# 50000 Miles in a Cruze Diesel



## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Well, I finally hit the first milestone in my 2014 Chevy Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel. (Well, that’s not 100% accurate – I am actually at 49,439 miles as of this writing, but figured I was “close enough” to do this writeup.) When I first bought it, it was more of just a curiosity, something I thought I would play with for a while and then sell, as I have done so many times before. I’ve owned more than 80 cars and have a short attention span, so it’s not unusual for me to trade a new car with 10K miles. (…or 1K miles. My record is a 2009 Toyota Highlander I traded with 731 miles on it. Ouch.) So I was surprised when 10K, 20K, 30K miles showed up on the odometer and I still loved the car. My story will be a bit random and I will jump around to different topics, so be prepared as you read it. 

So, as I promised in another post a while back, here is my writeup about what it’s been like to drive this car 50,000 miles or so. I drive in a variety of situations, but the balance (if you consider time and not miles) is about 25% city, traffic and short trips. The other 75% is long haul highway trips. In short, the car has proven to be 100% reliable and trouble free. I got one of the first ones off the production line, and it looks like they got this car right, right from the start. In comparison, I had a 2012 Civic before this and it needed fuel lines and a CV axle in the first few months of ownership. (I wasn’t really all that crazy about the Civic, but I had set a goal to put 100K miles on it, which I accomplished then promptly got rid of it)

Here are my impressions of the CTD overall: At first, I was not so sure about the comfort of the seats, but somehow I managed to get the seat set so that it was all-day comfortable. At my friend’s suggestion, I pulled the fuse for the seat so that the parking attendants or friends or service technicians who drive the car can’t change it. The car is serene and quiet on the highway, and a level of quiet, comfort and driving dynamics that I would associate with an entry-luxury sedan rather than an econobox. This is also the first car with EPS (electric power steering) that has a good feel to it. I think it is weighted perfectly. It really is quite an extraordinary piece of automotive machinery. I also love the sound of the engine at idle and at low speeds. I will often drive with the windows open just to hear the engine better. 

Things I have noticed as the miles have added up: The engine sound really hasn’t changed all that much that I can tell. It pretty much still sounds exactly the way it did when I got it. One thing I noticed is that after about 20-30K miles it sometimes would make some new sounds when I first started it on a cold morning, but nothing that really ever sounded out of the ordinary for the car, especially with a few miles on it. It did seem to gain power as the engine broke in. I am pretty sure it’s more powerful now than it’s ever been. I would imagine with synthetic oil (GM Dexos2 partial synthetic for the first 30K miles, then Total Quartz INEO 5W30 thereafter) the engine break in is still going on, even with about 50K miles. Oil consumption is negligible and really doesn’t change much on the dipstick. I do not have to add any oil in between changes. It always starts quickly and settles into a smooth idle. No perceptible differences since new. 

When I first got the car I wondered how long the injectors and glow plugs would hold up, but they are all working perfectly so far. I think I read somewhere that the glow plugs are good for 100K and the injectors are good for 200K. These are most likely jobs I will take on myself and write another DIY for the forum. I would like to do the timing belt myself, but will have to see about that one. I’ve never done one before on a car but I have tensioned a timing belt on a 2.5 Chrysler engine once, and the engine did not self destruct after I was done, so that is a good thing. 

My lifetime fuel economy has been right around 41 MPG. This is with June-March ownership. I am sure that will improve slightly over the warmer months. I was getting 42-43 overall in the warm weather and 38-39 overall in the winter. Roughly 10% difference likely due to the blended fuel, snow tires, thicker air, etc.

I have driven the car through some pretty bad weather on multiple occasions and I can safely say that when equipped with Michelin X-Ice XI3 tires, it is fantastically stable and secure in the snow. It also has very good grip and has always been able to make it up my steep unplowed driveway without issue. 

A hotly debated topic is engine break in. I drove it like I stole it from day one. WOT, redline and long trip cruise control on. All the taboo “no-no’s” and my engine is just fine. I think oil consumption and power are good indicators of the overall health of an engine, and as mentioned earlier, mine doesn’t really use any oil and has great power. 

