# 2014 2LT Malfunction Indicator Lamp Is On



## dieselshadow (Nov 27, 2016)

Is there a hissing sound coming from the engine? Open the hood with the engine running and listen for a hissing sound coming near the oil cap. If it is, you need your valve cover replaced. This is a fairly inexpensive repair and a very common failure point on these cars. Super easy and cheap to fix though.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

dieselshadow said:


> Super easy and cheap to fix though.


Given that it's a 2014, there's a good chance it's covered by warranty.


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## dieselshadow (Nov 27, 2016)

Indeed.


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## joshuab (Apr 16, 2014)

Yes I would agree also it being a 14' & that mileage I'd take it to the dealership. Good luck & keep us posted on what you find.


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## susan james (Jun 22, 2016)

There is a hissing sound but only if I take the dipstick out.
I went to AutoZone this afternoon & they ran the Code for me.
Code P0171 indicates that the Bank I System is too lean for a predetermined period of time. Code P1101 Intake Air Flow System Performance is also showing.
The AutoZone guy seems to think this it is an injector issue. He put a a bottle of Techron Complete Fuel System Cleaner in the gas tank & told me to see if the Indicator Lamp goes away after a day of driving.
The motor is surging a bit when I slow down to stop. If it is the injectors I may have caused this as I did not change the fuel filter at 30,000 miles according to the maintenance instructions. Sorry but just an oversight on my part.
Anybody have input on this?


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## Cruzen Vegas (Aug 27, 2015)

I don't think there is a changeable fuel filter


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

susan james said:


> There is a hissing sound but only if I take the dipstick out.
> I went to AutoZone this afternoon & they ran the Code for me.
> Code P0171 indicates that the Bank I System is too lean for a predetermined period of time. Code P1101 Intake Air Flow System Performance is also showing.
> The AutoZone guy seems to think this it is an injector issue. He put a a bottle of Techron Complete Fuel System Cleaner in the gas tank & told me to see if the Indicator Lamp goes away after a day of driving.
> ...


You have a bad PCV in the valve cover. Valve cover needs to be replaced.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

The PCV valve is embedded in the camshaft cover. This is a power train warranty item.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

jblackburn said:


> You have a bad PCV in the valve cover. Valve cover needs to be replaced.


Quite common in the Cruze. The codes are set because too much air is getting into the PCV system and upsetting the mixture.


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## susan james (Jun 22, 2016)

I called 2 dealers today. Both were interested in how I got the P0171 Code. One told me that running the code at Autozone might invalidate the warranty if it is a warranty issue. That one also told me to be sure I did not clear the code. I did notice today that the lamp went off for a while today but it is back on now. The other dealer cautioned me that if this is not a warranty issue then they would be charging me $99 when they for their diagnostic code check.
I am getting the feeling I am being set up for a big bill when they repair the car. After all, how will I know what they find & what they ultimately do to fix the car. I don't trust either of them but what is to be done. I don't think it is a good idea to drive the car when it surges when it stops & runs rough at that point i.e. could loosen motor mounts, etc.
Do the dealers not get reiumbursed when they do warranty work?


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Most dealers will charge you a diagnostic fee up front if you're out of 3/36 warranty coverage. 

However, you pay nothing when an issue is covered under powertrain warranty.

Pop the hood, remove the Ecotec spark plug cover, and do this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDdLxOUcSdU

If it's hissing there, it is 100% covered under your powertrain warranty - no ifs, ands, or buts.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

susan james said:


> One told me that running the code at Autozone might invalidate the warranty if it is a warranty issue.


Huh??? Seriously, that's a real WTH.




susan james said:


> That one also told me to be sure I did not clear the code.


Valid. Then it affects the repair process. The dealer will want to see the code in your system for themselves. (I've seen enough of the service industry to know that consumers can do really stupid stuff. They have nothing against you, but because of experiences suffered at the hands of other customers, they're leery.)




susan james said:


> I did notice today that the lamp went off for a while today but it is back on now.


It can do that if the problem appears fixed and then comes back.




susan james said:


> The other dealer cautioned me that if this is not a warranty issue then they would be charging me $99 when they for their diagnostic code check.


At 45,000 miles, that's valid. You're outside of the B2B warranty (36,000 miles), so there's always the possibility that this is non-warranty work. (The power train warranty doesn't cover a number of thing on the engine.) Given the choice between giving you bad news up front with a possibility of good news later, and being all nice up front and then trying to get payment from you, they're going for the former. GM pays only if the cause is found to be covered by the warranty. They won't pay the dealer for diagnostics if the cause is found to be something not covered by warranty. That's just the unhappy reality. The second dealer is playing straight with you. 

Given the symptoms, I'd say there are good odds this is that well-known PCV valve issue - and that's covered.


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## susan james (Jun 22, 2016)

Yesterday I put in a new engine air filter & topped off with 8 gallons of a different gasoline. The car drove better around town with very little rought idle at stops. Then I drove a 40 mile round trip & at the end the engine shook so bad I thought it was coming out of the car so I guess the dealer is my only option at this point. Something definitely wrong. I read on another site that this often happens when the weather changes from hot to cold. This is what happened with me. Subfreezing temperatures the night before I noticed the check engine lamp on. Any theories on why the weather is a factor?


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Stop driving the car. Have the valve cover replaced. Problem will be solved.

If left unresolved, a whole bunch of oil ends up in the intake tract.


