# All the complaints....



## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

You know, it goes to show that forums most usually attract two types of people. Those who are enthusiasts and those who have complaints. Having been a member on this forum for over 2 years and reading every single post ever made in the diesel section, I would say there are maybe 5-10 people who have had troublesome CTDs. A few others have had an issue here and there on an otherwise reliable vehicle. I, for one have 137K miles on mine as of this writing and it continues to be a super reliable daily driver. Some of you are insinuating that this is a bad car but the bottom line is: That's just not true. Sure there are lemons out there, but there are well over 10000 Cruze Diesels out there, and we've only seen 5-10 people on here with problem cars. The vast majority of people who own these cars are very happy with them. it is not at all accurate to say that GM hasn't figured out the emissions system. True, it is not perfect, but I never would have made 137K miles if the car was junk like a few of you generalize.

Just my 2 cents. Feel free to flame me lol


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

Yes, the CTD isn't a bad car. Couple of thoughts on your stats. 
1. Did you check the other Cruze forums to see their numbers of complaints on diesels?
2. How about other diesel forums?
3. NHTSA?

Point is: As you stated CruzeTalk likely shows a small sampling of the population. Based on what I've seen relative to other issues with gas powered cars, the forums represent a small fraction of the population, both good and bad. For every person that posts on a forum, there are many others that do not. Those just suffer (or gloat) in silence. I would bet that the 5 - 10 owners you see here are not near the real number out of the 10,000 plus CTD owners.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

As with the LF9 I believe one of our biggest opportunities for improvement are dealership service technicians unfamiliar with the diagnosis and repair of this splendid engine. 

GM has worked to address this several ways, but perhaps most strategically by restricting the release of parts unless TAC gives an authorization. 

And another thing... Cruzetalk is the internet's premiere English language web forum for the Chevrolet Cruze. While we have a notable international membership we are highly focused on North America where the CTD in question is sold. At any one time our number of members online is eclipsed by the number of visitors. For example, at this moment there are 210 members and 7,307 visitors online. As a web forum we are well known and if any of those visitors had an axe to grind they are a few short clicks from making their case. The diesel forum in particular is often one of the most active parts of cruzetalk. It seems diesel owners are more articulate and willing to engage through this portal.


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## maikell77 (Oct 21, 2014)

I'll chime in.....I should hit 70,000 miles this week. I have had a grand total of 4 issues. 

1. DEF quality (had been sitting on the lot a while and needed a top off in the first 500 miles)
2. Amber bulb lenses in the headlights (twice now they have gotten to hot and just broke)
3. Passenger visor mirror cover broke.
4. Early death of the battery

Of the four issues only one is Diesel specific, and #3 is probably more my wife's fault than the car. This car was my first ever diesel and first ever new car. I cannot bear the thought of selling the Cruze. I should disclaim that I do work for a diesel engine manufacturer so I knew what I was getting into with SCR/DPF after treatments. I do agree that the dealership servicing can make or break the ownership experience. I bought from a bad dealer but have been getting serviced at a good one. Since making that switch I recommend the Cruze diesel to anyone putting significant miles on a car.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

maikell77 said:


> _*dealership servicing can make or break the ownership experience.*_


This. GM really, really needs to crack down on this one area.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Aye, but that's the rub. 

It's the human factor. That's always the weakest link in any process. 

At my dealership, only the diesel technician is allowed to touch my engine. Even for oil changes he is the only one the service manager will let touch it. But there is only one diesel tech. 

I wonder what the practices are at other dealerships.


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## BlueTopaz (Aug 25, 2012)

At only 18k, I'm hoping for the same results as diesel in the up coming years/miles.


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## amped24 (May 31, 2015)

It seems like after I joined I started having all these issues . Maybe cruzetalk is bad luck for me.


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## Eddy Cruze (Jan 10, 2014)

amped24 said:


> It seems like after I joined I started having all these issues . Maybe cruzetalk is bad luck for me.


I joined after having a major engine fault on day 2 of ownership, don't have a Diesel, was called all sorts of names, even stupid in a locked thread which was unlocked by a moderator to berate me further and then locked, yet now I consider them all very helpful if not a little over zealous. Sure there is one who posts from his Government Job which can be grounds for removal and he made fun my APR% once. Since then I won 7 CRUZES in a Law Suit although had to give 3 to the Lawyer!


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

obermd said:


> This. GM really, really needs to crack down on this one area.


