Commodore (VN-VZ) / HSV

1988-2006 / Sedan / Estate / Australia

All Commodore (VN-VZ) / HSV problems All workshop issues

Common Suspension and Steering

Power Steering Rack Leak (VT-VZ)

Symptoms

Power steering fluid on the garage floor, heavy steering at parking speeds, whining from the power steering pump.

Cause

The power steering rack seals wear with age. The VT-VZ rack is a well-made unit, but seals deteriorate after 15+ years. Low fluid from the leak accelerates pump wear.

Fix

Replace or recondition the steering rack.

A reconditioned rack is $300-500 exchange.

New racks are $500-800.

Labour: 3-5 hours.

Cost mentioned in fix

$300-500$500-800

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// More Commodore (VN-VZ) / HSV problems

Other known issues

Common Suspension and Steering

IRS Bush Wear (VN onwards)

Clunking from the rear over bumps. Rear-end wander, particularly under braking. Uneven rear tyre wear. The car feels vague in the rear.

Common Suspension and Steering

Front Strut Top Mount Failure (VT-VZ)

Clunking noise when turning the steering wheel, particularly at low speeds and full lock. A "crunching" sensation felt through the steering wheel.

Common Engine, V6 (Buick/Ecotec 3.8L, VN-VY)

Intake Manifold Gasket Leak

Coolant leak at the junction of the intake manifold and cylinder heads. May present as coolant loss without a visible external leak (coolant enters the intake ports), or as a coolant stain on the side of the engine. Engine may run rough or misfire if coolant enters the combustion chamber.

Critical Engine, V6 (Buick/Ecotec 3.8L, VN-VY)

Harmonic Balancer Failure (Ecotec, VS onwards)

A wobbling pulley on the front of the crankshaft. Knocking or rattling noise from the front of the engine. The drive belt may track poorly or come off.

Common Engine, V6 (Buick/Ecotec 3.8L, VN-VY)

Supercharger Bypass Valve Failure (L67 supercharged V6)

Loss of boost, rattling from the supercharger, reduced performance. The supercharger may make a whining noise that changes with the valve's operation.

Critical Engine, V6 (Alloytec 3.6L, VZ)

Timing Chain and Guide Failure

Rattling noise on cold start that may persist after warm-up. Check engine light with codes related to camshaft timing. Rough idle, misfiring, loss of power. In severe cases, the engine won't start or runs extremely poorly.

View all 20 Commodore (VN-VZ) / HSV problems