A crackdown into engine oils that claimed to be compliant with modern Stellantis vehicles has resulted in one manufacturer withdrawing its claim.
The Verification of Lubricant Specifications (VLS) launched the market-wide probe to verify marketing claims regarding the Stellantis FPW 9.55535/03 specification. This standard is mandatory for a broad range of Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat, Vauxhall, and Jeep models, specifically those utilising so-called wet belt timing systems where the belt runs directly in the engine oil.
VLS investigated twelve engine oil products to ensure they met the strict requirements necessary to prevent premature belt degradation.
Of the twelve oils scrutinised, nine investigations have been closed. The watchdog found the majority of these claims to be valid, identifying the products as either rebranded approved fluids or formulations based on verified technology from major suppliers such as TotalEnergies, BP/Castrol, and ExxonMobil.
However, one lubricant marketer chose to withdraw their claim in case VLS 010236 after being challenged to provide evidence of compliance. Three cases remain outstanding and are expected to be resolved within the next four weeks.
The FPW 9.55535/03 specification was introduced in 2023 to address reliability issues in engines fitted with wet belts, including the widely used 1.2L PureTech (EB2) petrol engines and various diesel units like the DV5R and DW10F. Using non-compliant oil in these engines can lead to belt deterioration, creating debris that clogs oil strainers and potentially causes catastrophic engine failure.
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