VLS Newsletter – September 2026
Case Summary
Overall the number of cases stands at 150, with 4 products under investigation, 1 not compliant following investigation, 7 cases escalated to Trading Standards following investigation, 2 compliant during investigation, 7 compliant following investigation, 3 compliant following six-month review and 126 archived.
Not Compliant, Escalated to Trading Standards
Case 010203 – SCT Vertriebs. Lubriage Ltd trading as Mannol UK & Ireland. 5W-30 Longlife 504/507. Complaint. Not compliant. VLS undertook a six-month review of the above case in line with its stated process. As part of our investigation into the above product and following our earlier correspondence, we procured and tested a new sample of the product (dated May 2024). The sample was tested at a laboratory which has full ISO 17025 accreditation and also is accredited for the test method. The tested sample gave a reading of 3.18 mPa.s which is consistent with our earlier test result of 3.13 mPa.s, and the complainant’s sample test result of 2.9mPa.s. In response Lubriage Ltd trading as Mannol UK & Ireland arranged testing of their own samples in Europe with SGS and committed to sending the results of the testing to VLS. The results were not received prior to publication and therefore the product is non-compliant and will be reported to Bucks & Surrey Trading Standards as part of VLS’s Primary Authority relationship. Following as change of management the Lubricant Marketer wrote to VLS outlining the steps they are taking to bring the product into compliance. VLS has requested that these be evidenced.
Case 010200 – SCT Vertriebs GmbH Mannol Brake Fluid DOT-4 (3002). Not compliant. Product not proven to be compliant following Investigation and has been escalated to Trading Standards. 11/03/2026 New test results have been provided to VLS undertaken by an independent laboratory demonstrating that the sample was compliant. This was consistent with an independent analysis supplied by the marketer. VLS has sourced a further sample which has been sent for testing. The test results have been received, shared with the marketer and we await their feedback.
Case 010195 – Silverhook Supreme Plus 5W-30 API SP, ACEA C2 C3. The six- month review was completed on 3rdMay, a bulletin has been issued and the case has been escalated to Trading Standards due to non-compliance and the non-cooperation of the Lubricant Marketer. Bucks & Surrey Trading Standards have referred the matter to the home authority of the Lubricant Marketer. The Lubricant Marketer is now registered with SAIL to be able to make ACEA claims. The manufacturer has provided an updated TDS and which was considered to be much improved when reviewed by the TRP. A dialogue is continuing with the manufacturer.
Case 010192 – Motor Parts Direct: Maxiflo 5W-30 Fully Synthetic. Not compliant. The case concerns PCEO 5W-30 Fully Synthetic and marketing claims against ACEA C2, C3, API SN and VW 502 00/505 00. The six-month review has been completed. VLS were earlier advised that the Lubricant Marketer was to remove the VW 502.00/505.00 claim as this is incompatible with the mid SAPS claims detailed on the Technical Data Sheet. The claim against VW 505.00 had been removed and a new claim against VW 505.01 is being made. The Lubricant Marketer was advised that the claim against VW 502.00 was to be removed and was still being made at the six-month review stage. Additionally, the way ACEA was referenced in relation to claims made was technically incorrect and the Lubricant Marketer was advised to correct this and also to register with SAIL to make claims against the ACEA engine oil sequences. The details of the case would be escalated to VLS’s Primary Authority partner Bucks & Surrey Trading Standards on a non-compliant basis. A bulletin has been issued and a six-month case publication notice published to the website.
Case 010190 – SCT Vertriebs GmbH Mannol Central Hydraulic Fluid. Product not compliant and case not resolved. The complaint concerns the OEM specifications claimed on a Central Hydraulic Fluid. The case has undergone a six-month review. A new sample of the product has been procured and has been tested. The test results are not meeting the specifications claimed, the case has been escalated to Bucks & Surrey Trading Standards on a non-compliant basis.
Case 010184 – SCT Vertriebs GmbH Fanfaro MAX 6 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil. Product not proven to be compliant following Investigation – Escalated to Trading Standards.
Case 010183 – Westway Lubricants 75W-90 Synthetic gear oil. Product not proven to be compliant. The case concerns 75W-90 gear oil. The case was subject to a six-month review in January, the product was found to be non-compliant and has been escalated to Trading Standards. 08/03/2026. Westway have provided a sample of the new product along, with a Certificate of Analysis, to VLS for testing in order to demonstrate compliance. The test results have been received and have been shared with the Technical Review Panel and the marketer, and are currently under review.
Current Cases
Case 010250 – 5W-30 C2/C3 – Under investigation. Complaint. The complainant alleges that the product is claiming a formal approval with the manufacturer against the specification MB 229.31, however the approval isn’t listed on the Mercedes-Benz list of approvals.
