Holden recalls 50,000 Korean-built cars and SUVs | CarAdvice

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Holden recalls 50,000 Korean-built cars and SUVs

By Tim Beissmann
FIND DEALS

Holden has recalled more than 50,000 Barina, Captiva, Epica and Viva models manufactured in South Korea over a potential defect with the vehicles’ electronic brake control modules (EBCM).

The recall affects a total of 51,387 vehicles including:

  • 2009-2010 Holden Barina hatch and sedan (TK series) – 8195 vehicles
  • 2007-2010 Holden Captiva 5 and Captiva 7 (Series I) – 27,778 vehicles
  • 2008-2010 Holden Epica – 3723 vehicles
  • 2007-2008 Holden Viva – 11,691 vehicles

Holden Captiva Series II models and the new Holden Barina (TM series) are not affected by the recall.

The official recall notice published on the Australia Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) website explains:

“The vehicles may experience reduced brake performance and/or a spongy low brake pedal due to a sticky valve within the EBCM.

“If the defect occurs the braking performance of the vehicle will be reduced and poses a potential crash hazard.”

General Motors Korea identified the defect earlier this year after receiving a small number of reports from domestic customers. Holden’s Kate Lonsdale confirmed there have been no reports of incidents or injuries relating to the defect in Australia.

The recall involves an inspection of the vehicle, a brake fluid flush and – if necessary – replacement of the EBCM. Holden expects this to take approximately two hours to complete, or slightly longer if the replacement is required.

Affected Australian owners will receive a letter in the coming days detailing the defect and encouraging them to arrange the recall service.

Holden owners are encouraged to contact their nearest dealer or the Holden Recall and Rework Assistance Line on 1800 632 826 if they require more information.


 

  • zanzi

    I didn’t know Holdens were built in Korea. So much for the patriots who buy Holden to support the “local” industry 

    • Legnab

      ROFL  i thought only euro cars had recalls , hail the Daewoo car co , that is  a very serious problem .

      • Captain Nemo®™

         Europeans do  “service campaigns” the rest of the automotive world does recalls hey Bungle! 

    • Sydlocal

      Good to see sarcasm isn’t dead……yet!

    • Trevor Ng

      Very little is ever mentioned about a lot of the Holden models being designed and built in Korea by Daewoo. But as soon as there is a problem the Korean origin of these models is immediately highlighted to try and separate this issue from the real Holdens.You can’t have your cake and eat it Holden.

  • Save It For The Track

    “I didn’t know Holdens were built in Korea.” And neither do too many of the gormless fools that buy some of them simply because they have ‘Holden’ badges. The Holden marketing department earn their money, selling rebadged Daewoos. If only Ford did a similar job at sales and promotion with the LPG and ecoboost Falcons and it wouldn’t be in such trouble.

    • Casosteve

      all car manufactures make vehicles and rebadge them for different brands, check out whre most aussie cars are made including so called aussie fords ,toyos

      • http://www.facebook.com/glen.sansom.9 Glen Sansom

        I can tell you now, Falcon/Territory-Australia, Mondeo/Kuga-Belgium, Focus/Fiesta/Ranger-Thailand. Most people know this but Holden do their best to hide the fact that the vast majority of their line-up are re-badged daewoos.

  • Robin_Graves

    Another Daewoo recall, who woulda thunk it?

    • Mad Max

      Well I guess at least Holden did the right thing and recalled cars, some of which are out of production and well out of warranty. I seem to remember a certain car company that refused to recall their Australian built 4wd with a massive fault in ball joints, brake hoses and rust problems around the firewall and rear hatch. This same company still refuses to recall the same vehicle, along with a large 5 seater sedan that has a master cylinder push rod thats too long causing front brake drag, resulting in warped front disks and brake shudder. This particular problem is so bad that some large national fleets have aledgedly boycotted buying their cars and have started to buy a similar sized car from another Australian manufacturer. I wonder why Fords sales have suffered? This habit of burying their heads in the sand is costing them. If they had come out when the ball joint and brake hose issue first surfaced admitted it and fixed it on day one, buyer loyalty might be a bit higher right now. Same with the rust problem in the Territory. Why would people buy another one with problems like that?
      Perception is paramount in business.

