# BBBRRRRRR!!!! I need Heat!!!



## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

The other day I drove home with the outside temps around -15F. I started the car and let it sit for approximately 10 minutes, and when I left the coolant temp was at 153. So of course as I start driving I turned the heater on high (it's freakin cold). Between the heater running and the car going down the road at 55mph, the coolant temp dropped to about 105 within a couple minutes. I spent the rest of the trip juggling the heater in an attempt to get the cabin above freezing. This little engine doesn't hold the heat in very well. I'm sure there's others that experience these cold snaps, anyone else had trouble keeping the engine warm enough to provide good heat to the cabin?


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

At -15*F I'd be stuffing some pipe insulation into the lower part of the front grille to block it off some.


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## novaol (Dec 28, 2012)

Wow! -15*F sheesh that is Very very cold mate.. here in Singapore temp is around 25*c now.. wet season for us here.. Heavy rains and I'm stuck at home watching TV ha ha

Novaol - Cruze member from Singapore


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Were the upper/lower radiator hoses hot? If yes, a bad thermostat is to blame. But it may be just so cold the heaters taking it all away. 

Fan speed 3 keeps the engine from cooling down too much...at least in the 20's!


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

jblackburn said:


> Were the upper/lower radiator hoses hot? If yes, a bad thermostat is to blame. But it may be just so cold the heaters taking it all away.
> 
> Fan speed 3 keeps the engine from cooling down too much...at least in the 20's!
> 
> ...


^ You bring up a very good point. There have been reports of some thermostats stuck open, causing the engine to have difficulty warming up and keeping hot. Perform the check as recommended, and if the thermostat is bad, have your car taken in to get that thermostat replaced.


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## jstoner22 (Aug 21, 2012)

I've found that idling does nothing at all for warming the car. I'd save your fuel and just let it warm while driving. In my experience it seems to take a long while to warm up in city driving, but HWY its at running temp within a minute.

Also, would piping be necessary on the ECO since it has the lower grill shutters?


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

Expecting 39c (102F) today New Years Day in Sydney west so I feel a bit envious, but not much!


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

novaol said:


> Wow! -15*F sheesh that is Very very cold mate.. here in Singapore temp is around 25*c now.. wet season for us here.. Heavy rains and I'm stuck at home watching TV ha ha
> 
> Novaol - Cruze member from Singapore


Meh, that's normal for this time of year. We see -20 quite a bit in February, and it's not abnormal to see temps as low as -40 every once in a while. Luckily we don't have much humidity, so the cold temps are more tolerable. OTOH, if it gets to 85 in the summer we are in a heat wave. I don't handle the heat very well, I'd rather it be cooler, I can always put a coat on.



jblackburn said:


> Were the upper/lower radiator hoses hot? If yes, a bad thermostat is to blame. But it may be just so cold the heaters taking it all away.
> 
> Fan speed 3 keeps the engine from cooling down too much...at least in the 20's!
> 
> ...


To be honest, I didn't think about it. I'll check it when I get a chance, I'm driving a company truck this week, so it'll probably be Friday before I drive the Cruze again. I'm taking it in for service next Sat, so if it's bad I'll have them replace it then.



jstoner22 said:


> I've found that idling does nothing at all for warming the car. I'd save your fuel and just let it warm while driving. In my experience it seems to take a long while to warm up in city driving, but HWY its at running temp within a minute.
> 
> Also, would piping be necessary on the ECO since it has the lower grill shutters?


Although idling doesn't get it up to operating temp, it does help a bit. I don't mind using a little gas to ensure that the windows stay defrosted when I leave.


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## ericpj (Oct 8, 2012)

I wonder if it is possible to tune the engine for Winter. Purposely make the engine run hotter for the first 15 minutes of driving


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## hawkeye (Mar 31, 2012)

We have the same temperatures as you in Minnesota, and my 2011 Eco has no trouble staying warm. I agree that you must have a problem with your thermostat.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

ericpj said:


> I wonder if it is possible to tune the engine for Winter. Purposely make the engine run hotter for the first 15 minutes of driving


I monitored my engine temp this morning - it was about 20F outside. The engine warmed up at a fairly even rate from "cold start" to 150F which is where I turned my heater on. Making the engine run "hotter" for the first 15 minutes simply doesn't work. Gasoline burns at a reasonably well defined range of temperatures and there just isn't that much being burned at a time. Larger engines heat up faster because they're burning more fuel.


