VLS Bulletin – February 2023 – VLS 010172
VLS 010172 – 5W-30 Passenger Car Automotive Engine Oil
On 27/05/2022 the case was reported to VLS.
The case complaint concerned the self-certifying claim made against ACEA C3 (Low SAPS engine oil) and its incompatibility with the marketing claim made against VW 502.00/505.00 (Mid SAPS engine oil) due to mutually exclusive chemical limits. It was also alleged that the Named Party was not registered under the European Engine Lubricant Quality Management System (EELQMS) marketer’s letter of conformance (LoC).
The Named Party’s blender provided information from the Technology Provider confirming that the claims made against ACEA C3 and VW 502.00/505.00 were fully justified at the time of sampling. The Named Party’s blender also confirmed that the parent company is registered with SAIL through an ATIEL lubricant marketer’s Letter of Conformance and subsequently their self-certifying claims made against the ACEA engine oil sequences are fully permissible. Consequently VLS considered that the product was fully in compliance and there was no case to answer.
VLS undertook a six month review of the product in January 2023, and its investigation found that the product remained in compliance at the six month stage. Consequently the investigation was complete and the case closed.
David Wright, Company Secretary – VLS (UK) Ltd says “We want to ensure we have the highest standards in Europe for lubricant manufacture, blending and marketing, and we want a ‘level playing field’ for all participants, so that we protect the interests of the consumer and other end users.
In the Verification of Lubricant Specifications (UK) Ltd, we have set our course for stronger industry self-regulation by working positively towards more open and transparent competition that benefits all lubricant organisations. By working with the sector to resolve non compliant products in an independent and impartial manner, we can support companies to compete on a more equitable basis in a highly competitive marketplace.”
February 2023
