# Anyone else unsure of the Cruze's long term reliability



## Patman (May 7, 2011)

What are you unsure about? The coolant smell is a know problem and I do not know that retracts from reliability. The car is still relatively new so we cannot determine l.t. reliability. Sure there may be a problem here or there but that is expected with any car(esp with new models). So long term reliability is a subjective statement. All I know I/we have not heard of any major issues that would suggest otherwise. Each car is different. One person could have no problems and another could.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

I think the powertrain will be just fine, but I do have some concerns with the rest of my car. The HVAC system in particular seems to be very troublesome on the Cruze.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

For me reliability is only based on mechanical issues or things that would take my car off the road. Doesn't sound like you have had any reliability issues yet! 

BTW my blower motor sounds just like yours, since my bumper to bumper warrenty is over I will replace myself if it gets any worse. Part is $100 on rockauto.


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## instanoodles (Jan 1, 2013)

Patman said:


> What are you unsure about? The coolant smell is a know problem and I do not know that retracts from reliability. The car is still relatively new so we cannot determine l.t. reliability. Sure there may be a problem here or there but that is expected with any car(esp with new models). So long term reliability is a subjective statement. All I know I/we have not heard of any major issues that would suggest otherwise. Each car is different. One person could have no problems and another could.


The car is still new yes but early issues on items that dont usually break (ie. plastic lamp housing and a blower motor) can be an indication of poor quality parts all around. I dont doubt the reliability of the power train, eco tech based engines have been bulletproof but there is more to a car then just the engine and transmission which can add up in costs over time. Also not impressed with GMs botched fix for the coolant problem, its not even close to a fix but if it keeps the most of their customers quite they will never fix it properly. I just hope nothing else goes wrong with this car, I read the forums often and see alot of people posting they have gone a few thousand miles without a problem like it is an accomplishment when it should be normal for a new car.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

December 12, 2014 will be here instantly, the day my 36 month bumper to bumper warranty stops. Really doubt if I will even hit that 36,000 mile mark, with summer coming, I think, will be using my motorhome and Supra instead.

Was a black day in September 2007 when the warranty ran out on our 04 Cavalier, stepdaughter has it now, over ten years old, still has the original exhaust on it and has been virtually troublefree. Can only hope the Cruze will be the same.

Hundred bucks for a blower motor? Let me go back to 1973 when the blower went out in my 70 Buick, was six bucks from the dealer for a brand new one. But had two screws on it, removing it was the major job, stuck brush, so why should I pay six bucks for a new motor when I purchased two new brushes for 25 cents and was a dime a piece for two new bronze bearings? Plus could very easily put plenty of oil in those wicks. Lasted a very long time.

This was in the time where a lot of manual assembly was required, and pole pieces were the field coil type with lots of copper wire.

Today, molded ceramic magnets are used, cheap, no machining of those pole pieces, and the entire thing is welded and crimped together. Automated winding machines wind that armature faster than you can look at it.

If GM could have sold that high quality motor back then for six bucks, with Made in China, cheap crap materials, even with inflation, should be able to sell it for two bucks today. 

Lot has changed since then.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

While I have had my fair share of problems as a new owner, I went with the Platinum $0 Deductible GMPP 'Warranty'. I got a special price that was way lower from a different Dealer and returned the original policy I bought on the date of service. Now I read what I did is supposedly not allowed. I have the new GM paperwork with a new policy number so I'm not too worried? As my CRUZE failed on the second day of ownership, this policy gives me peace of mind as I have concerns myself in hot weather!


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

The water pump is the only component I can see giving me trouble as my car ages. Hopefully the pump I have now is finally designed to handle the stresses in the Cruze.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

So far....with 6000 miles had been at the dealer for the following repairs:

Shocks.
Transmission leak.
Torque convertor leak.
Front axles.
Rear shocks.
Two thermostats.
HVAC problems. Has been at the dealer five times to solve the problem....problem remains and has been deemed "irreparable".
Numerous squeaks and rattles.
Buzzing speaker.
Interior panels scratch when touched with a wedding ring.
Started leaking oil this week.

IMO there is NO chance that this car will be reliable in any way shape or form. The most serious safety issue is for owners in the northern climates....windows freeze up completely in cold weather.

Thank goodness that my lack of faith in GM made me lease this thing. Two more years and they are more than welcome to have it back. I feel sorry for the next owner.


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## CHEVYCRUZE RS (Mar 29, 2011)

Bought mine back in 2011, only changed water pump and it was free from my dealer. Other then that the car runs amazing. Keep in mind I hardly drive the Cruze but I'm always maintaining it. Maintenance is key and if you "feel" a problem get it checked out ASAP . The little things count IMO I just hope my Cruze keeps up , I'm sure it will if you take care of it . With today's technology I can't see GM doing this but you never know


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

CHEVYCRUZE RS said:


> Bought mine back in 2011, only changed water pump and it was free from my dealer. Other then that the car runs amazing. Keep in mind I hardly drive the Cruze but I'm always maintaining it. Maintenance is key and if you "feel" a problem get it checked out ASAP . The little things count IMO I just hope my Cruze keeps up , I'm sure it will if you take care of it . With today's technology I can't see GM doing this but you never know


True, maintenance is the key....unfortunately mine fell apart before it was due for it's first oil change. Seems that it is the luck of the draw with these cars. If you get a good one they are fine, if you get a bad one it is unimaginably bad.


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## CHEVYCRUZE RS (Mar 29, 2011)

I have faith in GM, North America baby !!!! All my trucks & cars are GM , including our work fleet......but I have to say the most reliable truck I have EVER owned (well my dad bought it for me when I first got my licsense lol) was a 2006 Chevy Tahoe LTZ. I destroyed that truck literally and never , never had not one problem. Since that truck I only buy GM. All my buddies laugh at me because I'm a GM guy lol. Stay positive people !


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## CHEVYCRUZE RS (Mar 29, 2011)

Yeah exactly man I'm sorry to hear but that's with anything in life.....you never know what could happen and unfortunately some of us have better luck then others and it just sucks. Hope all goes well with you brother, cheers 




Colt45 said:


> True, maintenance is the key....unfortunately mine fell apart before it was due for it's first oil change. Seems that it is the luck of the draw with these cars. If you get a good one they are fine, if you get a bad one it is unimaginably bad.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

CHEVYCRUZE RS said:


> Yeah exactly man I'm sorry to hear but that's with anything in life.....you never know what could happen and unfortunately some of us have better luck then others and it just sucks. Hope all goes well with you brother, cheers


Thanks man....like I said - I am glad I leased it. I used to bleed GM. Every vehicle I owned until about 2005 was a GM. Mostly Buicks and GMC Sierra. My last two Buicks were nightmares, so I did like everyone else and switched to Toyota. Had a 4Runner that served me trouble free for 200,000 miles until I sold it. Had a Camry that served me 120,000 trouble free until the day it was rear-ended and totaled. 

So I decided to give GM another try as they were always my favorite.....well, not anymore. Not sure what I will buy next, but it will not be a GM.


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## CruzeEcoBlueTopaz (Jan 5, 2012)

2012 Eco MT

I have some news regarding the Chevy Cruze's long term reliability. This is a list of all my repair work in the past 200k miles. This does not include regular interval scheduled maintenance. I realize not everyone will share the same success I have had with my Cruze. Everyday I appreciate the fact that I am driving a Cruze that I feel is working as intended and im very fortunate and thankful for that.

95% of the miles driven are highway/freeway.

