# 2013 Cruze Key Recall



## kennyd06 (Sep 30, 2013)

I have a 2013 Cruze and I was told that I would have to lose my switchblade key in this recall. Has this happened to anyone else? My friend just had it done to his camaro and it looks ridiculous. I'm also hearing now that there might be more recalls for my car addressing all of these other issues that I didn't know about except for the one that hasn't been addressed. The crappy transmission. My tranny does not like to downshift going up hills, doesn't shift at the right times and kicks really hard when I start off really easily after a complete stop. Is this normal? My brother-in-law is the maintenance manager at the dealership I bought the car and he says there is nothing wrong. OnStar said there was nothing wrong. GM has said there is nothing wrong, but there's something wrong. Everyone that has driven my car says it's not normal. Has anyone else had all of these issues?


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

Look up , the many threads about changing the ATF !


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Where did you hear about a key recall on your Cruze? I just checked Safercar.gov and it's not listed there.


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## nybble (Mar 30, 2014)

Highly suggest switching over to AMSOIL ATF. I'm not just saying that because I'm a dealer.

I've actually became an AMSOIL dealer after seeing the difference using it VS. stock in my cruze, as well as oil... (and talking to XtremeRevolution...)

Check out this sponsored post from titan synthetics for more info:
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/113-...msoil-automatic-transmission-fluid-cruze.html

To be honest, it's been the best thing I've done for my cruze so far.

As far as the key goes, I haven't heard of that one yet. It's listed as a recall? Do they have a posting # or something?


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Since all the other years also use the "switchblade style" key, why would only the 2013 model year be subject to this recall? Doesn't make sense to me.


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

I think the OP's dealer is misinformed.....I can find no evidence yet of a pending recall for this.

I'll be devils advocate on this one...meaning he has his involved carlines mixed up......the switchblade key has been recalled on all Camaros for the possibility of the drivers knee hitting the fob and causing the car to shut off.
Having operated a Camaro, I cannot imagine a human body so strangly formed as to even get your knee close to the key but....evidently they saw something in testing.

The recall involves removing the key from the fob and providing a replacement, conventional key and ring for the now keyless fob.
New Camaros come with the old style fob and new style key.

Rob


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

kennyd06 said:


> I have a 2013 Cruze and I was told that I would have to lose my switchblade key in this recall. Has this happened to anyone else? My friend just had it done to his camaro and it looks ridiculous. I'm also hearing now that there might be more recalls for my car addressing all of these other issues that I didn't know about except for the one that hasn't been addressed. The crappy transmission. My tranny does not like to downshift going up hills, doesn't shift at the right times and kicks really hard when I start off really easily after a complete stop. Is this normal? My brother-in-law is the maintenance manager at the dealership I bought the car and he says there is nothing wrong. OnStar said there was nothing wrong. GM has said there is nothing wrong, but there's something wrong. Everyone that has driven my car says it's not normal. Has anyone else had all of these issues?


Hi kennyd06,

I’m very sorry to hear you are experiencing these issues with your Cruze. Please follow this link with your VIN to check if your Cruze is involved in the recall: https://recalls.gm.com/#/ Or send us a private message with your VIN.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns. 

Regards,

Claudia
GM Customer Care


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

kennyd06 said:


> I have a 2013 Cruze and I was told that I would have to lose my switchblade key in this recall. Has this happened to anyone else? My friend just had it done to his camaro and it looks ridiculous. I'm also hearing now that there might be more recalls for my car addressing all of these other issues that I didn't know about except for the one that hasn't been addressed. The crappy transmission. My tranny does not like to downshift going up hills, doesn't shift at the right times and kicks really hard when I start off really easily after a complete stop. Is this normal? My brother-in-law is the maintenance manager at the dealership I bought the car and he says there is nothing wrong. OnStar said there was nothing wrong. GM has said there is nothing wrong, but there's something wrong. Everyone that has driven my car says it's not normal. Has anyone else had all of these issues?


