Holden VE Commodore Battery Drain Issue
31 Aug, 2007
100 Comments 
We have received several complaints from readers, and one of our motoring writers has encountered this particular issue with two press vehicles, so we would like to get a consensus of the severity of this problem.
From the data we have collected, this issue seems to be affecting all VE Commodore models, ranging from run of the mill Omega, right through to the top of the line HSV Grange.
The problem appears to occur when a vehicle is left for over one day without being driven, started or unlocked. When the vehicle is left in this state, a rogue component in the vehicle drains every last inch of charge from the battery, rendering it useless. The only way to alleviate the issue is to jump-start the car and depending on the model being examined, varied wait times are required to start the vehicle again due to additional components operating.
We have had reported claims relating to the following models – Omega, SS-V, Grange and Calais V.
If your VE Commodore is having a similar issue, we would appreciate if you could contact CarAdvice via the Warranty Complaints page with some details about your problem and how long your car is left alone before it drains the battery. One extreme case saw a vehicle’s battery drained after a 1-hour stint of radio operation, so results seem to vary between models.
From the affected users we have heard from so far, many have detailed the lack of retort from Holden. Those that have contacted their service departments have received below-par responses.
We appreciate your input and will hopefully be able to gauge the spread of this problem in due course. We will keep you posted with the results.
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August 31st, 2007 at 7:01 am
‘Those that have contacted their service departments have received below-par responses’
Has anything changed over the last twenty years
Camira mk2
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 7:23 am
they have the battery in the boot.
wonder if this has anything to do with it??
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 7:45 am
Troy, boot-mounted batteries are not new. My 1962 Morris Mini had the battery in the boot, and although it suffered many problems battery drain wasn’t amongst them.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 8:31 am
I agree that the battery being located in the boot shouldn’t cause a direct problen, although it’s coincidence that the battery was relocated to the boot with the VE model.
Vote:This isn’t the first time i have heard of this issue since the launch of VE.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:06 am
the ve commodore alternator dose not charge at more than 50% when fully flat if the car is used in short trips the battary will not get to full charge. so the battery will be in a state of discharge and will appeir to be draining or going flat
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 10:53 am
jamie, that’s no different to any other car.
Batteries don’t just drain if you’ve left the car sitting for a day. There’s obviously an internal issue with the car that’s causing this to happen.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 11:16 am
Hopefully they will not look into a mirror and really look into it to resolve the issue it as it is a major problem and won’t go away
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 11:43 am
lack of retort?
english please?
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 11:51 am
Baz:
You should learn some English champ – I’ve done the hard work for you:
re·tort 1 (rĭ-tôrt’) Pronunciation Key
v. re·tort·ed, re·tort·ing, re·torts
1. To make a reply, especially a quick, caustic, or witty one.
Vote:2. To present a counterargument.
3. To return like for like; retaliate.
August 31st, 2007 at 12:28 pm
well done holden 1 billion dollars well spent
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Remember the rumors of the Gen3 V8’s oil leeks and 20,000km engine rebuilds.
Holden are either very good at keeping things hush, hush or they are only rumors.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 12:58 pm
You know why there are these problems coming out with the VE commodore, it was over hyped, it was why to over hyped, even as a ford fan, i can say the commodore is a good car, but the fact the hyped so much calling it the billion dollar baby, the imperfections and minor problems are going to be turned into major problem by the media (no offence car advice).
But this is problem which should be fixed quickly, specially people with a ve commodore who catch the train all week and not drive their car, comes to the weekend and their battery is dead. not good
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I agree falcon, and they’re not exacly cheap cars, and its really irritating to have to get out the jumper leads on a car that apparently we should buy instead of a 5-series BMW…
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 1:32 pm
The typical never ending battle to resolve shortcomings in Commodores. Holdens are nothing more then just squeeky, rattly, troublesome vehicles to own and faults with them just never seem to end.
I can feel the 4th recall flapping in the wind in only a short year of being on sale.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 1:45 pm
With the exports of VE based cars to Brasil, the US and Middle East ramping up, I’d suggest Holden will be most anxious to resolve this before the complaints come from export markets as well.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 2:58 pm
We have steered right clear of crappy Holdens since our VT which was an unimaginable horror of a car. And then as now, Holden did not want to hear about it.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 3:11 pm
As I look across the website (Astra, Commodore, Captiva), and from personal experience, Holden never want to ackowledge / hear about warranty issues.
Their after sales attitude in general is argumentative and childish, and has resolved many faithful buyers (such as myself) to look elsewhere when purchasing new cars.
