# Any REAL fix for the Chevy Cruze Limited overheating problems?



## ThatcardudeOmar (Oct 25, 2020)

So by Limited you mean LT? The one that comes with 1.4 turbo?


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## 408985 (Oct 29, 2020)

I guess, the manual says Limited and the car displays an LT. And yes it is the 1.4 Turbo piece of junk! I should have stuck to 6 and 8 cylinders.
I am currently waiting from my attorney on this one. Right now it is an ugly lawn ornament!


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

By "limited" he means a Gen 1 Cruze. The first half of 2016 GM produced the first generation Cruze and called them "Limited". The second half of the year GM produced the Gen 2 Cruze.


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## JLL (Sep 12, 2017)

Isn't your powertrain warranty 5 years or 100,000 miles? Mine was for a 2015. If it is, GM should replace it. Unless it was something you did.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

Put a colder thermostat.

220 with a fan kick on at 231 is way too hot.

Standard is 190. With a fan kick on around 210ish.


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## 408985 (Oct 29, 2020)

What I find very hard to believe is that the number of people who have had this problem shortly after buying these cars is the fact that Chevrolet has made no recalls and is just trying to sweep the problem under the rug! I have basically a new car yet, still owe payments and it is dead. Water in the engine totally gone after having the same problem just twice! This is what you get when you build engines with mating dis-similar materials expecting them to respond the same from "heat to cold and back again" And then to add a turbo, to increase the performance when the engine design really does not have a chance of longevity under normal conditions.


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## 408985 (Oct 29, 2020)

snowwy66 said:


> Put a colder thermostat.
> 
> 220 with a fan kick on at 231 is way too hot.
> 
> Standard is 190. With a fan kick on around 210ish.


I would just take the thermostat out if I were going to remove one, The thermostat really isn't needed! Once the engine is warm, it's warm. That is what was good about the "old cars" Fans ran all the time and kept the engine cool. The only reason thermostats were ever introduced into a car engine was to quickly heat up the car in cold weather scenarios. Other than that the thermostat really doesn't have to be there. Now I know today's engine rely on the thermostat in order to trigger other event in the vehicle once the sensor hits a certain temperature it triggers things like the electric fans and other engine events that use to just occur automatically or were always running from the time the engine was started. All of this so called "innovation" was someone's nightmare as to how to complicate a very simplistic design!


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

snowwy66 said:


> Put a colder thermostat.
> 
> 220 with a fan kick on at 231 is way too hot.
> 
> Standard is 190. With a fan kick on around 210ish.


Don’t the 1.4T use a electronic thermostat that’s computer controlled? I thought a tune was the only way to get it to open sooner.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

CruzerLoser said:


> What I find very hard to believe is that the number of people who have had this problem shortly after buying these cars is the fact that Chevrolet has made no recalls and is just trying to sweep the problem under the rug! I have basically a new car yet, still owe payments and it is dead. Water in the engine totally gone after having the same problem just twice! This is what you get when you build engines with mating dis-similar materials expecting them to respond the same from "heat to cold and back again" And then to add a turbo, to increase the performance when the engine design really does not have a chance of longevity under normal conditions.


To be fair many many engines have used iron block aluminum heads with absolutely no problems. It just has to be engineered correct and done right. My Supra was this way and the head never had a problem. The 1.4T does suffer from bean counters plastic in the cooling system vs aluminum and it runs too hot to be fuel efficient. The turbo doesn’t really add much power over the 1.4 NA at 98hp it’s there mostly to improve fuel efficiency.


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## BDCCruze (Jul 12, 2017)

Make sure you are using oil with API SN Plus rating and switch to a gasoline that is Top Tier (Mobil, Clark, Shell, Marathon, etc).


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

pandrad61 said:


> Don’t the 1.4T use a electronic thermostat that’s computer controlled? I thought a tune was the only way to get it to open sooner.


I have no idea how things work these days other then the forums. But there's a thread on here of a member installing a 176 and his last update was emissions passes with no issues. I don't know if he's still on here or what he did if anything to change the fan temp kickon.

I retired in 2000 from wrenching in 2000. The computer controlled thermostat wasn't a thing back then..and direct injection was an idea to eliminate the starter motor. Which don't look like happened. 

Ford had a lot of stupid ideas back then. Like no start should the ac freon get low. Like who the heck cares about ac in the winter. Not to mention 134 contracts to the point of nothing in there also. My pressure showed 5 psi last January.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

CruzerLoser said:


> I would just take the thermostat out if I were going to remove one, The thermostat really isn't needed! Once the engine is warm, it's warm. That is what was good about the "old cars" Fans ran all the time and kept the engine cool. The only reason thermostats were ever introduced into a car engine was to quickly heat up the car in cold weather scenarios. Other than that the thermostat really doesn't have to be there. Now I know today's engine rely on the thermostat in order to trigger other event in the vehicle once the sensor hits a certain temperature it triggers things like the electric fans and other engine events that use to just occur automatically or were always running from the time the engine was started. All of this so called "innovation" was someone's nightmare as to how to complicate a very simplistic design!


You better do some more reading on thermostats. I'm not sounding like a dick but the thermostat does more then you think.

Without it. The car never heats up in the cold. And overheats in the summer desert.

It constantly opens and closes to maintain temp.

If you're climbing a hill. It opens up more to prevent overheat. Going down a hill. It closes more to keep temp up.