 Who told you this? What is it doing? Even your Brother in Law told you this was not true! There is no current Ignition problem or recall with the CRUZE! This is not to say you couldn't have a problem in the future however it wouldn't be the same problem with the Car shutting off. I know my key glided in like butter until two weeks ago when they fixed my axle, now its harder sticking it in!


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

The only way I can see someone kneeing the flip key is like this...





Vs how we normally use our flip keys.


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

Merc6 said:


> The only way I can see someone kneeing the flip key is like this...


Even then, I don't think it would be possible to drive the car this way. At least on my Cruze (2014 Diesel) it will trigger a security message if you try to start the car with the key fob half-folded like this. Found this out because one day I turned on the key with the fob in this position and got the security messages and wouldn't start. It got me worried for a moment, then I noticed and tried starting with the key half-folded and fully open. Every time the key was turned on in the 90 degree folded position, it set the security message. Lock the key open, and try again - message gone. Not quite sure how the car knows the key isn't fully open, but it does.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

I'll try again tonight to see if it will start. I don't see the point in leaving the fob this way unless it's a way to add more leverage to someone with RA.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Noes dey be takin my flip key!

Seriously though, I've wanted a flip key since I had friends in college with VW's. Coolest thing ever. 

And I will sit the heck out of that recall if it does happen. The old Chevy keys were super cheap looking.


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## Captain Slow (Sep 9, 2014)

Chevy Customer Care said:


> Hi kennyd06,
> 
> I’m very sorry to hear you are experiencing these issues with your Cruze. Please follow this link with your VIN to check if your Cruze is involved in the recall: https://recalls.gm.com/#/ Or send us a private message with your VIN.
> 
> ...


Well crap! I just did this and my G8 is on the key fob thingie recall...


GM Recall #:
N140445



NHTSA Recall #:
Awaiting#



Date Issued:
Sep 04, 2014



Recall Title:
Ignition Key
Recall Description:
General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in 2011-2013 model year (MY) Chevrolet Caprice and 2008-2009 MY Pontiac G8 vehicles. There is a risk, under certain conditions, that some drivers may bump the ignition key with their knee and unintentionally move the key away from the run position.
Safety Risk Description:
If this occurs, engine power, and power braking will be affected and power steering may be affected, increasing the risk of a crash. The timing of the key movement out of the run position, relative to the activation of the sensing algorithm of the crash event, may result in the airbags not deploying, increasing the potential for occupant injury in certain kinds of crashes.
Repair Description:
Dealers will separate the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Transmitter from the key blade and housing assembly. Dealers will then discard the original key blade and housing assembly, ensuring that it is not retained by the customer. Dealers will then cut and fit the revised key blade and housing assembly, in which the blade has been indexed by 90 degrees, to the original RKE transmitter assembly. This will be provided free of charge. Until the recall has been performed, it is very important that drivers adjust their seat and steering column to allow clearance between their knee and the ignition key.
[HR][/HR]Recall Status: INCOMPLETE. Remedy not yet available.


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

They can suck it I am keeping my stupid flip key!


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Am I the only person who hates having their car keys dangling into their knee? I will definitely decline any recall like this as I never have anything dangling from my key.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

revjpeterson said:


> Even then, I don't think it would be possible to drive the car this way. At least on my Cruze (2014 Diesel) it will trigger a security message if you try to start the car with the key fob half-folded like this. Found this out because one day I turned on the key with the fob in this position and got the security messages and wouldn't start. It got me worried for a moment, then I noticed and tried starting with the key half-folded and fully open. Every time the key was turned on in the 90 degree folded position, it set the security message. Lock the key open, and try again - message gone. Not quite sure how the car knows the key isn't fully open, but it does.





Merc6 said:


> I'll try again tonight to see if it will start. I don't see the point in leaving the fob this way unless it's a way to add more leverage to someone with RA.


Well I be ****...


