# Help, Car shuts off without warning, happening for 80, 000 km.



## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

So I bought a Cruze... Why? Well because the brand new 2008 Pontiac Wave I purchased was a lemon and after THREE years of dealing with GM, we worked out a deal. Part of this deal included the purchase of a new GM car. I agreed. Why not ? It couldn't happen twice.... or could it. 

Got my 2011 Cruze in November 2011. Its a basic model. 1.4 engine, manual transmission, no air conditioning. You see, as a single mother I made choices to get the basic car because the new car payment was now 80.00 more a month than the Wave. 

Anyway, I wish this was a shorter story. 

The car shut off the first time in the first spring that I owned it. I was stopped at a red light and when I went to move the car was off. I had been listening to the music and did not even know it was off until I tried to go. This was over 80,000 km ago. The problem persists; mostly in warmer weather but does happen minimally in the colder months. 

The dealership has been unable to replicate the problem. They did take my car for a couple days a couple years ago however since then, it only gets scanned at every oil change. Initially it was a waiting game. The warranty was new and I drove safely; trying to plan trips without left hand turns in case it shut off in the intersection. Recently I have had two very serious situations in which the car shut off. Firstly it shut off when I was driving up a steep hill, and secondly when I was traveling on the 400 highway. I should not be driving this car...and honestly I am not sure why I still am. 

This isn't the only issue I have had with this car. 

This Cruze has had a transmission replacement at 44,000 km. Well actually two of them. The second one was put in the same time as the first change because the car would not go into Reverse when the new transmission was put in and it was determined to be faulty. It didn't even leave the shop. 

The water pump and thermostat have both been replaced as well as the front ball joints, and the truck latch twice and I'm on the third.. its currently also broken. The negative battery cable was replaced at my insistence after getting some feed back from a Cruze forum on Facebook. The emergency brake also has not worked properly since I got the car. It was fine until I parked on a hill and realized the car was rolling backwards... That isn't covered under warranty even though it came like that. 

Last month the ignition coil had to be replaced. At first I was told that it was thought it was causing my troubles but then I had to pay for it. To me that did not made sense that this issue has been happening since way before the full warranty expired, but it did not fix the shutting off thing so here I am..... 

This car sounds like a diesel, shifts like a transport, and rattles like its having a seizure. And the paint... :frown: There is a giant rust spot going through the drivers side of the door which seems like it is only a matter of time before I have extra ventilation coming through because there will be a hole. 

The car currently has 125,000 km on it. 

Despite all this crap I still kind of like it. She's grown on me but this whole shutting off when in dangerous situations thing is unacceptable. 

I have been in contact with GM and struggled with poor customer service from an Ambassador who told me "I haven't heard anything about this" each time we've talked. I have requested a Freedom on Information form and initially was going to request just all my personal correspondence regarding both of my GM cars but based on my "generous" $2000-3000 trade in value for my 4 year old car, I'm thinking some more serious investigation needs to happen. Should I be requesting more information? Like how many Cruze vehicles have been reported with this issue?


I will have some options... we've talked about what it would look like to get into another car but I don't think I am okay with that. I sold my snowmobile, which was must more reliable than both of the GM cars I have owned to get the $2000.00 down payment for the first one. I have been making car payments for over 7 years in combination and figured out that last year 13 percent of my take home income went towards the car payments. I have worked at the same company for 13 years helping high risk youth. Not the best pay in money, but its a job that changes lives. 

*I'm not looking for pity. I am looking for answers. I am looking for a solution so that all the thousands and thousands of dollars I have paid to GM will leave me with a car that is not going to get me or anyone else hurt. 

GM has made it very clear to be that this problem is quite unheard of. I disagree. I am looking for others with similar experiences because honestly, if I can get this car fixed, that would be just fine with me. 

GM is working on a resolution and maybe in same way they will come through. This company was built on quality once a upon a time and good customer service. That's why I bought a GM in the first place and honestly I want to believe this will get fixed. 

So I guess if anyone has any information on this problem or has experienced it with a lasting resolution, please let me know. 

