Which VE have you got?
The VE ran from August 2006, with the Series II from September 2010. Omegas started with a 3.6-litre Alloytec V6 and four-speed automatic, moving to a 3.0-litre direct-injection V6 and six-speed auto from September 2009. The SV6 used a 3.6-litre V6, and the SS a 6.0-litre V8. LPG versions were sold too.
If yours is a VF or a ZB, the same steps apply but these causes may not.
If the light is flashing or the car feels wrong
Ease off and pull over somewhere safe. A flashing engine light can mean a misfire, and a red oil or temperature light means switch off. Don't drive on until someone's looked at it.
Engine light causes on record for the VE
- Alloytec V6, 2006 to 2007: timing chains that stretch, with Check Engine light and codes P0008, P0009 or P0016 to P0019, on engines built January 2006 to 18 May 2007. The chain keeps the valves in step, so get it looked at soon.
- 3.0 and 3.6 direct-injection V6: carbon on the intake valves, bringing hard starts, misfires and less power. The intake has to come off to clean them.
- SS with the L76 V8, 2009 to 2010: oil consumption, a service engine soon light and rough running, covered by a GM bulletin.
- SS automatic: the 6L80 gearbox can trigger the light itself, with codes such as P0776, P2715, P2723 or P0796.
VE Commodore transmission problems
CarsGuide's answer to a 2007 VE that was slipping gears is the right order: check the fluid level first, then the pump and accumulators, which supply hydraulic pressure. It might be a worn pump. It might be internal wear that needs a rebuild. Either way, it's a common and well-understood transmission.
A clunk just after take-off on the six-speed auto, in Drive or Sport, is one GM told owners is normal. Slipping, no reverse or harsh shifts aren't.
On SS models, a GM bulletin ties those symptoms to a cracked clutch housing on 2006 to 2008 cars and leaking seal rings up to 2009. A later bulletin covers slip or no fourth, fifth or sixth gear. About 500 direct-injection V6 cars built in 2013 also had torque converters that caused shudder.
What decides the size of a transmission job
The job can run from a fluid service to a rebuild or a replacement. What changes it is which gearbox you've got (four, five or six-speed, V6 or V8), whether the fault is a sensor, a seal or internal damage, and whether a reconditioned unit is an option.
A good written estimate says which of those it is, what's been tested, and what warranty comes with the work. Get a scan and a road test before you agree to a replacement. Our transmission page has more.
VE Commodore battery replacement
If you're lifting the bonnet to find the battery, it isn't there. AustralianCar.Reviews says the VE's battery sits at the rear of the car as part of its weight balance. Check your owner's manual for where it is on your body style, and for the right way to jump-start it.
A local mechanic or mobile mechanic can test it and fit one. See car battery replacement.
Servicing a VE now
carsales lists the 2012 Commodore at 15,000 km or 9 months. Recalls on these cars include a 2013 wiper motor and several LPG system recalls, so an LPG car needs a VIN check.
Tell us the series, the engine and the code if you've got it. A local mechanic who specialises in your car.
What we'd do with a VE
Get the code read before you buy anything. A scan is quick and stops you replacing the wrong part. If it's the automatic, check the fluid and ask for a road test with the mechanic in the car. On an older VE, we'd ask for a written choice between repair, rebuild and replacement, so you can weigh it against what the car's worth to you.