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

hawkeye said:


> We have the same temperatures as you in Minnesota, and my 2011 Eco has no trouble staying warm. I agree that you must have a problem with your thermostat.


Thanks. I knew I wasn't the only one with a Cruze in colder weather. I'll have it checked when it's in for service.


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

Before doing anything, check the coolant level. Low coolant can cause what you describe.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

I really wonder if any Cruze needs the lower grill area open below freezing. I was thinking about coming up with some sort of cover for most/all of that area. There's still maybe a 12x12 area open on the main grill. Plus, with that big shield cut out underneath, there's plenty of cool air coming up onto the engine anyway.


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## H3LLON3ARTH (Dec 16, 2011)

GoldenCruze said:


> Before doing anything, check the coolant level. Low coolant can cause what you describe.


Then check the two hoses going into the firewall but be cautious they should be hot if not the heater core problem

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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

Hi guys, just a thought for Cruze eco drivers in the cold, if you have slats that close at highway speeds does that mean that if the engine temp rises they open? If so wouldn't blocking the lower opening cause the engine to run hotter and the slats to open to prevent overheating? Just an idea.


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## 204cruze (Oct 25, 2012)

Leaving for work this morning it was -27 celcius and my cruze hit full operating temp in 10 minutes. the car was parked in my heated garage but as i was driving i could feel the suspension freezin up. after work it warmed up to -17 and it was still about the same warm up time. Im thinkin your stat is borked or your coolant level is low enough that it cant feed full volume to the heater core.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Sunline Fan said:


> I really wonder if any Cruze needs the lower grill area open below freezing. I was thinking about coming up with some sort of cover for most/all of that area. There's still maybe a 12x12 area open on the main grill. Plus, with that big shield cut out underneath, there's plenty of cool air coming up onto the engine anyway.


My ECO MT spends most of the winter with the louviers behind the lower grill closed.


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## jsusanka (Jan 31, 2011)

do you know if the computer would throw a code if the thermostat is stuck open?

I had a 96 civic before the cruze and the thermostat failed open and the car would not warm up in cold weather. turns out that was the problem. they said their t-stats all fail to open to prevent overheating which can waste an engine. the heater would not warm either when it failed open but my cruze heater is the best heater I have ever had in a car. had my daughter and friends tell me to turn the heat down from the back seat. so the heater works great but the car just takes long to warm up but does eventually reach operating temp.

but it failed at 13 years old and 120,000 miles.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

My car was taking a **** long time to heat up today. Engine temp was 170 degrees, so I popped the hood, got out, and grabbed the radiator hose on the driver's side of the car. It was very warm to the touch. 

I suspect my thermostat is stuck partially open. I guess I need a dealer visit...


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

obermd said:


> My ECO MT spends most of the winter with the louviers behind the lower grill closed.


Mike, do you have a pic of it in the closed position?


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Sunline Fan said:


> Mike, do you have a pic of it in the closed position?


My air flow louviers are closed right now. My car has been turned off for about five hours. When it's warmer out the louviers are open after I stop the car.

I sat in front of the car and took these with my Olympus SP-570UZ camera lens about two inches in front of the lower grill.. The second picture shows them closed it a little better. If Ier I stop stick my fingers through the grill I can feel the louviers less than a finger length behind the grill.


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## jdubb11 (Mar 14, 2012)

i wish everyone luck with their cold cruze and hope someone can get a fix.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

obermd said:


> My air flow louviers are closed right now. My car has been turned off for about five hours. When it's warmer out the louviers are open after I stop the car.
> 
> I sat in front of the car and took these with my Olympus SP-570UZ camera lens about two inches in front of the lower grill.. The second picture shows them closed it a little better. If Ier I stop stick my fingers through the grill I can feel the louviers less than a finger length behind the grill.
> 
> ...


Thanks!! Those are interesting- I always wondered what they looked like. Since they don't touch the outer grill, can air be captured inside the bumper then and directed down through the bumper and below the car? I always thought the shutters closed off in the front up close where the air would just hit it and have to around the bumper, but I bet being directed down under the car would be less disruptive to flow than having to get forced out around the car.

I think I may work on some sort of shutter/flap/diverter for there on mine. I think I have just the material for it in the garage that would be very functional, durable, and visually discreet.