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Merc6 said:


> Well I be ****...


Let me know if you need any assistance! Very sorry for this . 

Patsy G
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

Its because you dont have the transponder aligned with the amplifier. Its very short range


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

revjpeterson said:


> Even then, I don't think it would be possible to drive the car this way. At least on my Cruze (2014 Diesel) it will trigger a security message if you try to start the car with the key fob half-folded like this. Found this out because one day I turned on the key with the fob in this position and got the security messages and wouldn't start. It got me worried for a moment, then I noticed and tried starting with the key half-folded and fully open. Every time the key was turned on in the 90 degree folded position, it set the security message. Lock the key open, and try again - message gone. Not quite sure how the car knows the key isn't fully open, but it does.


It doesnt know the key is flipped its just not reading the frequency of the key being emitted by the transponder in the body of our keys.


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

hificruzer226 said:


> It doesnt know the key is flipped its just not reading the frequency of the key being emitted by the transponder in the body of our keys.


I meant "know" in a more figurative way, but this makes sense. I wasn't aware of the technology being used by newer anti-theft methods, but an RF type transponder makes the pieces fit together. My thinking was stuck in the rut of electrical resistance being passed through the body of the key as in older theft prevention systems like pass-key 2.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

The neutral stop feature is a well documented design quirk. It's not a flaw as it really is unfortunately designed to work this way. Hard shifting is an issue that needs to be looked into. However, OP did title this thread "2013 Cruze Key Recall" and no one other than his dealership has heard about this so called recall.

As for driving a stick shift vs. automatic - some people simply cannot drive a stick shift no matter how hard they try to learn. Knock off the name calling.


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## bulldog (Aug 2, 2014)

I got the 'it's learning how you drive' BS myself, so I've just been driving it like this anyway. I took it it and the service manager at the dealership said he had never heard of this and couldn't feel it happening. What a bozo, and the other dealership said the same thing. They also made the comment that all these recalls are keeping them too busy and that they really don't make any money on them and that it's a headache and just a wash for them. So that right there told the entire story. 

GM has really messed up, but we just get to live w/it. I feel your pain OP, but hey, I guess it's still 'learning my driving style' 3000 miles later.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

There is also nothing on GM TechLink regarding ignition key recall, or PI, for the Cruze.


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## iggy (Feb 14, 2013)

I'm so glad I only own Cruzes with the LTZ package and push button ignition, just looking at those photos of the key fob sticking out or even hinged at 90 degrees looks funky to me. I'm more then happy just to leave the key fob in my pocket, push the button on the door handle to get in, push the button on the dash to start/stop. 

The only problem I have with the push button, is that apparently at least on the 2012 LTZ I have, it isn't smart enough to know that I really didn't want my car to run the whole time I was eating dinner ( after forgetting to push it to shut off before entering the restaurant ). My wife tells me, she forgot to turn it off at work one day, came out after a 8 hour day, car still running. (Oh, I smell a recall coming now, did GM really make a car that won't shut itself off while parked, after running for over a hour) But please, don't take my push button start away.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

iggy said:


> it isn't smart enough to know that I really didn't want my car to run the whole time I was eating dinner ( after forgetting to push it to shut off before entering the restaurant ). My wife tells me, she forgot to turn it off at work one day, came out after a 8 hour day, car still running.


Now you've got the whole world asking how you does that.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

iggy said:


> I'm so glad I only own Cruzes with the LTZ package and push button ignition, just looking at those photos of the key fob sticking out or even hinged at 90 degrees looks funky to me. I'm more then happy just to leave the key fob in my pocket, push the button on the door handle to get in, push the button on the dash to start/stop.
> 
> The only problem I have with the push button, is that apparently at least on the 2012 LTZ I have, it isn't smart enough to know that I really didn't want my car to run the whole time I was eating dinner ( after forgetting to push it to shut off before entering the restaurant ). My wife tells me, she forgot to turn it off at work one day, came out after a 8 hour day, car still running. (Oh, I smell a recall coming now, did GM really make a car that won't shut itself off while parked, after running for over a hour) But please, don't take my push button start away.