It’s a shame for a company so many of us grew up loving, and it’s time they lifted their game.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 3:33 pm
HSV is the only Holden I would buy
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 4:23 pm
There was a Holden Recall on the b atteries, they did dnot hide this, nor have they hidden any recall. There is a website that shows all recalls. The people that have had the issues have just been unlucky enough to deal with a lazy dealer. A good dealer would have done the recall before delivery. My VE has been back & had the recalls & although there was some issues, they were fixed & I love it. I don’t care what anyone says the fact is this was the most publicised vehicle release anywhere in this part of the world, & a few issues will happen, IT IS MECHANICAL!. As long as your dealer assists you, move on, if they don’t go to Holden. I can name an issue with every vehicle ever released, but due to the publicity of the VE, the tall poppy syndrom kicks in!Holden is the only manufacturer in Australia that hasn’t required any assistance from the government in the past 20 years other then Toyota, & they only use Australia as a write off so all there profits can be sent to the USA.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Hahaha I love this… they advertised the fact that they extensively tested the VE in a documentary shown on TV yet the car has such a basic fault. Yet another reason why not to buy Holden.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 4:59 pm
GK
Bothe Holden AND Ford recieved help from the government late last year.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Where’s the claims of improved quality and such?
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Troy,
I can promise you that Holden did dnot receive any requested handouts. If you can proove otherwise show me, otherwise shut up. Don’t come on here with 1 line with no proof. Holden funded the VE all by themselves. The government made a grant for the new factory, but that was 2 help out Melbournes unemployed, nothing to do with keeping Australias greatest manufacturer afloat!
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 5:28 pm
Well I think it is time to call A Current Affair, because well let’s face it HOLDEN ARE SHIT, and need to come under scrutiny.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 5:50 pm
You guys see our Today tonight last night ? About lemon cars ? Alborz even had a bit to say on the subject ,looking HOT too !!
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Oh and about battery drain,if we can mount a battery in the boot of our XA GT Coupe {and its been there for over ten years and still only had 3 batteries}and not get battery drain one would think Holden could. I do doubt that is the problem though ,maybe they bought a batch of faulty batteries ? Who makes them for Holden or more to the point where are they manufactured? Maybe some part of the engine management system isn’t shutting something off when being turned off at the key.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 6:27 pm
“Australias greatest manufacturer” Hardly GK there are plenty of manufacturers based in Australia that are ten times better in what they do for the country and its economy! Come on mate you sound way to Holden biased to be making statements like that. And YES Holden does receive government grants! Both SA and VIC state governments give Holden Tax breaks and concessions as well as direct funding! And if you want to be really technical General Motors US provided the funding for the VE.
Sorry but I think you need to get your facts straight before having ago at someone else on here!
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 7:24 pm
GK – You are one nieve clown. Over the past several years, Holden has been a very happy recipiant of many Government handouts.
INFACT – were Research and Development (R&D)is the topic, Toyota Australia is the only company yet to have accepted government handout although they haven’t enied that they will not accept such a offer if they decide to persue the Camry Hybrid programe here in Australia.
Holden has recieved alot (it’s fair share) of government handouts over the past several years.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 8:11 pm
I think this battery issue is being over-hyped here. Seriouly how many cases have been reported? According to the article they have encountered two press cars and a few reader complaints. That probably makes around 5 faulty cars.
By my calculations, the VE Commodore has been on sale for 12 months, sells roughly 5000 cars a month – thats 60,000 cars delivered so far! (roughly speaking)
I don’t know if any of you boys (and girls) here are good at maths by 5 faulty cars over 60,000 deliveries is 0.0083% of cars affected! Not even worth looking into, or debating, if you ask me.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Jason – 5 faulty cars is your unsubstantiated claim.
What is possibly a real figure… 5 000, 10 000 or even 20 000 units – who knows.
I do believe however that a piss poor 5 cars from approx 60 000 units (as you stated)will not even be worthy of mention.
Maybe, just maybe… this problem is more prevalent then credited given it’s exposre but i guess time will be the only true judge of that.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 8:39 pm
The last time I ever dared to look or even consider buying a Holden or even a Ford for that matter was about when the HK Model in the seventies came about.
Vote:From that point on and in my view Holden has made cheap Crap, just not so cheap on the purchase price.
I steered away from Aussie made cars such to the more reliable Mazdas. Bugga Holden Patriotism when one gets crappy quality.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:02 pm
I have a SV6 . Purchased in Feb this year. I haven’t had any problems with it, as yet. Do have a strange noise in the front when I reverse. I have had it checked out by Holden and also an independant tyre place but no one could find any fault. I have also found there is a really bad blind spot. Makes it very dangerous when coming to a roundabout. I don’t know if anyone else has the same experience. I am of average height so don’t sit unusually close to the steering wheel. This is the 3rd holden I have owned and I must say that I was probably happier with my Berlina.