Is there anything I don’t like about the car? Yes, but really a very minor complaint. This issue goes for all Cruzen instead of a diesel specific characteristic. I find that the front window defroster could have been a bit better designed. It doesn’t get the whole window and the side windows don’t seem to have a way to get good defrosting action. I don’t consider it a major issue as I was always able to get enough visibility to drive safely. 

One of my favorite features of the car is the electric heat. It is so nice to be able to get into a very cold car and have meaningful heat after a couple minutes. I use the manual mode to keep the engine at higher RPMs to get it to heat up to operating temp faster. This combined with the heated seats make it very nice to drive in the winter. 

In summary, I am very impressed with this car. For what essentially amounts to a completely new powertrain (for the US) and with mine being one of the first off the production line, it’s truly been a flawless execution. To anybody who has any concerns about buying one, I can 100% safely say I would do it all over again and would recommend this car to anybody without hesitation. Yes, some members have reported problems, but they all seem to be minor and there aren’t that many of them. I’ve been active on this forum since I purchased my Cruze and I think the number of reported problems by members can be counted on one hand, which is also very impressive. For a contrast – take a look at the Maserati Ghibli forum. EVERYBODY on that forum has at least a couple issues with their new Ghibli. 

And of course, I welcome any questions about my experience so far or if you are wondering about anything I may have forgotten to mention.


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## cdb09007 (Aug 7, 2013)

Just wanted to say congrats on the milestone. I wish while i was looking at cars i looked into the diesel more. Can't wait to hear your 100k review (hope you make it without buying another new car :biglaugha


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Nice. You, sir, like to drive! 

I am very interested in maintenance as the Diesel get's older. If memory serves, you should've done a fuel filter by now. What was the cost on that?


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## CruzeEcoBlueTopaz (Jan 5, 2012)

Great writeup. If im not mistaken you put on 50k miles in 9 months which is about 5,500 miles per month. I would say that is a fair amount of miles for you to get an idea about the long term reliability of your particular cruze. If you havent had many repairs or issues I would assume the cruze you drive is working as intended and could end up lasting you a lifetime if you choose to keep it.

Im curious about your maintenance habbits. Do you have a list of all the repairs and or maintenance ? Are you keeping up with suggestions on this forum regarding replacing the fluids and other maintenance parts ? Or are you sort of using your own personal experience and guidelines as a longtime car owner and diy guy. Remember while approaching 100k its time to start thinking about replacing that very important timing belt. 

I hope you decide to keep your cruze and put on another couple hundred thousand miles it will be interesting to see the results from a high mileage diesel.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Danny5 said:


> Nice. You, sir, like to drive!
> 
> I am very interested in maintenance as the Diesel get's older. If memory serves, you should've done a fuel filter by now. What was the cost on that?


Yes I did the fuel filter around 42K miles. (I made a DIY for the forum too in case you're interested). I bought the filter from my local dealer for something on the order of $85, give or take a few bucks. Very sophisticated filter and worth the money, IMO.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

CruzeEcoBlueTopaz said:


> Great writeup. If im not mistaken you put on 50k miles in 9 months which is about 5,500 miles per month. I would say that is a fair amount of miles for you to get an idea about the long term reliability of your particular cruze. If you havent had many repairs or issues I would assume the cruze you drive is working as intended and could end up lasting you a lifetime if you choose to keep it.
> 
> Im curious about your maintenance habbits. Do you have a list of all the repairs and or maintenance ? Are you keeping up with suggestions on this forum regarding replacing the fluids and other maintenance parts ? Or are you sort of using your own personal experience and guidelines as a longtime car owner and diy guy. Remember while approaching 100k its time to start thinking about replacing that very important timing belt.
> 
> I hope you decide to keep your cruze and put on another couple hundred thousand miles it will be interesting to see the results from a high mileage diesel.


Rough list: Oil/filter changes every 6K on the free stuff up to 30K, then I started pushing the limit a bit and adjusting based on Blackstone labs readings saying my oil was still good even with 11K+ on a single change. I did engine air and cabin air filters at 30K-ish and fuel filter at 42K-ish. That's it, other than snow tires. Original tires still have plenty of tread on them with 29K miles and brake pads/rotors still look good. No repairs of any sort.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

That's an awesome report - and that kinda mileage is a good test to determine whether or not the car is a good match for you. 50K miles in a short time-frame and you're not bored with the car...sounds like you picked a winner!


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Congrats man, you cement the idea in my head that I picked the right car.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

The best write up for a CTD to date Bravo to you and your enthusiastic exclamations of ownership of a first year production Vehicle .


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## Sperry (Aug 3, 2013)

I'm nearing 25000 miles and as it gets warmer out I have noticed that the tranny is shifting beautifully now.. Like you , this car amazes me .. I have no regrets with this purchase


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## Gator (Jul 14, 2013)

I'm also at 25000 miles and trouble free to this point. Cant say enough good things about the car. My issues where dealer issues. Diesel good write up thanks.


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## apinkel (Feb 15, 2014)

My city/highway split 25/75 is almost identical to yours as is my lifetime mpg. I was almost at 43mpg when winter hit. I'm now down to around 41.We've been warming up here and, needless to say, I'm looking forward to it. It's been a long cold winter.


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## DieselMan33 (Oct 13, 2013)

Awesome write up! I am closing in on your 50k, I am about to turn 4k


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## Zenturi (Jan 25, 2014)

I'm still a young pup at 750 miles, but I usually keep my cars a decade or more and roll them over 200K. :happy:

Some of my impressions are a little counter to the OP. I liked the meatier feel of modern hydraulic steering assist in my prior cars. But the ESP is not "bad", just more isolating feeling, like the 1970s lead sleds I used to drive in college.

The diesel exhaust note is definitely an acquired taste. But I tell myself it gives the car a whimsical quality, kind of like driving those old air-cooled VW bugs or Corvairs.

I can always nitpick (I did with my prior car too) but I have no buyer's remorse. It does everything it's intended to do quite well.


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## 888 (Jan 14, 2014)

Good to know, hopefully the 6 speed manual and cloth seats make it to the next gen and it doesn't look like a Prius so I can buy one. Diesel cars can be pretty amazing as far as mechanical longevity goes, the TDI I drive every day has 253k on it and it runs as well as others I have recently driven with half the miles. It doesn't use oil or otherwise misbehave, I see no reason it won't make it to 300k. My other TDI is driven by my son and it has 200k but it is chipped and seems to have more issues with oil leaks etc but still runs like a beast. 

The odd thing about having a car with that many miles on it is starting to run into things wearing that typically aren't experienced on gas cars because they are already dead and gone. Stuff like front control arms and various suspension bushings, my TDI needs to have the front end rebuilt this summer. It should be no problem to find those parts because stock VW control arm bushings are so crappy that most import part places have control arm/bushing assembles in stock but all the subframe stuff will probably eventually need to be redone as well. 

Also, on the TDI engine, the EGR system tends to coke up the intake manifold and start killing performance. I checked mine when I did the timing belt and it appears my TDI had the intake cleaned before I got it, my son's is starting to get bad, I have a spare manifold on the shelf. The EGR cooler also needs cleaning at this time, this all needs to come off of the car to be cleaned so nothing migrates into the engine and does damage. I'm an admin on a regional VW/Audi web site and one of the guys there bought a newish CPO BMW diesel that was eventually determined to have a coked up intake. After the repairs were done, it died from main bearing failure soon after. The fight is still ongoing but the suspicion is that some of the intake debris ended up in the engine and clogged the pickup screen or got into some part of the oil system. BMW doesn't sell many diesels so they don't know how to handle this stuff apparently, so I would suspect it's best to look into this yourself in case the dealer isn't up to speed on everything related to a diesel. 

I haven't looked into how the Cruze EGR system is set up but when you guys start getting to this 50k mile level on the car you probably should start looking into whether there is any data on the other versions of this engine out there to see if this is going to be a problem needing monitoring. That's one of the few things I know of that can kill a diesel other than running it out of oil/coolant or total neglect of maintenance.


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

888, do you know much about urea injection? It's my understanding cars without it have to run heavier egr as it's my understanding. If that's the case I would think our motors might experience the same issues but take longer to gunk up. What's your thoughts on this? 

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

888 said:


> Good to know, hopefully the 6 speed manual and cloth seats make it to the next gen and it doesn't look like a Prius so I can buy one. Diesel cars can be pretty amazing as far as mechanical longevity goes, the TDI I drive every day has 253k on it and it runs as well as others I have recently driven with half the miles. It doesn't use oil or otherwise misbehave, I see no reason it won't make it to 300k. My other TDI is driven by my son and it has 200k but it is chipped and seems to have more issues with oil leaks etc but still runs like a beast.
> 
> The odd thing about having a car with that many miles on it is starting to run into things wearing that typically aren't experienced on gas cars because they are already dead and gone. Stuff like front control arms and various suspension bushings, my TDI needs to have the front end rebuilt this summer. It should be no problem to find those parts because stock VW control arm bushings are so crappy that most import part places have control arm/bushing assembles in stock but all the subframe stuff will probably eventually need to be redone as well.
> 
> ...


I do wonder how long the intake system will go before it needs cleaned.


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

888 said:


> Also, on the TDI engine, the EGR system tends to coke up the intake manifold and start killing performance...
> 
> I haven't looked into how the Cruze EGR system is set up but when you guys start getting to this 50k mile level on the car you probably should start looking into whether there is any data on the other versions of this engine out there to see if this is going to be a problem needing monitoring. That's one of the few things I know of that can kill a diesel other than running it out of oil/coolant or total neglect of maintenance.


The Cruze's use of SCR (the system that uses DEF) theoretically should make this less of an issue. Both EGR and SCR work to accomplish the same task of reducing NOx emissions. VW tried to get around having to use DEF by relying more on the EGR and subsequently encountered the problems of more intake clogging and worse DPF performance since the engine has to run richer and use EGR more which creates more soot.

By using SCR, the Cruze should rely a lot less on the EGR putting less strain on the intake system and the DPF. Only time will tell.



Diesel, many congrats on your experience so far; excellent write-up. Here's to the next 50,000 miles.


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## trevor_geiger (Nov 29, 2012)

Congrats on the milestone! That is wonderful to hear!


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## mr overkill (Dec 1, 2013)

How often have you filled the def how far have you gone


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

PanJet said:


> The Cruze's use of SCR (the system that uses DEF) theoretically should make this less of an issue. Both EGR and SCR work to accomplish the same task of reducing NOx emissions. VW tried to get around having to use DEF by relying more on the EGR and subsequently encountered the problems of more intake clogging and worse DPF performance since the engine has to run richer and use EGR more which creates more soot.
> 
> By using SCR, the Cruze should rely a lot less on the EGR putting less strain on the intake system and the DPF. Only time will tell.
> 
> ...


Thanks! That answers my uncertainty above!


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

mr overkill said:


> How often have you filled the def how far have you gone


I haven't really paid that close of attention to it. Whenever it occurs to me, I will check the DIC to see if it is 35% or below and then I will feed it a 2.5 gallon jug. I tend to think of it on the same level as windshield washer fluid, just something I top up once in a while.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

888 said:


> Also, on the TDI engine, the EGR system tends to coke up the intake manifold and start killing performance. I checked mine when I did the timing belt and it appears my TDI had the intake cleaned before I got it, my son's is starting to get bad, I have a spare manifold on the shelf. The EGR cooler also needs cleaning at this time, this all needs to come off of the car to be cleaned so nothing migrates into the engine and does damage. I'm an admin on a regional VW/Audi web site and one of the guys there bought a newish CPO BMW diesel that was eventually determined to have a coked up intake. After the repairs were done, it died from main bearing failure soon after. The fight is still ongoing but the suspicion is that some of the intake debris ended up in the engine and clogged the pickup screen or got into some part of the oil system. BMW doesn't sell many diesels so they don't know how to handle this stuff apparently, so I would suspect it's best to look into this yourself in case the dealer isn't up to speed on everything related to a diesel.
> 
> I haven't looked into how the Cruze EGR system is set up but when you guys start getting to this 50k mile level on the car you probably should start looking into whether there is any data on the other versions of this engine out there to see if this is going to be a problem needing monitoring. That's one of the few things I know of that can kill a diesel other than running it out of oil/coolant or total neglect of maintenance.


i wonder why our trucks at work with 15,000 + hrs have zero coking issues...they are def/dpf systems

lotsa trouble with def and dpf systems, but no intake issues


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## 888 (Jan 14, 2014)

KpaxFAQ said:


> 888, do you know much about urea injection? It's my understanding cars without it have to run heavier egr as it's my understanding. If that's the case I would think our motors might experience the same issues but take longer to gunk up. What's your thoughts on this?
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


I really know nothing detailed about the "urea" type add ons on later VW's or other diesels, all I have experience with is the VE mechanical injection pump version of the VW diesel that has nothing more than a cat and the EGR for smog control. I read enough on TDIClub.com about the disaster stories with the PD (2004) and later VW TDI engines to run my VE pump cars till they can't be repaired any more.


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## 888 (Jan 14, 2014)

PanJet said:


> The Cruze's use of SCR (the system that uses DEF) theoretically should make this less of an issue. Both EGR and SCR work to accomplish the same task of reducing NOx emissions. VW tried to get around having to use DEF by relying more on the EGR and subsequently encountered the problems of more intake clogging and worse DPF performance since the engine has to run richer and use EGR more which creates more soot.
> 
> By using SCR, the Cruze should rely a lot less on the EGR putting less strain on the intake system and the DPF. Only time will tell.
> 
> ...


That's a lot more than i knew about the later system, thanks. 

Really, cleaning the intake and EGR cooler isn't that big of a deal as long as you know it needs to be done and how to do it. The biggest problem is VW's insistence on using small socket head screws to hold everything together, it's all mostly blind work on the back side of the engine. 

There are aftermarket EGR delete kits for the TDI, I just haven't bothered with it.


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## ParisTNDude (Oct 7, 2013)

Excellent review at 50k and very well written, I might add. It would be great if R&T, Car and Driver, Motor Trend would get a copy of your comments and incorporate them into a review of higher mileage diesels.

Having driven your car for only 9 months, I'm curious if you are seeing any wear points on the car as in seats, steering wheel controls, or maybe the paint luster, etc. I had a 2008 Mustang Bullitt for only 18,000 miles (sold it when I got beat at the drag strip by a Chevy Cobalt SS) and found the turn signal stalk, steering wheel and heater control switches showing wear.

I don't have a great history of keeping my cars that long, but my wife loves this car and she has been a Lexus, Buick Regal, Chrysler mini-van fan for many years. I really thought she would grow tired of the smaller space by now (we have nearly 9k on ours).

Thanks for the write-up.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

ParisTNDude said:


> Excellent review at 50k and very well written, I might add. It would be great if R&T, Car and Driver, Motor Trend would get a copy of your comments and incorporate them into a review of higher mileage diesels.
> 
> Having driven your car for only 9 months, I'm curious if you are seeing any wear points on the car as in seats, steering wheel controls, or maybe the paint luster, etc. I had a 2008 Mustang Bullitt for only 18,000 miles (sold it when I got beat at the drag strip by a Chevy Cobalt SS) and found the turn signal stalk, steering wheel and heater control switches showing wear.
> 
> ...


Really no noticeable wear on anything except the steering wheel is starting to get a little bit shiny where I most often hold it. Everything is holding up very well. Seat leather seems very durable. All buttons still look new too.


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## 888 (Jan 14, 2014)

888 said:


> Good to know, hopefully the 6 speed manual and cloth seats make it to the next gen and it doesn't look like a Prius so I can buy one. Diesel cars can be pretty amazing as far as mechanical longevity goes, the TDI I drive every day has 253k on it and it runs as well as others I have recently driven with half the miles. It doesn't use oil or otherwise misbehave, I see no reason it won't make it to 300k. My other TDI is driven by my son and it has 200k but it is chipped and seems to have more issues with oil leaks etc but still runs like a beast.


Yes, I quoted myself. I shouldn't have posted what I did bragging on my TDI because it developed a massive oil leak somewhere at the cooler/filter assembly and I may have killed the car. It's a long story I can tell if people want to hear it because it may apply to the Cruze but I'm still sorting out what exactly has happened. I didn't get the oil light/buzzer but it was pretty low on oil when I got to work and had been leaving a trail for a while. 

The point of this post is to be sure you always check your oil and don't rely on the garage floor to tell you if something is going south. The TDI and the Cruze both have belly pans and they will hold a lot of oil before you start seeing something on the garage floor to tell you there is a problem.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

888 said:


> Yes, I quoted myself. I shouldn't have posted what I did bragging on my TDI because it developed a massive oil leak somewhere at the cooler/filter assembly and I may have killed the car. It's a long story I can tell if people want to hear it because it may apply to the Cruze but I'm still sorting out what exactly has happened. I didn't get the oil light/buzzer but it was pretty low on oil when I got to work and had been leaving a trail for a while.
> 
> The point of this post is to be sure you always check your oil and don't rely on the garage floor to tell you if something is going south. The TDI and the Cruze both have belly pans and they will hold a lot of oil before you start seeing something on the garage floor to tell you there is a problem.


Taking oil pressure gauges out of vehicles was a stupid idea. I've blown out cam seals multiple times on my old car, with no warning or oil pressure light from the car at all. It dumped out 2-3 qts of oil in about as many miles...luckily, has a 6-qt sump. 

Even that, with no belly pan, could develop a leak from something that would just pool on the turbo/exhaust, but never show up on the ground for days. Your only hint would be a burning oil smell.


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## vwgtiglx (Jun 13, 2013)

Sorry to hear about the potential demise of your VW TDI. I know it's the kiss of death for me, every time I start bragging about how many miles I have gone with no problems/issues on any of my cars. More often than not, my car will make a liar out of me very shortly after I open my mouth.


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## ParisTNDude (Oct 7, 2013)

888 said:


> Yes, I quoted myself. I shouldn't have posted what I did bragging on my TDI because it developed a massive oil leak somewhere at the cooler/filter assembly and I may have killed the car. It's a long story I can tell if people want to hear it because it may apply to the Cruze but I'm still sorting out what exactly has happened. I didn't get the oil light/buzzer but it was pretty low on oil when I got to work and had been leaving a trail for a while.
> 
> The point of this post is to be sure you always check your oil and don't rely on the garage floor to tell you if something is going south. The TDI and the Cruze both have belly pans and they will hold a lot of oil before you start seeing something on the garage floor to tell you there is a problem.


You offer some great advice with this post. I remember relying on previous experience with the series of engine in a used pickup truck I bought. I checked oil while on a trip and it was 3 quarts low. I found the dealership had to know this truck had a serious problem on the used vehicle which shows what lengths a dealership will go to make a profit.


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## 888 (Jan 14, 2014)

vwgtiglx said:


> Sorry to hear about the potential demise of your VW TDI. I know it's the kiss of death for me, every time I start bragging about how many miles I have gone with no problems/issues on any of my cars. More often than not, my car will make a liar out of me very shortly after I open my mouth.


You know, it actually did it twice and neither time did I run it low enough to hurt it. It still fires right up and purrs like a kitten. I've done everything I can with inspecting/renewing the sealing on the oil filter assembly and I still get pressure seep past the O ring. I guess I need to take apart the oil cooler assembly, flush it in the tank at work, and renew the seals, and see what it does. 

At this point, as much as I want to wait on the Cruze diesel, I'm not sure it's ever going to be offered with the cloth seats and manual transmission. I keep looking at my wife's Malibu which never requires any attention and wish I had something as reliable as a daily. 

I've started looking at gas 1.4 Turbo manual tranny Cruzes, if I can get the TDI reliably repaired to the point I'm comfortable selling it, I might have to bite the bullet and go with the gas version. I'm running into the same thing I did when looking at a CPO Malibu for my wife, the price difference between CPO and new is so small that there's no point in buying used. 

Not exactly what I want to do but I'm getting to the point that trying to keep two TDI's running is more than I can deal with right now.


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## 888 (Jan 14, 2014)

jblackburn said:


> Taking oil pressure gauges out of vehicles was a stupid idea. I've blown out cam seals multiple times on my old car, with no warning or oil pressure light from the car at all. It dumped out 2-3 qts of oil in about as many miles...luckily, has a 6-qt sump.
> 
> Even that, with no belly pan, could develop a leak from something that would just pool on the turbo/exhaust, but never show up on the ground for days. Your only hint would be a burning oil smell.


I hear you. My Cummins truck has an oil pressure gauge and I watch that more than I do any other gauge. 

Talk about stupid, when VW designed the New Beetle they didn't even include a temp gauge. Just an idiot light to tell you if the engine was cold or hot. If you try to find an AEG code 4 cylinder 2.0 replacement engine, good luck. The New Beetles killed them off. 

Subaru did the same thing on the recent Outback I had as a loaner, took out the temp gauge in favor of a vacuum/MPG gauge. This on a flat four engine that in many versions inhaled head gaskets on routine intervals. What the **** are these people thinking?

That's one area Ford really excelled back in the day of the early Ranger pickups....even the base model came with a full gauge package when the base S-10's didn't have much of anything.


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

888 said:


> Talk about stupid, when VW designed the New Beetle they didn't even include a temp gauge. Just an idiot light to tell you if the engine was cold or hot. If you try to find an AEG code 4 cylinder 2.0 replacement engine, good luck. The New Beetles killed them off.
> 
> Subaru did the same thing on the recent Outback I had as a loaner, took out the temp gauge in favor of a vacuum/MPG gauge.


No kidding. When I had my Impala, I was able to see my thermostat failing via the temp gauge long before it ever reached any red lines. Going up a mountain pass at 90+ degrees F OAT, the water temp climbed higher than it ever had by at least 20 degrees. Going down the other side, it nearly bottomed out on the gauge. Popped in a new thermostat and it was solid as a rock again. No idiot light was going to tell me that.

Subaru took the temp gauge out on the 4th Gen Outback from 2010-2012, but IIRC when they did the mid-cycle refresh they put it back in starting with the 2013 model. They must have had a lot of complaints.


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## Garandman (Dec 31, 2013)

Our Chevrolet Express has Ammeter, water temperature, and oil pressure gauges and it gives great piece of mind.


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## 888 (Jan 14, 2014)

I just wanted to add one more thing.....the problem with the TDI oil leak appears to be with an "OEM " oil filter cap from ID Parts. I tried new O rings and other various tests with no luck. I kept the old cap because the center spindle was what was broken and finally found it last night. I decided to reinstall the old cap with the existing O ring just for fun before tearing the oil cooler assembly apart and everything stayed dry in a 6 or 7 mile drive where previously I started losing oil between the cap and the housing. 

So...OEM means different things to different people, and when it comes to keeping the oil in your engine, maybe it's best to go to the dealer.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Garandman said:


> Our Chevrolet Express has Ammeter, water temperature, and oil pressure gauges and it gives great piece of mind.


Never seen a GM product with an ammeter. Only a volt meter.


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## rescueswimmer (Mar 28, 2013)

Congrats on the milestone,

We just turned 25k on ours. 90% HWY 10% city we have a lifetime average of 44 MPG. Only issue we had was the steering gear had to be replaced due to the notchy issue that has plagued the gas ones.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

rescueswimmer said:


> Congrats on the milestone,
> 
> We just turned 25k on ours. 90% HWY 10% city we have a lifetime average of 44 MPG. Only issue we had was the steering gear had to be replaced due to the notchy issue that has plagued the gas ones.


What did they do to correct the steering? 

My dealer would like to know.


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

rescueswimmer said:


> Congrats on the milestone,
> 
> We just turned 25k on ours. 90% HWY 10% city we have a lifetime average of 44 MPG. Only issue we had was the steering gear had to be replaced due to the notchy issue that has plagued the gas ones.