Case 010249 – 0W-20 PCEO. Complaint. Compliant during investigation. Anonymous. The case concerns the compliance of the product’s HTHS which is a marginal failure against the Volvo performance claim VOLVO VCC RBSO-2AE which has a minimum HTHS requirement of 2.75mPa.s against a returned test result of 2.66mPa.s. VLS independently sourced and tested a sample of the product. Independent testing by an ISO 17025 accredited test house showed that the sample returned a result of 2.73 mPa.s for HTHS, which is within the 95% confidence limit. Consequently, VLS found that the sample is compliant against the Volvo specification and the investigation is closed subject to a six-month review due in February 2027.
Case 010248 – PCEO 5W-30. Complaint. Compliant during investigation. Anonymous. The case concerned CCS and Noack are not compliant with the SAE 5W claim and Noack for the MB specification claim. SAE 5W CCS 6600, MB 229.51 Noack 10%. In line with VLS procedures an independent sample was purchased and submitted for testing. The test results show a CCS @ -30C of 6561cP and a Noack volatility of 10.9%. Whilst the former is close it is within specification and the latter is also, given test precision. Based on these results, non-compliance is not proven, and therefore there is no case to answer to. VLS is therefore content to close the case on a compliant and anonymous basis subject to a six-month review due in February 2027.
Case 010247 – PCEO 5W-30 C3. Complaint. Under investigation. Anonymous. The complainant alleges that the marketer is selling conventional mineral base oil based product advertised as ACEA C2/C3. Unclear if this is the case for the small packaging but they understand this is the case for barrels, especially older batches (pre-Middle East crisis). More technical information has been requested to support the case. The analysis provided shows that the sulphur content far exceeds the C3 limit and that of some of the OEM claims. This could be from the use of poor-quality base oils or a reflection of the additive pack used. The complainant is undertaking further testing of the product sample so that the case can be progressed.
Case 010246 – Anonymous. Under Investigation. Case received on 15th April 2026. The case concerns 5W-30 PCEO and its OEM performance claims relative to its product profile. The TRP have agreed there is a case to answer and VLS has written to the marketer asking about the basis for the performance claims. The investigation is at the end of the 28-day consultation period and the product compliance has been improved including an application to SAIL to make claims against the ACEA engine oil sequences and a revised set of performance claims on a new Technical Data Sheet. This will be reviewed by the TRP in due course.
Case 010245 – Investigation complete. Compliant. UK Lubricants Ltd, Oscar Diamond Pro PCEO 0W-30. Investigation complete. A six-month review is underway. The product has been withdrawn by the marketer but is still showing as available for sale in the UK. VLS has written to the UK distributor which it believes is also the overseas manufacturer, highlighting its concerns regarding the product‘s performance claims and we await a response.
Case 010244 – Smith & Allan. Momentum 5W-30 C3 STL Stellantis claim FPW 9.55535/03. The investigation is closed and a website publication notice has been issued. A six-month review will be undertaken in September 2026.
Case 010242 – to be archived on 7th October 2026.
Case 010241 – Ravenol SMP SAE 5W0-30. The complaint concerns a claim against the Stellantis specification FPW9.55535/03. The claim has been removed from the marketer’s website but still remains on the supplying company’s Technical Data Sheet. The investigation is closed based on the actions of the marketer, subject to a six-month review due in August 2026. VLS has written to Paul Becher, Ravenol GmbH Managing Director/CEO on 10th March seeking assurances to the removal of the claim. No response has been received as at 1st May 2026.
Case 010240 – Aztec Oils Torotec 5W-30 STL. The case concerns a claim against Stellantis FPW 9.55535/03. Aztec amended the wording on the claim to clarify that it is being made against version 1 of the specification. The investigation is closed, a website publication notice has been issued and a six-month review is due in September 2026.
Case 010239 – Independent Motor Trade Factors Association. Ad Tec 48 5W-30 PCEO and its claim against the Stellantis specification 9.55535/03. Investigation concluded. Product compliant following investigation. The toll blender has agreed to amend the product labels and Technical Data Sheet to version 1 of the Stellantis specification FW 9.55535/03 published in July 2023 which is still a valid claim until July 2026. Six-month review due 25th September 2026.
Case 010237 – to be archived on 28th September 2026.
Case 010236 – Product Compliant Following Investigation – Case Resolved. MANNOL Energy Formula PSA 5W-30 7703. The complaint concerns a claim against the Stellantis specification FPW9.55535/03. In response SCT Vertriebs GmbH advised that the Stellantis FPW9.55535/03 claim on the product has been removed. An updated Technical Data Sheet and updated product label has been provided. The website description for the product has also been updated. VLS is content to close the investigation subject to a six-month review in June 2026, in line with its stated process. A six-month review is currently underway for the case. On 7th August 2026 VLS undertook a six-month review of the case in line with its stated process. During the review VLS found that the marketer had maintained the removal of the Stellantis claim FPW 9.55535/03 and consequently the product remains in compliance. We are therefore content to close the investigation and the case based on a compliant basis and publish our final findings to the website within seven days and issue a final bulletin.
