# Need a trouble free car. Should I buy a Cruze? Seems like there's lots of issues??



## ConsideringACruze (Jan 7, 2013)

Hello,

My last 2 cars have been Toyota Corollas. not fancy, BUT, each one has gone a quarter of a million miles with ZERO problems & NEVER had to go back to the car dealer for repairs. just normal maintenance over the years.

My job gives me extremely little free time. Having a car that breaks down, especially a brand new on after plunking down a considerable amount of money, and having to miss work to sit in a car dealer for repairs is not an option for me. I can't do it.

I really like the looks of the Chevy Cruze. BUT, you folks seem to have a ton of problems with it. A brand new car stinking of engine coolant? coolant on the windshield? etc, etc, etc. I don't have that now with my 12 year old corolla. I'm not going to put up with that with a new car.

Question for you folks: Just how reliable has your Cruze been? How long have you had it & how many times have you had to bring it back to the car dealer for repairs? Lastely, would you buy it again?

Thanks VERY MUCH in advance for any help/advice you can offer!


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Welcome! Keep in mind, folks post onto a forum like this one when they have a problem. They don't often post when they have zero issues. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, you know? 

I'm at 43k miles on my Eco manual transmission, and it's been back to the dealer 2-3 times for minor things such as a rattle from the rear suspension and a failed trunk switch. Both issues were handled quickly, and haven't come back. Those happened early in the car's life. I got a shuttle where I needed to go, so I wasn't waiting at the dealer. 

Aside from that, it's been a great car. I'd buy another in half a heartbeat, even knowing what I know now.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I had an apparent coolant leak that turned out to be nothing more than air in the coolant lines. That was the only non-scheduled service I have had. All other services have been done as part of oil changes. I'm at 20K miles on my ECO MT. Your dealership will really make/break your ownership experience.


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## titan2782 (Nov 4, 2011)

> Need a trouble free car


Wait, they have those?!


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

You really like your 12 year old corolla? If so you might as well buy another one, Toyota has not changed anything in all those years. The cars engine or transmission & MPG rating have all remained the same since the mid 1990's. Me I would have a problem buying a new car that's exactly the same as a 2-15 year old used one. 

Chevy on the other hand has made huge changes with this car & some have experienced these growing pains. I would buy the cruze again because its still the best value for a small car & probably one of the safest.


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## mcg75 (Mar 5, 2012)

Wow, 250,000k with just maintenance. 

15 years fixing cars, I've never run into a Corolla or any other car that could do that. 

Unless struts, sway bar links, wheel bearings or belt tensioners are considered maintenance.


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## 20131pz69 (Oct 22, 2012)

got less than 1000 miles on my 2013, have had no trouble with it so far. I would make the purchase again. The car drives well and has great features for the price, the combination of economy/ power and safety are unmatched in this class as well. Am sure there will be some issues with my cruze as well eventually- in today's world, there is no such thing as a trouble- free car . 

fyi- my friend bought a new corolla a few months back- the auto transmission is from the 80s, it's horrible! I had a 95 & think that was better ...

good luck with your hunt


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

titan2782 said:


> Wait, they have those?!


They used to. My Pontiac Transport was trouble free until about 150K miles. Once my Pontiac Montana AWD (1st year model) got the ABS wheel sensor power and HVAC tubing fixed it was trouble free until 170K miles.


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## Hoon (Mar 18, 2012)

The only issue i have with my car is the coolant smell....which is good considering i beat on it quite a bit, have drag raced it, tow regularly a bit over its capacity, have dyno'd it a couple times, etc. 

Brakes look new after 14K miles even with the towing. Tire wear is a little faster than i thought but that's my fault not the car's. So far it looks like it's going to be a reliable car for years to come unless i get crazy with the tuning, but again, not the car's fault. 

If the coolant smell (which seems better lately) is the only issue i have over the life of the car i'll be very happy.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Buy another Corolla. It sucks as a car, especially by 2013 standards, but they make good appliances.


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## titan2782 (Nov 4, 2011)

mcg75 said:


> Wow, 250,000k with just maintenance.


Honda goes the distance: 1 million miles | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

It's a Honda, but whatever.


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## Ru5ty (Jun 20, 2012)

i have had no problems and i have roughly 7000 km


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

titan2782 said:


> Honda goes the distance: 1 million miles | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram
> 
> It's a Honda, but whatever.


Psh, a Volvo p1800 did that a long time ago. 

Those old Accords are fantastic cars though. Don't build em like that anymore. 


Sent from my iPhone using AutoGuide.com App


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## titan2782 (Nov 4, 2011)

I'm going to state that a "trouble free car" is a relative term. The more mechanically inclined you are, the more you'll tolerate. So if you have no skills, any little thing is going to be an issue. Especially if you buy the car new.