Vote:August 31st, 2007 at 9:11 pm
I work at a holden dealership located in sydney.
The issue does vary alot with the different models.
Holden have release updated BCM (body control Module) software to correct SOME of the charge problems, the new software changes the the rate of charge from the altenator and sets the BCM’s “state of charge” to a different tolerance.
We have had some cases where the batteries in new VE’s have been faulty from factory, with the batteries only receiving half charge.
When only given half charge from factory the ECU and BCM automatically see this as “default charge” and will only ever charge to that level.
This level is enough to start the vehicle and operate all the systems, but the drain becomes too much for a half charged batteries, so if the problem is presented to the dealerships, the battery is usually replaced and the updated BCM software is installed.
The drain issue changes from model to model, we have had a Calais V where we replace 2 modules of the electronic system to correct the battery drain issue.
The issue can sometimes be the computer system (the high and low speed buses of the ECU and other components), they have a shutdown timer as they stay active after the vehicle has been shut off for other features of the vehicle, like lighting features and security.
Vote:Sometimes they need resetting as they stay on for too long after the ignition has been turned off and can drain the battery.
August 31st, 2007 at 10:08 pm
My father had two vehicles that had a high amount of electronics in place of what was mechanical. Cadillac XLR and a Aston Marton DB9 Convertible. Both had push button start and electronic door handles.
Both cars would not start if left for any extended period uncharged. The Cadillac was jumped started numerous times over the year my father owned it. The Aston wasn’t as bad since the manufacturer included a trunk plug in batter charger that pluged into the house that was used if the car was going to sit for an extended period of time.
Both cars obviously had a power drain more than conventional cars. I wonder if this is more related to the added elecronics or something else.
Vote:September 1st, 2007 at 12:46 am
The most probable things are immobiliser or starter motor solenoid that are chewing up the electricity, start with something simple. But considering its just on 5 cars its probably something small or the battery is just a dud. Having low water in a battery can make it have full power one day and go dead the next. Oh and off the topic, when you go to change your wiper blades on your VE expect to pay around $50, you have to change the whole arm not just the rubbers. The VE is a wonderful money making machine and only holden sell them and soon Trico, so expect to pay premium prices so you can see in the rain.
Vote:September 1st, 2007 at 9:45 am
I’ve been driving a VE Berlina for the last 12 months without any battery problems. The longest the car has been left without use is 3 weeks we went overseas. On return the car started first time. After manufacture the cars sit in the delivery yard quite happily for upto a week without any obvious problems with starting.
Vote:September 1st, 2007 at 9:48 am
I bought an SS in March after working for 2 years abroard in Nth America, Japan and the Middle East. I was fortunate enough to drive cars I would never be able to afford back here in Aus. But once seeing the new VE(Chevy Lumina)in the Mid East, i was extremely proud to see an Australian produced vehicle cutting it with the best car designs in the world, so I had to have one. Mine has done 30 000 hard klms now, and I haven’t hard a drama in the world, best bang for you buck, a car built for Aussie’s for our driving conditions.
Vote:September 1st, 2007 at 11:34 am
Ive been driving an SS-V since March 07 and cant fault it, 12000 kms later and its going stronger than ever. Well done Holden not one thing to complain about.
Vote:September 2nd, 2007 at 9:02 am
Seeing as the Commodore is the most recalled Australian built car in history, then this is no suprise !
Holden just produce crap after crap.
Vote:September 2nd, 2007 at 9:14 am
Iam a Ford Fan and all car makers have niggling problems. What you state Rob is true nevertheless!
Vote:September 2nd, 2007 at 8:38 pm
TO ALL THE TOSSERS BAGING THE VE. TELL ME A CAR MANUFACTURING COMPANY THAT DOSNT LAUNCH A CAR THAT HAS A MINOR GLITCH. NO ONES PERFECT. I DONT LIKE FORD AND TOYOTA AND THEY HAD THERE FAIR SHARE OF RECALLS WHEN THEY BRING OUT A NEW MODEL. LETS JUST WAIT FOR THE NEW MODEL FORD TO COME OUT (WHICH LOOKS CRAP FROM THE PICTURES IVE SEEN) AND ID BETCHA THERE GOING TO HAVE MANY MORE FAULTS TOO……………..