30k AC Refigerant Recharge*******Warranty
100k Oil Pan Gasket ( oil leak )*****Warranty
105k Valve Cover ( air leak )*******Parts $ 90 Labor $ 140
180k Valve Cover ( air leak )*******Parts $ 90 Labor $ 140
185k Water Pump ( coolant leak ) **Parts $ 145 Labor $ 255
190k Purge Valve ***************Parts $ 35 Labor $ 130
*****************************Total $ 360 Total $ 665

Talk about insignificant repairs. A couple drops of oil from the bottom of the engine, some escaping air from the top and a couple ounces of leaking coolant.... big deal.

So there you have it roughly $ 1,000 spent over the past 2 years 200k miles for quality and gauranteed GM dealership repair work. Now I realize there are plenty of DIY capable community members able to cut costs on parts and labor. I dont feel so inclinded nor do I have the resources and im perfectly content with the relationship I have with my service agent. 

Bottom line is, in my experience with the Chevy Cruze, it has proven to be a dependable vehicle and im proud to own one. Overall Im very satisfied with my long term investment, what more can I say.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

While I have been in contact with Nadeem at AG in Canada, I find my posts that aren't positive towards the CRUZE are deleted. I even had one admin infer that I was breaking the terms of service and spamming the board when I asked about the plastic hinge in the Oil dip stick which is very hard to insert. I think the CRUZE is a sharp looking Car and I wouldn't trust it at all on a long trip. I feel that I blew $20 Grand on a car that seems most unreliable. A copy of this will be sent to Canada. I am looking for help, not sarcasm by the designated helpers on this board. I could care less about the other regular trolls. JB called my thread stupid after first giving a great answer.


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## CruzeEcoBlueTopaz (Jan 5, 2012)

Think twice before you decide to leave GM as a customer and consider this simple and obvious fact. There are no guarantees with any car manufacturer that every car you purchase will be free of defects or problems down the road. Every automobile company deals with its own quality control issues.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I've already taken one 4,000 mile road trip in my ECO MT and I'm getting ready to do it again, stopping at Lordstown on the way to New Hampshire.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

Eddy Cruze said:


> While I have been in contact with Nadeem at AG in Canada, I find my posts that aren't positive towards the CRUZE are deleted. I even had one admin infer that I was breaking the terms of service and spamming the board when I asked about the plastic hinge in the Oil dip stick which is very hard to insert. I think the CRUZE is a sharp looking Car and I wouldn't trust it at all on a long trip. I feel that I blew $20 Grand on a car that seems most unreliable. A copy of this will be sent to Canada. I am looking for help, not sarcasm by the designated helpers on this board. I could care less about the other regular trolls. JB called my thread stupid after first giving a great answer.



Dang dawg Kiss a Frog ! Let me tell ya EDDYthat you are properly insured by your Warranty so get over it and take that cruzen for a long drive and gain some confidence in it ! To date I have been to PA. And Back driven to Dallas and Back . Averaged 29 .6 MPG in the city 40 + on the highway .


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## CW_ (Jan 31, 2013)

I can't match CruzeEcoBlueTopaz's 200k miles, but I have about 17k on my Cruze and thus far the only things I've had to get fixed that weren't my fault were the brake microswitch safety recall and a water pump. The water pumps were a known problem, it looks like GM has redesigned this pump a few times since most of the junk pumps were built, hopefully they've finally fixed it (Coincidentally has anyone heard of a water pump failure on a '14?). Other than that, I just had to get a crap ton of suspension parts replaced thanks to a pothole on the interstate, can't blame the car for that, I'm still shocked and amazed that the tire and rim didn't blow.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Eddy Cruze said:


> While I have been in contact with Nadeem at AG in Canada, I find my posts that aren't positive towards the CRUZE are deleted. I even had one admin infer that I was breaking the terms of service and spamming the board when I asked about the plastic hinge in the Oil dip stick which is very hard to insert. I think the CRUZE is a sharp looking Car and I wouldn't trust it at all on a long trip. I feel that I blew $20 Grand on a car that seems most unreliable. A copy of this will be sent to Canada. I am looking for help, not sarcasm by the designated helpers on this board. I could care less about the other regular trolls. JB called my thread stupid after first giving a great answer.


Eddy, other than the oil pressure sensor that failed a couple of days after you purchased your Cruze, has it had any other issues? The problem that we've been having with you is that this one issue appears to have made you extremely jittery on anything that isn't what you expect and your posts come across as very negative. The plastic handle on the dip stick was a perfect example of this - my 2002 Pontiac Montana had a plastic handle on the oil dip stick and I never had any problems with it.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

I always wonder how many people who buy a defective product are embarrassed to talk about it. Especially when it comes to a car. One feels suckered that they are making payments on something that is garbage. That must hurt. I am not referring to the Cruze specifically, just cars in general.

The cruze does have many wonderful features. In my case, reliability is not one of those wonderful features. I feel it necessary to share my experience so that anyone buying one of these, especially used, does their due diligence and takes it to a mechanic.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I have never purchased a used car, mainly because I don't want someone else's problems. I know this isn't always feasible for many people, so having an independent mechanic go over a used car before purchase is always a good thing, even if the car is a so called "Certified Pre-Owned".


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## ehousel (Nov 1, 2013)

i feel so lucky every where i read about a strong coolant smell. My car has never done this ever.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

obermd said:


> I have never purchased a used car, mainly because I don't want someone else's problems. I know this isn't always feasible for many people, so having an independent mechanic go over a used car before purchase is always a good thing, even if the car is a so called "Certified Pre-Owned".


Very true.....we looked at a 2011 Malibu Certified Pre-Owned when we bought the Cruze. When we took it to my mechanic, he found about $2500 worth of repairs that were required either now or in the very near future....this is why we went brand new, we didn't want any headaches. LOL!! That kinda backfired in this case.


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## CW_ (Jan 31, 2013)

1 water pump and a minor recall is not a big deal to me. Bad lots of parts happen - doesn't matter if you buy a Hyundai or Porsche, nobody does full tests on every single component on the assembly line. To me, all the problems I've read about on here and other places have mostly been the same thing. I'd be concerned about long term reliablity if it was random problem of the week rather than a few known issues that have mostly been addressed (replace HVAC box grease with something that doesn't smell like Dex-Cool, redesign water pump, redesign valve cover/PCV valve).

My thought on it is basically this: I bought the Cruze because I liked it best out of all the cars I looked at. I could have easily spent a lot more on a car, I have a good job and not a whole lot of expenses, but I didn't see the need. If my Cruze is a decent, reliable car for however long I end up keeping it (hopefully at least 5-7 years), that's great, whatever replaces it may very well be another Chevy. If it turns into a money pit after the warranty runs out, I'll dump it and either become another one of the millions of people driving a Camry or Accord, or decide that if I'm going to deal with an unreliable car I may as well at least buy something obnoxious and flashy, and buy a BMW or a Corvette or something


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

Colt45 said:


> I always wonder how many people who buy a defective product are embarrassed to talk about it. Especially when it comes to a car. One feels suckered that they are making payments on something that is garbage. That must hurt. I am not referring to the Cruze specifically, just cars in general.


My experience is the exact opposite. Most people who have issues can't wait to tell the world about them while the vast majority of people who don't have issues you will never hear from.

Forums like this are bad places to get a true feel for a car because in general there are two types of people drawn to forums: 1) Enthusiasts, and 2) People having problems looking for answers. Therefore, by their very nature forums are heavy on people having problems. They're often easy to spot too as they have relatively few posts, complain a lot, and are gone within a few weeks or months.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

PanJet said:


> My experience is the exact opposite. Most people who have issues can't wait to tell the world about them while the vast majority of people who don't have issues you will never hear from.
> 
> Forums like this are bad places to get a true feel for a car because in general there are two types of people drawn to forums: 1) Enthusiasts, and 2) People having problems looking for answers. Therefore, by their very nature forums are heavy on people having problems. They're often easy to spot too as they have relatively few posts, complain a lot, and are gone within a few weeks or months.


Quite possible. I am on another forum for my Ford Ranger and there are a lot of phony positive posts. The truth, like everything else, is probably somewhere in the middle.

I noticed that when I had my 4Runner, anyone who had a problem was really angry because of the lofty expectation for a really expensive vehicle. With the Cruze, I had very low expectations, so it actually is better than I thought. If I had high expectations I would have purchased it outright as opposed to leasing.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Meh. It's the luck of the draw no matter what you buy. Especially these days - QC has gone far down hill across most manufacturers.

My Cruze has been relatively OK the past couple months after spending lots of time in the shop the first year.

My friend previously owned a Civic for 8 years, and had nothing but trouble with it. My mom has owned an Accord and it has never had anything wrong with it.

We bought a Camry for my girlfriend after she had the last one 10 years and it was a phenomenal car. The 2012? It's been in the shop as much as my car has, for more serious problems (engine/transmission/suspension).

My sister has owned a Ford Escape (the first year was known for problems) for 7 years now, and it's been problem-free.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

obermd said:


> Eddy, other than the oil pressure sensor that failed a couple of days after you purchased your Cruze, has it had any other issues? The problem that we've been having with you is that this one issue appears to have made you extremely jittery on anything that isn't what you expect and your posts come across as very negative. The plastic handle on the dip stick was a perfect example of this - my 2002 Pontiac Montana had a plastic handle on the oil dip stick and I never had any problems with it.


 Just some little quirky things, a couple broken pieces of plastic, the rear wheel rattle noise which is unacceptable, sound like the right rear wheel well has problems. Even posted how I was beginning to like the Car and you most of all had some great advice going back before you made it to admin! I feel that the build quality and design of this entry level Chevy model is not great. You should have seen the Build quality survey. No I am not a spammer, and would never delete a members post because they were having a specific concern. I had never seen Plastic dip sticks in my life. After what happened I contacted Canada to report a situation when an admin opened my closed then deleted dipstick thread to say some nasty comments and accuse me of "borderline spam". Took a snippy of it all, and sent it to AG where I was told NO posts or threads are to be deleted unless they have clearly violated a forum rule. Plus this specific incident was going to be looked into!


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

jblackburn said:


> Meh. It's the luck of the draw no matter what you buy. Especially these days - QC has gone far down hill across most manufacturers.
> 
> My Cruze has been relatively OK the past couple months after spending lots of time in the shop the first year.
> 
> ...


That pretty much sums it up. Too bad that GM and Toyota can't go back to the 'quality' days. There are people, like me, who are more than willing to pay for quality. Problem is that nowadays, even when you try to buy quality it is a total crapshoot. Having said that, I personally refuse to go back to the tainted well. I will try my luck with another brand. I would feel like a complete fool if I bought another Cruze and it was a POS like my current one is.


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## OUGrad05 (Sep 11, 2013)

Colt45 said:


> That pretty much sums it up. Too bad that GM and Toyota can't go back to the 'quality' days. There are people, like me, who are more than willing to pay for quality. Problem is that nowadays, even when you try to buy quality it is a total crapshoot. Having said that, I personally refuse to go back to the tainted well. I will try my luck with another brand. I would feel like a complete fool if I bought another Cruze and it was a POS like my current one is.


Toyota quality is improving recently as is their build quality. For a long period of time (I would argue from early 2000's until the latest models and even a couple current models) that Toyota was selling their name. My brother has an 06 Camry and my wife's 06 Mazda3 (a lower tier car) had a far better built interior and has proven to be far more reliable. My sister in law has a 2002 Rav4, which has received all the regular maintenance and they just had to put a rebuilt engine in it at 120k miles. 

Toyota's change of leadership a couple years ago is paying big dividends now. Their new products are really competitive and the new Lexus products may just be class leading at the moment, besting the Germans and Americans...see the GS and IS...


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

OUGrad05 said:


> Toyota quality is improving recently as is their build quality. For a long period of time (I would argue from early 2000's until the latest models and even a couple current models) that Toyota was selling their name. My brother has an 06 Camry and my wife's 06 Mazda3 (a lower tier car) had a far better built interior and has proven to be far more reliable. My sister in law has a 2002 Rav4, which has received all the regular maintenance and they just had to put a rebuilt engine in it at 120k miles.
> 
> Toyota's change of leadership a couple years ago is paying big dividends now. Their new products are really competitive and the new Lexus products may just be class leading at the moment, besting the Germans and Americans...see the GS and IS...


Sorry - I think Toyota's gone the other way completely. Better driving dynamics and interiors by far, but the reliability has been completely overrated since 2007. We both had Gen 5 Camrys - and they were fantastic cars (one a V6, one a I4). The Gen 6 was a terrible vehicle all-around, but the 7 improved on that cheaply-made product. However, after this one, and component quality problems I've heard with them, I won't buy another.

I can't stand any vehicle Lexus makes. There's nothing class-leading about them.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

So people don't take 'too kindly' around here if you refer to your Chevy as cheap but its ok to talk about your cheap Toyota. Did not appreciate being called stupid, not at all as I enjoy your posts. You represent this forum and if you want to close a thread, do so but don't call the poster stupid before pressing the close button :blowup:


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Eddy Cruze said:


> So people don't take 'too kindly' around here if you refer to your Chevy as cheap but its ok to talk about your cheap Toyota. Did not appreciate being called stupid, not at all as I enjoy your posts. You represent this forum and if you want to close a thread, do so but don't call the poster stupid before pressing the close button :blowup:


Chill out Eddy.

The thread was the only thing called stupid, not you.

We've gotten so many reports from OTHER members (not just the mods) about your posts. They're along the lines of what I would call "completely unnecessary bashing".


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## jsusanka (Jan 31, 2011)

I had a 98 toyota corrolla and it was a piece of junk. Something was always broke and the dealer fought me tooth and nail for fixing things under warranty. When the rack started leaking power steering fluid at 60,000 miles that was sort of the last straw. It was history. It was newer than our 1996 civic and we kept the civic over the toyota. We bought a 07 mazda 3s when got rid of our toyota and it has been a good car. traded the civic in for the cruze. so far our cruze has been pretty reliable our civic had problems during the warranty period two but it was good car and never left us stranded and I sort of have a feeling the cruze will be that way. But what I do I know.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

You know enough to not get stranded by a POS vehicle . 

Yeah man I owned a CRX early 80's model that thing would not die . 275000.00miles later . I finally shot it and left it on the side of the highway around some California town in 2003 . 

Some wrecker sent me a note asking for tow and storage or if I would want it back . I just threw that letter away ..


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

jblackburn said:


> Chill out Eddy.
> 
> The thread was the only thing called stupid, not you.
> 
> We've gotten so many reports from OTHER members (not just the mods) about your posts. They're along the lines of what I would call "completely unnecessary bashing".


 Well call me out on those then. Tell me about the reports and what did they say, what did I do wrong? I know you have a special mod sub forum where you might have discussed me, but there are no reports, I'm not selling anything nor have an agenda. You have participated in 90% of my posts, very helpful, closed a thread of mine and another admin opened it to add some thoughts on how stupid I really was, and a spammer too. I passed that along to AG management, not cool.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

Yo EDDY I really want to do you the Honor of being the First to let you know that the Idea that a plastic covered Dip stick is over the top and quite useless information !

My suggestion to you is STOP being A -_-_
View attachment 70073


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## OUGrad05 (Sep 11, 2013)

jblackburn said:


> Sorry - I think Toyota's gone the other way completely. Better driving dynamics and interiors by far, but the reliability has been completely overrated since 2007. We both had Gen 5 Camrys - and they were fantastic cars (one a V6, one a I4). The Gen 6 was a terrible vehicle all-around, but the 7 improved on that cheaply-made product. However, after this one, and component quality problems I've heard with them, I won't buy another.
> 
> I can't stand any vehicle Lexus makes. There's nothing class-leading about them.


Seriously? Do you have any seat time in the GS or IS? Not only are the material qualities really good but the GS F Sport drives really good (so does the IS F Sport from what I've read but haven't driven one yet). The materials quality is just fantastic. But it may not be your thing and that's ok too....


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## Psychomidgit (Jun 9, 2013)

As others have thrown out there, no matter what car you buy, problems can happen. There are so many variables it's insane. Variables like maintenance, how you drive, what fuel or other fluids you use, to things just happening. I'm a die hard fan of GM, Honda, and Isuzu because they're extremely well made, but like all the auto manufacturers, they have been cutting costs left and right(Isuzu basically isn't here anymore). I maintain my cars way more than recommended and stuff still goes wrong. I've had my Cruze for a short time but it's been great, the parts are inexpensive, and they're easy to work on. But, sometimes vehicles have problems no matter what you do.

If you question GM, I understand, but I drove my '96 buick century back in AZ with 2 leaking head gaskets, a puking oil pan, and a slipping trans for 7 months like that before I traded it in. And it still drove ok when I sold it. At the same time I bought an '05 Cobalt brand new(my first new car) and got rid of it in 4000 mi because it was having all sorts of problems. 

When I had my '03 Accord (I was working at Acura) I replaced my steering pump under warrantee twice in 3 months, got mad because it started leaking again, so I tore it apart and rebuilt it, and had no issues after that. My '88 trooper had one oil change a year and a half after I bought it, a month or two later I drove it into the base shop because I felt like rebuilding it so I could turn it into a really nice offroading toy. After stripping it down we found out that there was no thrust bearing on the crank so it was eating itself apart, but yet it ran that way just fine for almost two years. Yet my '09 Mustang Bullitt was puking out of the rear main seal at I think 24,000 mi. The best part is that Ford claimed that it wasn't leaking enough for them to fix it under warranty.

When it comes to dealing with warranty companies, try dealing with Honda North America. When I worked for Acura('06-'07) we had a lot of issues with MDX's motor mounts and axle half shafts because of the way they were designed. When inspecting an MDX we were not allowed to notate on the vehicle inspection an issue with either of those items if the vehicle was still under warranty. They came out and told us(techs) that they didn't want to pay to fix them anymore. The only way around that was if the customer complained about it, which most had no idea. It made me sick.
And then of course Ford, which is one of the many reasons I won't buy one again. I put an intake on my Bullitt and the service writer said that it had voided my warranty on the motor and didn't want to even touch my car. The only reason I got it in there was because I went to the service manager with a receipt showing that they'd installed the intake on my car and a voice recording of that service writer talking trash about me to another service writer. Stupid woman thought she'd hung up the phone, lol. 

It's really hard to say why or what causes some cars to be lemons, it happens. To truly judge a car I think you'd have to look at the overall, not just yours.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

OUGrad05 said:


> Seriously? Do you have any seat time in the GS or IS? Not only are the material qualities really good but the GS F Sport drives really good (so does the IS F Sport from what I've read but haven't driven one yet). The materials quality is just fantastic. But it may not be your thing and that's ok too....


Seriously. I cannot stand the IS, ES, GS, RX...they're just boring. Their sole saving grace is a fantastic motor. 


Sent from AutoGuide.com App


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

Psychomidgit said:


> When it comes to dealing with warranty companies, try dealing with Honda North America. When I worked for Acura('06-'07) we had a lot of issues with MDX's motor mounts and axle half shafts because of the way they were designed. When inspecting an MDX we were not allowed to notate on the vehicle inspection an issue with either of those items if the vehicle was still under warranty. They came out and told us(techs) that they didn't want to pay to fix them anymore. The only way around that was if the customer complained about it, which most had no idea. It made me sick.
> .


 That is common with most warranty work. If the Customer does not complain about the Warranty problem, the shop is not supposed to advise you unless it presents a safety concern. Within my first month of ownership I had my rear end replaced. What got me sicker and we are not talking about 3rd party warranty companies, GM would only pay Mr. Goodwrench for 1.5 shop hours when it is a 5 hour job in the book. He did it, and I'm sure all is well, but talk about cutting corners?


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## Psychomidgit (Jun 9, 2013)

Yeah, I was talking about Honda and Ford, not 3rd party either. 

Ford is known to do what you're talking about. I don't know if they still have it, but at one time Ford set up an internal program for techs to put in hints and quick tips to help other techs get jobs done easier and faster. After a little time Ford took the hints and tips that techs had put in there and used it to adjust the labor hours so that they would pay the techs less on warranty work. They taught us about this when I was in tech school.


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## MiamiMichael (Mar 12, 2014)

...buying ANY car is _always_ a crap-shoot.

...and, I believe, the _luck_ factor applies, as well.

...just roll with the punches, and enjoy the car.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

1922 Hesitation in 1st gear, Customer Concern Not Duplicated

2585 Rear bumper cover and right rear door realigned Brake drums halfway adjusted.

4100 A/C can't keep up with heat load of 110*F weather, Refer low charged and was recharged. 1st Oil change takes place Mobil 1 EP 5W-30

4176 Service Charging System Message comes on, drives to dealership. Customer Concern Not Duplicated

6490 Tire rotation and that annoying foam on MyLink screen addressed

7610 2 shot trunk release relay accomplished

9141 Oil change Mobil 1 EP 5W-30

9555 Axle recall accomplished and coolant topped off to arrow(was 2 marks low)

17609 Right rear door aligned again tire rotation and oil change Pennzoil Platinum 5w-30

18324 Brake booster vacuum pump and Coil pack failure, pump coil fuse and plugs replaced. 

MyLink was tested multiple times and passed their tests. it has crashed 4 times from what I can remember.


As far as i'm concerned, every car I had broke down worse than this car has. The Eco replaced a car that was temporarily replacing the Subaru I'm still in the process of fixing.


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## oilburner (Jun 13, 2013)

Colt45 said:


> So far....with 6000 miles had been at the dealer for the following repairs:
> 
> Shocks.
> Transmission leak.
> ...


I feel sorry for the manufacture that sells you the next car.


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## bjs2063 (Apr 24, 2011)

I've had a few problems with my Cruze, but they all have been relatively minor. 
Water pump replaced under warranty
some noises and vibrations- that seem to go away on their own,
broken key fobs, and a few other things I can't remember.

I bought my Cruze about the same time two friends each bought Honda Civics. I paid less, got more options, and I drive my cars a bit harder, and have put more miles on my Cruze than they have on their Civics. I have had much fewer problems than both of them have had with their Honda's in 3 years of ownership. One of them recently commented that he should have bought the Chevy, as he commented that my car has less rattles, rides smoother feels tighter and gets better mpg than his honda. 

Both these guys said they bought Honda's because of the reliability. lol.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Colt45 brings up an interesting point. Most of us are having very few problems but there is a small minority of owners having a lot of problems. This tells me that modern cars are so complex that the mathematical laws of averages is working against the car manufacturers and unfortunately a few cars get out where all the problem components have been installed in one vehicle.



Colt45 said:


> Shocks.
> Rear shocks.


I'm not sure what's going on here, but I'm assuming that since you listed them twice that you have noise coming from the suspension in both front and rear. There is a TSB for the front, but unless your car falls into the VIN range for it most dealerships won't replace the front struts. Has your dealership put "ears" on the suspension and tried to track down the source of the noise? Also, and this is a wild ass guess, have you pulled your trunk floor up and ensured the spare tire stack is tightened down? There is very little padding under and no padding around or above the spare tire stack so if it's lose it can bounce around and generate noise that sounds similar to a rear suspension noise.



Colt45 said:


> Transmission leak.
> Torque convertor leak.
> Front axles.
> Started leaking oil this week.


Expect a recall notice for this. I suspect the transmission and torque converter leaks were a result of the right front axle shaft problem. Apparently some of the axle shafts don't fit properly and thus put excess stress on both the axle shaft and on other parts of the transmission. Seals are usually the first to fail in this situation. I wouldn't be surprised to find the oil leak is from an improperly tightened oil pan, oil drain plug, or oil filter. Did you have your oil changed recently?



Colt45 said:


> Two thermostats.
> HVAC problems. Has been at the dealer five times to solve the problem....problem remains and has been deemed "irreparable".


Thermostats, along with the water pump, are a known bad part from the supplier. What is your HVAC doing that can't be repaired? The answer you were given is BS.



Colt45 said:


> Numerous squeaks and rattles.
> Buzzing speaker.
> Interior panels scratch when touched with a wedding ring.


The speaker either needs to be secured properly or replaced, but you have to get your dealership to hear it. Which part of the interior? If it's the silver trim, yes that is excessively soft plastic. As for the squeaks and rattles, this sounds to me like there are lose cables inside the dash and screws holding the dash area together. Squeaks and rattles are some of the hardest problems to track down since sound travels through the material before reaching the air.

Finally, have you tried a different dealership? The one you're currently using doesn't appear capable of handling odd issues.


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## denny48 (Jun 12, 2012)

I was worried about reliability but why should I be?...... Its not a stretch at even at the price point of the cruze we should all expect .....with proper maintenance.... Our cars should last 180k miles and beyond ......I happen to think its the third party parts bin along with ill thought out engineering gremlins of this new product line that's messing this ground breaking cars reputation up ....The fact is .......The heart and soul of the car "the ecotec engine" is rock solid..... best engine ever.... it even rivals honda in the tuner market..... i,ve had three ecotecs....... rock solid. The 6 speed auto is a keep up with jones product and not well engineered in my opinion but it should last along time because its like a standard transmission at the core and they last longer .....The GM 100,000 power train means no worries for a while then it will be time for a new chevy


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## CHEVYCRUZE RS (Mar 29, 2011)

I don't like this thread  .... lol , this morning I went to go visit my cruze with this thread In my head and I just gave Linda the stare


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

Same as the other auto forums I frequent.......can't be halped.
By their very nature forums draw those who are, or suspect they may have a car problem.
An individual reads about a certain failure enouph times and it becomes a thought along the lines of 'When will this happen to my car?'

After a year or so, the mindset becomes 'Hmmm, my car never did that, followed by a shoulder shrug'.

On some forums, someone will start a thread with a invite to check in if you have not had any mechanical concerns.
If you can get them to answer, the 'no problems' crowd is always larger.....lots larger, than you are prepared for.
Sometimes you have to weed out the answers though......as in highlight actual mechanical failures that were resolved.....not those that are in mid-resolution.
Recalls being performed, for example, are not a mechanical failure.....they were a preventative event....like the brake switch's on the turbo 1.4 autos, so that has to be avoided.

Myself, a 2012 eco auto, have had no, nada, zero, nothing that has failed.
So, I would currently say this will be a fine high mileage attaining car as long as the road salt doesn't melt it off its subframes.

Rob


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

CHEVYCRUZE RS said:


> I don't like this thread  .... lol , this morning I went to go visit my cruze with this thread In my head and I just gave Linda the stare


LOL don't piss Linda(the car?) off. You are relying on her to get you from a to b and back to a again seamlessly and efficiently.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Closing in on 83k miles. The only unexpected thing it's needed was a water pump at 78k miles, and that was covered under powertrain warranty. Everything else has been either modding or maintenance.


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## ceglock (Mar 21, 2014)

Did you replace the timing belt??


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## 30 Ounce (Nov 18, 2012)

ceglock said:


> Did you replace the timing belt??


There is not a timing belt on the Cruze.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

> Did you replace the timing belt??





30 Ounce said:


> There is not a timing belt on the Cruze.


1.4 (the volume seller) uses a chain.

Diesel and 1.8 use a belt.


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## CHEVYCRUZE RS (Mar 29, 2011)

Hahaha never !!!!! Never piss off my lady always taking care of her lolol 




Merc6 said:


> LOL don't piss Linda(the car?) off. You are relying on her to get you from a to b and back to a again seamlessly and efficiently.


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## atienne (Nov 2, 2012)

Yes, the windows freezing are horrible! They think that's how my driver's side window crashed down and broke. The motor in the door went bad and the windows were all frozen.

I've had two thermostats also and miriad of problems. 

I can honestly say with some of the major mechanical issues-I KNOW the car is not reliable now let alone in the future!


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## grs1961 (Oct 23, 2012)

Well, mines over five years old now, and no major troubles...


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## BowtieGuy (Jan 4, 2013)

My only concern is how long the clutch is going to last. And even that's not a major concern at this point.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

I've used my 14' in -23°c and my windows never froze...


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## Psychomidgit (Jun 9, 2013)

I'm with him^, it gets to the -20's and -30's here and I've had zero issues with it


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

oilburner said:


> I feel sorry for the manufacture that sells you the next car.


Oilburner, thanks for the constructive input. Another clown running his mouth on the internet. No value added.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

Psychomidgit said:


> I'm with him^, it gets to the -20's and -30's here and I've had zero issues with it


Thanks, that is why I took it back so many times, hoping it was a one-off problem. But it sounds like it is several cars according to the service manager. Something wrong with some part or some process that affected only a certain number of cars?? Hope they find a solution.

I really wanted the Cruze to be a good car. I love the car on the highway. It is quiet, comfy and gives you that big-car feeling. Very nice package for sure.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Some people just have bad experiences. I wouldn't judge an entire brand on one car of a certain make.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

True, but I will take my chances with something else next time. I am sure anyone who was unlucky enough to have the experience I did, would do the same.

I see in your sig that you have a Nova SS......I used to restore muscle cars at one time and had a couple of Novas and about a hundred other cars as well. All gone now.....Every time I watch Barrett Jackson Auctions, I cry just a little.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Yup. It was a project between my dad and I. 406ci, th350 trans w/shift kit. I think next year I'm going to pull the 406 out and put back in the original 350 engine with Muncie transmission.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

money_man said:


> Yup. It was a project between my dad and I. 406ci, th350 trans w/shift kit. I think next year I'm going to pull the 406 out and put back in the original 350 engine with Muncie transmission.


The 350 is the "natural motor" for it for sure. So much you can do with SBC, one of my favourite motors for sure. My last three cars (sold the last one five years ago) were a 1969 Wildcat 455, 1970 Duster 340 and 1981 Z28. The Z28 was an original survivor and I had the original motor removed and crated and replaced it with an LT1. Then sold it as a package for $15,000. Only time in my life I ever made money on a muscle car!


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

money_man said:


> I've used my 14' in -23°c and my windows never froze...





BowtieGuy said:


> My only concern is how long the clutch is going to last. And even that's not a major concern at this point.


Guess it depends on humidity levels and region. In Ohio I leave a 78*F heated garage where the engine idles for 1 minute to get the temp needle to move a smidgen before I turn the fan on. I exit the garage with slight warm air and window defrost still on and 5 mins into the drive I have to be on Defrost only or all the windows fog up. From what I learned it takes 10* difference for condensation to occur. The heat on a cruze never seems to keep up in temps that are below 20*F in my Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey incidents with this car in cold/snow. This is when I don't have an adult passenger and 2 kids int he back to help add to the issue. That's my only concern at this point with the car. Rest of the car is doing as intended to or chalked off as Cruze normal nature. What is this aux heater people refer to in the Diesel only models?


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Merc6 said:


> Guess it depends on humidity levels and region. In Ohio I leave a 78*F heated garage where the engine idles for 1 minute to get the temp needle to move a smidgen before I turn the fan on. I exit the garage with slight warm air and window defrost still on and 5 mins into the drive I have to be on Defrost only or all the windows fog up. From what I learned it takes 10* difference for condensation to occur. The heat on a cruze never seems to keep up in temps that are below 20*F in my Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey incidents with this car in cold/snow. This is when I don't have an adult passenger and 2 kids int he back to help add to the issue. That's my only concern at this point with the car. Rest of the car is doing as intended to or chalked off as Cruze normal nature. What is this aux heater people refer to in the Diesel only models?


I've never had issues with heat in my Cruze. Even when it was often -2*F outside in the morning and the car had been sitting outside all night this past winter. In my mostly-highway commute, I had warm air blowing after 3-4 minutes and solid heat after 10 minutes. 

A lot of diesel cars have small auxiliary electric heaters to provide heat until the engine warms up enough. Depending on how it's used, a diesel engine doesn't give off a whole lot of waste heat to heat the cabin. So electric heaters are put in to make up for it.

83k miles here, and I've had a water pump failure that was covered under powertrain warranty. Aside from the minor teething issues the car had, it's been quite reliable so far.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

sciphi said:


> I've never had issues with heat in my Cruze. Even when it was often -2*F outside in the morning and the car had been sitting outside all night this past winter. *In my mostly-highway commute*, I had warm air blowing after 3-4 minutes and solid heat after 10 minutes.


Thats why, when extremely cold highway driving is about the only thing that generates heat. On a -14F day I took a 30 mile drive on curvy & hilly back roads. I had heat within 15 minutes, but took the engine all 30 miles to get to 220F but could not even use fanspeed 3 or my temperature would start dropping. Same thing happens in the city. 

On the way home decided to take interstate, at 65-70mph in -14F I had no problem keeping 210-220F on the engine even with fan speed 4(max on my 2012). strange because at 55-60mph in the same conditions I get major temperature drop on fan 3 or 4.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

spacedout said:


> Thats why, when extremely cold highway driving is about the only thing that generates heat. On a -14F day I took a 30 mile drive on curvy & hilly back roads. I had heat within 15 minutes, but took the engine all 30 miles to get to 220F but could not even use fanspeed 3 or my temperature would start dropping. Same thing happens in the city.
> 
> On the way home decided to take interstate, at 65-70mph in -14F I had no problem keeping 210-220F on the engine even with fan speed 4(max on my 2012). strange because at 55-60mph in the same conditions I get major temperature drop on fan 3 or 4.


Yup, as soon as I jump on the highway (5 mins from home), even near 0 outside, I have heat.

If I don't, I can drive around town for 15-20 mins before it heats up.

*This engine needs either a load or RPMs to warm it up.*


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

So what issues are you guys on up high going to come across here in April ?

We need a new issue to yap about ! I am pretty sure that every possible issue has been dissected to death . 

Where is ikermit he is always good for a laugh ..

Finally some goofer ball out in San Fran Posted a pic of the windsurfers on the Bay .
On any given day during the summer season the entire Bay is filled with Sails Awesome sight to see even better to Smurfboard along ....


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## Bruno (Aug 20, 2012)

Turning in my '12 LS (automatic) early for a new '14 LT (6-spd) in a few days.. knock on wood, it has been decently reliable other than the questionable fuel economy and coolant smell (which has been fixed by my dealership.) Granted my LS only has 24,500kms but the offer to upgrade to an LT is too good to pass out - and I will finally have air conditioning


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Ha, unsure about just about everything when it comes to the future. So tend to take just one day at a time. 

But have this strange idea, if I keep up on all the maintenance on my Cruze, and drive it sanely, should last longer.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

That's nice Nickd keep up with your maintenance schedule .


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

Bruno said:


> Turning in my '12 LS (automatic) early for a new '14 LT (6-spd) in a few days.. knock on wood, it has been decently reliable other than the questionable fuel economy and coolant smell (which has been fixed by my dealership.) Granted my LS only has 24,500kms but the offer to upgrade to an LT is too good to pass out - and I will finally have air conditioning


 My new 2014 throws wisps of Coolant smell, not sure that was ever 100% fixed. I assume the hotter it gets the more I will smell that red stuff









[h=3]*‎85°F Fair **[/h]‎89°F High ‎64°F Low 

[*]







[h=3]Today ‎76.5°F [/h]‎89°F High ‎64°F Low 

[*]







[h=3]Tomorrow ‎81°F [/h]‎95°F High ‎67°F Low 

[*]







[h=3]Wednesday ‎82.5°F [/h]‎98°F High ‎67°F Low 
*
*
*


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Eddy, the outside temperature doesn't seem it make a difference. Clean the vent channel on your surge tank and keep an eye on this channel. If coolant residue builds up there you can see it. Let your new dealership know if you find coolant there.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

obermd said:


> Eddy, the outside temperature doesn't seem it make a difference. Clean the vent channel on your surge tank and keep an eye on this channel. If coolant residue builds up there you can see it. Let your new dealership know if you find coolant there.


Well actually...Whenever I smelled it, it was <20F outside, heater on high, car warmed past 200F, and surge tank full to the top of the arrow. If it was above freezing, I would not smell a single thing. 


Sent from AutoGuide.com App


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## Bruno (Aug 20, 2012)

If I recall there is a bulletin to relocate one of the coolant vents to prevent the smell from entering the cabin.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

So, Cruze will need another trip to the dealer (twelfth time in 8 months). Two leaks discovered; a transmission line and a sensor both need to be replaced and parts must be ordered.......7000 miles on this car.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

Colt45 said:


> So, Cruze will need another trip to the dealer (twelfth time in 8 months). Two leaks discovered; a transmission line and a sensor both need to be replaced and parts must be ordered.......7000 miles on this car.


Ouch! Were any of the 12 trips repeats for a given problem, is that 12 separate problems?


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

I listed off the problems early in the thread, here is the list so far.....

So far....with 6000 miles had been at the dealer for the following repairs:

Shocks.
Transmission leak.
Torque convertor leak.
Front axles.
Rear shocks.
Two thermostats.
HVAC problems. Has been at the dealer five times to solve the problem....problem remains and has been deemed "irreparable".
Numerous squeaks and rattles.
Buzzing speaker.
Interior panels scratch when touched with a wedding ring.
Leaking sensor
Transmission lines need to be replaced.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

obermd said:


> Colt45 brings up an interesting point. Most of us are having very few problems but there is a small minority of owners having a lot of problems. This tells me that modern cars are so complex that the mathematical laws of averages is working against the car manufacturers and unfortunately a few cars get out where all the problem components have been installed in one vehicle.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply. I did list shocks twice in error, I cannot recall the other rear suspension component that they replaced.