If you buy it used, well, that's what you get. Expect it.


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## Camcruse (Oct 4, 2011)

Hoon said:


> The only issue i have with my car is the coolant smell....which is good considering i beat on it quite a bit, have drag raced it, tow regularly a bit over its capacity, have dyno'd it a couple times, etc.
> 
> Brakes look new after 14K miles even with the towing. Tire wear is a little faster than i thought but that's my fault not the car's. So far it looks like it's going to be a reliable car for years to come unless i get crazy with the tuning, but again, not the car's fault.
> 
> If the coolant smell (which seems better lately) is the only issue i have over the life of the car i'll be very happy.


From past experience, I'm sure you realize that GM/Chevy reps read this web site and saying that you've beat on your car really isn't to smart, especially if you ever happen to take it in for service.

And believe me, they have their ways of finding out.


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## steve333 (Oct 23, 2010)

I don't own one but have been researching the Cruze and other compacts for a while now. Cars are more complicated than they used to be so more little things will go wrong. If I were to base it on my experience with my Cobalt I would say Chevy doesn't make the most reliable cars out there but that's not a secret.
If you are going strictly for reliability than go for a Corolla. The car is backwards in many ways and not a good driver but if you just want to go from point A to point B and don't care how you get there this is the one to get.
If you are going for reliability plus a good driving car pick the Subaru Impreza. I drove the Cruze, Impreza, Focus and Civic. To me, the Impreza had the best seats and handled very well but was a little noisy, the Cruze was second best but I didn't like the seats (everyone is different though) and was the quietest and rode nicely, the Focus shifted harshly and felt cramped, the Civic had the worst seats and there was a vibration in the steering column and I didn't like it at all.
The most glaring reliability issue right now for the Cruze is the anti-freeze smell. For me that's a deal breaker but if they fix that issue than you could expect middling reliability but have a much better driving vehicle than the Corolla.


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## 30 Ounce (Nov 18, 2012)

My ECO 6mt has had zero problems with almost 18,000 miles and 8 months. We average 40 mpg and love driving it. The Corolla on the other hand is boring, uninspired, bare bones transportatin. Might as well buy a toaster. One of the reasons I think they get such high marks is their buyers aren't car enthusiasts, want basic transportation (which it provides reliably) and arent very demanding of their cars. The Cruze is hands down a better car. Just an aside, my 1999 GMC work van has 385,000+ miles on it and all I've ever done is maintanance and replace worn out items like shocks, water pump, fuel pump.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/9-ch.../10645-my-ytd-avg-mpg-after-76-416-miles.html. Read the first post in this thread.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

mcg75 said:


> Wow, 250,000k with just maintenance.
> 
> 15 years fixing cars, I've never run into a Corolla or any other car that could do that.
> 
> Unless struts, sway bar links, wheel bearings or belt tensioners are considered maintenance.


I consider that stuff maintenance. It's suspension and accessory belt stuff that wears out and needs to be replaced every so often. And wheel bearings wear out after 100-150k miles, especially the fronts on a FWD car since they have so many roles to play in acceleration/steering/braking and suspension, often 2 or 3 of those things at once. The hubs are pretty easy to replace on the Cruze. 3 18mm bolts, although the top one's a bit of a bugger that benefits from a wobble or U-joint being placed under the strut as it is.

Our Fit has needed little in the way of unexpected repairs in 60k miles and 3.5 years. Some ATF drain/fills, yearly brake cleanings/relubing, a new battery after 2 years, a set of tires, and oil changes are all it's needed. It also acts like a giant automatic transmission go-kart with all the positives and negatives one can imagine from that description. Mind-reading steering and excellent cornering along with a bumpy, stiff ride. It's very noisy even around town with a low-rent interior that has worn like iron and cleans up nicely. I like that car for being what it is, and not pretending to be something it's not. 

If having a trouble-free car is a priority above all else, a Prius or Corolla has proven to be excellent at being trouble-free. Both of those are older, well-proven technology.


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## ConsideringACruze (Jan 7, 2013)

steve333 said:


> The most glaring reliability issue right now for the Cruze is the anti-freeze smell.


This is my first day looking at this board. I see the anti-freeze smell thread is huge. Can someone give me a quick summary of the issue & if it's fixable? 

It's not just smelling the smell of anti-freeze that would concern me, but the continual inhalation of the chemicals in the anti-freeze. I wouldn't want to find out the long term effects of breathing that in whenever I'm driving the car.

If there's a Chevy or GM rep here, I'd be interested in a reply from you as well as the others on the board.