Vote:September 3rd, 2007 at 9:46 am
the wiper blades on a ve are also the same as ve as u need to buy the whole arm also and also these “minor glitches” yer all cars have tham and no dealer wants to hear it but the thing is that abs failing is not a minor glitch im a massive holden fan n i loved the new ve’s but the more i hear about bad things happening the more i dont want one just like vt’s i wouldnt buy one ever but i hope thay sort out the problems
Vote:September 3rd, 2007 at 2:26 pm
I’m sorry my Calais V has this very same battery issue at irregular intervals but always in the morning. I don’t care why it happens but I do want it fixed. So far my dealer has had no answer despite replacing the battery and updating software!!!!! It still happens. I thought it was the SATNAV system but now I’m not too sure what it is.
Vote:September 3rd, 2007 at 3:52 pm
Our Calais V has been plagued with random warnings since day one. The car has been back and forth to Holden and is heading back this weekend for a whole week to have a new BCM module installed as the car will not except any software updates. Whenever the car is started after waiting for the system check to complete, we see CHECK ENGINE, CHECK ABS AND CHECK ESP. We have also seen a big black X and CONTACT DEALER AND SVS (Service Vehicle soon). Its really annoying when you spend so much money on a new car to have these sort of warnings appear and to take 9 months to try and fix the problem and its still on going.
Vote:September 3rd, 2007 at 8:41 pm
We had the cd player on for 1 hour, whilst washing car, went to start it to go for a drive, battery was flat.
Vote:September 3rd, 2007 at 8:43 pm
we also have another problem with sv6 commodore and that is we seem to be loosing coolant. once topped up goes down to minimum level after 3 months. We are getting dealer to monitor the problem with us. anyone else having cooling system problem.
Vote:September 3rd, 2007 at 9:57 pm
so judging by when you open something up for discussion Jason’s earlier theory of only 5 out of 60,000 holdens being defective just got blown out of the water
Vote:September 4th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
lisa, i would think you would have a loose connection somwhere, where coolant is slowly leaking out. I had a similar problem in my VZ Commodore ute, where it happened gradually.
Vote:September 14th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
I’m thinking of buying a new VE Calais in October/November 2007. Am I right in thinking that most of these battery problems seem to have been on 2006 cars ie the early models, and that perhaps the battery issue has now been fixed for late 2007 vehicles?
I’d appreciate hearing from anyone who has bought a late 2007 car.
Steve
Vote:September 21st, 2007 at 11:10 pm
steve,
my dad just got his brand new calais V yesterday and the battery was flat in 3 hours of being stationary in the garage.
we are hoping that it was just because it had been sitting around in the dealership for a few days while the paper work was being finalised. but it was running fine today and the car is fantastic.
sean.
Vote:September 25th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Holdenwoo Commondore?? is a Bommodore which is the same as a Lemmondore, so you become a Dummodore. Next time buy a vehicle that when you drive it away from the showroom floor that she never has to return again only for service intervals, otherwise what’s the point there’s enough frustration and stress in the world without having to worry about stupid car’s like you have. ULTIMATE BRAIN DRAIN…
Vote:October 19th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
i brought a second hand 1989 model and my battery drains . have had 4 batterys in one yeah . i will go to start car and it seems to appear flat (normally on when i have a trolley of shopping or needing to go to work). i will then need to get some one to pick me up then return to car 3 or more hours later and car works . why is this? it is becoming a hassle
Vote:October 19th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
Behave Klink ,I know you want toooooo!
Maybe your alternator isn’t charging the battery when your driving it? Get it checked out!
Get your workshop to do a voltage check when your engine is running first,other wise it could be discharging from numerous things not switching off when your turning the car off. Car alarms,after market stereos ……..
Vote:October 19th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
Yes, ummm… aah indeed. Might be cause of the following conclusions:
1. Holden
2. Car is so old it was a reject off the Flinstones cartoons
3. Refer to point 1 when unsure
Vote:October 19th, 2007 at 10:53 pm
Yes it is only culprit. Thanks BM as no other answer!
Vote:October 19th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
BM…sounds like you are handy on the workshop and tools.
Vote:October 30th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Barry said… “Holdenwoo Commondore?? is a Bommodore which is the same as a Lemmondore, so you become a Dummodore”
Too right, you need to be a Dummodore to buy any Dunnydore!!!
Vote:December 22nd, 2007 at 11:08 pm
My Calais is 12 months old and has had the battery drain issue for 10 months.
They won’t / can’t fix it, they talk to me like a child when
I complain. I take the heap in for an oil change and they charge the battery while it’s there. Last time I checked in the handbook, an 3k oil change should not also require 6 hours on the battery charger.
All of the electronics in my Calais freezes up if I dare to start the car on a cold morning, or if it has been sitting for a couple of days.
The ABS and ESP lock up and error lights / chimes come on and my ABS / ESP don’t function and the car logs low voltage codes into the error log.
