# Fellow Diesel owners need some help from you



## rescueswimmer (Mar 28, 2013)

Taking the car in for its oil change and possible warranty work. I don't want to hear its the Diesel and it supposed to be like that unless it is. So you can you guys let me know if you have had this happen or can try to duplicate it.

1st. When your outside in the sun. Cover up the Auto bright sensor in the middle of the dash until your lights dim. Then remove what ever you covered it up with and let me know how long it takes to get bright again. Mine takes about 20-25 seconds to function my Acura was about instantaneous. 

2. When you make a bluetooth call. Right before it connects. Does the radio turn back on for a few seconds then cancels out for the phone call. (I don't care the wife says it bothers her) 

3. Have you noticed when parked and idling with the A/C on the fan speed ramping up and down a little. 

These could be perfectly normal and that is fine, Just want to know if its the Norm, or I have electrical gremlins. I know our bluetooth module is bad and getting replaced as it drops connection about 20x in a one hour trip. Not sure what else up there is bad. When the car sits outside all day in the sun. The mylink is slower than molases and locks up and wont do anything after it says say a command. Then if it does work, it sounds like your phone is being drug under the car when talking. Its fine on the drive to work, but is not use able in the afternoon. At least that is repeatable after you let it bake in the sun all day. Not sure what causes that.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Not a diesel owner, but item 1 is common for GM - it keeps the lights from rapidly cycling on and off which can dramatically reduce bulb life. Item 3 is common for all Cruze.

Item 2 doesn't sound right - once you're in the phone menus the radio shouldn't come back on until you're done with the phone. I suspect your OnStar module, which handle the hands free calling, is heat sensitive. Take your car in when it's hot to demonstrate this problem or the dealer will probably come back with the dreaded "could not duplicate".


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

My Bluetooth will connect on the car stereo, then switch back to the phone audio if I haven't used it in a few days. It's annoying, and then the person on the other end of the phone will be screaming 'HELLO?! HELLO?!'


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

Hello rescueswimmer, 
Question 1 all I know is I never have any trouble seeing my instruments so I guess everything is OK.

Question 2 sounds like a problem and needs to be looked at. Suggest you use a second phone to record what the radio is doing to beat the "can't duplicate" line.

Question 3 my A/C is automatic climate control and on a hot day it starts out on high speed and when the car cools it quietens down. It seems to have unlimited variations in speed but is steady when settled.

Hope this is of some help? My car has it's first birthday on the 21st August and not a single issue so far.


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## rescueswimmer (Mar 28, 2013)

I do appreciate it the responses. Like I said. I was assuming some of this was Normal, obviously not the bluetooth issues but wanted to confirm with the light sensor. and the blower motor speed ramping up and down at idle. We had to have it replaced before we picked it up with a bad whining noise. 

Not sure if it matters but just using our cell for the Hands free calling not the through onstars phone service. This is kind of how it goes. "call dad" " calling " radio plays through speakers for a 1-2 seconds then goes back to the phone and starts ringing. .


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

What kinda phone you using?

Nonetheless, ask if there are any MyLink updates for the radio while you're there. Even if they can't "replicate" a Bluetooth problem, it may help.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

rescueswimmer said:


> I do appreciate it the responses. Like I said. I was assuming some of this was Normal, obviously not the bluetooth issues but wanted to confirm with the light sensor. and the blower motor speed ramping up and down at idle. We had to have it replaced before we picked it up with a bad whining noise.
> 
> Not sure if it matters but just using our cell for the Hands free calling not the through onstars phone service. This is kind of how it goes. "call dad" " calling " radio plays through speakers for a 1-2 seconds then goes back to the phone and starts ringing. .


The bluetooth one just seems like you need an update, my Cruze never did that. Have the dealer only look into that for you, 1 and 3 are normal.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Bluetooth hands free calling is handled by the OnStar module. This module also manages the car's microphone. You don't need an active OnStar account for this.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

My Cadillac does #1. I thought it was to prevent the HIDs from over cycling. 

#3 could be related to alternator voltage output at idle. The diesels have a huge alternator. At 140 amps, it's 10 amps more than my 9C1! But lowering voltage output at idle 'could' be a way to lower demand on the engine and increase fuel economy.


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## au201 (May 18, 2013)

rescueswimmer said:


> Taking the car in for its oil change and possible warranty work. I don't want to hear its the Diesel and it supposed to be like that unless it is. So you can you guys let me know if you have had this happen or can try to duplicate it.
> 
> 1st. When your outside in the sun. Cover up the Auto bright sensor in the middle of the dash until your lights dim. Then remove what ever you covered it up with and let me know how long it takes to get bright again. Mine takes about 20-25 seconds to function my Acura was about instantaneous.
> 
> ...


I don't have a cruze but I drive a 2012 equinox and 2010 camaro. 
As for #1: both my camaro and the equinox do this as well. I believe it's to avoid over cycling of the headlights. 

#2: this sounds like a problem. The equinox has mylink and it does not have this problem. The radio turns off as soon as I hit the contacts name and comes back on after it says "call ended."

#3: also normal. Both my camaro and the equinox do the same thing. 

The mylink system has always been perfectly fast for me in the nox. Never "locked up". It's faster than most of the units I've seen in other new cars. *cough* my ford touch... 


