# Coolant Leak in 2014 LS Cruze 1.8L



## Hazardoushawke (Jan 10, 2019)

So, lately I have had a severe coolant leak that i cant find the source of. By severe, i mean, my reservoir is empty every morning and there is coolant everywhere. While the vehicle is running and warm, there's no visible leak, and throughout the day everything seems fine. However, every morning, my reservoir is empty. I checked all lines running to and from reservoir. I replaced the Lower radiator hose because it was wet every morning. My radiator is wet every morning as well, but there's no visible cracking or any loose seals along any of the connections. Water pump and seals around are intact and remain dry, but i cant seem to figure out where the leak is coming from. Any ideas?


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## Thebigzeus (Dec 2, 2018)

You should rent a coolant leak tester from an autoparts store or buy one here: Welcome to CruzeKits.com, Home of the PCV Fix Kit

Well worth the price, helped me trace one boost leak and two coolant leaks, paid for itself.


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## Hazardoushawke (Jan 10, 2019)

I'll have to see if i can find one. I've read that the water outlet tends to fail pretty often with the cruze, but im not sure where its located under the hood to even check. Every video I have seen shows it on the driver side of the engine compartment near the reservoir, but its not there on mine. The reservoir return hose runs along the backside of the engine to the passenger side. Is that where I should be looking?


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## Thebigzeus (Dec 2, 2018)

Do you have a 1.8L or a 1.4L? Here's some pics of my 1.4. The first if of the thermostat by the belt on the passenger side. Second is the water outlet on the drivers side, that hose on top sometimes leaks and the whole seal itself on the outlet that bolts to the block can leak.


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## Hazardoushawke (Jan 10, 2019)

I have a 1.8. I'll update title to reflect that.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

Have you checked the ECT In the radiator? Also the water pump for me leaked horribly while the engine was cool but once the engine warmed up it stopped leaking. I was losing about 1/4 tank a day.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

This is what the 1.8L looks like. 








You water outlet might be plastic since I replaced mine with a metal one. I haven’t really seen anyone with a leak on the 1.8L water outlet.

check on the oil cooler pipe also. Both sides might have a bad o-ring. Both o-rings and the pipe have superseded part numbers. Here are what both sides look like.















one side is behind the exhaust manifold and the other side is below the thermostat attached to the water outlet.

also here is a picture of the ECT on the passenger side of the radiator.


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## Hazardoushawke (Jan 10, 2019)

Thanks for the pictures for reference. This will be the next thing i look at. I'm gonna see if i can find the leak during my lunch break tomorrow at work. Aside from this, I was considering doing a complete replacement of the cooling system, part by part, until i fix the leak. I'll keep you all posted. If anyone else has any ideas on where else to check, please feel free to add on.


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

Maqcro1 said:


> Both o-rings and the pipe have superseded part numbers.



Would you mind posting the part numbers for the o-rings? Chasing those is a pain - having them would be a big help.

Doug

.


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## Hazardoushawke (Jan 10, 2019)

After further inspection, all areas shown in pictures above are not the source of the leak. I have found where the coolant is pooling on the passenger side near the wheel. Im assuming its a leaky water pump. Is there anything else in that area that I should inspect?


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

Oil cooler bypass tube - 25194218

Gasket, water outlet side - 55556547

Gasket, oil cooler side - 55354068

If you buy the tube it comes with the gasket but if you buy the gasket alone to fix a leak then you will have issues since the new gasket won’t fit the old style pipe.

You can identify the old style by the raised ring just before the bend. The new style doesn’t have that.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

The only spots that could be leaking on passenger side is the water pump, ECT, lower radiator hose, and radiator. If you can’t see anything else leaking it’s probably the water pump. You have a line of coolant under the hood from the belt spraying coolant everywhere or just the coolant pooling under the wheel well. Or both?


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## Hazardoushawke (Jan 10, 2019)

Both. Its all over the radiator, but i've physically felt the belt throwing fluid forward. It stops when the vehicle warms up and pressure builds. I'll post a photo soon.


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## Hazardoushawke (Jan 10, 2019)

In these 2 photos, you can see on the lower radiator hose where the fluid is thrown onto the hose in lines. Obviously, in the photo it has dried. The other photo shows underneath where most of the coolant settles and pools.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

Enough said when you said it stops when the engine warms up. Replace the water pump.


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## breezy (Apr 24, 2019)

i had the ex


Hazardoushawke said:


> So, lately I have had a severe coolant leak that i cant find the source of. By severe, i mean, my reservoir is empty every morning and there is coolant everywhere. While the vehicle is running and warm, there's no visible leak, and throughout the day everything seems fine. However, every morning, my reservoir is empty. I checked all lines running to and from reservoir. I replaced the Lower radiator hose because it was wet every morning. My radiator is wet every morning as well, but there's no visible cracking or any loose seals along any of the connections. Water pump and seals around are intact and remain dry, but i cant seem to figure out where the leak is coming from. Any ideas?


i had the exact same issue. finally got the dealer to put dye in, turns out my thermostat housing had a crack that would shrink in the cold overnight and couldn’t be seen when it expanded it would empty out my coolant reservoir. got it replaced about a month ago and haven’t had an issue since.


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## DetroitCruzerLTZ (Feb 13, 2017)

Hazardoushawke said:


> So, lately I have had a severe coolant leak that i cant find the source of. By severe, i mean, my reservoir is empty every morning and there is coolant everywhere. While the vehicle is running and warm, there's no visible leak, and throughout the day everything seems fine. However, every morning, my reservoir is empty. I checked all lines running to and from reservoir. I replaced the Lower radiator hose because it was wet every morning. My radiator is wet every morning as well, but there's no visible cracking or any loose seals along any of the connections. Water pump and seals around are intact and remain dry, but i cant seem to figure out where the leak is coming from.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Half the battle is knowing when it leaks. It seems like you've discovered that. Now, it's just a matter of laying in wait to ambush it in the act.


