# Is my ECO possessed?



## brianguy1979 (Jun 17, 2012)

When I bought my ECO new in June 2012 I only managed to drive one month before something odd happened. I was cruising down the interstate when all of a sudden my car didn't respond when I hit the accelerator. The DIC showed "low power" and it wasn't kidding. The car was still running, but it was a turd! I took it to the dealer. They went through it carefully and couldn't find the reason why this happened. They called GM tech for assistance. After they were stumped they instructed the technician to unplug the battery for 60 seconds and see if it went away. It did, and they sent me on my way. \

That was around 5K. I drive my Cruze for courier work so I rack up miles in a hurry. 

7 months goes by and on a cold winter evening around 1AM I am driving down the street and out of no where my car shuts off. I look down and see the tach says 0RPM and my check engine light is flashing. Usually when you have a god awful misfire your check engine light will flash while it is running. This time it was flashing at me...NOT running. I coasted to a parking lot. I tried over and over again. It wouldn't start. Wouldn't click, wouldn't turn over...nothing. 

Watch my video below....I took out my cell phone and recorded it. I walked a couple miles to a Motel 6, checked in and crawled into bed. As I was laying there trying to fall asleep I had a flash back to when the dealer unplugged my battery. I couldn't let the thought go. It was now 2:30 AM, snowing, 17 degrees out and windy. I wanted to get home to my kids so I decided it was worth the attempt. I redressed and walked back to my car. Luckily there was a police officer nearby that was curious as to what I was doing and had a wrench I could borrow to get my terminal off. I waited a minute and hooked it back up. Hoped in the car and it started back up again. Waste of hotel money...oh well, at least I was rolling again. 

Fast forward a few more months and I am getting off an off ramp from the interstate. I didn't even notice when my car died as I was costing down the hill until I was at the end and wanted to go again. Hit the gas, nothing. Looked down and my tach is at 0. I turn the key and it started right up again. Another month goes by and I run into the grocery store and come back out. Hit the key and it won't start. No click, nothing. It's flashing all of this Check my steering, blah blah blah on my DIC. By now I keep the wrench in the glove box for this very reason. But before I unplugged it I recorded what it was doing. Unplugged it, put it back on and the car started again. 

It has randomly shut off maybe 5 times driving down the road in the last 86K. Most of my mileage is all interstate easy driving. It doesn't happen because I hit a hard bump to suggest something is loose either. 

It has done something else frequently but never long enough for me to get my phone out and record it. I will be sitting at a light and my speedometer will start to climb as if I am taking off even though I am sitting still. My radio volume climbs as if I'm moving too. It will usually go up into the 80MPH range before it comes down again. Unfortunately in my video it wasn't in the mood to go that fast I guess. 

Every time the dealer has looked at it, they tell me there is nothing there. No codes...nothing. Can't duplicate my problem. I was told next time before I unplug the battery to have Onstar do a diagnostic report on my car because perhaps I am erasing the evidence and they can notate it. 

Oh, and one last thing....My climate control center dies sometimes. Happens maybe twice a year. The lights go off and you cannot see what the position of the dials is nor the location you have selected the air to blow in. It used to be just the lights would go out for a few days but they still did what you told them to. Just recently they went out and so did the functionality of it!! 

Video below!Has anyone else experienced any of this by chance?
2012 Chevy Cruze ECO Won't Crank/Start Any Ideas?!?!?!?! - YouTube Wouldn't Start That Winter Night

2012 Chevy Cruze ECO Possessed ECU?? WONT START!! - YouTube Wouldn't Start A Couple Weeks Ago

Chevy Cruze Speedometer Moving While Parked - YouTube Speedometer Moving While I Sit Still

Chevy Cruze Climate Control Not Working.. WHY?! - YouTube Climate Control Center Not Working


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## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

Has the dealer checked the grounding to the frame/body?


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

This all sounds like a bad battery cable or ground issue. This has been a known problem on some Cruzes, and the "cure" is replacing the battery cables.

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-service-issues/8000-service-stabilitrak-traction-control-7.html

This is one of many threads (see post #68) on this issue - or do a search on the site for "battery cables".

The speedometer flying up to 80+ when the car is not moving is also a known issue - mine was reprogrammed for this. But that may also be something to do with the grounds.
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-service-issues/3564-speedometer-spiking-up-120-while-stopped.html


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## brianguy1979 (Jun 17, 2012)

blk88verde said:


> Has the dealer checked the grounding to the frame/body?


