# Got my car back from the dealer...



## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

That must be a strong smell if it sinks into your clothes that quickly. What's the second PIO886? What service is that?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Went back out to the car. Clutch pedal seems to be feeling more normal again. It will take me a day to be sure. The smell isnt normal yet.

It's not giving me a headache, but it's strong.

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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

2013Cruze said:


> That must be a strong smell if it sinks into your closes that quickly. What's the second PIO886? What service is that?


Re-routing of some wire around the steering wheel. In response to my notchy or sticky steering complaint.

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## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Re-routing of some wire around the steering wheel. In response to my notchy or sticky steering complaint.
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com App


Is your car handling normal again?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

2013Cruze said:


> Is your car handling normal again?


Handling is fine. I had GM schedule me for the notchy steering and the "antifreeze" smell, but only to tell me to bring it in when there is a solution. The car has to be going straight for an extended period, and it was very windy today, so they could not reproduce that problem. Annoyed me since I'm going to be putting a LOT of miles on the car in the next 2 months. 

The dash makes no noises or rattles or squeaks, so that's a good bonus. In addition, they didn't touch all of my audio electronics, which was cool. 

Having my clothes smell like chemical or grease, not so cool. Smells very similar to new plastic. I don't know why I could smell it outside the car too though.


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## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Handling is fine. I had GM schedule me for the notchy steering and the "antifreeze" smell, but only to tell me to bring it in when there is a solution. The car has to be going straight for an extended period, and it was very windy today, so they could not reproduce that problem. Annoyed me since I'm going to be putting a LOT of miles on the car in the next 2 months.
> 
> The dash makes no noises or rattles or squeaks, so that's a good bonus. In addition, they didn't touch all of my audio electronics, which was cool.
> 
> Having my clothes smell like chemical or grease, not so cool. Smells very similar to new plastic. I don't know why I could smell it outside the car too though.


Not that you can probably tell since you have another strong smell but can you tell if your antifreeze smell is gone?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

2013Cruze said:


> Not that you can probably tell since you have another strong smell but can you tell if your antifreeze smell is gone?


Antifreeze smell was only occurring when the heat was on max for extended periods, but yes, that glycol-based smell is gone. I verified that.


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## BigSkyMontana (Jan 5, 2013)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Antifreeze smell was only occurring when the heat was on max for extended periods, but yes, that glycol-based smell is gone. I verified that.


Good news that the glycol-based smell is gone. Hope that the other "smell" dissipates quickly. Smell in the clothes - yuck! Hopefully everything will clear soon.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

BigSkyMontana said:


> Good news that the glycol-based smell is gone. Hope that the other "smell" dissipates quickly. Smell in the clothes - yuck! Hopefully everything will clear soon.


Yeah, I'm hoping the same. My guess is it's just all the new stuff that got put in the car, although it's strange that I would smell it outside the car as well. If it doesn't get any better by Monday night, I'm taking the car back in.


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

Be patient Extreme,
Remember that the coolant and A/C system had to be drained and evacuated......all underhood and the heater core disco'ed at the firewall.
So, a underhood rinse off of various fluids was required and there is always something puddled somewhere that takes a few days to burn off.
Far as the clutch pedal thing.....I haven't read the R&R proceedure but it is quite possible the pedal/linkages were disturbed under the dash during the prceedure.

Just give it a chance.

Rob


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

My dealer steam cleans engines. Wonder if that's all that would be needed to take care of any fluids that may still be burning off?

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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Mick said:


> My dealer steam cleans engines. Wonder if that's all that would be needed to take care of any fluids that may still be burning off?
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


Sounds like it's time to fire up the pressure washer...

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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Odor has been slowly reducing over time. Still something I can easily smell when getting in the car. I have to drive 7 hours on Thursday, so I hope the smell goes away by then.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Time for an update. 

The initial smell has practically disappeared. I'm happy to report that, since it was becoming quite annoying.

However, I now started smelling antifreeze, and having worked on cars for the last 10+ years, I know for a fact what antifreeze smells like. 

I checked the engine bay, and discovered that they had topped off the surge/reservoir tank to the highest mark, COLD. 

I got a siphon pump out and sucked out antifreeze until it was just a hair below the lowest line cold. Drove to work today and didn't smell a thing. 

I called my contact in GM's Executive service department and informed her of this and asked her to pass the information along. It has become clear to me that the surge tank is improperly designed to vent antifreeze "vapors" when it in fact should not be venting anything.