This makes me glad I have an actual key that gets removed when I leave the car.


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## iggy (Feb 14, 2013)

Well, I can tell you this, I think the horn has a short little double honk when you open the car door then shut it without shutting off the engine first, however the same sound is made when someone else is in the car with a key fob to that same car. So, in my case, my wife was with me, I assume I thought the double horn beep was just because my wife hadn't gotten out of the car yet. Either way, it's relatively easy to forget to turn the car off once you get used to the fact that you don't need to get the key out of your pocket to enter or to start the car. 

In my wife's case, at work, I can't defend her leaving the car run all day long, other then I do know it's relatively easy to do. I mean the car doesn't make much noise when running and such. 

Still, I don't know why GM wouldn't build in some method to detect that the car hadn't moved in a long time, it's in park... Seems they could or should shut the car off under such conditions. Heck, if you do a remote start, it won't run for more then about 5 minutes without shutting down, why not shut it down when no one's in the car, it's in park, it's not moving?


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

revjpeterson said:


> I meant "know" in a more figurative way, but this makes sense. I wasn't aware of the technology being used by newer anti-theft methods, but an RF type transponder makes the pieces fit together. My thinking was stuck in the rut of electrical resistance being passed through the body of the key as in older theft prevention systems like pass-key 2.


pk2 systems are a joke. there was like 18 different resistant loads used across millions of cars making it super easy for the owner to bypass thru a relay and a resistor, or a car thief. pk2 is easily determined by the visible physical resistor in the key itself. RF transponders have been used and are still being used for about 20 years now. So it must have been a long time since you played with these.


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

hificruzer226 said:


> pk2 systems are a joke. there was like 18 different resistant loads used across millions of cars making it super easy for the owner to bypass thru a relay and a resistor, or a car thief. pk2 is easily determined by the visible physical resistor in the key itself. RF transponders have been used and are still being used for about 20 years now. So it must have been a long time since you played with these.


Yeah, most of my GM vehicles were pre-2001 (01 Grand Prix, 00 Lumina, 96 Olds Cierra, 95 Lumina, 90 Cavalier) so were either pk2 or had no anti-theft system at all. Never got interested enough to look into mechanisms for pk3 or newer systems when I noticed the lack of a visible chip in the key - just assumed maybe they had hidden resistors better or made the key blanks with various resistances. My post-2001 vehicles have been Chrysler/Jeep vehicles that weren't equipped with anti-theft systems, so didn't deal with them for a while before getting my Cruze.


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## iggy (Feb 14, 2013)

My automatic trans doesn't shift itself into neutral. I don't get any 'jerking' when taking off from a stop. Not on my 2012, or 2013.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

iggy said:


> My automatic trans doesn't shift itself into neutral. I don't get any 'jerking' when taking off from a stop. Not on my 2012, or 2013.


Take your foot off the brake and quickly hit the gas.

They ALL have the stop-neutral feature.

In response to the original poster, a transmission fluid change may help one that is getting really jerky, as the 2nd poster said.


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## nybble (Mar 30, 2014)

jblackburn said:


> Take your foot off the brake and quickly hit the gas.
> 
> They ALL have the stop-neutral feature.
> 
> In response to the original poster, a transmission fluid change may help one that is getting really jerky, as the 2nd poster said.


Agreed. Same jerkiness and cleared up with a fluid change in my 2012 Eco AT.


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## kennyd06 (Sep 30, 2013)

Thanks for all of the responses. The key recall was mentioned to me at my last oil change a few months ago when all of the recall news started. I haven't heard anything since about it, nor have I found any information online. That was the main reason I asked if anyone else has had to give up their switchblades. 