Mine is for sale, I’ve owned many Holdens, I’ve now had 2x major lemons, that’s it, no more Holden for me, it’s time to find something a little better designed and more importantly, tested.
Shame though, as when it works properly my Calais is a beautiful car to drive and look at.
My Calais is 12 months old and has had the battery drain issue for 10 months.
They won’t / can’t fix it, they talk to me like a child when
I complain. I take the heap in for an oil change and they charge the battery while it’s there. Last time I checked in the handbook, an 3k oil change should not also require 6 hours on the battery charger.
All of the electronics in my Calais freezes up if I dare to start the car on a cold morning, or if it has been sitting for a couple of days.
The ABS and ESP lock up and error lights / chimes come on and my ABS / ESP don’t function and the car logs low voltage codes into the error log.
Mine is for sale, I’ve owned many Holdens, I’ve now had 2x major lemons, that’s it, no more Holden for me, it’s time to find something a little better designed and more importantly, tested.
Shame though, as when it works properly my Calais is a beautiful car to drive and look at.
My Calais is 12 months old and has had the battery drain issue for 10 months.
They won’t / can’t fix it, they talk to me like a child when
I complain. I take the heap in for an oil change and they charge the battery while it’s there. Last time I checked in the handbook, an 3k oil change should not also require 6 hours on the battery charger.
All of the electronics in my Calais freezes up if I dare to start the car on a cold morning, or if it has been sitting for a couple of days.
The ABS and ESP lock up and error lights / chimes come on and my ABS / ESP don’t function and the car logs low voltage codes into the error log.
Mine is for sale, I’ve owned many Holdens, I’ve now had 2x major lemons, that’s it, no more Holden for me, it’s time to find something a little better designed and more importantly, tested.
Shame though, as when it works properly my Calais is a beautiful car to drive and look at.
Vote:December 22nd, 2007 at 11:19 pm
vz or ve?take it to an auto elecrician not holden they dont care, it might cost 1 2 hundred you wont be able to sell if the problem is still there.take it to ford for a trade in im sure they take it.You might loose a few grand but holdens sell well and hold there value on the aus market.go fairmont ghia for luxury, or xr6 for sporty.
Vote:December 22nd, 2007 at 11:22 pm
What state you in? i can point ya in the right direction.
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
I really do not understand why so many wankers get on here and bag Holdens for god’s sake ,every car has it’s problems otherwise the car manafactures would go broke due to know spare part sales or purchase of the new models with improved technology…
I wonder which one of you wankers that are bagging Holden’s can tell me what Model Ford ,Mazda,Kia,Nissan,Toyota,Mitsubishi,Subaru never had any faults with them ,I bet you’d be a bit confused about that one now wouldn’t you ….
Seriously grow up and leave this site to the people that need genuine advice about cars not read on and get a shit load of comments from people that probably dont even know how to change a set of wiper blades ..
I have been working on cars for a very long time and I can tell you they all have faults minor or major……
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
WOW!!! you’re calling everyone wanker’s, we pick on this subject because they are poorly built, have a look around do a search on google you will find genuine issues mainly centering Holden VE these day’s, always walking up #@$% creek, when a car company from Australia governed by GM can spend 1 billion dollar on lemons, surely to god they could give us a product that only needs service intervals not unschedueled visit to the dealer’s mechanic shop….
I remmember vividly Holden tosser’s would pick on Falcons door handles falling off the body, a fairly minor problem, I think the worst Ford model was EA Falcon, can you remmember some of Holden’s range engines would fall apart being unsatisfactory including the VL sourced with Nissin skyline internals the parts were expensive to replace and if you didn’t use quality fluids the alloy heads would suffer….overall and over the years even up until today Ford has produced a better product with less funds…seriously lol..
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
mate in case you didnt notice this is a post related to people discussing problems with their commodores
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
I know how to change a wiper blade on a VE ……replace the whole arm! That will be $52.00 thankyou!
Well pointed out Andrew M
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
I didn’t know that about the wiper blade/arm. Are we moving even further into a “throw away” society?
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Someone has mentioned on the site before cause I was complaining that 2 wiper blades for my car cost $22 each from BMW! The oil filter was only $14.00
Wheelnut might know !
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
yeah ive heard that too BM
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
A possible reason for the price difference of two reasonalby basic automotive items such as an oil filter and wiper blades could be because There are a number of cars which can accept the same model Oil Filter.. which makes it similar to a one size fits all situation and therefore; basic trhow away filters are pretty cheap
However wipers are an area where designers can show a bit of flair.
