VLS Newsletter – October 2024
Case Summary
Overall the number of cases stands at 121, with 17 products under investigation, 3 not compliant following investigation, 5 case escalated to Trading Standards following investigation, 1 compliant following investigation, 3 compliant following six month review and 92 archived.
Case 010221 – Anonymous. Concerns the compliance of the product against an OEM specification performance claim for both TBN and Sulphated Ash.
Case 010220 – Anonymous. Is an advisory notice concerning the product’s compliance with HTHS for an ACEA C3 PCEO. A letter has been sent to the Lubricant Marketer on the 22nd August and no response has been received as yet.
Case 010219 – Anonymous. Is an advisory notice concerning the product’s compliance with HTHS for an ACEA C3 PCEO. A letter has been sent to the Lubricant Marketer on the 22nd August and no response has been received as yet.
Case 010218 – Anonymous. Is an advisory notice concerning the product’s compliance with HTHS for an ACEA C3 PCEO. A letter has been sent to the Lubricant Marketer on the 22nd August and no response has been received as yet.
Case 010217 – Anonymous. Is an advisory notice concerning the product’s compliance for Sulphated Ash, HTHS and Noack Volatility for an ACEA C3 and ACEA C4 claim. A letter has been sent to the Lubricant Marketer on the 1st August and no response has been received as yet.
Case 010216 – Anonymous. Concerns the product’s compliance for Yield Stress and an advisory for HTHS against performance claims for ACEA C2 and ACEA C3. A sample of the product is being sourced for testing.
Case 010215 – Anonymous. Concerns the product’s compliance for HTHS and TBN against performance claims for ACEA C2 and ACEA C3. The product could not be found on open sale in the UK market and consequently the case has been suspended.
Case 010214 – Anonymous. Concerns the product’s compliance of Phosphorous, against API SN on a 5W-30 ACEA A5/B5 PCEO. A sample of the product has been sourced and tested. The product has been determined as non-compliant by the Technical Review Panel and the Lubricant Marketer will be contacted regarding the issue.
Case 010213 – Anonymous. Concerns the product’s compliance of Sulphated Ash on a 5W-30 ACEA C3 PCEO. A sample of the product has been sourced and tested. The test results are within test precision limits, the product is compliant and there is no case to answer.
Case 010212 – Anonymous. 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 and the Lubricant Marketer has been contacted regarding the issue.
Case 010211 – Anonymous. Concerns the product’s compliance for HTHS on a 5W-30 ACEA E9/E7 automotive engine diesel oil. A sample of the product has been sourced and tested. The Technical Review Panel has determined that the product is not compliant with the ACEA claims made on the basis of its High Temp/High Shear Test result. The Lubricant Marketer has been contacted.
Case 010210 – Anonymous. Concerns the product’s compliance for Sulphated Ash on a 5W-30 ACEA C2 PCEO. A sample of the product has been sourced and tested. The test results are within test precision limits and the Technical Review Panel has determined there is no case to answer.
Case 010209 – Anonymous. Concerns the product’s compliance for HTHS on a 5W-30 ACEA C3 PCEO. A sample of the product has been sourced and has been tested. The test results are within test precision limits and the Technical Review Panel has determined there is no case to answer.
Case 010208 – Anonymous. Concerns the product’s compliance for TBN and SA against a performance claim for VW 502.00, and the validity of a claim against VW 505.01 on a 5W-30 ACEA C3 PCEO. A sample of the product has been sourced and tested. The product is non-complaint for the dual claim. The Lubricant Marketer has withdrawn the dual VW claim for the product on the webpage and in the product’s TDS and retained the claim against VW 505 01. Consequently, the product is compliant and there is no case to answer although the webpage for the product still shows an out-of-date packshot with the claim against VW 502 00/505 01 on the label, and so an advisory has been issued to the marketer to ensure any products displayed reflect the claims made in the website description and in the product’s Technical Data Sheet.
Case 010207– Anonymous. Concerns the product’s compliance for TBN against a performance claim for ACEA A1/B1-12 and Ford M2C 913B. A sample of the product has been sourced and tested. The test results have been determined as non-compliant by the Technical Review Panel. VLS has written to the Lubricant Marketer who is taking appropriate action to quarantine and recall all affected stock.
Case 010206 – Anonymous. 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 on the 1st October and we await a response.
Case 010205 – Anonymous. The case concerns the non-compliance with industry specifications of an ISO 46 hydraulic oil. The case was accepted by VLS on the 18thJune 2024. The product has been sourced, sampled and tested and the results are with the Technical Review Panel (TRP) for determination. A sample of the product has been sourced and tested. The product was found to be compliant regarding its foaming characteristics but the demulsibility was not. VLS has written to the Lubricant Marketer who has responded with a number of steps they are taking to bring the product back into compliance. A website publication notice will be issued at the end of the investigation.
