

Fault code P0014 is, indeed, a problem with the engine’s camshaft timing. It’s also a very common one on these late-model V6 Holdens. Your engine doesn’t have a timing belt, instead using a timing chain which, theoretically, should be good for the life of the car. Unfortunately, in this V6 engine, the timing chain was under-engineered and many owners have found out the hard way that the timing chain needs replacement at relatively low mileages.

The fault code shows up when the car’s computer can’t make sense of the relationship between the engine’s crankshaft and camshafts. That’s because when the timing chain stretches, that relationship varies and the engine’s valves are no longer opening and closing precisely when they should. At that point, the computer throws its hands in the air and triggers the fault code and check-engine light.

The only real fix is to replace the timing chains. The cost will vary depending on what else needs to be done and who carries out the work, but even at its cheapest, this job could easily run into the $2000 to $3000 region. Industry wisdom also suggests that you also replace the timing chain guide and oil pump at the same time.

I’m not sure how Holden can claim that the car is now subject to the extended warranty (which is an aftermarket one from the third-party supplier) when your car should, according to Holden itself, be covered by the brand’s factory seven-year/unlimited km warranty. Since your car is still within that time limit, I would have thought the factory warranty applies and would cover the differential. The catch was that this seven-year warranty was only offered up to a cut-off date (March 31, 2018) but even after that date, the cover reverted to five-years/unlimited km, so your car should still be covered.

Holden only applied this seven-year warranty to 2018 ZB Commodore and Equinox models, but since the former is what you own, I can’t see how the factory warranty doesn’t apply. Keep trying and if you don’t succeed, the ACCC might be fairly interested in your case.

The difference will be, of course, if the differential problem has been caused by external factors such as a lack of servicing or you using the car to tow excessively heavy loads. But otherwise, the car should be covered against failures of this sort.

As for extended, aftermarket warranties, they’re really a huge rip-off in most cases. They are carefully worded to avoid the insurer paying out on anything actually likely to go wrong with the car. They also tie you into dealership servicing and, often, over-servicing, all in the name of lightening your wallet further. Forget them.

This is an ongoing concern for owners of cars that were built in places that simply don’t have the UV radiation levels we experience in Australia. And, yes, I know your car is a Holden Calais, but the ZB model you own was actually built in Europe and is a fully imported car. That said, even local car-makers have had an awful time over the years trying to get their paint to last in the Aussie sun.

However, I don’t believe that a 2018 car should be showing signs of paint degradation this early, so I think you’d have a very chance of making a warranty claim to have the problem put right. Even though Holden no longer exists as a brand, its parent company still has an obligation to provide parts and service (and warranty) for the next few years. That said, there’s not much in it for General Motors to keep you happy as you won’t be a repeat Holden customer (since the brand is gone).

But it’s definitely worth a try and if you don’t get any satisfaction from head office’s customer service division, I’d be talking to the ACCC (what used to be Consumer Affairs) to see if a resolution can be found. It’s difficult to diagnose problems by remote control, but if the paint is peeling in a very specific section (the drain channels) rather than randomly on the roof, then it would seem as though there might have been a production problem when the roof was painted. If that’s the case, what’s left of Holden should put it right.