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Mine does #1. Haven't noticed on #3. I don't think the bluetooth is all that well integrated, like if my phone is plugged in to charge and I make a call, it might turn on the radio and play it through my headset while I am on a call (on headset, not bluetooth). I just attributed it to not being very well designed rather than bugs. I just came to the conclustion that it is working as designed, but necessarily the way I want it to. I never have any issues with dropped calls or anything.


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## steveg241 (Jul 18, 2013)

I had not made too many calls since I got the car two weeks ago. I noticed today that the when I place a call through the voice commands, it does play the radio for a few seconds and then proceed with the call. If I select a name out of my address book, which I had to do since it would not recognize a certain name, there was no delay and the radio did not come on before making the call. 

Seems the radio coming on for a few seconds prior to a call is only for voice activated calls for me.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

Just wondering, I set up my voice commands in the car and it works fine. However my phone is capable of independent voice activation and if this were the way it was set up the radio would continue until the phone started to dial.


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## Clump (Oct 22, 2012)

#2 is exactly how mine works ('13 Eco).

I hit the button, she says "Please say a command".
I say "Call Mom".
She says "Calling Mom on cell".
The music or whatever comes back for a couple of seconds, then it goes quiet and I hear the ringing.

Doesn't bother me, seems like others don't work that way though.


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## steveg241 (Jul 18, 2013)

Glad to hear it isn't just mine. Surely GM can fix this with an update to myLink if they decide to. I hope they do.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

For those who don't hear music immediately prior to the call starting to ring, which radio do you have? Likewise for those who don't hear anything which radio. I don't hear anything and have the base, non-MyLink radio.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

obermd said:


> For those who don't hear music immediately prior to the call starting to ring, which radio do you have? Likewise for those who don't hear anything which radio. I don't hear anything and have the base, non-MyLink radio.


Same here, have no idea what brand radio I have, just a standard screen with 4 lines of info. Sounds OK though.


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## steveg241 (Jul 18, 2013)

I have the MyLink radio with Navigation.


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## rescueswimmer (Mar 28, 2013)

OK so just had my first service done. What a Cluster FK. Did not have the oil filter after I had called the prior day to make sure they have it. OH yea we have tons of them for the cruze. You know this is the D version right yea, Your good. 

So they looked over the Bluetooth with the connection dropping. I was told that its a known issue with the Samsung S3 and Iphone 5 and there was an update coming out. When they didn't have a clue. So who knows if its true or not. Did a search and they said not to pair the phonebook with the car and people had better luck with that, keeping the BT connected.

Could not duplicate the issue with the Hands free locking up and being all static when the car bakes in the sun so, I'll have to leave it there on the next time its going to be hot out. what a pain in the ass.

Lastly, I sat in about 9 cruzes with the My link radio. They all played music after she said dialing or what ever she says for a few seconds then it cuts out and the call is connected. I guess its just piss poor engineering on GM's part. Does not bother me but the wife noticed it and she is a test engineer so she notices little **** that should not work they way they do.

Last Cluster FK of the day. I shine a flashlight in the DEF tank and I notice it looks very low. I go in and say hey did he fill up the DEF tank. NO why would he fill up the DEF tank. Cause its part of the 2 years of free Maintence I get. Both the Service manager and adviser, Look right at me and tell me I'm wrong, DEF is not Covered. I said look it up, so they do and 15 minutes later they show up and put a gallon in. I'm guessing that got it close to full. Since there is no gauge and you can't really see in the tank that well.

So when you go in for service don't be surprised if you know more about your Diesel then them.


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## Mikeske (Jun 19, 2012)

steveg241 said:


> I had not made too many calls since I got the car two weeks ago. I noticed today that the when I place a call through the voice commands, it does play the radio for a few seconds and then proceed with the call. If I select a name out of my address book, which I had to do since it would not recognize a certain name, there was no delay and the radio did not come on before making the call.
> 
> Seems the radio coming on for a few seconds prior to a call is only for voice activated calls for me.


Mylink on voice command has difficulty with my wife's first name(she has a Filipina first name since she is a Filipina) I changed my wife's name to a one syllable name "wife" on my iPhone, issue resolved.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

rescueswimmer said:


> So when you go in for service don't be surprised if you know more about your Diesel then them.


I learned this a few weeks after getting my first car... 27+ years ago. 

BTW what's the mileage on your Cruze and what does the oil life indicator say?


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

rescueswimmer said:


> OK so just had my first service done. What a Cluster FK. Did not have the oil filter after I had called the prior day to make sure they have it. OH yea we have tons of them for the cruze. You know this is the D version right yea, Your good.
> 
> So they looked over the Bluetooth with the connection dropping. I was told that its a known issue with the Samsung S3 and Iphone 5 and there was an update coming out. When they didn't have a clue. So who knows if its true or not. Did a search and they said not to pair the phonebook with the car and people had better luck with that, keeping the BT connected.
> 
> ...


My first service was similar - I had to show them on the Chevy website that it was covered. They told me mine took 3 gallons, so 1 gallon will almost certainly not be enough in yours. As for oil, Are you sure they put Dexos2 in and not something else? I made them show me the oil and filter before they did anything.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

diesel said:


> As for oil, Are you sure they put Dexos2 in and not something else? I made them show me the oil and filter before they did anything.


This is wise.


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## rescueswimmer (Mar 28, 2013)

I had them note Invoice and asked to see the empties, When I get back up that way. I"m going to have them top it off again. I was running short on time. I was at 3% on the DIC just over 7k. I don't like to go that long on the factory fill, but it just worked out that way. That the wife put 1500 miles on the way back from a trip.


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