I bet the Eco shutters don't move in the winter also due to snow/ice- they could break/the motors could break if they were told to move but were frozen in place.


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## Cruzemeister (Mar 22, 2011)

jdubb11 said:


> i wish everyone luck with their cold cruze and hope someone can get a fix.


HAVE YOU CONSIDERED TRADING IT IN FOR A DODGE Dart ? :1poke:


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## silverls (Nov 12, 2011)

Cruzemeister said:


> HAVE YOU CONSIDERED TRADING IT IN FOR A DODGE Dart ? :1poke:


Hey now, we don't need all your posts becoming a Dodge advertisement. This is a Cruze forum lol

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## tecollins1 (Nov 6, 2011)

silverls said:


> Hey now, we don't need all your posts becoming a Dodge advertisement. This is a Cruze forum lol
> 
> Sent from my XT912 using AutoGuide.Com Free App


Really! 
I've already seen 3-4 in a row...

Just turn your advertisement knob down a couple clicks. 


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## Cruzemeister (Mar 22, 2011)

:th_angelsmiley4:


tecollins1 said:


> Really!
> I've already seen 3-4 in a row...
> 
> Just turn your advertisement knob down a couple clicks. :th_salute:
> ...


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

When Mount St. Helens blew her cork in 1980, the following winter, we had temperatures as low as -45*F. Would be far worse if that huge volcano in Yellowstone would blow her cork. Some geologists came its 30,000 years overdue. Far more fearful than global warming according to some.

Lowest temperature I can recall since getting our Cruze was -10*F, cruising along at 70 mph, the temperature gauge stuck at mid range and we had plenty of heat. But does get uncomfortable when glued inside the car for several hours, an extremely dry heat.

Home has a humidifier, not aware of any vehicle that has one, really not that bad to get out of the car so my nose clears up. This could be something to complain about.

Around town, lucky if the temperature gauge even hits a quarter, but still plenty of heat. My first three cars, a 1930 Olds, 1930 Ford Model A, and a 1933 Buick didn't even have a heater, ha we are getting soft. 1937 Olds and 1941 Chevy had a heater, but only the front passenger would get any heat. Those in the back required blankets.

We may pick on Chrysler, but were the first to introduce a full vehicle heating and ventilation system, my old 1947 Dodge or Chrysler New Yorker were the first cars wasn't required to carry blankets for the rear passengers.

Another disadvantage with a 1.4L engine that only has a 5.8 quart coolant capacity, car cools down very rapidly if say spending a couple of hours in a store. Ha, when you first switch on the ignition, temperature gauge actually moves to the left.

But still about 70% of our fuel dollar goes out the exhaust pipe, catalytic converter is plenty hot. Another 15% is for the cooling system. Only way to get around this is to dump the internal combustion engine.

If we go all electric, really should invest in blankets.


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## jsusanka (Jan 31, 2011)

204cruze said:


> Leaving for work this morning it was -27 celcius and my cruze hit full operating temp in 10 minutes. the car was parked in my heated garage but as i was driving i could feel the suspension freezin up. after work it warmed up to -17 and it was still about the same warm up time. Im thinkin your stat is borked or your coolant level is low enough that it cant feed full volume to the heater core.


The outside temp no matter what it is shouldn't make a difference. Starting may be a problem in the cold weather but once the car the car is started it may take a little longer to get to operating temp but it should get there in pretty quick time. 

I am going to do some more testing with mine when we get a few days in a row below freezing. 
We get a day or two in the twenties then we get four or five days in the 30's or above. 

I think I can get more consistency with the problem when it is in the 20's or below for highs. 

IMO I don't think the t-stat is what is going with these slow warm up times. 
I would like to know who did the programming for the ECU's. If they outsourced it to some third world country I will be very afraid. My company looks under every rock to see what they can outsource and all it does is cause more work because we end up correcting shoddy work and the person who does the work just moves on to the next project or client. But the upper level management gets rewarded because their budgets look good for the quarter or month or whatever short term thinking goal they have. 

This harvard business model sucks.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

!986 Honda Civic sure didn't have programming by foreigners, no programming whatsoever, carburetor car. Took ten miles of highway driving to get any heat. Even had a 195*F thermostat, but had a 1.6 L engine not much larger than the 1.4L in the Cruze.

Back in the old days with 160*F thermostats, use to put a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator to get more heat. Unfortunately, this is not very easy to do with the Cruze.


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

XTremeRevolution-

I believe the radiator hose on the drivers side of the car will be hot to the touch on a normal operating car with a good thermostat. As this is the hot outlet side of the engine block to the radiator.

If the thermostat was stuck open, the lower hose, on the passenger side would have a little heat to it. If the thermostat is remaining closed, as it should for a good warm up, the lower hose passenger side of engine, should be cold. The thermostat is in the lower radiator hose on the passenger side of this engine. 

Being from Minnesota I have heat if I get it out on the freeway, but I've noticed in town heat up is really slow. I have an early 2012 with the Temperature on the digital instrument display. I can drop 20F by going from fan position #1 to position #4. If I'm driving in town. 

I've used all data to look at the heater core location, and it appears to be a large heater core located down in the console footwell on the drivers side. In closed loop circulation of the coolant the heater core can pull more heat out of the coolant than what the engine makes.

There's been lot's of discussions of coolant heaters, but does anyone know if it's been attempted yet on the 1.4L?

Please feel free comment if I've missed anything, as there's lot's of good knowledge on this forum, and I'm just sharing what I've learned by looking into AllData.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Thanks for clarifying that. I was used to 3800s which have a thermostat right at the hose outlet in a housing on the driver's side.

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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Now that it's daytime again, I went out and checked my lower grill shutters. They are indeed closed and there are no gaps for the air to flow around them. This makes a lot of sense as by closing the shutters at speed you get an air pocket in the grill that effectively makes the front of the car smaller to the wind. This reduces the overall coefficient of drag for highway fuel economy. Leaving a gap for the air to flow around the closed shutters would defeat this purpose.

As for are they closed all the time in the winter. The answer is a definite no as I have also seen them open in the winter. They open and close as the car needs extra cooling. It's just that when it's really cold outside they don't reopen once they're closed. The last mile of my commute home starts with about a third of a mile at 45 MPH (I usually do about 40-42 as I'm not comfortable at 45 on this stretch of road) and then the remainder at 30 MPH or lower, so driving speed is obviously not the only thing that controls the shutter opening and closing. Ambient air and engine temps must also be used in the decision. I suspect the reason these shutters are about 3.5-4 inches back from the grill is to help protect the shutters and shutter motor from ice and debris build up. I have yet to see ice or snow build up around my lower grill, which makes me wonder if the engine coolant doesn't have some ducting around this grill as well.


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## silverls (Nov 12, 2011)

Interesting thing i noticed today. I got up early to go get my oil changed and there was frost on every surface of the car. So j started it and turned the defrosteds on high and went to look for my scraper. 

I got the scraper but decided to first clean out my car a little. Honestly I am a pig and I don't like taking my car in for service full of crap. By the time I finished the car had been sitting for about 15 minutes running and almost of the frost was gone. Even with the doors bring open. I scraped the rest and left. At that point the DIC read 122 degrees. 

I had some heat but nothing real. I drove roads for the first 5 miles with a speed limit of 35 and it was constant. No red lights. After that part of my trip it was only up to 153 degrees (10 minutes of driving) and j was kinda mad. I have never experienced it taking a while to warm up. Usually by 10 minutes in I am turning the heat down. 

Once I made my turn and got on the highway, cruise set at 55, it shot to 203 degrees in no time. But as soon as I was off the highway and back down to 35 mph it dropped to about 196 degrees before I made it 2 minutes to the dealer. 

Normally, my daily commute starts me at 55mph for about 10 minutes then drops to 35 for the rest of the trip. And j am in 6th gear the whole time just cruzin. I guess this is why I never have an problems. The car just doesn't seem to be able to get warm on slower roads. But once it is warm it does seem to keep itself warm enough to keep the heat sweating me out of the car. 

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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

silverls said:


> Interesting thing i noticed today. I got up early to go get my oil changed and there was frost on every surface of the car. So j started it and turned the defrosteds on high and went to look for my scraper.
> 
> I got the scraper but decided to first clean out my car a little. Honestly I am a pig and I don't like taking my car in for service full of crap. By the time I finished the car had been sitting for about 15 minutes running and almost of the frost was gone. Even with the doors bring open. I scraped the rest and left. At that point the DIC read 122 degrees.
> 
> ...


What was the fan on? 3 or 4?

I bet the 1.8 had a lot better heater, no?


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## silverls (Nov 12, 2011)

jblackburn said:


> What was the fan on? 3 or 4?
> 
> I bet the 1.8 had a lot better heater, no?


Fan was on 4 until I hit the highway and turned it down. Once that temp hit 203 the car turned into a sweat box. 

Yes, the 1.8 did much better.

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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

silverls said:


> Fan was on 4 until I hit the highway and turned it down. Once that temp hit 203 the car turned into a sweat box.
> 
> Yes, the 1.8 did much better.
> 
> Sent from my XT912 using AutoGuide.Com Free App


Keeping the fan lower until the gauge is at 1/4 or above will definitely let the engine heat up faster. I usually keep it on 3 unless I'm at highway speeds, otherwise the engine will never warm up and I'll never have heat.

Other than that, the Cruze's heater works quite well. Our Toyota is about the same way and heats up in about the same amount of time, even with a 2.5-liter engine.

I miss my Volvo sometimes. It was at the halfway point on the gauge in 2 minutes and roasting you out of the car. When the climate control system decided to cooperate.


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

Small update. The temps around here have averaged -10 (give or take 5 degrees) in the mornings over the last week. I'll admit, I haven't thought to check the hoses. The few times I've driven the Cruze over the last week, I haven't seen coolant temps above 150, and mostly between 100 and 120. Most of my driving is at 55, and I have to keep the fan speed at 1 or 2 to maintain coolant temp. Unfortunately, fan speed 1 and 2 are not enough to keep the windshield clear. 

I'm taking the car in for service tomorrow, and will have them check the tstat.


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## Pete in PA (Dec 1, 2012)

You can put the heat setting into recirculate to warm up faster. My opinion is it's the iron block on such a small engine causing it to warm slowly. 2.0 Suzuki warms instantly.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

An important consideration in MVAC, (Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning), covers both heating and cooling, is he air exchange rate. One argument with cooling, would you rather have 60*F air exchanging at 500 cfm, or 40*F air at 150 cfm? I would prefer the former.

Beside air intake, also require air exhaust to get air exchange. Find the Cruze a bit peculiar in this respect, key areas of air exhaust if that upper gap between the front and rear doors on both the passenger and driver's side doors. Ventilation if via the inside window weather stripping to the outside of the door and a probable cause for wind noise. Also air escapes at the lower part of the trunk lid.

If those areas are frosted, will restrict air flow affecting the rate of air exchange in the vehicle. Most typical are two exhaust vents located at the bottom of the door posts either on two or four door vehicles. On the latter, at the rear doors on four door models, located on the inside of the weather stripping.

For whatever reason, the body designers elected to put the weather stripping on the inside rather than on the outer edge. Learned this the first time I washed my Cruze, a lot of debris on the pillar post on the inside. With window noise, much quieter if you close the recir door and switch off the blower. Using those exhaust vents on the inside of weather stripping, pillars are much cleaner with much better air circulation for the rear passengers. Maybe they flipped a coin on this issue and it came up tails. 

Least on high speed blower, drowns out that window noise, but so does turning up the radio. Dealers that tried to block that all important window vent for air noise only served to fog up your windows and decreased the ability for both heating and cooling.


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

It sucks living in the middle of nowhere. I called my dealership and they don't have enough time to troubleshoot the tstat tomorrow. Apparently they require 3 hours for this, and the service department cannot do this on the weekend. I have to bring it in during the week. Since they are 65 miles away, that means I have to take time off work for them to check the tstat. On top of that, I have a leaky tire (the fix a flat stuff doesn't do crap), and their tire guy won't be back for 2 weeks. 

So I'm left with a decision. The tire is going to be difficult. All of the local "mechanics" don't have covers on their tire machines, so I don't trust them to fix my tire without scratching the **** out of my wheel. I'm going to price a new tstat, if it isn't expensive, I guess I'll be changing it myself.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

That does indeed suck. I had the same experience owning a Volvo where dealers were few and far between and living in the middle of nowhere VA, but at least Chevy dealers are more widespread here. Any way they could get you a loaner car and get yours in during the week?

I believe the thermostat requires software programming to "mate" it to the ECU (since it's computer controlled and all). Most of these new cars...since roughly 2000, you're SOL when it comes to doing your own repairs for anything the ECU talks to.

I ended up having my tire replaced at the Firestone shop rather than the dealer. Ended up being less expensive that way.


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

Ahhhhh.... Thank you, I hadn't thought about a loaner. I called and asked about it, they're going to call me back after verifying it hasn't been reserved already (apparently they only have a couple).

The tire I can deal with until I can get it to my usual tire shop. I was hoping the dealership could fix it while I was there, since my trusted tire shop is a 35 mile drive in the opposite direction. Living in the middle of nowhere teaches you to take advantage of any trips you take.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Must be a compulsive poster time to visit my therapist.

Tire dealers hate that spray, been through this about 30 years ago, leaves a mess inside of the rim and tire, has to be cleaned off, can cause imbalance by settling at one spot and your tire pressure monitor, 40 bucks, is in danger. One reason I explicitly wanted a real spare tire. 

At rockauto.com, thermostat is 37 bucks, temperature sensor is 24 bucks, housing is 14 bucks, what is the problem? Wiring, connections, PCM, corrupted code in the flashram? Have access to generation III scanners to determine the problem?

Can't help you much about where you live, been there, done that, with only one vehicle to depend on. Did cut that down from five to three, hopefully enough. Wouldn't be so bad if I only had to register one and pay for insurance just for me instead of five vehicles. But they won't let you do that. No public transportation, only way to get anywhere.

Why a Chevy? Two dealers in town, with Asian or European vehicles, was a trip down to Milwaukee to get parts. But at least now, have the internet to get fair prices. But still have to wait, and can't do that with only one vehicle.

Since the EPA banned CFC's for spray cans, propane is the most common propellant, gather the Cruze is using propane as well. One reason why I quit buying spray cans, especially paint and using inside of the home. Ironically the EPA will not let us put propane/butane in our AC systems, but guess okay to put that in a tire. I give up.


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

Changing the tstat is an option for me, but not a good one. Not sure if I'll need to do any programming, and don't have a scanner/programmer anyway. Also, GM didn't make it easy by putting the tstat in the lower radiator hose. Meaning I'm going to have to drain the coolant. Again, not a big problem, but it's approximately -10 degrees in my garage. Not exactly ideal working conditions. 

Why a Chevy? Ford's options in my price range didn't stack up, I've been staying away from Dodge/Chrystler due to past experiences, and the imports don't have much of a presence (dealerships) in the area. The few that are here have been difficult to deal with in the past.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

Now that I think about it, I'm surprised that using a can of fix-a-flat doesn't damage the TPMS and thus void the tire/wheel warranty. They must not mind too much since that's the answer in an ECO.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

The GM fix-a-flat is latex based and is apparently easy to get off the TPMS hardware. Other fix-a-flats aren't supported and do void the warranty.


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

Yeah, I used the stuff provided with the compressor. Made a mess, and didn't apparently do anything.

Update: I heard back from the dealership. They'll have a loaner for me to use, so I'm happy.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Either of my two Chevy dealers is happy to do my warranty work, even though I purchased my Cruze from one of them. I chose the one I feel is most competent for the job at hand. Either let's me have a loaner, even though I don't need one. But what the heck, doesn't cost me anything.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

Gee it's great living in a country where there isn't a lot of freezing weather.

A leaky pipe under a Manhattan street encased a parked car in ice and caused the pavement to sink over the weekend. 
When Pete, the owner of the vehicle, was finally able to get into the car to run the engine and warm it up, the heat inside the vehicle combined with the ice outside caused the rear window to shatter.
"It could be worse like if that was me or a family member covered in ice, that wouldn't be good; so it's all relative," said Pete.


View attachment 9984


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

I took the Cruze to the dealership Saturday and picked up the loaner. They gave me an 04 Impalla with 90k miles. I guess it's not a bad car, but it does make me appreciate how nice the Cruze is. My car should be done tomorrow.


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## jdubb11 (Mar 14, 2012)

Beachernaut said:


> I took the Cruze to the dealership Saturday and picked up the loaner. They gave me an 04 Impalla with 90k miles. I guess it's not a bad car, but it does make me appreciate how nice the Cruze is. My car should be done tomorrow.


cant wait to hear what they do and if it actually helps


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## jdubb11 (Mar 14, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> My car was taking a **** long time to heat up today. Engine temp was 170 degrees, so I popped the hood, got out, and grabbed the radiator hose on the driver's side of the car. It was very warm to the touch.
> 
> I suspect my thermostat is stuck partially open. I guess I need a dealer visit...


ever make it to the dealer??


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Beachernaut said:


> I took the Cruze to the dealership Saturday and picked up the loaner. They gave me an 04 Impalla with 90k miles. I guess it's not a bad car, but it does make me appreciate how nice the Cruze is. My car should be done tomorrow.



Beachernau,
I would like you to keep me posted on the progress with your dealer. If you have any questions or need any assistance please feel free to contact me anytime.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

Picked up the car from the dealer last night. They checked to verify that the tstat was opening and closing normally. They couldn't replicate the issue. I'm not surprised, the only time I've had trouble was when the temps were below 0 and the temps haven't got below 5 degrees while the dealership had it.

Not sure where to go from here. They had my car out 4 times to verify tstat functions. In my experience, tstats either work, or they don't. I've seen a couple that stuck then worked again, but failed permanently soon after. At this point all I can really do is keep an eye on it and if I have a problem, contact the dealership.

I'm curious if the hacked up shield under my car is contributing to the issue I'm seeing in the cold weather. For those who drive in sub 0 temps without trouble, has the splash shield recall been done on your car?


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## Rusty Shackleford (Jan 6, 2013)

I was talking to my twin brother last night who is a chevy/caddy mechanic about Cruzes because I'm interested in getting one. He mentioned how they never see Cruzes in except for oil changes. He did say the only time they saw a whole bunch of them was for when they had to trim the shield under the car due to the recall. But he said they only trimmed an inch off where the oil drains because it drained right on the shield....so I don't see how that would make a difference with you issue.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Rusty Shackleford said:


> I was talking to my twin brother last night who is a chevy/caddy mechanic about Cruzes because I'm interested in getting one. He mentioned how they never see Cruzes in except for oil changes. He did say the only time they saw a whole bunch of them was for when they had to trim the shield under the car due to the recall. But he said they only trimmed an inch off where the oil drains because it drained right on the shield....so I don't see how that would make a difference with you issue.


They did it the smart way. Chevys "official" fix involves hacking up half the freaking shield. 


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

Edit: What he said ^^^

I think it differs between dealerships on the recall. When mine was done, they cut the entire center section out of the shield.


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

Ok, so I've been trying different things to keep whatever heat I can in the engine. Here's what I found.

At temps below 0, with the heater on the defrost/foot setting, you need at least fan speed 3 to keep the windows clear. You can get away with speed 2 if you're using defrost only, but at -15 you need some heat for your body too. 

I've been able to reach a balance, and part of it was due to my driving habits Nearly everywhere I go involves at least 2 miles of 55mph highway. I've found that coasting is the worst on retaining engine temps. I've modified my driving behavior to eliminate coasting long distances, and shift sooner to work the engine harder and generate more heat. I generally only drive short trips (2-10 miles), and rarely go far enough to get the car above about 170 degrees.

A 5 minute warm up is mandatory IMO. Not only does it bring the coolant temp up to approximately 100 degrees, it also helps warm up the trans fluid. If you think you're car shifts bad normally, try it with fluid that's still below 0.

I'm still curious how much difference the slaughtered shield makes. I may see if I can find an unmolested shield to swap onto my car. I'd think keeping rushing air away would help, but I'm not sure how much.

Edit: Those of you looking at your temps, use the coolant temp on the DIC and not the "temp gauge". The temp gauge isn't very accurate. Mine will come off C at approximately 110 degrees, and show almost normal at about 160 degrees.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Beachernaut said:


> A 5 minute warm up is mandatory IMO. Not only does it bring the coolant temp up to approximately 100 degrees, it also helps warm up the trans fluid. If you think you're car shifts bad normally, try it with fluid that's still below 0.
> 
> I'm still curious how much difference the slaughtered shield makes. I may see if I can find an unmolested shield to swap onto my car. I'd think keeping rushing air away would help, but I'm not sure how much.
> 
> Edit: Those of you looking at your temps, use the coolant temp on the DIC and not the "temp gauge". The temp gauge isn't very accurate. Mine will come off C at approximately 110 degrees, and show almost normal at about 160 degrees.


My car has the shield hacked but I find the car warms almost as fast as my previous cars. The real trick when below zero is to leave your fan speed at 1 or 2 & just the defroster on until the your above 160degrees. Once I'm that warmed up i turn on the defrost/floor but wait until 190 degrees to turn fan speed up. 

Your exactly right, the factory temp gauge is not accurate at all, glad my car still has the digital DIC readout. 

I remote start my car for 4-6minutes, the engine temp is usually at 100-120 when I get in the car no matter how cold outside it is. It might take 10 more minutes of driving to fully warm up, but I have heat & defrosted windows(at least the front) within a few minutes.


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## jdubb11 (Mar 14, 2012)

my shield is not hacked and it does not help in engine warm up. car warms up ok on the highway but with strictly city driving it is a cold blooded car for the first 30 min. DO NOT USE FAN SPEED 4 WHILE CITY DRIVING!!! car will never get to op temp


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

"Edit: Those of you looking at your temps, use the coolant temp on the DIC and not the "temp gauge". The temp gauge isn't very accurate. Mine will come off C at approximately 110 degrees, and show almost normal at about 160 degA 5 minute warm up is mandatory IMO. Not only does it bring the coolant temp up to approximately 100 degrees, it also helps warm up the trans fluid. If you think you're car shifts bad normally, try it with fluid that's still below 0.

I'm still curious how much difference the slaughtered shield makes. I may see if I can find an unmolested shield to swap onto my car. I'd think keeping rushing air away would help, but I'm not sure how much."


Sooner or latter I'll figure out how to quote others in posts like everyone else!

It's been a high temperature of 10F here in Minnesota reciently and I agree with the post above. I still have the original un modified shield, and it doesn't do much to keep heat in. In my opinion I wouldn't spend any time trying to find an original shield.

On the freeway with the coolant hot at 219F, I can coast from 70 mph to zero, and watch the digital temperature gage fall. This all makes sense, as the milage is at 99 mpg instantanous, and the car is in DFCO mode. 219 can fall to 216-215F. 

Setting the heater control to two ticks hotter than center on the temperature dial, and fan speed to 1 or possibly 2 works ok, but this engine is really efficient. 

I've also noted that with an ambient outdoor temperature of 10F I can get the coolant to around 100F with the remote start in about a minute. I start the car when I'm 20 feet away, and put stuff in the trunk and take off. 

I do leave the heater fan off when I use the remote start though.


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## OnlyTaurus (Mar 20, 2012)

Not everybody has the ECT available on DIC. They only did that for a wondow of time before removing it. March 2012 I believe.

Its really difficult to warm the Cruze up without driving it, honestly. I let mine warm up 10 minutes before I leave just so its not a popsicle inside, but Im lucky to reach 100 yet. I can handle the little heat until I start driving.

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## jdubb11 (Mar 14, 2012)

carbon02 said:


> "Edit: Those of you looking at your temps, use the coolant temp on the DIC and not the "temp gauge". The temp gauge isn't very accurate. Mine will come off C at approximately 110 degrees, and show almost normal at about 160 degA 5 minute warm up is mandatory IMO. Not only does it bring the coolant temp up to approximately 100 degrees, it also helps warm up the trans fluid. If you think you're car shifts bad normally, try it with fluid that's still below 0.
> 
> I'm still curious how much difference the slaughtered shield makes. I may see if I can find an unmolested shield to swap onto my car. I'd think keeping rushing air away would help, but I'm not sure how much."
> 
> ...


Sooner or latter I'll figure out how to quote others in posts like everyone else!

hit "reply with quote" at the bottom of the post. then press the red "post quick reply" =)


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## Markj2222 (Jul 26, 2012)

Lol this seams to be a popular topic, I should start developing a high idle switch for the cruze :tongue:


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## Markj2222 (Jul 26, 2012)

OnlyTaurus said:


> Its really difficult to warm the Cruze up without driving it, honestly. I let mine warm up 10 minutes before I leave just so its not a popsicle inside, but Im lucky to reach 100 yet. I can handle the little heat until I start driving.


Is it possible to retard the ignition timing to build up more heat in the engine? Or Is it too hard on your valves and turbo.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Unless it's really bitterly cold, like -18*C/0*F, hop in and drive it. Get on it a little too. Use the turbo to generate heat to warm the engine air, oil, and coolant. It's a type of compressor, and a byproduct of compressing air is heat.


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