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

Susan-

There is even a GM Customer Care person who moderates this forum. This person works for GM not a dealer. I'd take it in and give a dealer an opportunity to solve the problem. If you have problems the GM Customer Care person will work with the dealership on your behalf.

I too think it's a valve cover, but I understand how difficult it is to find a shop one can trust. 

I still think there should be a thread on this site with State-City--Dealers Name for positive dealership experiences. I know there's Angies list and services like that, and I don't want to make a complaint thread. It might be too hard to moderate. Everyone complains about the negative, let's give the good shops and even call out the positive technicians, who solve issues quickly and fairly.


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## susan james (Jun 22, 2016)

Here is what the dealer did:

INSTALLED 25198498 :SL-N-COVER (00386-BCK)
INSTALLED 25195107 :SL-*-N-COIL (02170-BCK)

REPLACED CAM-COVER ASSEMBLY. UPON COVER REMOVAL IGNITION BROKE ON CYLINDER 1. REPLACED DAMA GED IGNITION MODULE. FUEL TRIM WITHIN GM SPECS.

Work was covered under warranty. I hope they did everything that needed to be done as the FORUMS indcates this can & does quite often have to be done again.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

I think you should be good from here! The ignition coil breaking when removed is unfortunately quite common as well if it's never been removed before .


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

susan james said:


> I hope they did everything that needed to be done as the FORUMS indcates this can & does quite often have to be done again.


I understand they re-designed the valve cover, so it should last longer.

One thing not mentioned is if they checked a valve in the intake manifold. If that's bad, it will cause the PCV to go bad again. But I don't know if that affects your year or not.


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## susan james (Jun 22, 2016)

I had hoped this saga was over but that was not to be. I had been smelling oil but thought that they might have spilled some on the engine. I was getting home after dark & leaving early but this morning noticed a puddle of oil where the car had been parked over the holiday. I checked the engine oil today & there was none on the dipstick. I took it to a Buick dealer down the road from me & they put in 3 quarts. It is going back to the dealer but this time I think they should give me a car to drive while they fix it. I spent last Thurs afternoon it their waiting room. They are also going to have to steam clean the engine as there is oil all over the bottom of it according to the Buick dealer & I think the engine has to be cold to be steam cleaned. Any idea what might have happened?


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

I don't think anything in the PCV system will suck that much oil out in that amount of time. I think you're dealing with a different problem.


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

They likely pinched the cam cover gasket on re-install.
EZ to do and EZ to not see once assembled.

That or they got a cracked cover...this has happened before.

Rob


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## susan james (Jun 22, 2016)

Do you think this will be a quick fix? Could I have damaged the engine driving 3 quarts low? Why didn't the oil light come on?


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

susan james said:


> Do you think this will be a quick fix? Could I have damaged the engine driving 3 quarts low? Why didn't the oil light come on?


If they just pinched the gasket, quick fix. Not saying you don't know what 3 quarts looks like exactly but if it's enough to make that kind of guess that is still way too much to be gone. Light won't come on until its way too late. 


Also, doesn't this job call for the intake manifold to also be replaced because of all the oil?


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

Merc6 said:


> If they just pinched the gasket, quick fix. Not saying you don't know what 3 quarts looks like exactly but if it's enough to make that kind of guess that is still way too much to be gone. Light won't come on until its way too late.
> 
> 
> Also, doesn't this job call for the intake manifold to also be replaced because of all the oil?


It calls for check valve inspection...the valve is in the intake manifold.
If the valve is not visable, manifold replacement is to be performed in conjunction with the cam cover.

As far as was it checked???? Depends if the dealer service folks actually read the service bulletins.

Rob


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

I believe you can have warranty work done at any GM dealership upon request. I would have requested a loaner car. They have to give you one free for warranty within the 3 year 36,000 mile period. I don't remember your milage. Buick also uses these engines, and they should be able to service it. 

If you were already at the Buick shop, I would have left the car with them for repair.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Robby said:


> It calls for check valve inspection...the valve is in the intake manifold.
> If the valve is not visable, manifold replacement is to be performed in conjunction with the cam cover.
> 
> As far as was it checked???? Depends if the dealer service folks actually read the service bulletins.
> ...


My dealer didn't bother checking even when I pointed out a loud vacuum leak from that tube. The rubber o Ring failed and it was letting un metered air. Spraying carb cleaner at it totally would have pointed out the obvious. CCND and I ended up fixing it myself.


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## susan james (Jun 22, 2016)

The Buick dealer would not do the repairs because they are part of the same dealer ownership & they said each of the dealers is managed separately. The car is back at the dealer who did the original work. They told me yesterday that gasket was cut & this was the reason for the big leak. It is back there because I told them I wasn't taking the car until they cleaned the engine. They gave me a loaner. I had taken the car to a local reputable detail shop before taking it back to the dealer & the detail shop said they would have to charge $600, $300 for cleaner, $300 for labor (all day job) to clean the engine & frame. They said it was one of the worst they'd seen I gave that estimate to the dealer & they said it was too high & that they would clean the engine. Three quarts all over the inside of the engine & frame is a lot of oil & it had even pooled in places. I guess I need to keep paper trail as the engine is probably ruined.


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## susan james (Jun 22, 2016)

The dealer fixed the car the second time & also steam cleaned the oil off the engine. Gas mileage is back up to where it was before the PVC failed. The engine does not run as smoothly as it did before this all occurred so there could have been some damage from driving the car 200+ miles when it was low 3 quarts of oil. What type of damage & problems should I watch for in the future as a result of this mishap.


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