I mean some cars have the standard double arm action as on Commodore and Falcon.. some cars have wipers which are hinged on the outer corners of the windscreen and sweep out from the centre as on the Mazda MPV [I think]
and others particularly euro sportscars have the single arm
Therefore the blades can be different lengths and the fittings can also be different some simply snap on some have a slide-lock and some its easier to replace the whole arm.. and its because their is so much variation in such a simple item that increases production costs > the price
The other reason of course could be because it’s for a BMW
I suggest however don’t use the “sports” models with two blades on the one arm.. if a gumnut or little rock gets caught in between the two blades it will scratch the crap out of your windscreen.
Hope this info helps
For examle some cars have the normal uniform double arm action as on Commodore and Falcon
Vote:some cars have a left right action where the arms are hinges on the outer left and right of the windscreen
January 4th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Has HOLDEN fixed the problem yet?
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
In relation to the battery drain issue. A mate of mine has replaced the battery in his VE SS with a “dry cell” batery – like the ones you see powering those custom in car entertainmnet systems – usually found in haymarket hot rods.. the stereo is has more power than the owner has IQ
He did it not because his car had the problem but he wanted to try and prevent it.. and so far it seems to have worked.. So if your VE is affected I suggest you contact your nearest reputable Car Audio Retailler – who is a CAE member [Not Strathfield]
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
yes wheelnut the common and continual use of parts for a long time will see the price of parts fall.
i was only comparing that new years eve actually when i was staying down at a mates place and he had the bonnet of his VL ans VS popped ans sitting side by side doing a few little “fix ups” (it seems to be a daily thing fixing stuff on the VS though, what a troublesome car)
oil filters was one thing that came up and it reminded me of how long ford has been using the Z9 oil filter.
does anyone know how long they have been using it? i think they were around before the motorvehicle ha ha ha ha
but anyway the Z9 is certainly one of the cheapest.
also we were trying to track how many changes the commy has had. im guessing 3 when you include the VL am i right wheelnut?
also i had to buy a radiator cap for mine a few weeks back and as you cast over the little book they have (cause i couldnt remember what psi the falcon uses i thought it was 120psi but felt better to check) it was found that every damn falcon uses the same cap.
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
whats a dry cell battery worth by the way? im guessing not cheap.
had to buy one the other day for the other halves car and it was $160 for the ricer. lucky repco had 20%off.
im sure my battery was cheaper than that for the falcon and i got the absolute ducks nuts of batteries.
once again i suppose that comes back to how many vehicles can use the same battery aswell
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
In terms of appearance of the commodore there has been 5 changes
VB-VK: [even though the VK differed slightly from the VH with its rear 1/4 window.. its still pretty much the same]
VL: was a one off which still looks modern 20 years on
VN-VS: same overall body just differnet head tail lights
VT-VZ: ditto
VE:
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
ha ha ha yes i do know a bit about the commys you would be surprised.
i actually meant how many oil filter model changes ha ha ha
just re read my question and i suppose it wasnt specific
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
I’m guessing 3 or 4 in the 6cyl models.
202
Vote:nissan6
buick ecotec
alloytec
January 4th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Yep I agree on the filter even though I doubt it would be used on anything else though! Its made in Austria so you would think it would also cost more! The blades however didn’t even come in any BMW packaging!!!!! So could have been
anything! Should have gone to Auto One but I hate squeaky wipers!
You have a Optima or a CAT racing Battery AndrewM!!! We had a Cat Racing one that lasted around 3 years in the Yellow car…..was a great battery!
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
The original battery in my AU lasted almost 7 years. I was very happy with that.
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
7 years…………wholly crap! I thought 2-3 was it normally!
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
A cousin I rarely see anymore got 12 years in a, geez what was it, Excel or Accent.
Vote:January 4th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
WHAT??????????
Vote:I have never had a battery that lasted more than 4 years, must be my bad luck.
January 4th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Yeah, I don’t know how he got 12. I thought 7 was great until he told me that.
A mate had a RHD converted Trans-Am for a while, had an alarm and stereo fitted, and it kept crapping batteries every few months, had to jump start it EVERY time. Never resolved the alarm/stereo issue (if that was the prob) and so got rid of it.
Vote:January 5th, 2008 at 12:07 am
Oh all those Commodore buyers, when will they ever learn?
Vote:January 5th, 2008 at 7:29 am
Correct; In terms of oil filters it’s 3 [due to the gradual increase in engine capacity - obviously..2.2 > 6.0]
Vote:March 23rd, 2008 at 9:05 am
I stopped reading at the part where holden gets hand outs…. name one person in australia who doesnt at one point in their life, MORE to the point… Weather or not holden get hand outs is off the fricken topic.
to thos people saying such things as “when wil lthey ever learn” – Al Juraj
Define what htere is to learn, I owned a BF falcon and a VE omega, I had some battery issues with my VE but gees its a better car to drive, its more comfortable, it feels safer and it certainly has value for money… I brought my BF for 28grand privately and sold it 6 months later and I couldnt give it away, only got $12,000 for it. im selling my omega now for a ssv and though i brought it at a dealer fer 32k i think getting the 28500 i have been offered is fair gain for a 2 year old vehicle – dont you?