Thanks for reading this.. believe it or not I actually shortened it down quite a bit... and honestly, the problems with this car are much tamer than the one before....*


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Question. What exactly happens when the car shuts off? Does the dash go blank like it does when you turn the car off? Is there ANY difference between how it acts when it turns itself off verses when you do it?

I know when you turn the car off normally, the radio will continue to play until you open a door. Since you don't have A/C, I'm guessing you may not notice if the ventilation system shuts down.


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

The dash stays the same for the most part. No lights come on and nothing goes off. I haven't noticed the ventilation thing because (you're right) no AC, and it rarely happens in colder months when I used heat. Also seems more apt to happen after the car has been running if the weather is cooler.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

brandymae said:


> The dash stays the same for the most part. No lights come on and nothing goes off.


Ok, so it doesn't sound like an ignition switch issue. But that doesn't do much for narrowing it down.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Is there a pattern relating to how full the fuel tank is? By this I mean does it occur mainly when the tank is low, nearly full, or does it happen regardless of tank level.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

brandymae said:


> So I bought a Cruze... Why? Well because the brand new 2008 Pontiac Wave I purchased was a lemon and after THREE years of dealing with GM, we worked out a deal. Part of this deal included the purchase of a new GM car. I agreed. Why not ? It couldn't happen twice.... or could it.
> 
> Got my 2011 Cruze in November 2011. Its a basic model. 1.4 engine, manual transmission, no air conditioning. You see, as a single mother I made choices to get the basic car because the new car payment was now 80.00 more a month than the Wave.
> 
> ...



Hi Brandymae, 

I truly apologize for the frustrating and unexpected situation with your Cruze. This is certainly not the kind of impression we wanted to provide you, and we would be happy to escalate your information further to GM of Canada on your behalf. They will be in the best position to look into this more, and provide you with the best assistance possible. Please send us a private message along with your VIN, current kms, contact information and a preferred dealership. We look forward to your response! 

Patsy G
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

No pattern on the level of the gas. Only triggering factor seems to weather conditions.


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

I think this is a bigger problem that GM is wanting to admit. I am going to be requesting some information including the number of Cruzes from 2011 - 2015 which have reported a problem of shutting off, and what has been done on these vehicles to trouble shoot them. I already of my form for Freedom of Information, I should do something with it.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

brandymae said:


> Only triggering factor seems to weather conditions.


That's an odd one. Does the car have problems restarting?


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

Nope. Restarting is fine.. Very weird and frustrating.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

brandymae said:


> The emergency brake also has not worked properly since I got the car. It was fine until I parked on a hill and realized the car was rolling backwards...


Do you know if you have rear drum or disk brakes? I believe drums don't "grip" as well in reverse.





brandymae said:


> This car sounds like a diesel, shifts like a transport, and rattles like its having a seizure.


I think I'd tend to focus on that. One of those problems may be causing the engine to stall. The engine itself being a 4 cyl isn't silky smooth, but you really shouldn't be feeling it as a driver. The motor mounts and dual-mass flywheel should be covering up normal vibration.





brandymae said:


> And the paint... :frown: There is a giant rust spot going through the drivers side of the door which seems like it is only a matter of time before I have extra ventilation coming through because there will be a hole.


Which makes me wonder just what this car has been though. There's been a few people with paint issues, but nothing like that. It makes me wonder if the car was damaged in transport or on the dealer's lot and they did a cheap repair on it. "New" doesn't always mean unblemished and straight from the factory. Case in point.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

Sitting here in the middle of the night due to severe thunderstorms going through the area. Even though this car was purchased new, I wonder if it was subjected to high water prior to delivery? Has anyone pulled up the carpeting or looked behind any interior panels, or behind the trunk linings for corrosion? You bought it in November of 2011, which is pretty early in the Model Year production. Does the sticker on the driver's door jamb show the build date? I'm just clutching at straws here trying to think of what could be the cause of all of your problems with this thing. 

I once had a new vehicle that had 51 repairs in the first 15 months of ownership (electrical, mechanical, paint, etc.) and we never did figure out why. I traded it in after 18 months and the guy that bought it off the lot threatened to drive it through the showroom windows after 2 weeks if they didn't buy it back.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

brandymae said:


> This car sounds like a diesel, shifts like a transport, and rattles like its having a seizure.