As far as the heating/defrosting problem.....it was still a problem until it warmed up outside. The car is currently at the dealer for two oil leaks and the antifreeze smell. The dealer tells me that he has other cars that leak oil when it is "extremely cold". 

Bottom line is this car is simply not designed for extreme climates like we have. It is too bad that GM sells them here because the car cannot handle it. It does not defrost, has almost no heat, and it leaks oil when it is cold.

Today when I got home from my 13th trip to the dealer I finally wrote a complaint letter to GM. This is the first complaint letter I have ever written to anybody about anything.

As for my dealer? Very good reputation, I have been dealing with them for years. They are one of the highest volume dealers in Canada and I have never had an issue with them.


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## grs1961 (Oct 23, 2012)

It's saddening that the Cruze built in the USA cannot handle the cold of Canada, where the Cruze built in Korea seems to have few problems handling the cold of Russia.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

That is an interesting point....mind you , the Russian had a Lada before the Cruze and the Canadian had a Camry before the Cruze. LOL!!

I am as baffled as you....


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

How cold? I had heat within minutes in ctd and haven't had oil leakage problems, albeit the temps only got to -23°c but still.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

Pretty much anything under -20. And that is after being plugged in inside the garage and letting it run for ten minutes. We have a remote starter and always run it a long time before driving it,but that makes no difference. It does not warm at all at idle, not even a little bit.


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## 2013LT (Jul 3, 2013)

The cruze diesel has heat assist where the regular cruze does not. Mine takes forever to warm up but this is covered in many threads throughout the forum. Even if your CTD thermo is stuck open you will get some heat but the car will take forever to heat up.

If your going to heat the car up at idle with a remote starter make sure you have the fan set at full speed at the coldest setting without the AC being on (blowing out of the main vents). Then when you get in the car turn the heat on. You will have much more success warming the car up that way then with the heat running robbing the engine of what little heat it has generated. In the end your just wasting gas. Remote start is almost a waste in this car.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

My car at -23°c remote starter once, I got in and it was warm. Turned on my heated seat and I was good to go. Diesel ftw


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## oilburner (Jun 13, 2013)

Colt45 said:


> Oilburner, thanks for the constructive input. Another clown running his mouth on the internet. No value added.


sorry I ruffled your feathers Colt45 but all those problems in such a short time. I think your expectations are far higher than most cruze owners.
I`am sure you won`t agree!
best regards clown


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

2013LT said:


> The cruze diesel has heat assist where the regular cruze does not. Mine takes forever to warm up but this is covered in many threads throughout the forum. Even if your CTD thermo is stuck open you will get some heat but the car will take forever to heat up.
> 
> If your going to heat the car up at idle with a remote starter make sure you have the fan set at full speed at the coldest setting without the AC being on (blowing out of the main vents). Then when you get in the car turn the heat on. You will have much more success warming the car up that way then with the heat running robbing the engine of what little heat it has generated. In the end your just wasting gas. Remote start is almost a waste in this car.



Thanks you for your input. The remote start is not a waste in this case because the car sits for 11 hours at work, so it needs to be started. But like you say, it does not help the heat problem. I keep the blower on 'two' so that it generates heat. If I put the setting on 4, it will drop the temp gauge all the way to zero and blow ice-cold air.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

oilburner said:


> sorry I ruffled your feathers Colt45 but all those problems in such a short time. I think your expectations are far higher than most cruze owners.
> I`am sure you won`t agree!
> best regards clown


Whatever buddy. Pretty typical response from people in your neck of the woods. Nothing valuable to say, but always willing to say it....over the internet anyway.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

oilburner said:


> sorry I ruffled your feathers Colt45 but all those problems in such a short time. I think your expectations are far higher than most cruze owners.


Soo, Cruze owners should expect to have problems with their cars?


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

Jim Frye said:


> Soo, Cruze owners should expect to have problems with their cars?


Based on his username, I can only assume the Cruze is a huge upgrade from whatever he drove before.


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## 2013LT (Jul 3, 2013)

Colt. If you leave your heater off while the car is warming up it will warm up faster and you will actually get heat faster. It sounds backwards but it works. If you leave the fan setting at its highest speed with the temperature setting at its coldest while the engine is warming up your engine will warm up significantly faster than having the heat on and you will actually get heat faster. I don't let me car warm up even in -30 lol. I just start it and drive away (no remote start in mine)


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

That is what we do....and I learned that from the great folks in this forum, but it will lose temp in about five minutes as soon as you hit the highway no matter where the fan is. Much better in the city once it warms up. Problem is that most city hops are twenty minutes, which is nowhere near what is needed to clear the windows. Like I said, even when it reaches operating temp, if I turn up the fan I can drop the temp gauge to zero. My buddy at the dealer said he has dozens of complaints about the same thing.

.....and I also never turn the fan past three.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

I used to have an '83 Civic with a 1.3L motor that would not heat in winter. Covered half the radiator with a piece of cardboard to fix the issue. Of course you can't easily do that on today's cars with all of the covers that are used now.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

That is what the dealer did......put cardboard in the air intakes and in front of the grill. I did this on my 1957 Apache pickup too.

I was kinda hoping that I would not have to do that with a new car.


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## 2013LT (Jul 3, 2013)

Ahh yea I've watched my temp go down too lol... Interesting how it does that.


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## Zach.K (Apr 17, 2014)

I don't agree with letting the car sit to warm up. Maybe 2 minutes tops. 

Taken from my audis owner manual. 



> To avoid unnecessary engine wear and to reduce exhaust emissions, do not let your vehicle stand and warm up. Be ready to drive off immediately after starting your vehicle. Maintain moderate speed until the engine is completely warm. Remember, the engine performs best at operating temperature.


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

There were days when it was -50 here....oil is like Jello, even synthetic. Warming it less that five minutes and most engines will be destroyed way before their time....and so will most transmissions and barely shift for the first five minutes. You would be amazed what kind of noise a motor makes when you cold start it here.


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## 2013LT (Jul 3, 2013)

If the climate here was any colder I'd be switching oil weights for the winter.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Colt45 said:


> There were days when it was -50 here....oil is like Jello, even synthetic. Warming it less that five minutes and most engines will be destroyed way before their time....and so will most transmissions and barely shift for the first five minutes. You would be amazed what kind of noise a motor makes when you cold start it here.


Sounds like cold ol' Canada. The country that can make a gas cold startup sound like a diesel when its warm


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Colt45 said:


> There were days when it was -50 here....oil is like Jello, even synthetic. Warming it less that five minutes and most engines will be destroyed way before their time....and so will most transmissions and barely shift for the first five minutes. You would be amazed what kind of noise a motor makes when you cold start it here.


I bought the OBDII bluetooth adapter this winter so I could monitor my coolant, oil and transmission temperature from the warmth of my house(using remote start & the torque app on my nexus 7). On the extreme cold days -22F(-30C) I would let the car idle 5-8 minutes before I ever go outside. 

I figured out I needed an engine temperature of 75F(24C) and transmission fluid temp above 32F(0C) if I wanted my car to shift smoothly and start generating some heat within a few minutes of driving.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

Money_man and spaced out...yes and yes. Minimum five minutes or you are going to destroy that frozen, un-lubricated engine as soon as you put it under load.


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## oilburner (Jun 13, 2013)

Jim Frye said:


> Soo, Cruze owners should expect to have problems with their cars?


Jim been in the auto repair business for 40 years an all cars will have problems at some point.


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## oilburner (Jun 13, 2013)

Colt45 said:


> Based on his username, I can only assume the Cruze is a huge upgrade from whatever he drove before.


