Commodore (VN-VZ) / HSV

1988-2006 / Sedan / Estate / Australia

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

Critical Body

VN-VP Boot Floor and Sill Rust

Symptoms

Rust perforations in the boot floor, sills, and rear wheel arches. Water in the boot, bubbling paint along the sills.

Cause

Same as every Australian car of the era, water ingress through taillight seals, stone chip damage, and trapped moisture in enclosed sections.

Fix

Cut out and weld in repair panels.

Treat surface rust early with rust converter and sealer.

Professional sill repair: $1,500-4,000 per side.

Cost mentioned in fix

$1,500-4,000 per side

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

Other known issues

Minor Body

Paint Peel (VT-VX, specific colours)

Clear coat peels from the roof, bonnet, and boot lid. Paint appears chalky and dull before peeling.

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.

Critical Engine, V6 (Alloytec 3.6L, VZ)

Oil Leaks from Timing Cover

Oil weeping or dripping from the front of the engine, behind the harmonic balancer area.

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