I am fortunate that my Holden dealer has been good to me. My daughter just bought a new Cruze Hatchback from the same dealer and has 10 years warranty with 3 years free servicing, she is happy already. As an aside her 1.6T is the first petrol Cruze I have driven and it is a really nice car to drive. The manual transmission is smooth and light to use, I wish the Cruze TD I own had the optional manual, but it is also nice to drive anyway.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

i hate the e-word

it should be banned, along with the other _bad _words, n, r, t....

its a first model year car and limited run....purchasers accept the risk when they bought it.

im happy with the car....43000 miles ....i saw the service dept 5 times, to get my 4 inclusive oil changes, and one extra to finish a warranty job, that wasnt finished at a prev visit...

p steering fix
neg battery cable fix
oil pan heater cord fix
blindspot monitor fix
trunk switch fix

all warranty...so its been aboot as good as it could be....but im lucky.

its 100% wrong to wait WEEKS for parts....but its a first model year car and limited run, thats not that unheard of.

theres enough examples of the car doin what its sposed to be doing....but when something goes wrong, the service side is lacking.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

yeah, its of no consolation to those waiting for parts, but

back in 1993, my 1992 cherokee was broken into...the little window on the door behind the drivers door...its small, doesnt make much noise mess when you break it to reach for the lock...

we waited 4 weeks for a replacement window cuz soo many were being broken into/stolen....my wife was dealing with it cuz she doesnt like how i treat ppl in these situations....at the 4th week, she let me handle it, the next week we were rolling

and that was a vehicle they had made hundreds of thousands of, same door, same window since 1984....and they just didnt have enough


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## Gator (Jul 14, 2013)

I just passed 87000 miles and so for I'm still happy with my Cruze Diesel. There has been a few set backs as 
1: Transmission fill hole had a leak
2: EGR Valve replaced
3: Battery died and replaced
I'm still on the original tires and still got plenty off tread left. I avg 50 mgs on nearly every fill up.(check out the below fuely) I use Mobil 1 ESP 5w30 and change it at 7500 miles religiously. 
I'm a high mileage driver and plan to put over 500,000 plus miles on this car. Its a great car that is paying for its self.


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## Cruzator (Dec 31, 2014)

Had a CEL before I got it off the lot. The dealer had to replace the PCM. I had to wait a week for it, but they gave me a loaner. I currently have 18,000 miles and no other problems. So far so good. I am happy with the car. The dealer was worried when the computer went poof before it came off the lot. I told them those things happen, I just hope it's a manufacturing defect and not something taking it out.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Nice to see so many basically positive reviews in one place


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## oldreliable (Dec 9, 2013)

I have had 2 check engine lights and 2 exhaust sensors replaced, both in the first 3 months of owning my car. It has been good for the better part of a year now and 15,000 or so miles...hoping that continues.

It is certainly no Toyota Corolla, but I bought it BECAUSE of that.


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## operator (Jan 2, 2015)

I am at 14,000 miles. I recently moved and just turned in for my second oil change, though this will be first with a new dealer. I am super nervous as this dealer doesn't sell the diesel cruze and i sure hope they put the right oil in. So far I have had zero issues with the car.


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## 2014Oilburner (Feb 1, 2015)

I been reading quite a few forums over the last 15 years or so both car and motorcycle and with every one there were issues people complain about...if you were going by just what you read you would think the car or motorcycle was a piece of crap. My cruze diesel has so far been issue free..Ive driven and lived with Civic, Corolla, and Elantra in the last 6 years and this diesel is the best IMO....rides better, feels more solid and is quieter at speed, is more powerful while getting 10 plus more miles per gallon and right now diesel is cheaper than gasoline...I really like my diesel


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## Sperry (Aug 3, 2013)

Been a great car for me also....recalled for the oil pan heater cord, had a bad hub sensor in the first month. No other problems.. 81,000 miles and like Gator it's almost always getting 50 mpg


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

My cruze has has been pretty trouble free for 27,000 miles and 2 years. I've had a CEL come on and off for awhile related to the front active shutters so I didn't rush right in to the dealership as I'm trying to keep them away from my car unless absolutely necessary. Last time I washed the car I shot the pressure washer in there good and the light has been out since. I guess there was just something stuck in there. 

Great car. The emissions stuff is the elephant in the room as far as long term maintenance goes but I've never thought twice about dumping some money into my cars when they're paid off as it's still a fraction of what your payments on a new/used one would be.