FYI for everybody who actually cares about their VE take it to your holden service demand a new ignition barrel…. that is the culprate.
Vote:December 5th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
OMFG! I paid $88,000 for a new E-Series LS3 HSV GTS in Oct ‘08 and immediately noticed and reported digital instrument cluster issues. The battery died on the GTS before I took delivery and it took a day to recharge it.
20 days after delivery I ran over some broken windscreen glass remnants on the road and two shards pierced the bridgestone tyre and by time I stopped the vehicle 150 meters down the road to investigate the wheel noise,
I had destroyed the $1,000 tyre and following
bridgestone’s argument against replacement or part reimbursement they will never see a cent from me again!
Yesterday the car was towed back to the dealership after another battery discharge. The day before that I’d called the dealership complaining of two more issues that seemingly manifested after I drove away from the 3,000km “checkup” service on Monday.
I freely admit I’ve had professional and expensive
installation of alarm upgrades and audio equipment between taking delivery of the vehicle and now but it should be noted that the battery discharged whilst sitting at the dealership before I took delivery and the pre-delivery digital instrument cluster issue, now confirmed, awaits a replacement part and issues are mounting since the “checkup”.
I’m also going to boldly proclaim that the rwkw has decreased 10-25% since the “checkup” service and I’m somewhat concerned the tachometer is churning 4,000rpm to
propel the vehicle along at 40kmph.
Haha! This baby has an agreed insurance value of $105,000 and that’s a conservative estimate. To be perfectly frank I’m concerned that I may not be able to start this vehicle in the morning.
I live for this shit and by hell or high water somebody is going to pay if these mounting issues are not resolved before I even consider getting a headache!
Look! If you’re a wuss buy something else or otherwise HTFU and enjoy the ride!
Vote:January 28th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Holden’s are Sh*t all i have heard is problems with them, really you get what you pay for the are cheap and nasty. Cut a long story short BMW s*it all over Holdens :)
Vote:March 8th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
In October 2006 I took delivery of VE SV6. The very first weekend in the garage – battery went flat. Took it to Holden numerous times and they always claimed everything was fine.
After calling Holden Assist (RACV) for the 5th time to jump start me in mid-2007, I was advised by the RACV guy that BCM needed re-programming as Holden have now finally found the fix. Went to dealership and they did their magic. For the next 6 months everything was fine and I thoght the problem went away. Well – I was wrong. Left the car at airport for 2 nights and couldn’t even unlock it when I came back from Brisbane. Over the following 12 months I had to jump start the car another 3-4 times. In addition to this, in 2 years I had the car, I had numerous dash cluster/Air Con/Radio resest mid driving :(
In November 2008 I replaced SV6 for the brand new Calais-V Sportwagon. I had thought the problems would have been fixed by now (My SV6 was one of the first off the production line) and again – I was wrong. First flat battery I got in Calais-V was in December. My wife just had to be jump started again yesterday :(
I have a friend at work with early 2008 Calais and he had flat battery 2 times.
These bloody things are LEMONS! Great cars to drive – if/once they start (what a shame).
Since the new Commodore is not coming out until 2012, and based on their current track record with not fixing the fault, there is no way in hell that I’m ordering another Commodore next time I’m out of lease in 2010.
It’ll have to be some Euro based or Japanese car. Maybe Ford releases some decent wagon that looks as good as Holden Sportwagon!?
Had Holdens all my life but this did it for me…
Vote:March 19th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
We have a VE Commodore that we purchased in April 2008.
Earlier this year we had a flat battery. We took the car to the Holden Dealer, the service department kept the car overnight to fix the issue. Last week, while on holidays, the car’s battery died again. The RAC mechanic who came to jump start our car told us that he starts at least five VE Commodores a day.
The piece of cramp is back for an overnight visit at the Holden Dealer so they can “fix” the issue again.
I honestly don’t care what the problem is with these cars I just want ours fixed or I don’t want it at all.
Vote:March 19th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
my mates EF falcon has a R&J battery fitted in it and still goin after 7 years. Best batteries out there. Holden must be using duracels or energizers. What a joke by holden
Vote:March 29th, 2009 at 10:45 am
I have an october 2008 SSV sportswagon and have numerous times had a flat battery yesterday being the worst left the car with the keys in the ignition but nothing on had driven 150k day before went out to move the car into the garage and found its as dead as no interior lights or dash lights haven’t approached the dealer yet but i will post information if i have any joy finding out the problem.
