# Negative Battery Cable Defective Crimp Notification-10yr/120K mile warranty



## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

2014 models as well? Have a 2012 that would have the same problems, some idiot is using the same terminal for the larger positive terminal. Been this way for years with top terminal batteries, reason, so the negative terminal, about 1 mm smaller won't fit the positive terminal to reverse the polarity.

But that didn't stop some idiots from loosening the bolt and using a hammer to put it on, had liability claims on this stupid mistake. A battery could explode.

Caught this right away on my Cruze, just opened that gap on the negative terminal. Could close the gap and the negative terminal would still be loose.

GM should pull back us retired engineers, at least we had brains.


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## TDCruze (Sep 26, 2014)

Surprisingly this well known and documented defective part somehow made its way onto 2014's as well. I guess GM didn't figure it out until too late. The hardest part of this seems to be convincing some of these dealers there is a problem and a simple fix.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

TDCruze said:


> Surprisingly this well known and documented defective part somehow made its way onto 2014's as well. I guess GM didn't figure it out until too late. The hardest part of this seems to be convincing some of these dealers there is a problem and a simple fix.


I used to think that all of the Cruze electrical problems were firmware based, but it's pretty obvious that the bulk of this is due to poor QC on this part. It's becoming an industry wide issue.


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## sublime1996525 (May 9, 2013)

I just got a letter about this for my 2013 but it told me to not take in my car unless I have having problems and it didn't mention anything about warranty extension. Go figure.


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## ehuntsch (Dec 16, 2014)

smkn600ctd said:


> Got a letter today from Chevy that certain 2014 Cruze may have a defective negative battery cable crimp and that its warranty has been extended on "those" items for 10yr/120k miles. The list of stuff it could effect is lengthy....well duh...if it loses the ground, its kinda a big deal.
> 
> Its probably why I other people can hear the alternator whine "sine wave noise" on the their end of the phone while on the B/T. Also, probably why the car keeps asking me to put the drivers window up and down once or twice a week. The dealer has had the car three times, and tells me "no problem" found.
> 
> Guess Chevy found the problem for them......


Can you explain the alternator whine "sine wave noise" - is this during cold start and first minute of driving when car shifts? I have a whining noise when it is real cold.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Cruze charging voltage is all over the place. On startup runs at 14.5 V for the first minute or so putting a bit extra load on the battery, but then drops down to about 13 V to conserve on fuel. This is to boost the charge on the battery, because you just worked the starter. But will go up again when you switch on the head lamps. 

Depending upon how cold it is, drive belt will also be stiff causing an extra whine.


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## smkn600ctd (Dec 16, 2013)

This is a whine that you in the car doesn't hear. But when I am on a phone call on the Bluetooth....the other person hears it. Three different phones....multiple different people on the other side have said "what's that whine noise".

I thought they were crazy, until I called my wife when she had the car, then I heard it. Its like old days when you had a big stereo and a ground loop....that electrical whine noise.


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## Slammed2014Eco (Feb 13, 2014)

Got the letter on my 2014 Eco about 2 months ago and another one about 2-3 days ago lol.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Actually, you don't have to wait until you are in the middle of nowhere and your Cruze won't start. Can just put your hand on the negative battery terminal and learn if you can twist it. My 2012 2LT was sure this way, so I removed the terminal and opened the gap. Before you could tighten that bolt and the terminal would still be loose.

Ha, by putting a gram too much of force on that cheap bolt, stripped the threads, so replaced it with a grade 8 bolt, 1/4"-20, and tapped the nut to the same thread size. Also coated with silicone. Did this a long time ago, like over three years.

View attachment 131929


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

My negative cable looks just like your one, I have about a 1/16" gap or so. Do the diesels have the negative battery cable issue? I would assume they do. 


Sent from the sexy electrician


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

I noticed my battery cable has a parts tag on it. I wonder if it's been replaced.


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## socalcruze (Aug 4, 2012)

I got the letter from GM today about this issue... says if a problem happens it is covered up to 120,000 miles. Similar to the letters I received in the past few months for the potential water pump issue and the steering "lock up" issue.

Seems to be GM's new MO for dealing with relatively low probability/low risk issues; don't recall, but extend the warranty.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Imo the extended warranty is just as good or better than a recall. 


Sent from the sexy electrician


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## smkn600ctd (Dec 16, 2013)

money_man said:


> My negative cable looks just like your one, I have about a 1/16" gap or so. Do the diesels have the negative battery cable issue? I would assume they do.
> 
> 
> Sent from the sexy electrician


Mine is a diesel.


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## dhpnet (Mar 2, 2014)

Got the letter for my 2014 yesterday. It says the resistance in the connection could increase over time causing the dreaded electrical problems that many people have described in numerous posts. They won't replace it unless the car exhibits the symptoms described in the letter. Good enough for me. It's a cheap part. The most important thing is that I now know what the problem is if it ever happens.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Since I spent a good share of my life on the complaint receiving end with electrical systems. The battery is more than an electrical storage device. Also serves for the filter for the alternator that is a voltage transient generator.

It has its own ground and voltage output tied to the entire electronic system, so without a good battery connection can destroy all the electronics in a vehicle. So having a good battery connection is important to me.

