# Bizzare darty handling in Cruze ECO?



## BAD LS1 (Oct 27, 2011)

Anyone ever notice out on the freeway if you car feels kinda uneasy to keep going straight? feels like a toe issue to me, but it also seems the wheel spread is just right that it fights the crown of the road and wants to be on one side or the other? It does it with the stock wheels or the winter wheels but it feels like if i made a sudden move the car could be upset really easily causing a ass-induced slide. Its hard to explain but the car kinda darts with any sorta corrective input to the steering when on the freeway.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

Its a common issue from what i have read. It happens to mine, and it scares the crap outta me sometimes, specially driving at night. Don't want any cops thinking i am drinking and driving. 

Check your tire pressure btw. Maybe that will help a bit.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

How fast? Mine feels rock-solid stable up to well past the speed limit on OEM tires and snows.


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## CHUV (Jun 25, 2011)

I can confirm that the ltz non-Eco with Rs does not do this. I find it handles very very well even under tight high speed turns.


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

My ECO is rock solid too on the highway. I make sure my tires are correctly inflated. The steering is fast on center at speed, the only other car I have ever driven that reminds me of the Cruze's on center steering on the highway is a Lotus Europa. Coming from my 2004 GTO and my wifes 2000 Olds Intrigue, the Cruze felt initially overly sensitive and light. I quickly adapted to it, and it feels fine.


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## zenaloha (Jun 20, 2011)

Not sure if you're experiencing the same issue, but check these two threads posted earlier this month. It sounds an awful lot like what I've experienced in my 2011 Cruze 1LT.

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-service-issues/4450-issue-variable-effort-steering.html

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-service-issues/4413-steering-issue.html


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## BAD LS1 (Oct 27, 2011)

Tire pressures are fine, that was my first thought. Ive too learned to "drive around" it but sometimes i forget about it and then im swerving around with the lightest correctional input while im searching for my iphone usb cord laying on the pass set haha. I hate to be one of those "whiners" who complains about little subjective **** at a dealer though. But i have experienced a toe alignment issue that was too neutral (like set up straight on) and it did the same thing. Had it aligned, they put a slight inward point of the front wheels, problem 100% solved. Ill bring it up at the first oil change.


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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

sciphi said:


> Mine feels rock-solid stable up to well past the speed limit on OEM tires and snows.


I'm with you on that! I think this car steers as straight as any car I have had including my Contour SVT. To me, the steering is one of the strong points of this car. If you want to witness "wandering" go try a Corolla.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

I guess we got some bad steering with our Cruze's BAD LS1 .


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## dvn (Dec 24, 2011)

BAD LS1 said:


> Anyone ever notice out on the freeway if you car feels kinda uneasy to keep going straight? feels like a toe issue to me, but it also seems the wheel spread is just right that it fights the crown of the road and wants to be on one side or the other? It does it with the stock wheels or the winter wheels but it feels like if i made a sudden move the car could be upset really easily causing a ass-induced slide. Its hard to explain but the car kinda darts with any sorta corrective input to the steering when on the freeway.


I definitely noticed this on the one that I test drove last week. VERY sensitive to driver input on the highway. I didn't know if it was normal for these cars or not but the car did seem very "nervous".


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## tecollins1 (Nov 6, 2011)

For me it seems like it has to do with the electronic steering seems like it lags till u turn it a certain degree then kicks in and causes your car to jerk.(only at highways speeds)

Now that I think about it might only happen when I'm going straight for a while then have to go around a bend. It's like the power turns off while there's no input(after a specified time) then turns on when ur using it. but takes a half a sec to kick in

Sent from my Autoguide iPhone 4 app


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## jakkaroo (Feb 12, 2011)

my car drifts in the lane only cause my tires are so unbalanced from smashing in the mountains so much


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## cruzeman (Mar 13, 2011)

I'm battling chevy with this problem right now. They failed once at fixing it, I'm thinking they will have to try a new rack. 

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## NBrehm (Jun 27, 2011)

Mine is fine right up until you get behind a Semi and I am pretty sure it has to do more with the grille shutters being closed than the steering. I have noticed with my snow tires on it is much much less noticeable than the POS fuel max's.


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## geocachenut (Nov 23, 2011)

I just returned home from a tip to Kansas. Noticed that while going down the highway with the steering wheel centered, when you need to move slightly left or right, the steering wheel "sticks" a bit. Feels strange. Anyone else feel the same thing?


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## DrVette (Dec 6, 2011)

Another cause of "nervous" straight line tracking is Zero Degrees Camber setting.

They "may" have set up the ECO as this setting minimizes rolling resistance.

Just FYI, I had a 79 Cutlass Cruiser with pretty worn front end components, my front-end man set it to a -3 degrees camber and it drove straight as a brand new car.

Also, road race cars utilize negative camber for cornering ability. This ECO setting may be Zero causing nervous steering.


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## BucaMan (Mar 22, 2011)

NBrehm said:


> Mine is fine right up until you get behind a Semi and I am pretty sure it has to do more with the grille shutters being closed than the steering. I have noticed with my snow tires on it is much much less noticeable than the POS fuel max's.