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## Hazardoushawke (Jan 10, 2019)

Will do. I'll keep thisi've checked everything that i can visually inspect. Im going to have to leave it be until my newborn comes and just keep it filled with coolant. Cant afford to have it torn apart and my wife go into labor. Im just gonna have to keep an eye on it and break it down to further inspect the water pump.


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## alexhortdog95 (Mar 30, 2018)

Hello all - I am having this coolant leak in my 2016 Cruze as well. It's the 1.8L, a stick.

Last month, I took it to a local shop (as my car is still under the extended warranty), and they said it was a leaking thermostat housing. Said they did a pressure test on the car, no leaks found. They change it, and about a month later (couple days ago), I come out to ANOTHER puddle under the car. I open up the hood, no coolant in the tank. I put coolant in, and by the end of the day, the tank is empty.

I take it back to the same place who "fixed" it last month today, they replace the water pump. I get home, open the hood, looks good. A few hours later, I need to go get the baby - and I see three spots under my car that weren't there before. When I get back from getting the baby, I open the hood, lo and behold, no coolant in the tank again. The car has never run hot or overheated, but I'm worried that I've got something catastrophic waiting to happen.

My wife is currently going through chemotherapy for breast cancer, and this is an extremely unnecessary expense as we have other things to worry about right now. Anything input you folks have, please, let me know. I'm at the end of my rope on a car I really like, that has really not given me any problems until now.


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## Shroomie (Jan 16, 2017)

Any update?


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## Schutze_hun (Mar 27, 2020)

Hello All!
I have a 2014 Cruze 2.0d LTZ+ and i have some cooling issues: When I start the motor and the outside temperature is about 10 C (ca.50 F), on idle power the momentary 
fuel consumption is about 1.3-1.2 liter (ca.0.3 gallon). Im driving a little, the motor temperature is rising, but after 10-15 minutes i see that on idle power the momentary fuel consumption is 2.5 liter (ca.0.55 gallon). I stop the motor, and the cooling fan is starting working at high speed, althoug the outside and the motor temeperature is quite low. When everything is normal, (like motor temeperature) on idle power the momentary fuel consumptionon is about 0.6-0.7 liter (0.15 gallon), on the move 5.6-6.5 liter. (1.45-1.71 gallon) Have U got any idea, whats went wrong?


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Hazardoushawke said:


> In these 2 photos, you can see on the lower radiator hose where the fluid is thrown onto the hose in lines. Obviously, in the photo it has dried. The other photo shows underneath where most of the coolant settles and pools.





alexhortdog95 said:


> Hello all - I am having this coolant leak in my 2016 Cruze as well. It's the 1.8L, a stick.
> 
> Last month, I took it to a local shop (as my car is still under the extended warranty), and they said it was a leaking thermostat housing. Said they did a pressure test on the car, no leaks found. They change it, and about a month later (couple days ago), I come out to ANOTHER puddle under the car. I open up the hood, no coolant in the tank. I put coolant in, and by the end of the day, the tank is empty.
> 
> ...


Not sayin' this is the issue, but make sure the bleeder valve is closed all the way and that the sensor is sealed well. Both are on the passenger side of the radiator. also every time you bleed (which should be every time you add a lot of fluid or open the system) remember that it may need to be done multiple times to get rid of any air bubbles.


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## ralph1981 (Jul 29, 2019)

I got a coolant leak from water pump on my 2012 Holden Cruze with 1.8l F18D4 engine at about 90,000 km on the odometer and I used Nulon Radiator Engine Block Stop Leak 500mL to treat it. Did not work overnight and I do not fill the coolant reserviour more than half, as doing this allows for a cushion of air to absorb vapor pressure when you stop the car. I add about 200ml premixed Dexcool coolant every 2-3 months. No, did not solve the coolant loss but reduced it to a drop here and there after 7-14 days adding it to the reserviour.

In the U.S.A similar product like in this video can be used...ignore the Clickbait video title. Scotty Kilmer makes lots of great videos.

Read and follow instructions!


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## Hazardoushawke (Jan 10, 2019)

Ok, so after further inspection, I came to the conclusion that the problem was my water pump. Replaced the water pump, then found a new leak at the thermostat housing(guessing it was from finally receiving the pressure that couldnt build up before), and replaced it. Now, I'm having another issue with the leaking. It seems to be coming from underneath the metal cover over the coolant pipe, will be replacing that pipe tomorrow when i pick up the part. Also, after having no leaks for about a month and a half, another thermostat has failed on me. That makes 4 in the last year and 2 in the past 3 months. When i picked up the OBD2 reader it throws the code P0597. I replace the thermostat and it goes away. Yet here i am a couple weeks later with the same problem. What do you guys think the problem may be at this point?


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## AllGM (Jul 30, 2017)

Hello, 
My daughter's 2012 1.8L Cruze is another one with a coolant leak, but the source of the leak appears to be different than others I've read about. There seems to be coolant loss on the passenger's side of that radiator originating at the plastic bleed screw and running down the tank. The screw seems tight. Anyone have this problem? If so, did you replace the screw or some other fix? One more bit of info... the lower radiator hose was leaking at the connection to the plastic elbow. I replaced the spring clamp with a worm gear, and no more leak. Weak clamp??


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