Thanks again for all your help folks. I really do want to get this car but I need to find out what's going on first.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

There was problem with the passenger compartment heater core in the 2011 Cruzen. It appears to have been fixed sometime during the 2011 production run and the 2012s and 2013s are free of this issue. I don't have any smell in either of 2012 Cruzen. There is still an ongoing issue with some of the water pumps leaking and possible engine coolant loss but I suspect the internet (CruzeTalk) has magnified this issue. Remember that a lot of people come here only to report problems. There are over 600,000 Cruzen on the roads in the US and less than 1% of them are here. Only a small number of the members here have ongoing issues with engine coolant smell.

My recommendation, especially since it's winter, is that you go to a couple of different Chevy dealerships in your area and take a test drive. There are four base trims - LS with the 1.8L engine, LT, ECO, and LTZ with the 1.4 Turbo engine. The LTZ only comes in automatic while the other three come in both manual and automatic. All seven base trim/transmission options drive and handle differently. While you're test driving, turn the heater on and let your nose tell you if that car has an coolant smell. The reason I suggest going to different dealerships is that you're also looking for a dealership with a good service department. While you're there, see if you can get an introduction to the service managers and a quick tour of the service department. I know you don't want to visit your dealership, but you will have to go at least at 45,000 mile intervals to have service done. All other services can be done at the local quick lube place as long as they use Dexos 1 approved motor oils. Keep all receipts, regardless of where the routine services are done.

Why are you looking at the Cruze? You stated that you have been happily driving Toyota's for a long time - why the change?


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## steve333 (Oct 23, 2010)

The 2012's and 2013's are having the same issue according to the thread. The issue most likely won't show up on a test drive and it hasn't been solved yet.


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## raungst (Jan 8, 2013)

This is actually my first day on the forum as well and have read all 70 pages of the coolant smell thread. I've been considering buying a used 2012 LTZ with about 13k miles on it, and am now a little apprehensive with the coolant issue. While it certainly doesn't affect all Cruzes, its scary to have a potentially hazardous problem with no solution. Everything else I've read about the Cruze has seemed like its a great car.

But as obermd said, reading here makes it seem like there's lots of problems, but when you really think about it, there's many, many happy Cruze owners out there.


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

My Cruze has been trouble free for 13 months now. Here's to the rest of 2013!


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

ConsideringACruze said:


> This is my first day looking at this board. I see the anti-freeze smell thread is huge. Can someone give me a quick summary of the issue & if it's fixable?
> 
> It's not just smelling the smell of anti-freeze that would concern me, but the continual inhalation of the chemicals in the anti-freeze. I wouldn't want to find out the long term effects of breathing that in whenever I'm driving the car.
> 
> ...


The anti-freeze smell came out in 2011 with some cars, and to my understanding, there was a TSB to resolve the issue. The biggest problems arose from members whose dealerships had no idea what they were doing. A change was made to 2012 and 2013 Cruzes to prevent this issue. Any antifreeze smell that might come out of a 2012 or 2013 Cruze would be due to a defective water pump. They had a couple of those, but they are uncommon. You really need to keep in mind that this forum is a magnet for people who have any issue with their car, and doesn't accurately reflect the extent of problems some people may lead you to believe they have. 



steve333 said:


> The 2012's and 2013's are having the same issue according to the thread. The issue most likely won't show up on a test drive and it hasn't been solved yet.


Might want to take a poll of Cruze owners to see how many of them have ever smelled coolant if it's supposedly not solved yet. 18k miles here and haven't smelled a thing. 



raungst said:


> This is actually my first day on the forum as well and have read all 70 pages of the coolant smell thread. I've been considering buying a used 2012 LTZ with about 13k miles on it, and am now a little apprehensive with the coolant issue. While it certainly doesn't affect all Cruzes, its scary to have a potentially hazardous problem with no solution. Everything else I've read about the Cruze has seemed like its a great car.
> 
> But as obermd said, reading here makes it seem like there's lots of problems, but when you really think about it, there's many, many happy Cruze owners out there.


If it has 13k miles on it, drive it. If you can smell the coolant, there's your sign. If not, there's your sign. I have nearly 18k miles on mine and I've never smelled a hint of coolant since day 1. There are many other members on this board (I'd say 95% of them) who also have never smelled coolant in their Cruzes.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

I've never smelled coolant in my Cruze. My used oil analyses have shown no coolant in the oil. I'm hazarding mine's okay based on those two indicators and how it has 43k miles without smelling coolant.

There's no such thing as a "trouble-free car". Not unless it's a Matchbox/Hot Wheels, and the wheels still fall off those! The Cruze is a pretty trouble-free car. The odds are excellent that it will be trouble-free. However, those are odds, there still is a house, and the house does win a few. That's why there's a warranty. 