      • Ben

        And what about the 2012 Commodores with broken automatics and no parts in country to fix them. Some people have been told they may have to wait up to six months.The autos lock up and shudder but because they (Holden) dont think it is a safety issue they wont do a recall. So Max “Why would people buy another one with problems like that?”

      • Robin_Graves

        You are right Max, the cavalier attitude of Ford dealers have done nothing to help their current plight.  The thing is tho Holden are no better.  You cant recall a whole car because its a Daewoo, unfortunate for the idiots who buy them.

  • Noddy of Toyland

    How could people be so stupid not to research the origins of the car they are buying. Every owner of these Korean Holdens I have asked (usually young women) said they would never buy a Daewoo, yet a Holden Barina/Viva sits on their driveway…

    • Legnab

      Wait, in the 90′s they bought toyotas badged as holden apollo and nova , and idiot toyota buyers thought the lexan was definately not a crummerdore .

    • Casosteve

      thats funny but some of the barins/vivas are actually euuro build to korea do the research

    • Steffan

      A young female cousin recently purchased a brand new Holden Barina. Every time I see her I say “I like your new Daewoo”.

    • Dave S

      People still think all MB, BMW and VW ect are all made in Germany. Many still probabaly think the Hilux is made in Japan.

      I think everyone knows what Holden build’s in Australia, up until recently it has only been the Commodore and it’s different body styles.

      People dont think The Viva or Captiva is made is Australia, what people think is ..this is a competitively priced product backed up by Australia’s largest dealer network, and best access to parts and service across the country.

      This recent ‘recall’ only proves that Holden has some of the best after sales service around. I am other companies would wait for a couple of accident to oocur before acting.

  • Caro

    the viva is just a re badged daewoo as i found out after i had to pay to get the slave clutch cylinder replaced after 60,000 kms (car was out of warranty), The holden dealer never mentioned this at the time. Holden refused to admit there was a problem with the clutch system and now this. 
    First and last holden i will ever buy, 10 years with a mitsubishi lancer and no problems

    • susan

      I my self broughtthe 2012 model barina last year. and wait for it SURPISE Ive just done the same thing as yours did the slave clutch cylinder. Mines still under warrenty as ive only don’t 21,000ks. but thinking I wont be doing to many more as that’s not many ks to have these problems already

  • BP

    The more you talk about Holden and it’s relations to Daewoo, the more you look like an idiot. Move on!!!

    • Robin_Graves

      All they did was pay a signwriter to change the signs out the front of the factory and renamed the company on the Korean register.  Who’s the idiot?

  • Andrew M

    Funny thing perception, Ive also heard it the other way around where a mate of mine bought a D-max.
    The Isuzu salesman had him believe the Colorado was cheap Korean crap

  • JamesB

    Epica owners, don’t ask for your cars back.

  • Zaccy16

    It serves the people write that bought such horrible korean heaps of s**t in the first place. Holden sunk to a new level when they decided to put the holden badge on korean cars. The barina is still rubbish and cant match its competitors. There hasnt been a good barina since the rebadged opel version from 10 years ago. Also i cant understand why they still have the epica on the sale! the malibu should fix it probably

    • Zaccy16

      not write sorry right

      • BP

        Epica has already been discontinued earlier this year!!!