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

Tomko said:


> Aye, but that's the rub.
> 
> It's the human factor. That's always the weakest link in any process.
> 
> ...


At my dealer, I have a particular tech who always services my Diesel. He's not the dealer's Diesel tech that services their pickups, but he did in-depth research on the proper procedure before performing my first service, and he also has personal experience with the vehicle in general since he owns a Cruze, although his is an LT not a Diesel.


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

I've had a few problems with mine, now at 44,000 miles, but they have all been relatively easy fixes. 

Under Warranty:
Before 20,000 miles: 2 software updates to fix steering behavior and trunk opening press length
23,000 miles: P0133 - replaced O2 Sensor and EGR
36,000 miles: Oil Pan Heater Cord Recall, Replace failed wiper motor

Outside of Warranty: 
39,000 miles: P24C6 - replaced Particulate Matter Sensor $136 DIY vs. $450 at dealer
43,000 miles: P11D7 - #2 NOX Sensor not completing self-test. Since it's not causing me any problems other than a lit CEL, I have been putting off doing anything about it in favor of completing other weather-sensitive work around my house and yard. (I can fix cars in the garage when it's 40 degrees out, but have to use any warm dry day I can get to paint my house and fix my yard.) It looks like first step will be to inspect/clean/protect the wiring under the vehicle near the fuel filter, and if that doesn't yield results, replace NOX #2. 

It's more trouble than I would like, but fortunately, what hasn't been covered under warranty has been easy work to do and not too expensive. It looks like this NOX sensor might ruin that observation unless I can find a less expensive source for the part, but maybe I'll be lucky and find out it's just a loose plug or insulation rubbed off a wire.


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## Su8pack1 (Apr 17, 2014)

We've had ours a little over a year now and 21,000 miles. The only problems have been those sensors, 02 and nox, but the dealer has handled everything without a hitch.


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## warloc (Dec 10, 2013)

FYI, Revj, if I were you, I would take you car in for the P11D7 code, I did the same and it would go away after I reset it. I later found out that after around 50K miles I would be out around $500 bucks, out of pocket to replace another sensor. Take it in before 50K and it should be free, for now. It would be unrealistic to think only 5 or 10 people have had issue's with the CTD, many of us have had multiple problems.


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

warloc said:


> FYI, Revj, if I were you, I would take you car in for the P11D7 code, I did the same and it would go away after I reset it. I later found out that after around 50K miles I would be out around $500 bucks, out of pocket to replace another sensor. Take it in before 50K and it should be free, for now. It would be unrealistic to think only 5 or 10 people have had issue's with the CTD, many of us have had multiple problems.


I've been hesitant to go to the dealer yet because if it turned out to be a wiring fault or loose plug, I'd have to pay them for something I could do myself. Since I'm due for an oil change in about 1500 miles (the do it for only $20 labor when I bring my own AMSOil), I'll probably inspect the wiring and plug and everything myself, resecure it as it came from the factory (didn't do that when I replaced the Particulate Matter Sensor back in June), and mention it to them when I take it in for the oil change. I'll have to make sure to mention to the service adviser only to touch it if it that sensor is covered under a warranty, but if not leave it alone and I'll DIY for $260 (compared to dealer part cost of $400 plus labor.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

diesel said:


> Sure there are lemons out there, but there are well over 10000 Cruze Diesels out there, and we've only seen 5-10 people on here with problem cars.


Based on open sources my best estimate is 15,500 CTDs sold in North America through to the end of September 2015.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

My last 3 GM cars have averaged 1 fault every 12k miles. My diesel has had 3 major faults in its 40k miles. So meh, about average.

Still love my car! <3


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## Scott M. (Apr 23, 2013)

I noted that the guys who are happy with there CTD's are posting things to the effect:

My car has been great its only been to the dealer 4 times....

Well in my opinion thats 4 times too many. Stop apologizing for your car. I have had many (GM) cars go 5 years and 200+ thousand miles without ever needing a trip to the dealer for unscheduled maintenance. That is the standard. Many cars can do it. I don't think the CTD will win any reliability awards. I understand the love of the diesel but be realistic.