I can't stress enough, find a dealer with a good reputation for servicing what they sell just in case there is an issue! Check out the service department, and ask some of the customers waiting there about the service department, such as who they would recommend to work with and if problems were fixed the first time. The dealer experience is just as important as the car itself.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

I believe the 2011 Cruzen that did have the coolant leak/smell had the tank/leak located near the incoming air for the cabin, so it mixed in. I think model year 2012s were redesigned to put this on the other side of the engine from the incoming air.

I have had a small amount of coolant usage which seems to have fixed itself. It might have been an air bubble. I NEVER had a coolant smell in the cabin nor any film on the windshield.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

One other thing. I'd like to welcome the new members who decided to post in this thread. I'm glad you joined, and feel free to ask any questions you might have about the Cruze. We're here to answer them and to help you get the information you need. You've taken a great first step by joining this forum to do your research. 

I highly encourage you guys to read my review of the Cruze:

Behind the Wheel of the Chevy Cruze - The Xtreme Revolution

The review will give you an in-depth and thorough idea of what the Cruze is really like, including its strengths and weaknesses.


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## mcg75 (Mar 5, 2012)

sciphi said:


> I consider that stuff maintenance. It's suspension and accessory belt stuff that wears out and needs to be replaced every so often. And wheel bearings wear out after 100-150k miles, especially the fronts on a FWD car since they have so many roles to play in acceleration/steering/braking and suspension, often 2 or 3 of those things at once.


I've sent multiple Corolla's back for wheel bearings under warranty before 60,000 kms. I've sent a Camry back for front struts under warranty at 30,000 kms a few months ago. 

The point I'm trying to make is small but true. I've found import owners a lot more accepting of repairs that shouldn't be happening than domestics. Why this is I have no idea. Is it because they are programmed to think the cars are better and anything that happens is normal? Maybe. 

I'm not arguing that the imports are not better because as history shows anybody, they are. But the point is that nothing that exists is perfect even though some make us try to think that.


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## vmaxed (Jan 17, 2012)

We are coming up on our one year trouble free anniversary. :wink:


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## TODD2869 (Feb 18, 2012)

2012 LTZ RS that just turned 23,000 miles. No issues with the car whatsoever. The car has no real competition when you compare them side by side to other cars in its class.


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## dby2011 (May 14, 2011)

What TSB are you referring to regards the coolant issue? What exact info do you have that was fixed in later models in regards to the coolant issue? I was told directly from GM that no redesign or fixes have been implemented for 2013 in regards to the cooling system. The only TSB that I know of was installing the venting tube from the resevoir and the pieces in the cowl. That did not work for me as did replacing the pressure cap (twice) and pressure testing my car 3+ times (I lost count) and not finding any leaks. This has been an ongoing issue for a while and I honestly believe GM knows it is a problem and the only solution is a redesign which is too costly. Why would they come out with a TSB in early summer 2012 that involves venting the coolant a different way and installing cowl pieces to block exhaust getting into the car and then not implement any of that in later models? Why would my car need a venting tube and not others? GM had no answers for me and the dealer told me they had no answers for them either. None of this makes any logical sense. To me it sends a message the "if anyone complains of the smell do this" type thing. I understand all cars have issues but the way that this has been handled and all the variables involved in this makes me suspicious. No way would I recommend buying a Cruze right now which is too bad because a fully functioning Cruze is still the best C class car out there in my opinion.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

ConsideringACruze said:


> Hello,
> 
> My last 2 cars have been Toyota Corollas. not fancy, BUT, each one has gone a quarter of a million miles with ZERO problems & NEVER had to go back to the car dealer for repairs. just normal maintenance over the years.
> 
> ...





ConsideringACruze,
I understand that reading this forum may be unsettling. The forum is a place for people to discuss their concerns and get opinions. In my experience, this can often result in making a vehicle look like it has more concerns than it actually might. When you purchase a new Chevrolet vehicle it comes with a 3yr/36,000 mile Bumper to Bumper warranty. It covers the vehicle from bumper to bumper on any vehicle defect related to materials or workmanship. Original tires are covered but prorated after 12,000 miles during the terms of the Bumper to Bumper Limited Warranty. The Powertrain Limited Warranty is 100,000 miles or 5-years, whichever comes first. It is fully transferable and there are no fees and no deductibles. In addition, the Roadside Assistance and Courtesy Transportation programs are also 100,000 miles or 5-years (whichever comes first). GM will stand behind their products and will correct any issues related to defect or workmanship within the warranty period. In my opinion, as many others would agree, the Chevrolet Cruze is a great vehicle! It is fun to drive, safe, and great on fuel economy. If you have any questions or would like any other assistance please feel free to contact me; I would be happy to help you in any way that I can.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

1.5 years and 34,000 trouble free miles here!!! No mechanical issues.


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