VLS
VLS opens 100th case after receiving a complaint regarding a Heavy Duty Diesel Oil (HDDO)
VLS has opened its 100th investigation after receiving concerns about a 10W-40 HDDO. The milestone 100th case comes on the back of VLS’s tenth anniversary year, during which it received the highest number of cases since 2015. A wide range of products have recently been investigated, including passenger car and light commercial vehicle engine oils, heavy duty engine oils, central hydraulic fluids, hydraulic oils, gear oils, transmission fluids, a universal tractor transmission oil and an aluminium synthetic cutting fluid.
Case VLS010201 regarded the product’s claims to meet an OEM specification, Renault RLD-4, which was originally supported by the OEM for initial fill only. After VLS contacted the Named Party regarding the complaint, they moved quickly to withdraw the claim against RLD-4, retaining the claim against RLD-3 and
amended the product’s description and Technical Data Sheet accordingly. VLS was therefore satisfied that the product has been brought back into compliance and closed the investigation subject to the usual six-month review.
Jacquie Berryman, Chair of VLS, commented, “The quantity and diversity of cases VLS receives is a testament to our work to raise awareness of the importance of lubricant standards across all aspects of the UK lubricants industry.
The sector is navigating immense change in response to OEM design changes and the need to meet emissions legislation. It’s more important than ever that we have a robust, anonymous process that holds lubricant producers or marketers to account and protects end users.”
Case roundup
VLS 010176 – XF Premium 0W-30 C2 Fully Synthetic Engine Oil
On 26/07/2022 the case was accepted by VLS.
The complaint concerned the performance claims against Fiat 9.55535-GS1 and Fiat 9.55535-DS1. Independent testing by the Complainant of a purchased 1L bottle confirmed the product fails Noack (ASTM D5800) testing at 12.6% v’s the Fiat spec of < 11.0%. On this basis the Complainant claimed that the product is confirmed to not meet a key performance requirement and therefore is misleading to the end consumer.
VLS procured and tested the product for Noack (ASTM D5800) against the Fiat specifications. The product returned a test result of 13.6% which does not meet the 11.0% limit detailed in the Fiat specifications and was therefore non-compliant against the Fiat specifications claimed.
Additionally VLS found the following advisories during the course of its investigation; 1. The claim against Chrysler MS-90047 has the same 11.0% volatility limit as the Fiat specifications, therefore this claim cannot be supported based on the value determined.
2. ACEA C2, PSA B71 2312 and BMW LL-12-FE specifications mandate a maximum 13% Noack volatility and these claims cannot be supported based on the value determined.
In response to the investigation, the Named Party confirmed that the product was launched to the open market November 2020. Their R&D testing documentation of the time indicated two independent Noack volatility readings of 11.2% & 11.3% respectively. Based upon the base oil and additive package cascade used to formulate the finished product and acknowledging an industry acceptable tolerance variance level regarding the Noack volatility of finished products, their action was to remove
Continued on page 50 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.180 APRIL 2024 49
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