2002 Holden Commodore Pricing and Specs

Based on the symptoms, it sounds like something is getting hot and shutting down. When you leave it to cool for those 10 minutes, it fires up again. This could be something in the ignition system becoming too hot, or the fuel system (fuel pump) or perhaps even fuel vaporisation.

However, the V6 engine in your Commodore is very well known – notorious, even – for a crank-angle sensor that can stop working when it becomes too hot. This is a condition that seems to set in with age and, as the sensor becomes less tolerant of heat, will simply shut own the engine with no warning. Here’s something to try next time it happens: Identify the sensor in question (it’s located down by the front pulley of the engine’s crankshaft. Keep a bottle of tap-water in the car boot. When the engine stops next time, open the bonnet and pour the cool water on to the sensor. In many cases, the water is enough to cool the sensor and the engine starts right up. Definitely worth a shot before you start replacing other bits and pieces.

A problem like this could be caused by any number of things, James. Electronically interrogating the on-board computer is a wise first step, as the error codes that will result will possibly lead you straight to the offending component.

In cars like yours with electronic fuel-injection and engine management, there’s an array of sensors that need to send the correct signal to the car’s on-bord brain for everything to function properly. Replacing these sensors one by one until you fix the problem is a very time and cash consuming way of proceeding. Have the car scanned instead and see what fault codes show up.

Meantime, if I had to venture a guess, I’s say the problem sounds ignition related. An engine will often idle properly with no load on it, but when you select a gear, there’s suddenly load applied and, if the ignition system is not spot on, the engine can suddenly do all sorts of crazy things, including dropping cylinders. The other thing that occurs to me is that your battery might be low on charge. Injected engines absolutely do not like a lack of volts.

Something has possibly broken in the vent. Remove the vents from the dash and check, or have a mechanic do it for you if you’re not confident of doing it yourself.