Vote:I have also left the radio on for an hour and the car doesn’t start but not as dead as yesterday.
April 29th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
I own a 2006 VE ‘V’ Series Commodore, which I purchased new in Jan 2007.
Vote:This morning when I tried to unlock the car it refused to do so. I then unlocked the door with the key, thinking that the remote had packed it in. I then put the key in the ignition and attempted to start the vehicle only to find that the battery was as flat as a tac. Contacted the Holden dealer and was told to book the vehicle in for a battery recharge and a computer update, even though an update was done on 13/01/09 at the 30,000K service, which was to fix the battery drain problem. I’ll take it in tomorrow and see what happens. Not happy at all this is my sixth Holden. I had no such problem with the others.
June 10th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
The time period between battery manufacture & its delivery in a vehicle to the customer is excessive. The batteries in new vehicles are often flat while sitting in the dealers yards. They get partly charged as & when needs arise, i.e. to move the vehicle around, delivery to a customer, etc.. Battery that is flat for long periods of time (several weeks) can NEVER be charged to 100% capacity. From experience, batteries in most new vehicles sold in Australia can at best be charged to only about 50% of their capacity.
Vote:June 10th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Charles,
Vote:my last car went through 4 years of service to myself before i needed to replace it
June 10th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
I said “most”. Lucky you.
Vote:June 11th, 2009 at 7:48 am
I used to run a small company providing automotive electrical design services. More detailed answers to the battery issues can be found in the above blog.
Vote:June 11th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
To the smart asses out there your turn will come and I hope you will be as fustrated as I am in trying to resolve whatever issue.
My SV6 VE Ute (Battery in Cabin) is great to drive once started.
Park it for seven days and battery is totally dead and I guarantee you can set your clock by that.
It has been to the dealer three times for this issue still no fix and I still can’t work out fact from bullshit.
Over 40 years of car ownership and have never experienced regular battery problems until now.
To ensure that this will start whenever required I now make sure a battery charger is connected and operational everytime the car is garaged.
No more Holdens for me after this.
Vote:June 11th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Your problem has been described a few entries ago. Invest a few dollars in battery electrolyte hygrometer (at autobarn or similar shop) and check the density in your battery. All cells must return nearly identical reading. I am sure the readings are not above 1200, indicating about 40% charge. Try & charge that battery, & you’ll discover that the density remains the same, which indicates that your battery is & will remain only 40% of its original capacity. And, sadly, you have to invest in a new battery. This new one, prior to installation, should be fully charged & density checked with the hygrometer (before & after charging). After full charge the density must be in the green field of the hygrometer. The new battery should the last for at least 3 or 4 years. More details can be found in our blog at cdpl1.blogspot.com/
Vote:June 12th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Charles,
I would just like to correct a couple of points you have made.
“Invest a few dollars in battery electrolyte hygrometer (at autobarn or similar shop)”
Why anyone would want to measure the relative humidity (which is what a hygrometer measures) of a battery is beyond me. Maybe a Hydrometer(which is used to measure the specific gravity of electrolyte) would be much more useful,although,as the batteries in the VE are maintenance free calcium batteries with no access to each cell, this would be impossible.Also, if anyone wants to buy a hydrometer, I would strongly suggest you buy one from a battery specialist or solar shop(preferably GEFO brand)as the cheap glass ones sold in parts shops and the like are extremely unreliable.
“I am sure the readings are not above 1200, indicating about 40% charge. Try & charge that battery, & you’ll discover that the density remains the same, which indicates that your battery is & will remain only 40% of its original capacity.”
What a lot of rot. Batteries with a specific gravity of 1120(which is 0% capacity or 11.85volts or less)can be recharged back to (or near) 100%, depending on age and length of time it has been sitting flat.
“From experience, batteries in most new vehicles sold in Australia can at best be charged to only about 50% of their capacity.”
Not sure where you get that gem from. 50% capacity is roughly 12.2volts or 1190sg.If this was the case(depending on engine size and air temperature among other things) most cars would not get through the 12month warranty period without the need for a replacement battery.This simply is not the case.
I could go on…..maybe later.
Vote:June 12th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
With apology, I stand corrected about the hygrometer. Let’s wait for Fremann’s report.
Vote:June 24th, 2009 at 9:10 am
I’ve worked in a dealership for a few years now, and the only time I’ve seen this flat battery problem in the VE Commodore is when people have left the keys in the ignition. For some reason this drains the battery within even just a few hours. Anyone else come to this conclusion?
Vote: