# 2017 Cruze with Traction Control, Check Engine and Jerking Issues



## Force58 (Feb 16, 2018)

Hi everybody. I'm new to the forum and have searched for title related issues. Found some but none showed how the issues were resolved.

We bought our 2017 Cruze in July 2017. We're having issues with the Traction Control and Check Engine lights coming on, sometimes both at the same time, sometimes by themselves. What typically also happens is the car will start shaking like its going to fall apart and the engine power will be reduced significantly. Over a period of 5-45 minutes the car will return to normal operation and the lights will go off. All of the times this has happened the roads have been clear. Twice the temps have been between 25-30 outside but I'm not sure if that affected anything.

We've taken it to the dealer we bought it from and had the service techs check it over. We've taken it there a total of 5 times for a total of 32 days. They've been unable to replicate any of the issues to date.

Codes P0201-00 (cylinder 1 injector control circuit) and P0300-00 (engine misfire detected) were pulled by the techs. Based on these codes they wiggled the wiring harness and connections and monitored G0S2 data to see changes. They saw no changes. They did note that cylinder 1 has had 6,772 history misfires and cylinder 3 had 6. Since no cylinder had a current misfire they wrote it off. This does not sound normal to me. I've asked the service manager and he assured me it is.

Based on the P0300 concern they did a compression check on all cylinders and they were within spec.

On a subsequent dealer tech inspection for the same issues they replaced the number 1 fuel injector, ECM and wiring harness. 

The most recent dealer service tech visit resulted in them driving the car for over 550 miles with a laptop attached in an attempt to replicate the issues. They were unable to.

Since this past visit to the dealer the Traction Control light has come on 2 other times with the car shaking violently each time. The 2nd time the car was shaking so much I was unsure if it would actually stop in time for me to not hit a car in front of me stopped at a light. It was as if none of the tires had contact with the road. I know this sounds crazy, but it felt like I had lost total control of the vehicle. Luckily it stopped in time for me to not hit the car in front of me, but it was scary none-the-less.

I know there have been others that have experienced these issues based on the number of other posts about it, but has anybody had the issues resolved? If so, how were they resolved?


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## 91794 (Mar 25, 2015)

Keep bringing it back to a dealer (any dealer) for warranty repair until the drivability issues are resolved. It is clearly a safety problem. If it occurs again, immediately get off public roads - park the car in safe spot and have GM/roadside-assistance come get you and tow the car to nearest shop. 
Track/log the days its in shop, save all paperwork.
Investigate lemon law in your state to see the requirements. 5 visits 32 days in shop may already be enough for automatic-lemon-law-swap in your state, or whatever your state mandates for such things. let us know how it goes!


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## Force58 (Feb 16, 2018)

eli said:


> Keep bringing it back to a dealer (any dealer) for warranty repair until the drivability issues are resolved. It is clearly a safety problem. If it occurs again, immediately get off public roads - park the car in safe spot and have GM/roadside-assistance come get you and tow the car to nearest shop.
> Track/log the days its in shop, save all paperwork.
> Investigate lemon law in your state to see the requirements. 5 visits 32 days in shop may already be enough for automatic-lemon-law-swap in your state, or whatever your state mandates for such things. let us know how it goes!


Hi Eli. We started the lemon law process once the vehicle reached 30 days in the shop. We contacted the Attorney General of Va and filled out the paperwork sending in all the invoices, etc. We also contacted GM around the same time. They have received the Attorney General package as of last week and have 10 days to respond.

That's exactly what we're worried about is safety at this point especially after the latest incident where we almost rear-ended another car trying to get it to stop.

Thanks for the info. Hopefully somebody else has experienced this such that it was resolved.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Nearly 6,800 misfires on a single cylinder tells me there's a problem with that cylinder. I'm going to guess it's a bad injector. With that many misfires on a new car the dealership should have immediately contacted GM TAC for assistance. The TC/SC lights are coming on because the engine is having issues - these two lights are red herrings.


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## Force58 (Feb 16, 2018)

obermd said:


> Nearly 6,800 misfires on a single cylinder tells me there's a problem with that cylinder. I'm going to guess it's a bad injector. With that many misfires on a new car the dealership should have immediately contacted GM TAC for assistance. The TC/SC lights are coming on because the engine is having issues - these two lights are red herrings.


I got ahold of the service manager at the dealer yesterday to ask about the misfirings. Initially they said it wasn't an issue and did nothing on visit #2. On visit #3 they did change the #1 fuel injector, but unfortunately it didn't take care of the issue. I also confirmed during that call that they DID NOT check the nationwide GM database for similar issues/solutions. I asked him WHY they did not feel the need to do so, especially since the GM rep told me it was supposed to be standard practice. He really had no response and when I told him that just by doing a normal google search I was able to find a lot of 2013 to present Cruze's with the exact same issues. Unfortunately for me none of those outlined steps to correct the problem.

I talked to the wife about it yesterday and we're just taking it back to the dealer and get a loaner as at this point we don't feel its safe to drive. With the car running under powered and the shaking that happens right before it feels like all 4 tires are off the road, no thanks.

Thanks for the info.


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

Based on your description my first question revolves around 'violent shaking'.

Is it possible your description 'violent shaking' would be my term, 'rapid vibration throughout the car'?
Your experience, 'feels like it won't stop' is indicative of a unintentional ABS engagement.
To me, the feeling is a strong vibration throughout (steering wheel, brake pedal, seat, car body) with almost non existent braking regardless of how hard the pedal is pushed.

If you think my description is more in line with what you are experiencing, share my thoughts with the dealer. You may be having them looking for something that is, in reality, not engine related.

Keep in touch.

Rob


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## Force58 (Feb 16, 2018)

Robby said:


> Based on your description my first question revolves around 'violent shaking'.
> 
> Is it possible your description 'violent shaking' would be my term, 'rapid vibration throughout the car'?
> Your experience, 'feels like it won't stop' is indicative of a unintentional ABS engagement.
> ...


We asked about that on the 3rd visit to the shop since the TC light kept coming on, suggesting maybe that the ABS may be engaging when it shouldn't. Your description does better describe what happens, but 2 of the times it happened the car wasn't moving. Can/would the ABS engage without the vehicle moving? 

This past week has been rough for the vehicle with the power being way off from where it normally is. We informed the dealer and like I mentioned in the other note, we're bringing it back to them once again. We'll pass along the description of the "vibration" vice "shaking" to the service manager so it's noted. This is getting old.

Thanks.


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## Taxman (Aug 10, 2017)

Don't the piston failures tend to be on cylinder #1 and throw misfire codes?


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

Force58 said:


> We asked about that on the 3rd visit to the shop since the TC light kept coming on, suggesting maybe that the ABS may be engaging when it shouldn't. Your description does better describe what happens, but 2 of the times it happened the car wasn't moving. Can/would the ABS engage without the vehicle moving?
> 
> This past week has been rough for the vehicle with the power being way off from where it normally is. We informed the dealer and like I mentioned in the other note, we're bringing it back to them once again. We'll pass along the description of the "vibration" vice "shaking" to the service manager so it's noted. This is getting old.
> 
> Thanks.


If it has happened while the car is stationary......that's a different bucket of worms. ABS engagement rapidly cycles the brakes on and off to keep the wheels from locking up. Since you have had this feeling while not in motion, ABS cycling or not would not be noticed.

I am stuck with two problems occurring though.

Rob


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## Force58 (Feb 16, 2018)

Taxman said:


> Don't the piston failures tend to be on cylinder #1 and throw misfire codes?


The dealer assumed the misfires were as a result of a faulty fuel injector but that didn't correct the issue. What would be considered a piston failure and what symptoms would be present?


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

What was the very first code in the list of codes. Resolve that code. If it was the injector control circuit then the dealership needs to be looking at this circuit and all sensors involved in it.


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## Taxman (Aug 10, 2017)

Force58 said:


> The dealer assumed the misfires were as a result of a faulty fuel injector but that didn't correct the issue. What would be considered a piston failure and what symptoms would be present?


Lots of discussion on broken/cracked pistons in this thread. 
I doubt it's your problem, but it might be. 
If it is a bad piston, and lemon law is an option, I'd rather sell it back than have them fix it.


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## Force58 (Feb 16, 2018)

Hi Taxman. That's what we're shooting for. GM has 2 more days before they have to present either a "no comment" or some kind of compensation to the Attorney General and then we go from there.


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