# So many problems....



## Gio93z (Sep 8, 2011)

2011 Cruze LTZ 1.4T Auto Trans 19,400 miles currently 

Well, I've had my Cruze for a little over 2 years now and even though I love the style and body and interior and features, I must say that the enthusiam once felt is now replaced with anger and frustration. I received the vehicle with 40 miles on it and noticed a water stain by the driver side a-pillar. I never bothered to deal with it because I never saw any water intrusion myself. Eventually I did notice the headliner was getting soaked and my driver seat was saturated. The headliner and the driver side sun roof drain assembly were replaced. The plastic drain hose was leaking where it is supposed to be glued into the rubber piece that is attached to the sun roof assembly. Next I started getting the faint coolant odor at random times. The water pump was leaking via one of the bolt holes into the cylinder head/engine block. Next, I had all 4 center caps replaced after they began to peel and chip. At about 10k miles I begain to develope and harsh downshift effect. More specific the 3-2 and sometimes 2-1 downshift. It would be too aggressive and actually move you in your seat as if you were downshifting a manual trans without using the breaks. So the fluid was swapped and TCM updates were performed. That did not fix the issue. Next the TCM was replaced. That also did not fix the issue. Next the valve body was replaced...that did not fix the issue. Finally a new SRTA trans was installed and programmed and the problem was resolved for about 10 miles of driving. the car has now defaulted back to an annoying downshift from 3-2, 2-1 and now even 5-4. The downshift bumps are under normal light and steady break apply. Needless to say it is horrible to drive because it feel slike you are jamming the breaks as you slow down. On top of that...when the trans was out of the car, two rear engine gally plugs had to be removed, sealed, and retightened because they were leaking engine oil. Also, my coolant feed and coolant return lines had to be replaced because the gaskets were leaking coolant (which was the second coolant smell I noticed). To top it all off, when the turbo was removed to replace the coolant feed and return lines, it was noticed that my turbo bypass valve had excessive play in it and wasnt sealing as it should. It was not sealing because the turbo was warped with a giant crack in it! So now I have my car back and it runs good except that the trans still shifts terribly, my mpg is horrible at only about 22mpg city/highway combined and never mind when you have the AC on...the car doesnt even know when it wants to accelerate or what gear it wants to be in or how many gears it wants to downshift. 

So how's your Cruze..? Mine's great, except that it's terrible. - GM will not help me.

Thanks - Giovanni


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

What do you mean GM won't help you? Have you opened a case? Have you looked into lemon laws?

 Sent from my phone. Excuse my excellent grammar. Autoguide APP!


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## WhiteAndBright (Mar 4, 2013)

Gio93z said:


> 2011 Cruze LTZ
> 
> Next, I had all 4 center caps replaced after they began to peel and chip.
> 
> ...


LTZ's don't have center caps..18 inch aluminum wheel..


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

WhiteAndBright said:


> LTZ's don't have center caps..18 inch aluminum wheel..


Sure looks like the LTZ wheels have center caps, like nearly every other alloy wheel ever made.


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## 2013LT (Jul 3, 2013)

Sure sounds like you got a lemon. I'm sure someone at GM will help you (I think you've come to the right place)


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## Gio93z (Sep 8, 2011)

well i opened a case 3 months ago - the result was that the GM rep for the dealership authorized a new transmission to be installed but that has not resolved the issue - i assume it is both a mechanical and electrical issue with the transmission.....if it is a normal charecteristic of the vehicle then i'm sorry but that is unacceptable.....even though the transmission shifting and downshifting is the main concern, i must say this is crazy that i've also had the water leak, water pump and turbo failure also all with less than 20k miles on the car....dexos oil gets changed at 70% (about 3200 miles) and the car is not driven hard at all .... so im stuck at the moment


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## 99_XC600 (Feb 24, 2013)

Get a lawyer and have GM buy it back.


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## ecw73 (Mar 17, 2011)

They do have center caps. I had all 4 of mine replaced for the same problem - chipped and peeling. 


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Other than the shifting, has everything else been taken care of? 

As for the shifting, the 2011 Cruze Automatics are known to have harsh shifts. GM as much as admitted this when they said one of the reasons the US Cruze Diesel took so long to release was that they had to do serious reprogramming of the transmission's shifting. Unfortunately this is a combination of the transmission's software and hardware design.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

As Obermd posted, the 6T40 transmission in the 2011 Cruze shifted pretty much as you have described. It has been widely discussed on this forum and others. GM made a second generation version of the 6T40 for 2012 and beyond that included a different TCM, different shift solenoids, different bearings, and new firmware for the transaxle. It appears that GM gave you a replacement 2011 transmission. I have yet to see where the second gen. unit would work in a 2011 Cruze. 

The problem with your water pump was also fairly common on the 2011 Cruze and also was widely discussed here. Problems included bad gaskets leaking at the mounting bolts, water pumps failing, and pumps leaking at a manufacturing access plug hole. 

Remember, the 2011 Cruze was the first year U.S. production run for GM. The customer reported problems seem to have been reduced since the end of the 2012 production in the U.S.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Jim Frye said:


> GM made a second generation version of the 6T40 for 2012 and beyond that included a different TCM, different shift solenoids, different bearings, and new firmware for the transaxle. It appears that GM gave you a replacement 2011 transmission. I have yet to see where the second gen. unit would work in a 2011 Cruze.


I'm no car expert but why can't the 2012+ transmission be put into a 2011 car?

For fixing how the transmission performs, just buy the trifecta tune. It fixes it 100%.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

ErikBEggs said:


> I'm no car expert but why can't the 2012+ transmission be put into a 2011 car?


