VLS Newsletter – February 2024
Case Summary
Overall the number of cases stands at 100, with 3 products under investigation, 5 not compliant following investigation, 1 case escalated to Trading Standards following investigation, 9 compliant following investigation, 3 compliant following six month review and 79 archived.
Case 010201 – concerns a claim against the OEM specification RLD-4 which has been withdrawn by the Named Party and the results of the investigation will be published to the website on 19th February 2024.
Case 010200 – concerns the performance claims and technical specification of a DOT 4 brake fluid. The product has been sourced and is being sent for testing.
Case 010199 – concerns the conflicting ACEA claims made on PCEO 5W-30. The Named Party amended the claims 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 has published the results of its investigation on a non-compliance basis due to the non-cooperation of the Named Party. The case is subject to a six-month review in June 2024, in line with VLS’s stated processes if found to be non-compliant at this stage, it will be reported to Trading Standards.
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 case is subject to a six-month review in June 2024, 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 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 made 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. VLS undertook a six-month review of the case in January line with its’ stated process. The product was found not to be on open sale in the UK and so the case is closed.
Case 010185 – VLS undertook a six-month review of the case in January as part of which a new sample was tested and found to be in continued compliance and therefore the case is closed.
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 is being re-sourced, sampled and tested.
Case 010183 – concerns 75W-90 gear oil. The case was subject to a six-month review in January and was found to be non-compliant. Subsequently the product has been notified to Trading Standards.
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 archived.
Case 010176 – At the six-month review the product is in continued compliance and we have asked the Named Party to ensure that all technical specifications and performance claims for the product are fully aligned on their corporate and retail websites.
Case 010159 – concerns PCEO (various viscosities). A bulletin has been published by UEIL and the case will be archived on 11th February 2024.
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: Rollout of electric vehicle charge-points to be accelerated. New measures will mean EV owners benefit from easier and more convenient access to charge-points.
SMMT report that UK reaches million EV milestone as new car market grows.
The United Kingdom Lubricants Association welcomes the Department for Transport announcement to retain the first MOT test on the third anniversary from the first date of vehicle registration.
Autotrader: Road to 2035. Retail demand for new EVs cools as consumer incentives surge. Sales of new electric cars slow in 2023 as private buyers show limited interest.
The European Union Commission DG Comp. Transition pathway for a green, digital, and resilient EU mobility industrial ecosystem published.
The European Commission is carrying out unannounced inspections at the premises of companies active in the tyres industry in several Member States. The Commission is concerned that price coordination took place amongst the inspected companies, including via public communications.
ACEA: A Manifesto for sustainable mobility in a shifting global landscape. Getting Europe back into gear, published.
CECRA: Europe’s Consumers, Independent Automotive Service and Mobility Providers rally for urgent Commission action on vehicle data legislation.
ATIEL releases Code of Practice Issue 24 further to the publication of the ACEA Oil Sequences 2023 for Light Duty Vehicles.
ILMA: Forbes Most Surveyed Companies Are Vulnerable To Another Supply Chain Crisis.
ILMA: Honda Expands Hydrogen Business. The company also plans a sustainable supply chain in which it makes new Honda vehicles out of old Honda ones.
Reuters: Toyota to outshine rivals as more consumers opt for hybrids amid EV slowdown.
Hydrogen Central report that BMW says goodbye to electric cars and has now solved the problem of hydrogen vehicles.
Media Editorial
Professional Motor Mechanic, January 2024. Features an interview with VLS Chair Jacquie Berryman, Pages 60-61.
Commercial Vehicle Workshop magazine, January 2024. Mike Bewsey, former VLS Chairman warns against using the most up to date engine oils in ageing vehicles. Page 49.
Lube magazine, February 2024. VLS publishes bulletins on two cases at the closure of the investigation. Pages 50-51.
Transport Engineer Online. Features an article by VLS Chair Jacquie Berryman on VLS learnings.
Aftermarket magazine, January 2024. Jacquie Berryman, VLS Chair discusses innovation in the lubricants industry. Pages 48-51.
Professional Motor Factor Online, January 2024. Alan Outhwaite, Chairman of the VLS Technical Review Panel, discusses its role.
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, February 2024, third page VLS advertisement, Page 51.
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
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Jacquie Berryman
VLS Chair