Waiting to have a problem is a very stupid idea, can create many new expensive problems. Then getting stuck in some God forsaken place.

Got my new Cruze last on a Thursday night, next morning wanted to anti-seize the spark plug threads, another dumb idea using dissimilar metals with a current flow with steel against aluminum. Causes electrolysis where the plugs would be firmly welded to the heads.

Found NGK spark plugs, sorry, always had problems with NGK, installed Autolites with the proper gap. And anti-seized the threads. Then no grease in the boots, they will bake on in that closed space. Also noticed a couple of springs were jammed in that shoulder, stretched those out.

Then the battery, won't repeat the words I used when I saw all those connections close to battery acid, more problems. So removed each one with dielectric grease. Then a not so tight negative battery cable, opened that slot so would clamp tight. All the battery connections were dry, used dielectric grease on everything, retards corrosion.

This took me a couple of hours, engine had new power. Knew I had to install so-called splash shields, wonder why Chevy didn't flare out the fenders like on other vehicles so you don't need them. What happened to the side molding? Already saw new cars with doors all banged up so ordered those.

Took me awhile to realized, hey, where are the door sills? So ordered those. Cruze came with very nice carpeted front only floor mats, but not very practical, wanted a small fortune for more practical rubber ones. Wondered what marketing idiot came up with this?

But at least the Cruze came with rubber molding on the windshield, noted even Toyota got rid of that where water can get into that groove, freeze and crack the windshield. But I see on later Cruze models, got rid of this.

Should call this a car kit.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Oh, forgot about the fog lamps, worse car I have ever driven with extremely poor night side lighting, darn near ran over a pedestrian crossing the road on a dark night while making a sharp turn. Fog lamps should be standard on the car that is the only other choice. Would only cost a couple of bucks more to add side lamps that stayed on with the directional signal lever.


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## CREWZIN (Dec 1, 2013)

Got my letter yesterday also. Says not to take it in unless there's a problem. They'll fix it within 10 years/120,000 miles if the condition occurs. Went out and checked the negative cable and it can't be any tighter. Any movement on the cable and the post itself moves. Haven't noticed anything so far ...and for those of you reading my other threads, the software fix for the steering problem is still holding strong. Steering is as good as new.


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## TX CTD (Oct 24, 2014)

NickD said:


> Oh, forgot about the fog lamps, worse car I have ever driven with extremely poor night side lighting, darn near ran over a pedestrian crossing the road on a dark night while making a sharp turn. Fog lamps should be standard on the car that is the only other choice. Would only cost a couple of bucks more to add side lamps that stayed on with the directional signal lever.


I'll agree, but will add that the headlight harness upgrade solves everything. I have a set of HID's from my wife's old Lincoln MKZ that I was going to put in, they wouldn't be as bright and I don't like the color as much as the the current setup. My wife would like some fogs, but she wants them to come on with the high beams now because they go so far down the road that it looks like there's a 20ft gap directly in front of the car.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Adjusted my Cruze head lamps the old fashion way using this method. 










Cruze only has a vertical adjustment, left off the horizontal. My left beam was a tad low, right beam was really low. But the horizontal was darn close.

Installed 30% brighter head lamp bulbs in my Cruze, anything greater than these appears to be a lie. But can't believe the extra light I have when hopping into my Supra or motorhome using old fashion sealed beam head lamps.

Kind of like styling won out over common sense. My 30's vehicles used bulbs, getting vehicle with seal beams was like a miracle. So they turned the clock back to the 30's and call this progress. Plus seal beams don't cost an arm and a leg if a stone hits them, need a second mortage on my home if that piece of cheap plastic breaks. 

Will never comprehend why the fogs are killed with the brights. But very seldom even use the brights. Not suppose to on an interstate, and on two lane roads, always oncoming traffic.

Incandescent bulbs have a high surge current when switched on, and this is usually when they burn out. So the more you use your dimmer switch, the shorter the life.

Bulbs have a double reflecting surface as opposed to seal beams with only one. Tend to feel the mentally insane took over.


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## Wagobart (Jul 3, 2016)

I never got that letter. Last night the battery exploded in my 2014 Cruze. Will be looking for some answers from Chevrolet on this.


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

A battery explosion occurs when one cell shorts internally.
That cell will produce a very large amount of hydrogen as it discharges......the hydrogen fills the airspace within (and around) the battery.

The moment you turn the key, a spark occurs within......'BOOM' is the result....usually the top blows off.

Get a garden hose out and rinse around the battery and underhood.......lots......the acid is corroding the sheet metal and burning the paint while you are reading this........CHOP! CHOP!

Rob


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## bman95 (Jan 15, 2013)

ChevyGuy said:


> I noticed my battery cable has a parts tag on it. I wonder if it's been replaced.


 Sorry to bring up a years old thread, just wondering if that was an indication that it had been replaced?
My 2011 has a parts tag with the part number 13813576 on it and just started displaying a bunch of rando electrical symptoms like in the bulletin. I have 2,000kms to try and convince a dealer to replace...


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Dealer records is about it. All you need to say is that you are having weird electrical issues and show them the bulletin.

TSB #14311
Service Bulletin - NHTSA SB-10057574-8899

Special Coverage #14311: Negative Battery Cable


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