MajorCommonEngine

Holden Colorado: Glow Plug Seizure and Broken Tip on Extraction

Glow Plug Seizure and Broken Tip on Extraction is a common engine fault on the Holden Colorado on the 2014–2020 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $350 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 11 documented faults on the Holden Colorado.

Vehicle: Holden Colorado
Engine: 2.8L / 3.0L / 2.5L
Years: 2014–2020
Fuel: diesel
System: Engine

This page covers the Holden Colorado as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Holden Colorado faults11 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Glow plug yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

Glow plugs on the 2.8TD, 3.0TD, and 2.5TD engines seize into the cylinder head due to galvanic corrosion between the steel plug body and the aluminium head over years of heat cycling. When a workshop attempts to extract a seized glow plug during routine maintenance or fault diagnosis, the ceramic heater tip frequently shears off inside the combustion chamber, requiring specialist drill-out procedures or head removal. A broken glow plug tip left in-cylinder causes hard starting, misfires, and eventual valve damage.

What you would notice

Extended cranking before start when ambient temperature is below 10°C
Glow plug warning light cycling on repeatedly or staying on longer than 3 seconds at start-up
Rough idle and misfires limited to cold soak that clear after 2–3 minutes of running
Individual cylinder misfire codes that appear only on cold starts
DTC P0671–P0674 (glow plug circuit faults for cylinders 1–4)

How to check it

Where to look. Cylinder head — one glow plug per cylinder, accessible from top of engine under the intake manifold runners

Request service records confirming glow plug inspection or replacement. Check for hard or extended cold starting, particularly below 10°C. If the vehicle is above 120,000 km and glow plugs have never been replaced, treat this as a near-future expense. If a workshop inspection is possible: On a scan tool, actuate each glow plug individually and check current draw — a plug that draws no current or throws a relay fault is already failed.

Parts involved: Glow plug.

What it costs to put right

$350 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“When were the glow plugs last replaced, and was there any difficulty removing the old ones?”
“Does the vehicle start easily in cold weather without multiple crank attempts?”
“Has a glow plug warning light appeared on the dash in recent months?”

Now check the Holden Colorado you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Holden Colorado buyer questions

Is glow plug seizure and broken tip on extraction serious on a Holden Colorado?

We rate it major and common on the Holden Colorado. Glow plugs on the 2.8TD, 3.0TD, and 2.5TD engines seize into the cylinder head due to galvanic corrosion between the steel plug body and the aluminium head over years of heat cycling. When a workshop attempts to extract a seized glow plug during routine maintenance or fault diagnosis, the ceramic heater tip frequently shears off inside the combustion chamber, requiring specialist drill-out procedures or head removal. A broken glow plug tip left in-cylinder causes hard starting, misfires, and eventual valve damage.

How much does it cost to fix on a Holden Colorado?

$350 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Holden Colorado years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2014–2020 Holden Colorado. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.