Holden Rodeo: common faults & what to check

Which Holden Rodeo are you looking at?

4 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Petrol

2 variants documented

2000–2003TF2000–2003TF3.2 V6 petrolPetrolDocumented issues4 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Les Chatfield from Brighton, United Kingdom via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

2003–2008RA2003–2008RA3.5 V6 petrolPetrolDocumented issues3 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Jeremy from Sydney, Australia via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Diesel

2 variants documented

2000–2003TF2000–2003TF2.8 turbo-dieselDieselDocumented issues4 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Les Chatfield from Brighton, United Kingdom via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

2003–2008RA2003–2008RA3.0 turbo-dieselDieselDocumented issues1 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Jeremy from Sydney, Australia via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Holden Rodeo

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Holden Rodeo before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Costly issue

  Pull the dipstick: check the level and the state of the oil — black, tarry oil on a freshly advertised truck is the neglect flag.

  See why

  High oil consumption and sludge-driven engine wear (3.5 V6 6VE1)

  The 3.5-litre 6VE1 petrol V6 in the RA Rodeo is documented in Australia for burning oil between services. AustralianCar.Reviews records reports of high oil consumption and deteriorating oil quality wearing out the piston rings and bearings to the point of engine failure, and warns that tar in neglected oil can gum up the oil pressure switch so the warning light cannot be relied on. The engine shares its oil-control design with the smaller 6VD1 3.2, which had documented oil-ring drain blockage on the earlier TF Rodeo. An example run low on oil or serviced on long intervals can be close to worn out with nothing showing on the dash.

  What you would notice

  • Oil level noticeably lower at every check
  • Blue-grey smoke from the exhaust on start-up or under hard acceleration
  • Ticking or light rattle from the engine when hot
  • Oil pressure light that never flickers even when the engine is clearly tired

  Typically $4,000–$8,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Cold-start it yourself and listen for a rattle in the first seconds.

  See why

  Timing chain stretch on 3.6 V6 Alloytec (late RA)

  From 2006 the RA Rodeo used Holden's 3.6 Alloytec V6, which carries the same stretched timing chain problem well documented across VZ/VE Commodores of the era: chains and guides wear early (sometimes under 100,000km on early builds), rattling on start-up and setting P0008/P0017 codes. Left alone the chain can jump and wreck the engine. Regular oil changes with correct oil slow it down; the repair is a full three-chain kit.

  What you would notice

  • Rattle from the front of the engine on cold start
  • Check-engine light with timing correlation codes
  • Rough idle or misfire as stretch worsens

  Typically $2,000–$3,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Ask the seller not to warm the ute up before you arrive, then start it stone cold yourself with the bonnet up.

  See why

  Cracked exhaust manifolds — cold-start ticking (3.2 V6 6VD1)

  The cast-iron exhaust manifolds on the 3.2 V6 crack from thousands of heat cycles, and on this engine family it is one of the most reported faults worldwide — the same 6VD1 powered the US-market Isuzu Rodeo, Amigo and Honda Passport where cracked manifolds are notorious. A crack lets exhaust puff out, making a rhythmic tick when the engine is cold that fades as the metal expands, and can draw exhaust smell (carbon monoxide) into the cabin. A leak ahead of the oxygen sensor also fools the ECU into running rich and can light the check-engine light. The repair itself is simple, but the manifold studs corrode into the alloy heads and frequently snap, which is what blows the bill out.

  What you would notice

  • Rhythmic ticking or tapping from the engine bay on cold start that fades as the engine warms
  • Exhaust smell in the cabin, especially with the fan on
  • Black soot streaks on or below the exhaust manifolds
  • Check-engine light with lean-mixture or oxygen-sensor codes

  Typically $600–$2,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Look down both sides of the V6 for wet oil trails from the rocker covers and smell for burning oil after the test drive.

  See why

  Timing belt service and rocker cover oil leaks (3.2 V6 6VD1, TF)

  The TF Rodeo's Isuzu 3.2 V6 needs its timing belt done every 100,000km, and at 20+ years old many are running on borrowed time or unknown history. The V6 also commonly leaks oil from its rocker cover gaskets down onto the exhaust manifolds, causing a burning smell, and the leak can wet the spark plug wells causing misfires. Neither is exotic, but both are frequently neglected on cheap utes.

  What you would notice

  • Burning oil smell after a drive
  • Oil weeps down the sides of the engine
  • Misfire from oil-fouled plug wells
  • No timing belt receipt

  Typically $600–$1,200 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Check the VIN on the compliance plate: the recall covered VINs with the model year code 7H in the ranges listed by Holden.

  See why

  RA Rodeo MY07 brake master cylinder assembly recall (PRA 2007/9507)

  Some 2007 model year RA Rodeos, including the 3.0 4JJ1-TC diesel and the petrol versions, were built with a brake master cylinder that may not have been assembled correctly. Holden recalled them in Australia in September 2007 under recall PRA 2007/9507 and dealers inspected or replaced the part free of charge. A faulty master cylinder can reduce braking performance, so check that the recall work was done. NZ recall coverage was not confirmed, so ask a dealer or workshop to check the VIN.

  What you would notice

  • Brake pedal feels soft or sinks slowly when held down
  • Longer stopping distances
  • Brake warning light on

  Typically $0–$900 to put right.

Holden Rodeo service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the Holden Rodeo. These are the model’s intervals — the car’s own service book is the only thing that can tell you what has actually been done to it.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Holden Rodeo’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• Cambelt Replacement Cost
• Timing Chain Replacement Cost
• Head Gasket Repair Cost

Other Holden models