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## Gator (Jul 14, 2013)

Scott I don't see any other american diesel option
You see the vw issue going on. It's a first run and strick emissions issues. I drive a semi that has ran these emmisions for the past 9 years. Guess what, they stay in the shop for emmision issues.
I to have many cars that reached beyond 200,000 miles and never had a issue but I'm giving this little car a run for its money.50 mpgs avarage a tank. Your not going to beat that


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## DrKlahn (Feb 10, 2014)

Scott M. said:


> I noted that the guys who are happy with there CTD's are posting things to the effect:
> 
> My car has been great its only been to the dealer 4 times....
> 
> Well in my opinion thats 4 times too many. Stop apologizing for your car. I have had many (GM) cars go 5 years and 200+ thousand miles without ever needing a trip to the dealer for unscheduled maintenance. That is the standard. Many cars can do it. I don't think the CTD will win any reliability awards. I understand the love of the diesel but be realistic.


Well it's a new venture for GM in the US, so I expect there to be more teething issues vs. a normal car. I get where you are coming from. I'd love it to be trouble free. But after seeing the emissions complexity and it being a new product, I bought the extended bumper to bumper GM coverage. I've only had a couple issues, but outside of VW (and I was not going to buy one of their cars based on friends and family's experiences with them) there isn't really anything else like this little car. My hope is as the platform gets more mature, it only gets better. And realistically I will put up with a few more headaches just have something that does what it does.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Scott M. said:


> I noted that the guys who are happy with there CTD's are posting things to the effect:
> 
> My car has been great its only been to the dealer 4 times....
> 
> Well in my opinion thats 4 times too many. Stop apologizing for your car. I have had many (GM) cars go 5 years and 200+ thousand miles without ever needing a trip to the dealer for unscheduled maintenance. That is the standard. Many cars can do it. I don't think the CTD will win any reliability awards. I understand the love of the diesel but be realistic.


Well, you are one of the 5-10 I mentioned, so it's understandable why your view is different. The CTD is sort of a specialty/niche car at the moment. Heck, go take a look at the Ferrari forums. Ferraris have a LOT more issues than the Cruze diesel and the people over there LOVE their cars. Issues with a car don't necessarily equate to dissatisfied customers. I was expecting mine to be far worse than it was. It was never intended to be a reliable daily driver, just a toy. It has far exceeded even my most optimistic expectations for a completely new to the US powertrain with very complex emissions.


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## Scott M. (Apr 23, 2013)

diesel said:


> Well, you are one of the 5-10 I mentioned, so it's understandable why your view is different. The CTD is sort of a specialty/niche car at the moment. Heck, go take a look at the Ferrari forums. Ferraris have a LOT more issues than the Cruze diesel and the people over there LOVE their cars. Issues with a car don't necessarily equate to dissatisfied customers. I was expecting mine to be far worse than it was. It was never intended to be a reliable daily driver, just a toy. It has far exceeded even my most optimistic expectations for a completely new to the US powertrain with very complex emissions.


Fair enough.. I understand your position. I went through a Mercedes phase a few years ago. I had a 2007 ML320CDI. What a heap of hot steamy poopy that was. Same thing on the forums. As you say. Some people (like me) expected a Mercedes to be a great reliable vehicle because they paid dearly for it. Others seemed to love taking there cars to the dealer and being escorted to the espresso machine. I sold the Mercedes and bought a Silverado. 4 years later not a squeak or a rattle or a leak and most importantly not a single visit to the dealer. I paid the same for a new Silverado as I did for a used Mercedes ( the wife reminds me of this to this day). 

For sure you and I are on opposite sides here. I am glad for you that you are enjoying your CTD. I still love diesels which is why I still lurk around here. I want to stay up on things in hopes the car someday goes from niche car to reliable daily driver car. I think people need to read both sides.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Scott M. said:


> Fair enough.. I understand your position. I went through a Mercedes phase a few years ago. I had a 2007 ML320CDI. What a heap of hot steamy poopy that was. Same thing on the forums. As you say. Some people (like me) expected a Mercedes to be a great reliable vehicle because they paid dearly for it. Others seemed to love taking there cars to the dealer and being escorted to the espresso machine. I sold the Mercedes and bought a Silverado. 4 years later not a squeak or a rattle or a leak and most importantly not a single visit to the dealer. I paid the same for a new Silverado as I did for a used Mercedes ( the wife reminds me of this to this day).
> 
> For sure you and I are on opposite sides here. I am glad for you that you are enjoying your CTD. I still love diesels which is why I still lurk around here. I want to stay up on things in hopes the car someday goes from niche car to reliable daily driver car. I think people need to read both sides.