Coming back to this - when is it worst? Vibration usually is worst at idle or low speed. When does it disappear? Just off idle? Or only higher RPM? Transmission in neutral? Appears only at low RPM when trying to use the engine's torque?


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Brandymae,

You got the attention of a couple of really smart guys here. Give them the best answers you can and there is a possibility they'll come up with something your dealership hasn't thought of.


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

I really appreciate the responses. The whole forum thing is new to me but I did post on here two years ago for the same shut off problem. I am going to reply to each comment as best I can. Thanks!


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

ChevyGuy said:


> Do you know if you have rear drum or disk brakes? I believe drums don't "grip" as well in reverse.
> 
> 
> I think I'd tend to focus on that. One of those problems may be causing the engine to stall. The engine itself being a 4 cyl isn't silky smooth, but you really shouldn't be feeling it as a driver. The motor mounts and dual-mass flywheel should be covering up normal vibration.
> ...


I have rear drum breaks. The noise of the rattling has happened since I owned the car. It is in the front drivers side mostly and is more apparent when the car is in neutral, parking break on, and the clutch disengaged. When I pushed the clutch in to shift, the rattles goes away. I noticed in lower gears that when I am shifting there is a definite clunking sound. It did it with the first and second transmission. It was actually the reason they changed the transmission in the first place and when it continued to do it, I was given a bulletin that talked about the clutch noises with speed deceleration and how it was typical. It confused me that that was the explanation since most of the nose can hear heard without the car acceleration and just sitting in park. 

I have mentioned it to the dealer before about the car sounding like a diesel. My partner had a Jetta TDI at the same time and on cooler mornings, you would think that I was starting it instead of the Cruze. The rattling I was told was the heat shield vibration on rough services. 

There was 166 km on the car when I got it and I was told that it was because it was driven from Toronto to my area by "an older lady who drives carefully." I think there has to be something that's off because of the rust inside of my door and the rust on the bottom of my car on the rocker panels. I took a good look at it a month ago and noticed that part of the metal looked bent. Almost like it had been put on a hoist the wrong way and it created dents in the rocker panel. It was a huge piss off... I feel the like it may have happened at the dealers because typically they are really good at pointing out things, and not once have they mentioned this... like a casual "Hey I'm not sure if you've noticed this but......"


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

I have checked in the linings in the trunk, removed that back seat, and checked in the flip ups under the seats and there is not any sign of corrosion. It has been a disaster.. 

I did not go into much detail about the first car I bought, but in the short version the passenger door fell off, the paint came on in large chunks, there was rust under the paint (the dealer said they were using red coloured primer, but when I followed up with GM they said it was gray). 

The engine light came on and GM said they did not know how to fix it despite a code coming up. I asked them to write me a letter stating they were not able to fit my car, it had 5000 km on it and they replaced the throttle body. One of their mechanics drove it while I was in it and pretended to know how to drive stick and stalled in a busy intersection with me and my 3 month old baby. He later admitted he was embarrassed to say he did not know how and thought he could wing it. The whole rear needed to be rebuilt at 112,000 km, the transmission would get stuck and not go into reverse and I had to get out and push the car back a couple feet, put in first and moved forward and then it would shift into reverse, the heat did not work properly and I would get ice in the inside of my windows that had to be scraped very 20 minutes. GM's solution to met was to drive with my window down in the winter, despite having an infant child that had an immune disorder. It was nightmare.......  followed by another nightmare. 

I think I get stuck because GM seems to feel they have done everything to trouble shoot this problem and really they scan it at every oil change and had a mechanic drive it home and to work for 2 days. 

What is this snap shot thing I keep reading about? I wonder if that is an option.. 

I even have a video of the car doing it thing right before it shut off on me in an intersection. It got stuck in 2nd.... and by that I mean it would not gain any more power to be able to be moved into 3rd gear and then it just shut off.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

brandymae said:


> This car sounds like a diesel, shifts like a transport, and rattles like its having a seizure.