Yeah I'm curious, I haven't taken my car to the dealer because there doesn't seem to be a solution that actually works.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

I have gotten so used to the notchy steering that I kind of like it now


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## rescueswimmer (Mar 28, 2013)

They replaced the steering gear. Car steers like it is brand new. Talk with your service adviser, If that does not work talk with the service manager. I brought my tablet in with the 50 pages of people complaining about the same issue and having the gear replaced fixed the issue for those who were able to get it fixed. They ordered the gear and it works perfect now. If you get no resolution ask them for the area rep and get him involved. Take him or her for a ride with it doing it and have him tell you to your face there is nothing wrong with it. The Squeaky wheel gets the grease. Just be polite as long as you can.


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## titanman2789 (Oct 27, 2013)

Not trying to continue the hijack of this thread but how long has it been since this steering gear was replaced? My car has the notchy feel sometimes too but I don't want to take it in for work only to have the issue start up again in 7k miles

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## rescueswimmer (Mar 28, 2013)

Only a few hundred miles. First one made it to 20k miles. Just get it documented so it's a known issue.


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

I personally think it's software related


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

KpaxFAQ said:


> I personally think it's software related


I agree with you on that one.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Is this a super common problem?

The Sexy Electrician


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Hi titanman2728,

If you do decide to take our vehicle to the dealership for your concern feel free to follow up with us. If any extra assistance is needed I will be glad to look further into this for you. Please send a private message with your full contact information, VIN, current mileage, and dealership name. I look forward to hear from you!

Kristen A.
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

money_man said:


> Is this a super common problem?
> 
> The Sexy Electrician


Yes, I think every Cruze ever made has it.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Wow don't say that!

The Sexy Electrician


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

diesel said:


> Yes, I think every Cruze ever made has it.


Drove a 2011 2LT for 50,000 miles with no notchy steering at all. So far nothing on my diesel either at 7,500 miles, but I won't be surprised if it comes.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

when you guys say notchy do you mean its stiff, good, stiff, good or what?


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

money_man said:


> when you guys say notchy do you mean its stiff, good, stiff, good or what?


http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-s...-steering-2012-cruze-anyone-else-problem.html


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

hmm. hopefully I don't get this problem. they cobalts were bad for their eps but mine never had a single issue in the two years I had it or for the 2 years my step mother owned it


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## rescueswimmer (Mar 28, 2013)

Chevy Customer Care said:


> Hi titanman2728,
> 
> If you do decide to take our vehicle to the dealership for your concern feel free to follow up with us. If any extra assistance is needed I will be glad to look further into this for you. Please send a private message with your full contact information, VIN, current mileage, and dealership name. I look forward to hear from you!
> 
> ...


Although they mean well when I contacted these guys they did nothing for me to get my issue resolved the first time. They contacted my dealer and my dealer offered to get the district rep involved, but would not fix the car the first time I had brought it in. Only after complaining 3 or 4 service visits did they agree to fix it. Maybe your dealer will listen to them.


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## Sperry (Aug 3, 2013)

Had this problem in the warmer weather.. Hope it doesn't come back but I think it will


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## msav (Apr 24, 2014)

diesel


Any service for the ATF dome or required. I did not see a maintenance schedule for the ATF fluid change interval.


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## Epickphale (Jan 30, 2013)

It saddens me that the dealers you are all dealing with are so bad, I've had nothing but good experiences with the 5 or 6 dealerships I have dealt with. All VERY professional, and they always make me feel like a priority. Hypothetically... were you to live close to the border, would you be able to take an American car to a Canadian dealer for work? Pricing will be a touch higher, but you get out of paying the tax so that should balance out, and for top notch customer service.... worth it?


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

msav said:


> diesel
> 
> 
> Any service for the ATF dome or required. I did not see a maintenance schedule for the ATF fluid change interval.


Transmission is listed as a lifetime fill but lifetime to GM is 100k. I'm going to do routine drains and refills. You get 1/3 out each one.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

The Saab guys with the same transmission say to change the fluid every 30k miles and the transmission will have no problems


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

I haven't done any tranny service, but think it woudl be a good idea. 

By the way, mods, why is this in the fuel economy section??


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

diesel said:


> I haven't done any tranny service, but think it woudl be a good idea.
> 
> By the way, mods, why is this in the fuel economy section??


That is indeed a good question. Moved to the gen diesel discussion.

Also, yes, a tranny service would probably be an excellent idea


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