VLS Newsletter – March 2025
Case Summary
Overall the number of cases stands at 123, with 6 products under investigation, 6 not compliant following investigation, 5 case escalated to Trading Standards following investigation, 1 compliant during investigation, 1 compliant following investigation and 104 archived.
Case 010223 – Under investigation. Concerns the claims against Scania approvals for a 5W-30 and 5W-20 HDDO. The Lubricant Marketer has withdrawn the Scania approval claim against the UHPD 5W-30 but has yet to withdraw the Scania approval claim against the UHPD 5W-20 automotive engine oil.
Case 010222 – Ravenol HLS 5W-30. Product Compliant following Investigation. The complaint concerned a claim against Stellantis FPW9.55535/03 which has been withdrawn by the Lubricant Marketer. Six-month review due 10th June 2025.
Case 010221 – Under investigation. Concerns the compliance of the product against an OEM specification performance claim for both TBN and HTHS. The original product date of manufacture was in excess of twelve months old and so the Lubricant Marketer has not kept a sample of the batch after twelve months in line with their quality management policy. The CofA has been received and the marketer has been asked to check with their technology provider about the latest specification and to amend the formulation to resolve the issue.
Case 010216 – The case will be archived on the 28th March 2025.
Case 010214 – Rock Oil Synthesis F 5W-30 ACEA A5/B5. The website publication notice has been issued in November at the end of the investigation. A six-month review of the case will be undertaken in May 2025.
Case 010212 – Under investigation. Concerns the product’s compliance of TBN and Sulphated Ash against a VW 502.00/505.00 performance claim, and an advisory regarding the products HTHS and Noack Volatility on a 5W-30 ACEA C3 PCEO. A sample of the product has been sourced and tested. The Technical Review Panel has determined that the product is not complaint against the OEM performance claim based on its TBN and Sulphated Ash test result. The marketer is claiming that the sample tested is not genuine and VLS is checking with the toll blender to authenticate the sample.
Case 010211 – The original product has been superseded and they have changed supplier, the case and investigation are closed as the original product was not available on the open market at the time of the investigation.
Case 010207 – Kerax Hyperdrive 5W-30. A website publication notice has been issued and the case is subject to a six-month review in May 2025.
Case 010206 – Under investigation. 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, details of which are being considered by the TRP. The case is on hold pending further investigation.
Case 010205 – Aztec Oils Hydratec HVI 46. Not Compliant. A website publication notice has been issued and a six-month review of the case will be carried out in April 2025.
Case 010204 – Optimoil HLP 32. Not compliant. A website publication notice has been issued in November 2024 and a six-month review will be undertaken in May 2025.
Case 010203 – Anonymous. VLS has concluded its investigation concerning the PCEO claim against VW 504 00/507 00, ACEA C3, BMW LL-04 and MB 229.51 with an alleged non-compliant HTHS test result of 2.9 mPa.s versus the specifications minimum of 3.5 mPa.s. The product has been sourced, sampled and tested. The HTHS value determined, did not meet the requirements for the specifications claimed VLS has written to the Lubricant Marketer on the 22nd April and they have replied, providing their quality certificates showing the two most recent batches meet HTHS limits, but not for the tested batch as the samples are retained for a one year period only and the batch date precedes this. On the 28th May, VLS shared the batch code from the Complainant’s tested sample, which was less than a year old with the Lubricant Marketer and asked that they test their retained sample and provide details of the test results. A notification has been sent to the OEM whose approval is carried by the product advising them of the non-compliance. A further HTHS test has been run on a new sample The view of the TRP is that there is still a case to answer to. The Lubricant Marketer has been written to on the 21st February and VLS awaits their response.
Case 010202 – Exol Ultramax 32. The case results have been published to the website on 26th May. The case is currently undergoing a six-month review. A new sample of the product has been sourced and is currently being tested.
Case 010200 – SCT Vertriebs GmbH Mannol Brake Fluid DOT-4 (3002). Product not proven to be compliant following investigation and has been escalated to Trading Standards. The case is currently subject to a six-month review. VLS has procured a sample of the product with a manufacturing date which followed the initial case investigation and has been sent for testing.
Case 010195 – Silverhook Supreme Plus 5W-30 API SP, ACEA C2 C3. The six- month review was completed on 3rd May, 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.
Case 010192 – Maxiflow 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.
To view the case outcomes, visit http://ukla-vls.org.uk/case-outcomes/
The Board has agreed to allow each VLS member one desktop review in the current year at no cost, if a complaint involves product testing then this would be an additional cost. To raise a complaint with VLS, visit https://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/
VLS marketing claims guidance can be found at https://ukla-vls.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/UKLA-VLS-Specifications-and-Marketing-Claims-Guidance-4.3.24-v2.0.pdf
UK Industry News
Department for Transport. As of 1st January 2025 there are around 73,334 public charging points in the UK.
Department for Transport are consulting on the GB type approval scheme: cyber-security and software update requirements.
Independent Garages Association. The IGA is stepping up to advocate for independent garage owners amid rising costs and a potential freeze on the MOT fee.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Vehicle production down in January as sector faces global headwinds.
International Industry News
ACEA: Only with the right framework will Automotive Action Plan unleash thriving industry delivering zero-emissions.
EU Commission Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency: CEF Transport: €9.5 billion requested for infrastructure projects on the trans-European transport network.
EU Commission DG Comp: Commission launches public consultation on antitrust rules for motor vehicle sector (EU MVBER).
Reuters: EU gives automakers ‘breathing space’ on CO2 emission targets.
Media Editorial
VLS closes case 207 after Certas takes positive action.
- Garage Talk Online, February 2025.
- Autorepair Focus, February 2025.
- PMF Online, February 2025.
FACTS magazine, February 2025. Managing Conformance, Assuring Compliance in the lubricants industry, page 60.
Commercial Vehicle Workshop Online, March 2025. Are new engine oils safe for ageing cars?
Transport Engineer, March 2025. Innovation drives change article featuring VLS commentary, Page 16-17.
FACTS Online, February 2025, beware the risks of using the latest engine oils in ageing vehicles.
Commercial Vehicle Workshop, February 2025, page 50. VLS reports on cases relating to Light, Commercial and Heavy Goods Vehicles.
FACTS Online, February 2025. VLS urges motorists not to cut corners on oil quality.
Autotechnician, March 2025. The oil consequences of getting it wrong. Page 26.
Commercial Vehicle Workshop magazine, March 2025. Oil investigations increase, Page 36.
As a member, we would encourage you to disseminate the materials and content generated by VLS through your own communication channels.
Media Advertising
Autotechnician magazine, March 2025. Half page VLS advert page 27.
Aftermarket magazine, March 2025, half page VLS advert.
Lube magazine, February 2025, half page VLS advert on page 59.
FACTS magazine, Q1 2025, Page 61 half page VLS advert.
Events
UNITI Mineralol-technologie Forum. 8-9 April 2025, Stuttgart.
Automechanika Birmingham, June 3-5, 2025.
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Harald Oosting
Chairman