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## BigSkyMontana (Jan 5, 2013)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Time for an update.
> 
> The initial smell has practically disappeared. I'm happy to report that, since it was becoming quite annoying.
> 
> ...


As I reported from my last road trip I did not appear to have a strong smell with my coolant a tad low below the COLD mark. I am smelling antifreeze around the turbo area and and still monitoring the tank area. After I get the car back from the case assembly R/R I will see where the coolant level is at. I do agree that it appears that the higher the coolant level the more opportunity of the smell increasing.


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

Xtreme-

Did you always have the internal smell in the HVAC system? I don't remember you ever commenting about it earlier. Maybe you were just waiting for an actual fix. I'm at 21,000 miles in Minnesota, and I've been really easy on the heater. I'm scared that if I really turn it up to hot I may start having issues.

The procedure according to Alldata includes full removal and replacement of both the console and the dash assembly. It seems like they may have been pretty close to the clutch pedal and may have adjusted/moved some of the cables.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

carbon02 said:


> Xtreme-
> 
> Did you always have the internal smell in the HVAC system? I don't remember you ever commenting about it earlier. Maybe you were just waiting for an actual fix. I'm at 21,000 miles in Minnesota, and I've been really easy on the heater. I'm scared that if I really turn it up to hot I may start having issues.
> 
> The procedure according to Alldata includes full removal and replacement of both the console and the dash assembly. It seems like they may have been pretty close to the clutch pedal and may have adjusted/moved some of the cables.


I smelled the glycol-based grease twice since I've owned the car, and those two times were on two very cold days with the heater on maximum back in January. I simply wanted it fixed now while it was under warranty.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Time for an update.
> 
> The initial smell has practically disappeared. I'm happy to report that, since it was becoming quite annoying.
> 
> ...


Lol, that's what some of us have been saying for months. How low did you drop it?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

jblackburn said:


> Lol, that's what some of us have been saying for months. How low did you drop it?


Right. I never bothered to mess with it since it was already low from the factory. I dropped it to just below the "low" mark.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

When my dealer installed the vent tube they filled the tank all the way to the top line. The smell was less strong with the vent but more frequent(probably due to how full it was). 

I however did not empty any out, over the last 3,000miles It has lost more than 1inch. Dealer says the pressure tested the system last visit so I am guessing its just venting the access into the atmosphere. Now that its down only that little bit I rarely smell it, actually only when below 40degrees outside and usually when the engine first fully warms up.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

I tried making my own vent tube, but I still had a smell outside the car with it filled to the arrow. It just moved the smell to under the car. I didn't like that.

So I put the plug back in and dropped the level down to here. No smell through the heater or outside the car since (or very, very faint, so much that you only have to be looking for it to smell it, but I'm not even sure if that was my car or just something outside). You'd be surprised - that was a good 16 oz of coolant difference.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Here's a question for anyone, I know water boils at 212degrees, what is the boiling point of antifreeze/water mix? 

Since the engine is running 220-230degrees all the time I wonder how close the antifreeze is to its boiling point? What happens when the already overly warm antifreeze once it hits the super hot turbo? Would this steam end up in the highest point of the cooling system(the surge tank)? 

If this is the case and there is not enough room in the surge tank(if its full) for this gaseous steam pressure causing the cap to vent more easily.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

spacedout said:


> Here's a question for anyone, I know water boils at 212degrees, what is the boiling point of antifreeze/water mix?
> 
> Since the engine is running 220-230degrees all the time I wonder how close the antifreeze is to its boiling point? What happens when the already overly warm antifreeze once it hits the super hot turbo? Would this steam end up in the highest point of the cooling system(the surge tank)?
> 
> If this is the case and there is not enough room in the surge tank(if its full) for this gaseous steam pressure causing the cap to vent more easily.


Assuming a 50/50 mix, 223 F.

But that boiling point is raised when the system is kept under pressure. The Cruze's is good up til 20 PSI (supposedly), so that boiling point @ 17-18 PSI would be raised to somewhere around 275 F. 

Makes sense with a small turbocharged engine where you're driving up the temperature of that coolant running it through the turbo, oil cooler, and head where temps get REALLY hot under heavy boost.


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## CruzeDFB (Mar 3, 2013)

Maybe driving around in all this rain will clean your engine.  

Hope the smells improve and drive safe!


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