I didn't say it couldn't work. Just that I have yet to see where it's been done. 
Speculation:
1. Second gen. TCM firmware is not compatible with 2011 ECM frimware, thus the engine and transmission won't communicate properly. The software is GM proprietary, so the design is theirs.
2. 2012 ECM software won't work in a 2011 ECM, or GM hasn't tested it and therefore won't install it. The ECMs may have different P/Ns, but I don't know that.
3. With some 200,000 2011's on the road, it's too big a project (time & materials) to do the retrofit. 
4. There was no recall for this problem, so the 2011 owners are on their own with the poor shifting. The only solution I have seen is getting the Trifecta Tune to alleviate the harsh shifting, but I don't know the cost of the package and cable, so I don't know if it's viable for the OP.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

Say Jim you are here now so you need to wait for you to come Back . OB was looking for ya so sit still until he comes Back for Ya . Glad you could Make it to cheer this guy up some ..:wave: :wave::wave:


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## txcruze (Apr 1, 2013)

I have a 2012 Auto LT, and I've felt the same hard downshift on mine. Just waiting for it to get worse so I can take it to the dealer. I know if I take it in right now they'll just say they can't duplicate the problem.


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## Gio93z (Sep 8, 2011)

the catch 22 I have is that I actually am a Tech for GM.....Chevrolet to be more specific....so i have actually done some research and performed all the repairs myself....i have also spoken to the Gm rep and engineer dedicated to my region - off the record, i was told that the only way to 'fix' my transmission issue is to buy a 2013 Cruze - that doesnt really help much because to trade upto a 13 Cruze would mean I would lose 10k off the value of my car and still cost me cash down payment money - i personally dont think that is fair to me as a consumer....my local rep wanted me to present this issue to my owner and try and get them to give me credit/money towards a new Cruze, however, that would more than likely be at the expense of losing my job.....so i am up against it - even though it is a first model year vehicle, that doesnt make it acceptable - in my opinion at least.....any suggestions......

also, they will not allow me to put a 13 Cruze trans into my 11 Cruze because it is illegal to do under warranty as it will affect the original EPA estimations for MPG etc etc - if i chose to try that, i would have to pay out of pocket for the trans and there would be no guarantee that the programming of the 13 TCM will work when I program against the VIN for my car......

point is, I bought this car - it hasnt performed well at all - and i dont know how much I want to rock the boat VIA lemon law or another means

GM will not publically admit to any problem as they would obviously lose quite a lot of money even if a software update may resolve the issue - since we as the TECH get paid .4 or an hour to reprogram the TCM, they would lose money somewhere - not to mention the money in research it would take GM to create a proper software update for the car....i am a GM/Chevy guy all the way, but I had to say something b/c this is ridiculous - my wife refuses to drive in my car....we drive her 09 Aveo instead....obviously somethings wrong with that


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

honestly I would just trade the car to avoid the headache or lemon laws & any possibility of causing issues at work. Sure you might take a loss but why continue to pay for something your not happy with? The longer you wait the less you will get in trade. 

I'm pretty happy with the way my 2012 automatic shifts, though I think GM could do allot better. I have not drove a 2013-2014 or the new diesel automatic but hope every model year they can make some improvements.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

We have had other members with 2011 Cruze automatics report that the Trifecta aftermarket tune fixes most, if not all the shifting problems. It's available at Trifecta Tune 2010-2013 Chevrolet Cruze 1.4L Turbo.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

Deja Vu .. Does this story sound similar in detail ..


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

brian v said:


> Deja Vu .. Does this story sound similar in detail ..


Unfortunately yes.


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## DylanModz (Aug 17, 2013)

WhiteAndBright said:


> LTZ's don't have center caps..18 inch aluminum wheel..
> 
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


Yes they do.

Centers caps can be a nightmare i had my center caps peel on my aftermarket rims and it took like a year to finally get them replaced.


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## DylanModz (Aug 17, 2013)

obermd said:


> Other than the shifting, has everything else been taken care of?
> 
> As for the shifting, the 2011 Cruze Automatics are known to have harsh shifts. GM as much as admitted this when they said one of the reasons the US Cruze Diesel took so long to release was that they had to do serious reprogramming of the transmission's shifting. Unfortunately this is a combination of the transmission's software and hardware design.


The shifts on the automatic are so bad i fly back in my seat sometimes.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

DylanModz said:


> The shifts on the automatic are so bad i fly back in my seat sometimes.


What year & mileage?


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

brian v said:


> Deja Vu .. Does this story sound similar in detail ..


_"...my *Deja Vu *hears an echo of your *Deja Vu*, and raises another *Deja Vu*..."





_Where's the *Lemon Law Quixote Man *when you _really_ need him? _Tilting_ at GM?


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Gio93z, 

I am sorry this did not resolve your concern. We can certainly look into this again for you. Have you been able to reach out to your agent? Please private message us if you would like to have us look into this again for you. 

Erica Tiffany
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Hi Geo92z

I am sorry for your negative experience. Please message me your case # (Service Request #) I would like to look into this for you and see if there is anything further that I can do to assist you.

Jackie
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

70AARCUDA said:


> Where's the *Lemon Law Quixote Man *when you _really_ need him? _Tilting_ at GM?


Probably flogging the GM equivalent of Rocinante.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

I love it when me plan comes together . But did not another GM , Chevrolet Tech have similar problems , nightmares ?
Unfortunately Don the Quixote won't buy it back ! 
What would be cool is these guys get a fortuitous outcome and not more run around !


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

obermd said:


> We have had other members with 2011 Cruze automatics report that the Trifecta aftermarket tune fixes most, if not all the shifting problems. It's available at Trifecta Tune 2010-2013 Chevrolet Cruze 1.4L Turbo.


ALL shifting problems. Completely reprograms the TCM and ECM.

It's such a big difference, I refuse to EVER go back to stock.


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