Case 010204 – Anonymous. The case concerns the non-compliance with industry specifications of an ISO 32 hydraulic oil. The case was accepted by VLS on the 17thJune 2024. A sample of the product has been sourced and tested. The test results demonstrate that the product is non-compliant as determined by the Technical Review Panel. VLS has written to the Lubricant Marketer who has informed their supplier. They have changed supplier since the affected batch was identified and also identified the location of the affected product. VLS is seeking confirmation that the product has been quarantined and uplifted.
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. The test results have been provided and are with the TRP for consideration. The case will be discussed at the next meeting of the VLS Supervisory Board, and a notification has been sent to the OEM whose approval is carried by the product advising them of the non-compliance.
Case 010202 – Exol Ultramax 32. The case results have been published to the website on 26th May. The case is due for a six-month review in November 2024.
Case 010201 – Aztec Oils Emprotec 10W-40 HDDO. On 10th September 2024 VLS undertook a six-month review of the case. VLS found that the original product had been superseded by Aztec Emprotec 10W-40 UHPD-X and was no longer available so the case was closed. A bulletin has been issued and the case will be archived on the 10th November 2024.
Case 010200 – SCT Vertriebs GmbH Mannol Brake Fluid DOT-4 (3002). Product not proven to be compliant following Investigation – Escalated to Trading Standards. The case is currently subject to a six-month review.
Case 010198 – Westway Lubricants 5W-30 VW Audi LL3. The six-month review has been completed. Awaiting confirmation of registration with SAIL in order to make claims against the ACEA engine oil sequences prior to case closure.
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 case is due for a six-month review in October.
Case 010192 – Maxiflow 5W-30 Fully Synthetic. 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. 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. 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.
Case 010182 – Varol Varpress 46 AW hydraulic oil. The case concerns the product’s compliance against the DIN 51524 Part 2 standard. The case is currently undergoing a six-month review. A new sample of the product was sourced, sampled and tested and found to be non-compliant. However, the batch date of the sample pre-dated the investigation. VLS has sourced a further sample of the product which has been tested and the results have been determined by the Technical Review Panel as being compliant. The final website publication and bulletin have been issued and the case will be archived on the 18th November.
Case 010181 – Aztec Torotec 5W-30 TSL. Product Compliant Following Six Month Review – Case Concluded. To be archived in October.
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
UK Government Department for Transport has issued a statistical data set on road traffic estimates for Great Britain between July 2023 and June 2024.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders report that car production fell in September as factories continue model transition.
National Franchise Dealers Association calls on Government to change course on electric vehicles.
The Institute for the Motor industry report that Just 2% of automotive technicians are trained to work on the 13% of vehicles with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.
International Industry News
ACEA: European auto industry calls for urgent action as demand for EVs declines.
EU Commission DG Comp: Commission opens in-depth investigation into alleged German State aid involved in the sale of the Nürburgring racetrack.
EU Commission: DG Grow: EU and Sibanye-Stillwater (Keliber lithium project) join forces in €150 million deal to improve EU access to and resilience in battery materials.
EU Commission Mobility and Transport: Connected Europe Facility: €2.5 billion to boost resilience and safety across the EU transport network
Euractiv: EU member states should endorse tariffs on Chinese EVs or risk undermining European interests and agency.
Politico: Driving on empty: The German government has few options to help an ailing car industry.
Reuters: Germany rejects Italy’s proposal for early review for EU combustion engine ban.
Media Editorial
Professional Motor Factor, September 2024 features an interview with VLS chairman Harald Oosting, Pages 27-28.
Commercial Vehicle Workshop, September 2024 features VLS’s brake fluid safety warning on page 8.
Professional Motor Mechanic Online, September 2024 features the latest on VLS’s investigations.
Infineum Insight – VLS, ATIEL and SAIL talk to Infineum this month about championing lubricant compliance.
Lube magazine October 2024 features VLS bulletins for cases 010196 and 010193 on page 61, and cases 010192 and 010199 on page 62.
Professional Motor Mechanic, September 2024. Reports on VLS case 200 regarding the brake fluid safety concern, page 6.
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, October 2024, VLS advert on Page 59.
Professional Motor Mechanic, September 2024, page 29.
Car Mechanics magazine, September 2024.
Aftermarket magazine, September 2024, page 23.
Events
UEIL Congress, Revolutionising the Lubricants Industry. Porto, 16-18 October 2024.
Automechanika Birmingham, June 3-5, 2025.
Social Media
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Harald Oosting
Chairman