As far as the transmission goes, I'm sure if it hasn't learned the way that I drive after 40k miles then it's probably not going to. (I travel a lot for work) I will look into the transmission fluid change and hopefully that will help. I just don't want to get to 60k miles and lose my tranny and have to worry about warranty replacements. The whole reason I bought a brand new car was so that I wouldn't have any issues for quite some time. 

Thanks for all of the responses.


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## iggy (Feb 14, 2013)

I'm not convinced that all Cruze have this feature and here's why...

When I am sitting with my foot on the brake, idling, I feel no 'release' of any forward push like I do when I manually put the car into neutral. When I manually put the car back in gear, I feel a bit of a lunge , I feel no such thing on my 2013 LTZ when I merely lift my foot of the brake, or when I push the brake. I've even tried quickly hitting the gas, I don't feel anything resembling the trans shifting from neutral into gear.

Further indications I've recently discovered using the Android App 'Torque' and real time data from a OBDII blue tooth device... At idle with my foot on the brake, no foot on gas, car in gear, I see 16cc/min fuel use, I see no change in this fuel consumption rate by merely taking my foot off the brake. If while sitting there with my foot on the brake, idling, fuel consumption at 16cc/min, then shift into neutral manually, the fuel consumption drops to 12cc/min.

I conclude, that my car does not shift itself into neutral when I place while stopped with foot on brake.



jblackburn said:


> Take your foot off the brake and quickly hit the gas.
> 
> They ALL have the stop-neutral feature.
> 
> In response to the original poster, a transmission fluid change may help one that is getting really jerky, as the 2nd poster said.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

iggy said:


> I'm not convinced that all Cruze have this feature and here's why...
> 
> When I am sitting with my foot on the brake, idling, I feel no 'release' of any forward push like I do when I manually put the car into neutral. When I manually put the car back in gear, I feel a bit of a lunge , I feel no such thing on my 2013 LTZ when I merely lift my foot of the brake, or when I push the brake. I've even tried quickly hitting the gas, I don't feel anything resembling the trans shifting from neutral into gear.
> 
> ...


We had heard that this feature was disabled in newer cars because of all the complaints from drivers about jerky starts. This is the first evidence of it. Automatic drivers expect their cars to roll forward when they take their foot off the brake.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

jblackburn said:


> This makes me glad I have an actual key that gets removed when I leave the car.


BMW does that as well. I work at a retirement community. The police called us because they found a BMW 3 series with the lights on. When they got closer they saw the co sedation puddle from the a/c and found it running. A short plate check they ended up calling us. The member swore up and down their car is in the garage and they were mistaken. 8 mins later we got a call back that it wasn't there. Car was running for about 10 hours.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

obermd said:


> We had heard that this feature was disabled in newer cars because of all the complaints from drivers about jerky starts. This is the first evidence of it. Automatic drivers expect their cars to roll forward when they take their foot off the brake.


Idk, maybe it was disabled in later 13's or something.

I had 2 2013 rentals - a 2LT and LS - and both did it, a little bump when you let off the brake after sitting still for some time. I can't remember if it drops into neutral after a certain number of seconds or does it immediately when coming to a stop.


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

obermd said:


> We had heard that this feature was disabled in newer cars because of all the complaints from drivers about jerky starts. This is the first evidence of it. Automatic drivers expect their cars to roll forward when they take their foot off the brake.


I'm sure that my July 2013-built Diesel does still have the stop-neutral feature. In fact, I think it's partially responsible for some (but not all) of the behavior that people are interpreting as turbo lag from a full stop. In situations, particularly ones like waiting a drive-thru at a bank or fast food place where you typically don't even use the gas pedal on an automatic, I can clearly feel the car go back into gear about a half-second after I release the brake rather than the gradual increase in speed that typically corresponds to a gradual release of brake pedal pressure in an automatic. If they phased it out in the gas Cruze, they must have kept it for the Diesels. It's also mentioned in the owners manual, but I don't remember if it was listed as a Diesel-specific feature or just generally.


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