Case 010235 – Rapid Group Ltd. Pro + Power Ultra 5W-30 PCEO. Investigation concluded. Product compliant following investigation. The complaint concerns a claim against the Stellantis specification FPW 9.55535/03. The marketer’s toll blender has agreed to amend the product labels and Technical Data Sheet to version 1 of the Stellantis specification FPW 9.55535/03 published in July 2023 which is still a valid claim until July 2026. Six-month review due September 2026.
Case 010233 – Granville Oil & Chemical Ltd. Hypalube FS-ST 5W-30 PCEO. Investigation concluded. Product compliant following investigation. The complaint concerns the product’s claim against the Stellantis specification FPW9.55535/03. The marketer has agreed to amend the product labels and Technical Data Sheet to version 1 of the Stellantis specification FW 9.55535/03 published in July 2023 which is still a valid claim until July 2026. Six-month review due September 2026.
Case 010226 – to be archived on 6th September 2026.
Case 010225 – PCEO 5W-30. Complaint. Under investigation. Concerns the compliance of the performance claims VW 504.00/507.00, MB 229.31, 229.51, 229.52 against the HTHS test limits, the compliance of the claim against the Fiat specification 9.55535-S2 and the claim against ACEA C2. The test results have been reviewed by the Technical Review Panel. The Lubricant Marketer has responded to the issues raised and revised the claims on the product, VLS is awaiting further information from them before closing the investigation. A reminder has been sent to the Lubricant Marketer on the 11th March 2026 and no reply received at the time of going to press.
Case 010206 – Product Not Compliant Following Investigation – Case Not Resolved. Lubrex Nano Velocity GTR 5W-30. The case concerns the product’s compliance for Phosphorous and HTHS against an ACEA C3-16 claim, HTHS against a VW 504 00/507 00 and Porsche C30 claim, and Noack Volatility against a MB 299.51 claim on a 5W-30 PCEO. A sample of the product has been sourced, tested, and found to be non-compliant by the Technical Review Panel. VLS has written to the Lubricant Marketer setting out the non-compliance issues, who responded. The Lubricant Marketer is disputing the test results and findings of VLS. A new sample of the product is being retested for HTHS and Noack through accredited laboratories. A sample of the product has been sourced and was sent to the test house on the 16th May and mislaid, a second sample has been sent on the 24th July and has arrived for testing on the 25th July. The results have been communicated to the Lubricant Marketer and their response prompted a formulation optimisation, improved QC, QA and traceability processes. A six-month review of the case has begun, samples procured for testing pre date the investigation and the marketer has stated that new stock has not been released on the market and is in the process of being updated and reformulated. A six-month review of the case is underway. A new sample of the product has been procured and tested, and the results are with the Technical Review Panel for determination.
To view the case outcomes, visit http://ukla-vls.org.uk/case-outcomes/
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/
VLS marketing claims guidance has been updated, can be found at https://ukla-vls.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/UKLA-VLS-Specifications-and-Marketing-Claims-Guidance-Feb-2026-Update-March-10-CLEAN.pdf
VLS Assured Advice from our Primary Authority partner Bucks & Surrey Trading Standards for both the ACEA Light and Heavy Duty engine oil sequences, has been updated and can be found at https://ukla-vls.org.uk/advice/
UK Industry News
Department for Transport, 14th August 2026. Review launched to shape pathway to reach zero emission driving by 2035. UKLA to respond.
Department for Transport, 18th August 2026. Consultation: In-use emissions of road vehicles: regulating environmental impacts. UKLA to respond.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. 27th August. UK vehicle production down as pressures persist.
BBC News. Electric vehicle sales targets could be cut after pressure from car makers.
Independent Garages Association, 27th August. Why Garages are right to say no to fitting customer-supplied parts.
International Industry News
ACEA. New commercial vehicle registrations: vans +1.9%, trucks +9.8%, buses +22.7% in H1 2026.
Autonews. VW management proposes shutdown of four German plants, report says.
Automotive News USA. U.S. auto sales showed mixed results in August 2026, with brands like Honda, Kia, and Subaru seeing sales edge up while Toyota, Hyundai, and Mazda experienced slight dips.
Media Editorial
Professional Motor Factor Online, August 2026. VLS shares industry update.
Aftermarket, September 2026. Beyond Viscosity: Why Oil Specifications matter more than ever.
As a member, we would encourage you to disseminate the materials and content generated by VLS through your own communication channels.
Media Advertising
Garage Talk Online, September 2026. Website banner, September, October and November.
Professional Motor Mechanic, September 2026. Half page VLS advert.
Lube magazine, August/September 2026, half page advert Page 11.
Events
Automechanika, NEC Birmingham, June 2027.
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Darren Frogson
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