The dealer told me they went through it with a fine tooth comb and found nothing. As a precaution they unplugged any wire harness they could get their hands on and applied something to keep moisture out in case that was it. They also looked carefully for a wire that was chaffed or damaged. They said they have seen some cars that are parked outside at night (mine isn't) getting chewed on by rodents.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

All of those issues need a power supply to function as designed . has to be in supply to or from the modules .. wiring harness .


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## brianguy1979 (Jun 17, 2012)

brian v said:


> All of those issues need a power supply to function as designed . has to be in supply to or from the modules .. wiring harness .


Dealer looked at it today. They gave me the usual "Can't duplicate customer's concerns" and of course there was not a code to be found so there wasn't anything they could do. They did test the battery which was fine and made sure the battery terminal connections were tight on both ends.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Did they actually test the main battery cables for resistance and impedance?


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## brianguy1979 (Jun 17, 2012)

obermd said:


> Did they actually test the main battery cables for resistance and impedance?



That I cannot answer unfortunately. :-( They didn't go into that kind of detail when I got the word of what was happening.


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## BlueTopazECO12 (Jan 2, 2012)

The dealer 'says' they go through it with a fine tooth comb. More than likely, that's not the case. At least that's just my opinion on dealers.. (or as I like to call them, STEALERS)

I've been reading and re-reading what you've said has been happening, and I, like everyone else, is leaning towards grounds. You have no idea how important grounds really are.. if there's any kind of build up on them, or they're not tight enough, they'll get crazy resistance and will do the kookiest things you can imagine.

I've built a few race cars, and I specifically remember one of them giving me grief. Car never ran well. The car had a big cam so it would barely run cold, once it was warmed up, it had this 'miss.' Changed plugs multiple times, wires, couldn't figure it out. Went back to the drawing board, and checked all the grounds.. good thing I did, one of them wasn't tightened. As soon as I tightened it, fired it back up, car ran like a raped ape.

I'd check over all the grounds, including battery cables. There has to be something awry. Worst case scenario, maybe it's the computer or BCM? Keep us posted, I'm interested to see the result (if there is one).


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

We just had another member report their BCM was replaced and their problems went away. He works for GM and did some research and discovered that other GMs have had similar symptoms and there were TSBs on them to check and replace the BCM.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

brianguy1979, 

I am sorry to hear you are having this concern. We would like to contact your dealership. Please private message me your name, VIN, address, phone number, and dealership. 

Erica Tiffany
GM Customer Care


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## brianguy1979 (Jun 17, 2012)

BlueTopazECO12 said:


> I'd check over all the grounds, including battery cables. There has to be something awry. Worst case scenario, maybe it's the computer or BCM? Keep us posted, I'm interested to see the result (if there is one).




I doubt there will be a result honestly. Since the car is creeping on 90K it isn't under warranty and I refuse to pay $95 an hour for a tech to play with it all day. Even though I have video evidence if it isn't acting up when it is in the shop there isn't anything that can be done. Ironically since I made this post the car hasn't acted up once lol....maybe it likes the cold that Mother Nature has dropped into Nebraska idk! It was suggested that my battery may have a bad cell in it. Yesterday I had the GM tech hook it up to their high dollar machine and check it. Before the test could begin it said on the screen that the battery was severly discharged and needed to be charged before the test could begin. 42 minutes later the charging was complete and the test began. In the end it came back as being fully, healthy battery. Supposedly this machine would have been able to say if there was ANYTHING wrong with the battery. SO....for now I'll keep plugging away at 4K miles a month and hope for the best!


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

As much driving as you do...the question would be _*WHY*_ is the battery severely discharged?

See if it runs down again - it may have a cell that isn't holding a full charge, or the alternator may not be charging what it should...or it's not grounding out the battery like it should be, making it difficult to charge. 

Any of the above could account for your car's weird behavior. Follow that battery negative down to the chassis and see if you can tighten anything or otherwise improve its grounding point.


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## NYCruze2012 (Jan 16, 2012)

What about the starter solenoid or possibly a bad fusible link on the starter itself?

Sent from my last surviving brain cell


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## brianguy1979 (Jun 17, 2012)

jblackburn said:


> As much driving as you do...the question would be _*WHY*_ is the battery severely discharged?
> 
> See if it runs down again - it may have a cell that isn't holding a full charge, or the alternator may not be charging what it should...or it's not grounding out the battery like it should be, making it difficult to charge.
> 
> Any of the above could account for your car's weird behavior. Follow that battery negative down to the chassis and see if you can tighten anything or otherwise improve its grounding point.


Dealer says car is charging properly and cannot locate a draw. Freak deal? Either way they say battery is good and everything is as tight as can be on both end of the battery cables.


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