# Check Engine Light



## cruzinred92 (Dec 4, 2013)

Could be one of two problems. Either you have a leaking water pump or a bad thermostat. It sounds like your running low on coolant which is causing air pockets to form in the cooling system. This would explain the temp needle fluctuating as the sensor would cool some as the coolant hit and go up when hot air. Also when you gas it it spins the pump more and makes the coolant flow faster. It still may be a sticking thermostat but they usually wouldn't let the needle fluctuate too much. When you hit it spinning the water pump faster sometimes forces coolant to pass through bringing temps back down. Sounds alot more like a leaking and or malfunctioning water pump tho. Which engine do you have? Also check the front of the engine (opposite of where the transmission is, will be on the passenger side of our cars where the Serp belt is) and see if you see a leak there. Check your coolant reservoir and see if there is coolant. Also where you said you have puddles touch it. If it feels like water and smells sweet it's coolant. If it feels slick and smells like oil it's oil lol. Hope that helps! Let us know!

Ps: not trying to offend when saying which side is the front of the engine some people just don't know and trying to help lol


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## shonnutting88 (Dec 13, 2014)

its an orangish color so it def not oil, thanks ima go check it right now!


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## shonnutting88 (Dec 13, 2014)

defiantly coolant, just went and look at overflow and its dry, so there is a coolant leak. gotta look at the recalls, because i took it in for recall that had to do with the coolant and since then its been leaking... anyone know the policy on this? like if this is happening because of that recall they need to pay to correct it?


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

shonnutting88 said:


> Like if this is happening because of that recall they need to pay to correct it?


The recall you mention was to check if the coolant level was low & if it was inspect for leaks and top off the coolant. Nothing done during this service would have caused any issues. Have you inspected under your hood for leaks in any of the cooling lines or water pump?


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## shonnutting88 (Dec 13, 2014)

not really sure what to inspect, but yes i did look and there is a leak somewhere. gonna get some coolant in the morning. Also if there was a recall to check for leaks / level then obviously there is an initial issue that would cause such leak...right?


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

shonnutting88 said:


> Also if there was a recall to check for leaks / level then obviously there is an initial issue that would cause such leak...right?


Not necessarily, the recall paperwork you should have got in the mail stated that some cars may have had air trapped in the system at the factory that caused the loss of fluid over time. However there has been quite a few leaky water pumps reported on here, so its more likely you have a external leak. I would hope for a waterpump issue since that would be covered by the powertrain warranty, the coolant hoses are not. 

Waterpump would be covered by the powertrain warranty(5 year/100K miles) or the new extended water pump warranty, (10year/150K miles).


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Coolant leaks are a no brainer, can pressure test the vehicle and look. Does help to have a clean engine compartment however, something I am very particular on. If a mess, a UV dye can be used.

Could get away with murder with an all cast iron engine, but an aluminum head engine can easily crack when overheated and this will cost you a small fortune. GM V-6 and V-8 engines using a plastic intake manifold with a different temperature coefficient of expansion that aluminum or cast iron are always having problems with leaks.

I don't get this, reason for using plastic and aluminum, a hail of a lot cheaper, and don't listen to any BS about its better and saves weight, only reason why they are used, they are a hail of a lot cheaper. But replacing cast iron exhaust or intake manifolds was cheap. Want both arms and legs to replace this plastic and aluminum crap. Cast iron requires a polluting foundry, aluminum and plastic use concentrated electrical induction for manufacturing, and all that machine work that had to be done with cast iron is history. 

Have three fluids in an engine, air/fuel, oil, and coolant, all three have to be completely isolated from each other. Or will really have major problems.

I see replacing the heater core in the Cruze is a major job, looks like they built the entire car around it, dash was to be removed for just a start with major concerns about all these air bags. Then all the duct work, blower motor assembly, then can finally get to that box that holds the evaporator and heater core. Then with all that electrical crap for mode and blend doors in the way. 

Would think of the cost involved, GM would avoid the lowest bidder, but this trick is as old as history itself, provide good samples than make crap. Was part of my job to check vendors, if the engineering samples were too perfect would get highly suspicious, but then check the production quantities and reject the entire lot. Guess these new kids don't do this.

If you temperature does climb, pull over and call for help. Know of many that tried to go a couple of extra miles only to get a crack cylinder head, and with a vehicle out of warranty, wasn't even worth repairing their vehicles.


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