Technical 20 www.aftermarketonline.net DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025 Technicians have been warned to stay vigilant when choosing products for workshops, after the lubricant industry’s standards organisation reported a 34% spike in its investigations into products in just one year. VLS (Verification of Lubricant Specifications) revealed it has opened 39 investigations over the past two years — more than in the preceding six-year period — and has investigated a total of 121 cases to date, compared to just 90 a year ago. Half of the cases opened this year have related to “conflicting or unevidenced OEM approvals” and VLS said it is concerned about the integrity of products from new companies entering the additives market. According to a study released on November 8 by VLS technical review panel chairman, Alan Outhwaite, while additives from new companies may be cheaper, they may also not be fully tested or approved as published industry and OEM specifications require. VLS said it is monitoring the issue closely because additives are a critical aspect of lubricant formulations. Meanwhile, several noncompliance cases have been referred to trading standards authorities. According to VLS, it is vital that any end user can be confident that a product can deliver what it claims and is suitable for use in the given application — whether it be compliance with the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association engine oil sequences or other market standards. “Lubricant marketers should regularly audit products, technical data sheets and claims to ensure that products are in continued compliance.” Lubricant manufacturers cannot assume that because a product meets a specification at a given time, it will continue to do so during the lifetime of the specification, VLS said. Products alert for workshops Independent trade body VLS says investigations into lubricant standards are on the increase as it strives to ensure compliance while managing performance The lubricants industry has been through immense change since VLS was formed in 2013, and the trade body said the pace of change shows no sign of abating EVs now have a much larger share of the vehicle parc, even if sales have stalled recently. Hybrid vehicles place immense stress on lubricants, with longer warm-up times and engines starting at high speeds and high revs once battery power has been exhausted. Meanwhile, lower viscosity fluids have continued to become more commonplace, but the vehicle parc is ageing. The latest 0W-8 oil could cause damage in an older vehicle, which requires a 5W-40, starving the engine of the protective lubricant film it needs and leading to increased wear. VLS’ Alan Outhwaite said: “Additives play a vital part in lubricant performance, delivering a variety of characteristics to combat wear and corrosion, disperse soot and prevent the build-up of deposits whilst ensuring compatibility with emission control devices. “VLS continues to be incredibly grateful to the members of the technical review panel and their organisations for their support. Without their expertise and our robust, anonymous process, we would not have the skills and resources required to adequately investigate products and work with lubricant marketers to assist them in taking the required action to bring products into compliance.” Such technical expertise will be even more valuable than ever to support lubricant blenders, manufacturers, and distributors and protect end users as the industry “rises to the continuing challenges of even greater change and complexity”, Outhwaite said. Aidan Rushby
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