I was going to say the same thing. The car does seem to wander back and forth when behind a semi-truck at highway speeds. I just did a 1575 mile drive round trip to Florida and back, and that was the only condition that I felt this wander. The car tracks fairly true otherwise, though the electric steering assist isn't as linear as I'd like. It does seem to "stick" a little going straight on the highway, and then the feel lightens as you apply enough force to turn the wheel.


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## Chevyderek72 (May 16, 2011)

geocachenut said:


> I just returned home from a tip to Kansas. Noticed that while going down the highway with the steering wheel centered, when you need to move slightly left or right, the steering wheel "sticks" a bit. Feels strange. Anyone else feel the same thing?


That's exactly what I feel at times. Almost like the steering wheel being stuck in one spot for so long makes it sticky till you move the wheel just a tad.

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## Aeroscout977 (Nov 25, 2010)

I'll see if I can find the alignment specs tomorrow. FWD cars should have a slight toe out to bring them to neutral when driving. Being neutral before hand could cause an issue like this.


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## Bjorn (Jun 8, 2011)

It's not just an ECO thing, my LT does the same thing..."sticks" a bit when making very slight corrections at highway speeds. However, I do notice it doesn't happen right off...after about 10-15 minutes of driving does it start doing it.

I don't think it has to do with alignment as it's not a drifting problem, but a steering response problem...like the electric assist isn't quick enough to kick in with subtle wheel adjustments.


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## cruzeman (Mar 13, 2011)

there is a problem with the electric steering, bring it in and have them change the rack. Ive been through this already, there is a fix they claim to have for it but it does not work.


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## BAD LS1 (Oct 27, 2011)

i just drove a 2011 Cruze 1LT the last week in columbus (seems thats all national rents in columbus!) And it handled perfectly fine compared to mine. Another interesting side topic, a co--worker just got a 2012 buick Lacrosse this week for a loaner car, and they too said it sways like a boat at freeway speeds and said its feels like control could be lost at any moment with an abrupt input! It seems the steering is not nuetral enough at those speeds and any light input and it over shoots! Its going in next week for an oil change, ill get this looked at and the squeak behind the gauge cluster.


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## BAD LS1 (Oct 27, 2011)

Dropped it at the dealer this AM, we'll see what the conclusion is. I know the tech personally too who will be working on it so im hoping to be able to get this handling issues solved without the second hand info thru the service writer.


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## BAD LS1 (Oct 27, 2011)

Well they kept it over night as they had to order a new gauge cluster as it apparently was the root of my dash squeak. They said they werent really able to duplicate my handling complaint (naturally) so after asking that they put it on the alignment machine and and least check it, we shall see when i get a call from them soon. They "claim" they see nothing in the GM bulletins or notices about rack replacement for anything so i looked stupid for that, but who knows. unfortunantly the guy i know didnt end up working on it


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## cruzeman (Mar 13, 2011)

Make : CHEVROLETModel : CRUZEYear : 2011Manufacturer : GENERAL MOTORS LLC  Service Bulletin Number : PI-0462Date of Bulletin : MAY 01, 2011 NHTSA Item Number : 10038705  Component : STEERING:LINKAGES Summary : 







GM: THE STEERING WHEEL ADJUSTMENT IS BINDING OR STICKING. THIS IS CAUSED BY THE STEERING WHEEL LEVER ADJUSTMENT NUT TIGHTENING. *RM  


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## BAD LS1 (Oct 27, 2011)

Yeah that doesnt sound like the issue i have thouigh and it only affects 2011's? I still dont have the car back, they couldnt get the new cluster programmed yesterday uggghhhh. I am going to raise some **** that they havent even attempted to align the the thing yet.... patience are running thin. Not certain i see "completely satisfied" on their service survey right now haha.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

cruzeman said:


> Make : CHEVROLETModel : CRUZEYear : 2011Manufacturer : GENERAL MOTORS LLC Service Bulletin Number : PI-0462Date of Bulletin : MAY 01, 2011 NHTSA Item Number : 10038705 Component : STEERING:LINKAGES Summary :
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This item is a bit old and it covered not just Cruze:


 BUICK / LACROSSE 
2010-2011 
 BUICK / REGAL 
2011 
 CADILLAC / SRX 
2010-2011 
 CHEVROLET / CRUZE 
2011 
 CHEVROLET / EQUINOX 
2010-2011 
 CHEVROLET / VOLT 
2011 
 GMC / TERRAIN 
2010-2011
If you search NHTSA for TSBs on the 2011 Cruzen, you'll get 60 of them. I didn't see anything about darting steering, though. The last one was in Oct. 2011. There is just one for the model year 2012 from this month. Here's that one: 

Make : CHEVROLETModel : CRUZEYear : 2012Manufacturer : GENERAL MOTORS LLC Service Bulletin Number : PI-0526ADate of Bulletin : JAN 01, 2011 NHTSA Item Number : 10041429 Component : FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP 


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