        • Zaccy16

          Only about a month ago i think because i saw it in the showroom of the wheels recently

    • Westie

      Could be worse, they could “rebrand” Daewon’ts as Chevys, like GM Europe…

  • Jober As A Sudge

    Owners better hope they don’t get them back either! These are the lame ducks of the Holden line-up

  • Tj76

    Ouch! At least they are going on the front foot and doing a recall  -the biggest in Holden’s history so its a real shame  but they are doing the right thing. They do deserve it though  – swapping out their small euro cars (Opels) was a massive mistake for Holden. The new cars may be profitable but the brand has been cheapened considerably in the eyes of the consmer and, once again, the poor quality of the vehicles has shone through. Keep in mind that these models (or close derivatives) were dismal sales failures as daewoos in OZ and got pulled from the market in disgrace. The fact that they reappeared some months later with a Holden badge and a 2 star safety rating on the Barina is a joke. It would have been so much better if GM had left Holden in the mid-tier (i.e. equivalent to Vauxhall & Opel) and just introduced Chevrolet (Chevwoo) as a budget brand in its own right. These cars have done so much damage to the brand on the whole and are no way on par with the Commodore (quite good really!). The Cruze is a step forward but, when you put it up against the new Astra, definitely behind the eight ball in almost every way. Perhaps most importantly…it is butt ugly. I’ve owned Holdens all my life ( 1 x VL turbo Calais, 1 x WB ute & 2 x Astra) but, sadly,  won’t be buying another car from them. When the Astra dies I’ll buy a Golf, Focus or another Astra (Opel). 

  • BK

    well done to Korea you have great cars.

  • JamesB

    THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A GENUINE HOLDEN!

    Even the Commodore gets most of its parts overseas.

    • Scout392

      I doubt any cars are wholy built buy them.

  • TG

    Watch the clowns come out of the woodwork…

    “Our cars are made by GM Korea, not Daewoo!”

    lol.

  • Pogo

    Their built in Thailand right?

  • yay

    If you drive a Golf like I do then you don’t have the problems, ha!

  • BOSS302

    Funny thing the media did not make a big deal about this-would be different if it was a Ford or Toyota

  • Alex

    Honda CRVs are from Thailand,
    Outlanders from Japan
    Ford Escapes from taiwan
    Mazda CX9 from Japan
    Suzuki from Japan
    VW Tiguans from Germany
    Captivas Korea

  • Georgehmccann

    does the Holden brake recall apply to my 2010 Holden Cruze Korean made . Its brakes are dodgy and can sieze particularly after being wet and then standing . Does any one else experience this problem

  • Paul

    Chevrolet Epica (2008) also having the same problems BUT Alpine Motors says
    no problems. As long as the car stops is 100 percent NO problems. Spongy
    brakes is considered NEW technology of GM as claim by Alpine Motors in Singapore. When posted with questions on brakes NOT effective and Alpine Motors Singapore reply was “DON’T
    DRIVE FAST” Maximum speed 50 km/hr. Then what is the point of having to pay a high price of 2.0 litre car and driving at that speed and their reply was safety features and looks AND not speed. Slow speed then sure to brake in 0.5 kilometer.

  • Paul

    Cannot buy Chevrolet cars in Singapore as Alpine Motors and GM do not take ANY responsibilities
    and interested in making money and giving lips service.

  • Paul

    Tj76, I totally agree with on the quality of Holden cars. I used to own one MADE IN AUSTRALIA.
    They are so tough that and durable that every Australian and foreigners like me to love to own one.
    I presume Holden has picked up the bad part of the Japanese Milo cans concepts and replacement and not repair which is the down fall of GM Australia. What GM Australia fails to realise that Australia has a big market and should maintain their standards.Bottom lines is always important but cannot compromise with quality.

  • Paul

    Tj76, I totally agree with on the quality of Holden cars. I used to own one MADE IN AUSTRALIA.
    They are so tough that and durable that every Australian and foreigners like me to love to own one.
    I presume Holden has picked up the bad part of the Japanese Milo cans concepts and replacement and not repair which is the down fall of GM Australia. What GM Australia fails to realise that Australia has a big market and should maintain their standards.Bottom lines is always important but cannot compromise with quality.