Recalls: HSV Gen-F Senator
Overview
Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.
Recalls: HSV Gen-F Senator
2013 HSV Gen-F Senator: wiper motor failure
In June 2014, a recall was issued for HSV E-Series and Gen-F Senator vehicles that were manufactured between 27 February 2013 and 31 October 2013. In these vehicles, the driven gear in the windscreen wiper motor may fail due to incorrect grease application. If this occurred, the windscreen wipers may not work and visibility may be reduced. The recalled vehicles had VINs in the range 6G1EK8E49CL711575 to 6G1NP5E21EL946263 (PRA 2014/14168).
2015 HSV Gen-F Senator: delayed or unintended airbag deployment
In February 2016, a recall was issued for HSV Gen-F Senator vehicles that were manufactured from 8 October 2015 to 13 October 2015. In these vehicles, the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) may not have been properly secured into the casing of the Airbag Control Module (also known as the Sensing and Diagnostics Module or SDM) – this may cause slightly delayed deployment of the side thorax and curtain airbags, or unintended airbag deployment, thereby increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants. The recalled Gen-F Senator vehicles had VINs in the range 6G1FA8E57GL202543 to 6G1NP5EW6GL204169 (PRA 2016/15220).
2013-15 HSV Gen-F Senator: loss of power steering assistance
In December 2018, recall campaign A182193280 was issued for HSV Gen-F Senator vehicles that were manufactured prior to 30 April 2015. In these vehicles, increased electrical resistance in a component within the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system could result in a loss of power steering assistance. As such, power steering assistance may be lost while the vehicle was driven, increased steering effort would be required to turn the vehicle and this would reduce steering control – these factors increased the risk of a collision for vehicle occupants and other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2018/17201.
Problems and faults: HSV Gen-F Senator
Overview
This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.
To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.
HSV Gen-F Senator: Loss of Power Steering Assistance
In HSV Gen-F Senator vehicles, there have been reports of a loss of power steering assistance, which may or may not be preceded by a warning to service the power steering. Furthermore, power steering assistance may return when the vehicle is restarted.
In February 2015, Holden initiated a customer service campaign (Campaign No: A 140804-ZCS P) for the loss of power steering assistance. It is understood that the loss of steering assistance was caused by water damage to the electrical connector on the power steering motor. If water damage had occurred, the connector would be replaced. If not, the connector would be filled with conductive grease and re-connected to the power steering motor.
In March 2016, General Motors issued a recall for the US-delivered Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV) which was manufactured by Holden and had the same steering components. According to the recall notice, the Chevrolet Caprice PPV vehicles that were manufactured from 15 May 2013 to 3 March 2016 may experience a loss of power steering assistance due to corrosion of the connector between the electric power steering module and the toque sensor connector. Documents lodged by General Motors in connection with the US recall stated that:
As part of Chevrolet’s recall, the steering gear assembly was to be replaced at no cost to the owner. Furthermore, the replacement steering gears had gold-plated terminals that were resistant to fretting corrosion.
In December 2018, a recall was issued for Holden VF and HSV Gen-F vehicles that were manufactured prior to 30 April 2015; details of this recall are published above.
2017 HSV Gen-F Senator LSA V8: faulty rocker arms
HSV Gen-F Senator vehicles produced between July 2017 and October 2017 had faulty inlet rocker arms in the supercharged 6.2-litre LSA V8 engine. Symptoms of faulty rocker arms included rough running, misfires and total engine failure from as little as 50 km. In December 2017, HSV started to replace all eight inlet rocker arms in vehicles that had not been delivered to customers. For vehicles that had been delivered to customers, HSV contacted owners to arrange for their replacement.
2013-15 HSV Gen-F Senator: front ball joints to be re-torqued
In March 2015, Holden/HSV initiated a service campaign for 2013-15 HSV Gen-F Senator vehicles to re-torque the lower control arm rear link ball joint nuts on the front suspension (on both sides of the vehicle). It is understood that loose ball joint nuts could cause a clunk or rattle type noise from the front suspension.