Sorry to keep harping on this. You might want to look at some problems other people are having with other cars that have a dual-mass flywheel and see if that matches your problems.

From this site:


> Dual Mass Flywheel Symptoms
> 
> There are a number of symptoms that can indicate your Dual Mass Flywheel may be failing:
> 
> ...


Also take a look at this video with sounds at 2:20. Yes, that car is a diesel. But ignore the clatter of the diesel, but listen to the more random sound that sounds like marbles bouncing around.

While I don't know as this is causing the stalling, the role of the flywheel is to keep things running between each cylinder firing. Perhaps if caught just wrong, it might cause the engine to stall at low RPM.

But when dealing with intermittent problems, it often best to deal with the problems you can identify and hope that it fixes or exposes the main complaint.


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

I have checked in the linings in the trunk, removed that back seat, and checked in the flip ups under the seats and there is not any sign of corrosion. It has been a disaster.. 

I did not go into much detail about the first car I bought, but in the short version the passenger door fell off, the paint came on in large chunks, there was rust under the paint (the dealer said they were using red coloured primer, but when I followed up with GM they said it was gray). 

The engine light came on and GM said they did not know how to fix it despite a code coming up. I asked them to write me a letter stating they were not able to fit my car, it had 5000 km on it and they replaced the throttle body. One of their mechanics drove it while I was in it and pretended to know how to drive stick and stalled in a busy intersection with me and my 3 month old baby. He later admitted he was embarrassed to say he did not know how and thought he could wing it. The whole rear needed to be rebuilt at 112,000 km, the transmission would get stuck and not go into reverse and I had to get out and push the car back a couple feet, put in first and moved forward and then it would shift into reverse, the heat did not work properly and I would get ice in the inside of my windows that had to be scraped very 20 minutes. GM's solution to met was to drive with my window down in the winter, despite having an infant child that had an immune disorder. It was nightmare.......  followed by another nightmare. 

I think I get stuck because GM seems to feel they have done everything to trouble shoot this problem and really they scan it at every oil change and had a mechanic drive it home and to work for 2 days. 

What is this snap shot thing I keep reading about? I wonder if that is an option.. 

I even have a video of the car doing it thing right before it shut off on me in an intersection. It got stuck in 2nd.... and by that I mean it would not gain any more power to be able to be moved into 3rd gear and then it just shut off.


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

ChevyGuy said:


> Coming back to this - when is it worst? Vibration usually is worst at idle or low speed. When does it disappear? Just off idle? Or only higher RPM? Transmission in neutral? Appears only at low RPM when trying to use the engine's torque?



The vibration seems to be at its worse in neutral with clutch disengaged or slow speeds. The faster the car goes, the smooth the shift. And I know that shifting too soon can give the car a bit of a jiggle and its definitely not that. The neutral vibration seems to be mostly in the front drivers side and the clunking shifting seems to under the hood front and centre. 

I've also paid to have a transmission flush since the second tranny went in... 25,000 km early.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

We cross-posted the last little bit, so I don't know as you saw #18. But given what you've said, I'm leaning toward a flywheel problem.



brandymae said:


> When I pushed the clutch in to shift, the rattles goes away.


That seems to correspond nicely to "_- Noise that appears or disappears as the clutch pedal is engaged or disengaged."

_


brandymae said:


> The rattling I was told was the heat shield vibration on rough services.


Heat shields can make a horrible racket, but it doesn't cause a vibration.


Note that the flywheel sits between the engine and transmission. So it's "not quite" the transmission or the clutch, but it's their "next door neighbor". I'm not sure about the Cruze, but I don't think the flywheel would get replaced with the transmission. 

Most cars have a single-mass flywheel that's as simple as dirt. It's little more than a specially shaped wheel. Yes, it's got gear teeth on the outside for the starter to grab, but that gear isn't in use while the engine runs. It's just a hunk a metal that spins. They never cause a problem and unless you start high-performance racing, it will easily last the life of the car with zero trouble.











Dual-mass flywheels seem to be something new and not really on most mechanic's radars. I'd never heard of it before joining this forum. Dual-mass has moving parts and springs. Not exactly the simplicity of the traditional single-mass flywheel. If the springs go bad, it gets ugly.