You won't have a heater without it.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

snowwy66 said:


> I have no idea how things work these days other then the forums. But there's a thread on here of a member installing a 176 and his last update was emissions passes with no issues. I don't know if he's still on here or what he did if anything to change the fan temp kickon.
> 
> I retired in 2000 from wrenching in 2000. The computer controlled thermostat wasn't a thing back then..and direct injection was an idea to eliminate the starter motor. Which don't look like happened.
> 
> Ford had a lot of stupid ideas back then. Like no start should the ac freon get low. Like who the heck cares about ac in the winter. Not to mention 134 contracts to the point of nothing in there also. My pressure showed 5 psi last January.


Idk either, I absolutely hate E thermostat. Great in theory but when it comes time to replace it’s a huge expense. I get trying to wring out all efficiency the engine has but we are exchanging reliability for efficiency and cheaper cost to the manufacturer. Definitely if the Cruze ran cooler form the get go GM wouldn’t have as many problems.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

pandrad61 said:


> Idk either, I absolutely hate E thermostat. Great in theory but when it comes time to replace it’s a huge expense. I get trying to wring out all efficiency the engine has but we are exchanging reliability for efficiency and cheaper cost to the manufacturer. Definitely if the Cruze ran cooler form the get go GM wouldn’t have as many problems.


My gen2 runs at 188.

Why they went hot with that motor is beyond me. And apparently still using them in the trax suvs.

It's taught or used to be taught in emissions class that heat makes nox. The hotter the motor. More nox..

I've noticed the Japs run at 180. Koreans also. Don't know about the germans.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

snowwy66 said:


> My gen2 runs at 188.
> 
> Why they went hot with that motor is beyond me. And apparently still using them in the trax suvs.
> 
> ...


I was taught that the hotter the engine runs without being over heated the more efficient it is, I’m guessing they figured out how to balance the extra heat emissions wise all while meeting fuel efficiency numbers. Either way not smart to run it soo hot AND use all plastic connectors vs aluminum to rubber hose.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

pandrad61 said:


> I was taught that the hotter the engine runs without being over heated the more efficient it is, I’m guessing they figured out how to balance the extra heat emissions wise all while meeting fuel efficiency numbers. Either way not smart to run it soo hot AND use all plastic connectors vs aluminum to rubber hose.


Carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons burn more efficiently with heat. Nox gets worse.

Smog test used to be carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons testing


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

If the head is warped, you drove it when you should not have.

Without know what is exactly wrong:
I would buy a cheap endoscope and look at the cylinders for evidence of coolant washing the walls and white smoke from the tailpipe. 
If all is well, replace the water outlet, the thermostat/housing, a few hoses and the two temp sensors, possbly the surge tank and replace the coolant. IF that does not fix everything, you have caused internal damage. Oh and it is possible the coolant to the turbo is crossing over as well.


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## octaviama1992 (Apr 1, 2020)

Water in the engine totally gone after having the same problem just twice! This is what you get when you build engines with mating dis-similar materials expecting them to respond the same .omegle chat room


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

octaviama1992 said:


> Water in the engine totally gone after having the same problem just twice! This is what you get when you build engines with mating dis-similar materials expecting them to respond the same .


Your problem has absolutely nothing with different metal types. Manufacturer have been doing it for years and haven’t had problems mostly. This was probably a case of overheating or a parts failure somewhere.


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## JLL (Sep 12, 2017)

pandrad61 said:


> Your problem has absolutely nothing with different metal types. Manufacturer have been doing it for years and haven’t had problems mostly. This was probably a case of overheating or a parts failure somewhere.


 I've owned 3 cars in the last 15 years, all with aluminum heads and cast iron blocks. 1 is still going with 220,000 miles on it. 1 was totalled with 160,000 miles. And the other one is my Cruze.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

JLL said:


> I've owned 3 cars in the last 15 years, all with aluminum heads and cast iron blocks. 1 is still going with 220,000 miles on it. 1 was totalled with 160,000 miles. And the other one is my Cruze.


When it was first used side aluminum and iron wasn’t a good implementation. But today’s coolant and advancement have made this perfectly safe and viable for long term reliability. As your cars are proof many more are too


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## Gabbyduck (Dec 31, 2019)

I have 217,000 on my 2011 1.4 L engine. I haven't modified the engine. Original Turbo. Ok I used Mobile 1 Extended 15000 mile oil with oem or better oil filter. I use only OEM parts. 2 water pumps , 4 outlets , 2 thermostats, and 2 valve covers. One radiator.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

Gabbyduck said:


> I have 217,000 on my 2011 1.4 L engine. I haven't modified the engine. Original Turbo. Ok I used Mobile 1 Extended 15000 mile oil with oem or better oil filter. I use only OEM parts. 2 water pumps , 4 outlets , 2 thermostats, and 2 valve covers. One radiator.


Outlet thermostat and valve covers are all GM engineering F ups. They knew running the operation temp high would get the efficiency numbers they want but at cost of long term reliability and durability of parts. GM absolutely should have not over complicated the systems and let them hit production knowing they would fail just a few miles after warranty was up. The valve covers alone is BS engineering


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## my2010cruze (Feb 23, 2016)

snowwy66 said:


> I have no idea how things work these days other then the forums. But there's a thread on here of a member installing a 176 and his last update was emissions passes with no issues. I don't know if he's still on here or what he did if anything to change the fan temp kickon.
> 
> I retired in 2000 from wrenching in 2000. The computer controlled thermostat wasn't a thing back then..and direct injection was an idea to eliminate the starter motor. Which don't look like happened.
> 
> Ford had a lot of stupid ideas back then. Like no start should the ac freon get low. Like who the heck cares about ac in the winter. Not to mention 134 contracts to the point of nothing in there also. My pressure showed 5 psi last January.


i did this to my cruze with mileage 100k....put on 8k miles already, passed ny emission, no cold so far....saw a increase in my highway mpg to 43/45...should of done it sooner. i can actually see my temp gauge moving 175/185.


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