Cote45 if someone says I have an oilburner it means its a diesel ,I have 2 oilburners my cruze an my diesel tractor.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Are you a farmer?


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

oilburner said:


> Jim been in the auto repair business for 40 years an all cars will have problems at some point.


I've been a auto owner for over 40 years and have owned eight that either never had any problems or had one long, long after 5 years of ownership. The one glaring exception was an '86 Ford that had 51 in the first 15 months. And the '69 Camaro that went through 4 water pumps, a broken motor mount, and three heater fan controls in 6 years. Guess I'm really lucky.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Colt45 said:


> There were days when it was -50 here....oil is like Jello, even synthetic. Warming it less that five minutes and most engines will be destroyed way before their time....and so will most transmissions and barely shift for the first five minutes. You would be amazed what kind of noise a motor makes when you cold start it here.


You'd be surprised what a good synthetic will do. Not the group 3 stuff like Mobil 1.

Our 0W-30 has a pour point of -51F (-60C). An oil pan heater will get you a few degrees up from that and you'll have no problems. Our fuel efficient ATF has a pour point of -53F (-63C). 

How do you think AMSOIL became popular up in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota? Making an oil that actually started your car in sub -20 F temperatures.

An oil pan heater is also advised in those conditions although said heater will only take you so far. The fluid will take care of the rest. 

I've tested flow rates of our synthetic against other brands in -15F conditions and the flow rate in identical funnels is about double. 

Sent from AutoGuide.com App


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

So which oil would you advise for the diesel cruze? Would you advise one viscosity for the winter and one for summer?


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## oilburner (Jun 13, 2013)

money_man said:


> Are you a farmer?


no, auto mechanic or they call use technicians now I have 62 acres an there is always a need for it.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

money_man said:


> So which oil would you advise for the diesel cruze? Would you advise one viscosity for the winter and one for summer?


Mobil 1 ESP is the best I've seen so far in the 5W-30 viscosity spec, summer or winter. To people who just want a dexos2 equivalent oil, I'd recommend it.

That said, if it was MY car, I'd be running the AMSOIL 5W-40 cj-4 diesel oil with a bypass filter on a 30k+ mile OCI. A 30 weight oil was chosen by GM to improve fuel economy, even though that is not likely to make more of a fraction of an MPG difference, and the 5W-40 cj-4 oil meets requirements for 2007+ diesel emissions control equipment, which means it is safe for diesel particulate filters. 

Then, I would run both a cetane boost and an injector clean on a regular basis to keep my injectors and fuel pump running reliably forever and reducing the DPF regeneration cycle to once in a blue moon. 

I would not switch viscosities due to the drain intervals this engine is capable of.

Sent from AutoGuide.com App


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## oilburner (Jun 13, 2013)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Mobil 1 ESP is the best I've seen so far in the 5W-30 viscosity spec, summer or winter. To people who just want a dexos2 equivalent oil, I'd recommend it.
> 
> That said, if it was MY car, I'd be running the AMSOIL 5W-40 cj-4 diesel oil with a bypass filter on a 30k+ mile OCI. A 30 weight oil was chosen by GM to improve fuel economy, even though that is not likely to make more of a fraction of an MPG difference, and the 5W-40 cj-4 oil meets requirements for 2007+ diesel emissions control equipment, which means it is safe for diesel particulate filters.
> 
> ...


money man you won`t go wrong with this oil, I use it as well. I`ve seen time after time how well amsoil performs after tear downs in race engines.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

So if I get a hold of my amsoil rep I just ask for 5w40 cj-4 oil?


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Care about my 60 year old history with cars? Even using conventional engine oil for years with sane driving and maintenance, practically zero major engine problems. Like over 330K on my 65 Buick or 230K on my 73 Fleetwood. This was not true on early 60's models were an engine overhaul was practically required every 50 K miles or so. 

Was for this reason I sold most of my engine rebuilding equipment like 30 years ago.

Major problem and perhaps living in salted roads is body rust out, was repairable with frame type cars, throwaway with unibody cars. Where this has been my history for getting rid of cars ever since unibody cars came out.

Can deal with any electronic or electrical problems, have the skills and test equipment for this. Most typical is poor electrical connections and poor soldering.

Saw my old 04 Cavalier last month that I gave to my stepdaughter parked on Milwaukee streets is really starting to show signs or rock panel rust. At this rate, would only give this car another year or so. Mechanically, still in great shape.


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## Colt45 (Jan 4, 2014)

XtremeRevolution said:


> You'd be surprised what a good synthetic will do. Not the group 3 stuff like Mobil 1.
> 
> Our 0W-30 has a pour point of -51F (-60C). An oil pan heater will get you a few degrees up from that and you'll have no problems. Our fuel efficient ATF has a pour point of -53F (-63C).
> 
> ...


Us synthetic in all my vehicles except the Cruze. I have all maintenance done at the GM Dealer because I have no faith in this car. With constant warranty issues, I don't want them to have any reason to start denying claims because I did not use " GM Approved" whatever.

Car was picked up yesterday.....replace transmission cooling lines - I believe this is the second time for that.

And, of course "Antifreeze smell"......."Unable to reproduce".

LOL!!! I am going to get a "Countdown Until End of Lease" app for my phone.

Thanks for all the tips and hints you guys have been offering. I will keep you updated. So far the car has not been at the dealer for over 16 hours. Hoping to make it at least until Monday before something else leak, snaps, melts or stinks.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Just twice for me with 26,238 miles on it.

First time with 2K miles on it, the DCT said the power steering was cut out. I pulled over, turned off the ignition, the light when out and power steering was okay again. But took it to my dealer anyway, they contacted GM, said was some kind of sensor code was stored. GM told them to replace the entire electrical power steering with a brand new one. No problems since then.

Second time was my own complaint with wind noise on the driver's window. Could see a 1/4" gap only in this window weather strip. They replaced that with a new one without this large gap, this got rid of that annoying wind noise.

But at times I get paranoid from reading the posts on this board. Always check my fluids, didn't lose a drop of anti-freeze, oil is at the full mark when doing an oil change. Latest was concern about valve cover leaks. Mine wasn't leaking, but found all 15 valve cover bolts about an eighth of a turn loose torquing to 79 inch-ounces. Maybe this is the cause of this problem.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

I was thinking today and maybe since I do 5000 mile oil changes that maybe I'll just continue to run the dealer dexos2. I'm not hard on this car and honestly couldn't do these 15000 mile oil changes you guys do, it would just bother me.


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## mcg75 (Mar 5, 2012)

It's funny how owning a vehicle can skewer your interpretation of reliability in either direction. 

The OP, and I'm not picking on him at all, had a "bullet proof" 2006 Aveo. 

I have a dozen or so customers with Aveos/Waves over the last 10 years. I've had no less than 3 suffer from timing belt failure before the interval was up. Of the others, they have all needed the rear beam axle replaced because the bushings tear out letting the axle move around. Thankfully, Moog has started to build the bushings for the axle now. Before they started, the only option was axle replacement because GM didn't sell bushings separately. That was a $500 Cdn part that the GMC dealer kept 3 of in stock at all times due to how many were being sold. Front wheel bearings are another very common ailment and well as ball joints. 

But the point is we really need data from a wealth of sources before deeming anything to be reliable or not.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Ha, getting more concerned about my own bodies long term reliability, and recently, that of my grandson. Never counted the vehicles I have owned over the years, must be at least fifty. Just try to keep up with preventative maintenance and drive them sanely. 

One thing for sure over the years, sure have to drive a lot more defensively, a lot more nuts on the road. And not the kind you eat or hold bolts on.


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