I've seen at least one forum member who's had their serious vibration problem resolved by replacing the flywheel.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

Just to follow on the flywheel thought from ChevyGuy. I seem to recall problems with flywheel bolts on 2011s breaking and some issues with crankshaft pulley bolts also. Not sure if there was a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) issued for this.

Update: Found it, but its not a TSB. It was a Preliminary Information bulletin (PI). 

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/9-general-discussion-forum/6121-serious-pi-if-happens.html

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/gtse...m/forum/25-service-issues/&ss=5465j2541887j18


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

A bad flywheel could explain all your issues. Vibration, rattles, stalling.


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

I will definitely be taking this to GM and requesting that they look into this. Fingers crossed they don't try to charge me because all of these things were happening within my full warranty. 

A big thanks again to everyone that checked in on this issue and all the information.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Unless abused, the flywheel would be covered by powertrain warranty. Depending on how many miles are on the car, it's still in effect.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

Please keep us informed what your outcome is. Hopefully you'll get it sorted.


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

Well GM finally got back to me and they aren't willing to look into anything. 

They offered me 1500.00 to get another vehicle.. They wouldn't even entertain the thought of looking at the flywheel. 

I reviewed my services issues and it was as follows: Transmission replacement x2, ball joints, water pump, thermostat, ignition coil, battery cable replacement, trunk latch broken 3 times, coolant leak, no heat, loud clunky shifting still, vibration in drivers side front still, exhaust system alignment, steering wheel came out of alignment, Bumper shield and engine shield coming loose, transaxle noise, adjusting boot for pass through steering shaft, inside headliner came off, spring in clutch replaced, a GIANT rust spot inside of my door, and the best still is a car that shuts off without warning or won't get power and then turns off.. Like when stopped, or driving up a hill, or on the 400 highway. Multiple complaints of loud shifting, rattling. 

GM "disagrees" that this car is poor quality. 

They also told me I would be responsible for covering the full cost IF they ever find the problem. They have told me that they need to be in the car when it's happening but do not have any intention of making arrangements. I will have to pay for diagnostics as well. 

I am at a complete loss. I wish someone else on the forum that had the same shitting off issue would have at least kept everyone updated.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

brandymae said:


> Well GM finally got back to me and they aren't willing to look into anything.


Just to be clear, is this GM or the GM dealer?

What you are describing sounds like the dealer. Is there another GM dealer in the area? Your warranty is with GM, not the dealer.


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

The dealer has been amazing. They sound like they are on my side. It's the GM customer service and their executive team.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

OP, I assume you did contact Chevy Customer Service via PM like Patsy requested. Even though this Cruze owner is in Canada, there must be someone who can help. If this car were in Ohio, the lemon law lawyers would be all over GM for settlement. This car was built in the U.S., right?


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

Yes it was built in the U.S. 

I didn't send Patsy a message because I had an open file at GM Canada and I wasn't sure it would help. 

I keep getting the run around... We have CAMVAP but my car is too old for that process.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

PM Patsy. You have absolutely nothing to lose, except your money.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

brandymae said:


> I didn't send Patsy a message because I had an open file at GM Canada and I wasn't sure it would help.


I think I'd play that before the final card: A TV station with a "working for you" segment. There's a fair amount of burning bridges when that's played.


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

I've been reaching out via Twitter as well.. I called my car a death trap and GM responded by telling me they were noting my displeasure. 

I will send patsy a message. 

Thanks everyone.


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## brandymae (Aug 1, 2013)

I just wanted to extend another thank you for everyone's help and suggestions. 

I tried getting GM to take notice by enlisting Twitter and well it got me blocked from the GM Twitter page. 

I've sent Patsy a message explaining that at this point that I'm not sure I'm helping as much as harming my issue. 

Thanks again for all the info! I'll keep it all in mind to try and fix my car.


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## Bruno (Aug 20, 2012)

keep fighting it.. I have been VERY persistent with GM Canada when I had issues with my first Cruze and they've been cooperative.


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