VLS Newsletter – January 2024
Case Summary
Overall the number of cases stands at 100, with 2 products under investigation, 5 not compliant following investigation, 13 compliant following investigation, 1 compliant following six month review and 78 archived.
Case 010200 – concerns the performance claims and technical specification of a DOT 4 brake fluid.
Case 010199 – concerns the conflicting ACEA claims made on PCEO 5W-30. The Named Party amended the clams made on the product to 5W-30 BMW LL-04, and ACEA C3. A case publication notice has been issued and the product is subject to a six-month review in May 2024.
Case 010198 – concerns the conflicting ACEA claims made on PCEO 5W-30. The Named Party revised the claims made to 5W-30 VW LL3 & BMW LL-04, ACEA C3. A case publication notice has been issued at the end of the investigation and the case is subject to a six-month review in May 2024.
Case 010197 – concerns the compliance of PCEO 5W-30 against ACEA C2 C3 with its HTHS value. The case was accepted on the 20thOctober. The product is unable to be found on the market from the source stated by the Complainant and consequently the case has been suspended.
Case 010196 – concerns HDDO 5W-30 and its compliance against stated OEM specifications. VLS believes that the technology to be able to meet the performance claims made on the product is not available in the automotive aftermarket and has and has published the results of its investigation on a non-compliance basis due to the non-cooperation of the Named Party.
Case 010195 – concerns PCEO 5W-30 and its marketing claims against several OEM specifications including VW 504 00/507 00 and other applications. The investigation has been published to the website and is subject to a six-month review in April 2024.
Case 010193 – concerns PCEO 5W-30 ACEA C2, C3 and its claim against VW 502 00/505 00 alongside ACEA C2 and C3. The investigation has concluded, and the case is subject to a six month review in April 2024.
Case 010192 – concerns PCEO 5W-30 Fully Synthetic and marketing claims against ACEA C2, C3, API SN and VW 502 00/505 00. The investigation has concluded, and the case is subject to a six-month review in April 2024.
Case 010190 – The complaint concerns the OEM specifications claimed on a Central Hydraulic Fluid. The product has been tested and the results made known to the Named Party. VLS did not receive a response to the complaint from the Named Party and so VLS is reporting that the product is non-compliant and does not meet its stated performance claims in full. The case is subject to a six-month review in line with VLS’s stated processes and if found to be non-compliant at this stage, it will be reported to Trading Standards.
Case 010189 – concerns hydraulic oils. The product is now compliant and the case is subject to a six-month review in February 2024.
Case 010188 – concerns Universal Tractor Transmission Oil. The VLS investigation is concluded, and the results have been published to the VLS website. The case is subject to a six-month review in April 2024.
Case 010187 – concerns the performance claims on an aluminium synthetic cutting fluid. The case investigation notice has been published to the website and the case is subject to a six-month review in April 2024.
Case 010186 – concerns 75W-90 gear oil. The case is currently undergoing a six-month review.
Case 010185 – concerns FS MTF. The investigation has concluded in June subject to a six-month review in December 2023.
Case 010184 – concerns 75W-90 gear oil. The investigation has concluded in June and is subject to a six-month review in December. The product has been sourced and sampled for testing.
Case 010183 – concerns 75W-90 gear oil. The investigation is currently undergoing a six-month review. The product has been sourced and sampled for testing.
Case 010182 – concern hydraulic oil ISO 46 AW and its compliance against the DIN 51524 Part 2 standard. The investigation is closed, a case investigation notice has been published to the website and the case is subject to a six-month review in April 2024.
Case 010181 – concerns PCEO 5W-30. The case publication notice has been published to the website and the case is subject to a six-month review in April 2024.
Case 010178 – The case is closed and the results have been published to the website.
Case 010176 – The case is subject to a six-month review in January 2024.
Case 010159 – concerns PCEO (various viscosities). A bulletin has been published by UEIL and the case is closed.
To view the case outcomes, visit http://ukla-vls.org.uk/case-outcomes/
To raise a case with VLS, visit http://ukla-vls.org.uk/case-handling-process/
VLS can only investigate complaints made against products available on open sale in the UK. For case submission guidance visit https://ukla-vls.org.uk/publications/
Industry News
UK Government Department for Transport has announced a boost for electric vehicle drivers as 50,000 public chargepoints are installed across the UK with the aim of installing 300,000 chargepoints by 2030.
SMMT report that Christmas comes early for carmakers with production up in November, as UK car production grows 14.8% in November with 91,923 cars leaving factory gates.
The European Union Commission : Provisional agreement on more sustainable and resilient trans-European transport network brings Europe closer together. All 430 major cities along the TEN-T network will have to develop Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans to promote zero and low emission mobility.
The European Union Commission: DG Comp. Commission welcomes political agreement on the Euro 7 regulation.
ACEA Rules of origin: EU and UK sign off deal providing much-needed certainty for EU electric vehicle manufacturing.
CECRA Letter addressed to President von der Leyen emphasizing the critical need for prompt action on the pro-consumer and pro-competitive access to in-vehicle data legislation.
Reuters: EU to investigate Chinese biodiesel dumping allegation.
Media Editorial
Transport Engineer, November 2023, reports on VLS’s ten-year anniversary.
Professional Motor Factor, December 2023: VLS Technical Review Panel looks to ensure integrity and compliance in the lubricants sector.
Lube magazine, December 2023. VLS Technical Review Panel review of 2023, VLS press lunch review and VLS Chair’s comments Pages 52-53.
As a member, we would encourage you to disseminate the materials and content generated by VLS through your own communication channels.
Media Advertising
Lube magazine, December 2023, half page advert, page 45.
Professional Motor Mechanic, November 2023, page 39. VLS half page advert.
Aftermarket magazine, November 2023, page 19. VLS half page advert.
Commercial Vehicle Workshop, November 2023, page 25. VLS half page advert.
Events
ICIS World Base Oils and Lubricants Conference, London, UK. 6-8 February 2024.
Argus Global Base Oils Conference, London, UK. 19-21 February 2024.
UNITI Mineral Oil Technology Congress, Stuttgart, Germany, 16-17 April 2024.
Lubricant Expo, Stuttgart, 17-19 September 2024.
Social Media
Twitter (now X)
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LinkedIn
To follow VLS on LinkedIn click here.
Stay Up To Date
We would encourage all members to make use of the content generated by VLS and share this to your own communication platforms. If your media team would like access to VLS press releases, newsfeeds and notifications from our social media accounts, please email admin@ukla-vls.org.uk, and we will add your name to our list of contacts.
Jacquie Berryman
VLS Chair