2015-16 HSV Gen-F Senator: HVAC musty smell/odour after starting vehicle
In 2016, General Motors issued Service Bulletin #15-H-0041 for HSV Gen-F Senatorvehicles. After starting the vehicle, the driver may notice a damp ‘musty’ smell or odour emanating from the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) vents. This smell was attributed to condensation accumulating on the evaporator core when the air conditioning was on and remaining in place after the engine was turned off. For affected vehicles, an afterblow function was to be turned on using GM’s Global Diagnostic System 2 (GDS2) – this software was implemented in production from the start of 2016 model year production.
HSV Gen-F Senator: LS3 and LSA V8 engines
Overview
With the exception of the early 5.7-litre LS1 V8 engines, General Motors’ LS V8 engines are regarded as being generally reliable. However, they may experience the problems described below.
Hydraulic lifter failure
For GM’s LS V8 engines, the hydraulic lifters may fail due to:
- A failed plunger within the lifter itself. When the plunger fails, it cannot maintain oil pressure and remains in a collapsed state – the lifter therefore cannot take up valve lash such that a tapping noise is heard that increases in volume and frequency with engine speed;
- The spring mechanism jamming – this is more common in older engines;
- Inadequate lubrication of the lifter roller wheel surface causing friction on the lobe (this generally results in a squeaking noise);
- Softened valve springs which also require replacement; or,
- Worn lifter buckets.
A failed hydraulic lifter can bend the pushrods which can then fall out of the space between the rocker arm and the top of the lifter. Once a pushrod falls out of that space, it may cause broken rocker arms, broken valves, cracked heads, a damaged cam or total engine failure.
It is recommended that the lifters be replaced every 100,000 kilometres, though failure of the hydraulic lifters is more common in engines with high-lift camshafts because higher spring pressure are required to prevent valve float, putting extra pressure on the lifter. Replacing the lifters requires that the cylinder heads be removed such that new head gaskets and head bolts are required.
Hydraulic lifter noise
From cold start-up, the hydraulic lifters may make a tapping noise. The most common cause of hydraulic lifter noise is particles in the engine oil becoming jammed between the lifter plunger and the lifter body, causing the plunger to become stuck down. The clearances between the plunger and body of a hydraulic lifter can be as little as 3 microns (0.003 mm) such that any particle larger than this in the oil can jam the lifter plunger in its body.
Lifter noise may also be caused by aeration of engine oil in the lifter’s pressure chamber since this increases valve closing velocity. Aeration of engine oil may be caused by:
- air in the higher pressure chamber of the lifter affecting valvetrain lash;
- air that is ingested into the lifter during a cold start due to a suction side leak at the oil pump or oil pump pick-up tube O-ring; or,
- low oil levels and high engine speeds.
Once air gets into the high pressure chamber, it will be slowly expelled through the narrow clearance of the plunger and body.
Rocker bearing failure
The rocker bearings – which sit on top of the valve train and transfer energy from the pushrod to the valve – can develop a sideways slop which can damage the valve tops, the rocker or valve springs. Furthermore, the rocker bearings can split such that the needle bearings fall out and end up in the oil pan.
Trunion bearing upgrade kits can be installed in the factory rockers which reduce sideways movement and provide a better range of vertical movement. Alternatively, after-market roller rockers can be installed which have better geometry than the standard rockers and control the valve more precisely via the centre of the valve tip.
Valve spring failure
The LS engine has ‘beehive’, single valve-type valve springs (as opposed to a dual valve spring which has a smaller spring inside the primary spring) and, in rare cases, the valve spring may break at its top where the coils are tightly wound. If a single valve-type valve spring breaks, it is common for the valve to be dropped, causing significant engine damage; sometimes, however, the valve may be held up by the valve locks when the spring is breaks. Symptoms of broken valve spring include:
- Engine vibrations;
- Loss of power beyond 4000 rpm;
- Misfire under load; and,
- Constant misfire.
If the vehicle is driven with a broken valve spring, a valve may come into contact with the piston, causing the valve to be bent. Furthermore, if the valve head breaks off, the engine will seize. To fix a failed valve spring, the cylinder heads need to be removed so that a new valve, head gasket and head bolts can be fitted.
For durability, it is recommended that high rpm are avoided when the engine is cold.