Agreed. I think the current CTD is a test bed in a sense. It seems like the engineers are evaluating every warranty repair that comes in. It will be interesting to see how the Colorado/Canyon does, with what they learned from the CTD.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Maybe it's the first gen stuff? My Sonic was a 2011 build 1.4t. Before that, my Camaro was a 2009 build 2SSRS. Both of those cars had several warranty trips. The Sonic was the worst with multiple turbo failures.

It's also interesting to note that all 3 failures in my CTD have been emissions related. Go figure!


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## Kexlox (Nov 4, 2014)

Scott M. said:


> I noted that the guys who are happy with there CTD's are posting things to the effect:
> 
> My car has been great its only been to the dealer 4 times....
> 
> Well in my opinion thats 4 times too many. Stop apologizing for your car. I have had many (GM) cars go 5 years and 200+ thousand miles without ever needing a trip to the dealer for unscheduled maintenance. That is the standard. Many cars can do it. I don't think the CTD will win any reliability awards. I understand the love of the diesel but be realistic.


My car has been great its only been to the dealer 4 times.... for 4 free oil changes.

Forums are ridiculously self selecting. Most people without issues (35K miles, no issues) aren't going to be posting here at all. It's only when people have an issue that they go looking for a forum to complain/seek help.


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## JRB'sOilburningCruze (Feb 25, 2015)

My 2004 Silverado never went in for a warranty repair, but had a spectacular failure at 119K Miles. If I couldn't have fixed it myself it would have been sold. It has gone through the typical Silverado/Sierra failures. Gauge cluster failed, fan resistor failure, intermediate steering shaft clunk. I had the heads fail at 119K, pretty common problem on trucks of that era. Have I've been happy with the truck? yes. Did I receive value on what I paid for it? Yes. Plan to drive it until it will go no more.

My son's 2001 S10 has 220K on it now. I've done a fair share of wrenching on that to keep it going. Fuel pump (twice) pulled the engine to replace timing chain cover, rear main seal, intake gaskets, fuel injector spider, rebuilt the front end. It needs a distributor, but runs fine as is. I'm lucky I can do a lot of the stuff myself and have the room & tools. We've spent significantly less on repairs then replacing the entire vehicle. And in my very humble opinion it has been a good vehicle. 

My 2014 CTD has been trouble free so far. I did get a CEL last week but it cured itself before I could take in to be looked at. I did have one self inflicted trip into the dealer, I got caught in the middle of regen and had to take it in to go through the process. Dealer told me to be on the look out for those messages, did the manual regen at no charge. I think the car is put together pretty well, time will tell. It appears GM has upped its game with engineering, materials etc to keep up with the competition. My goal is 200K. I only have 183K to go...


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## Gator (Jul 14, 2013)

just sold my 2002 Silverado 1500 z71. 225000 trouble free other than normal wear stuff. Did have the starter replaced and had to grease the steering shaft for the clunk. I upgraded to a 2015 Sierra. So for very happy with it.


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## rockinrotho (Oct 18, 2013)

Mine seems ok now , knock on wood lol....


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

rockinrotho said:


> Mine seems ok now , knock on wood lol....


I have less emission sensors on my CTD and for the last 3 years it has never let me down. I had a minor oil leak in the transmission and that was fixed and the dealer put a new surge tank on even though there was never any issue with mine. These were done right on 3 years from purchase. I am extremely happy with mine.


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## nascarnate326 (Jun 9, 2014)

Ours runs great once its warmed up..complete dog(as expected) when cold. 

Its been to the dealer 4 times total. 1 bad cat, and 3 oil changes. 

No other issues to report other than the crappy mylink system, no lower back support in seats, and I wish the wheels were the same bolt pattern as the standard Cruze. 

We intend on getting several hundred thousand miles out of this vehicle, it will be 100% maintained by the dealer. 

PS it tows a trailer and dirt bike at 33 mpg..my 2015 Silverado gets 15!!


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

nascarnate326 said:


> no lower back support in seats


add aftermarket lumbar


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## tunedbytad (Nov 25, 2015)

1. trunk opens on its own
2. 31MPG average / 22MPG street / 40MPG Hwy
3. VERY DANGEROUS and intermittent 4-6 second Throttle delay
4. over heated smoking driver side rear brakes
5. radio freezing after OnStar pushs advertisements thru my radio that is off!!!


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

tunedbytad said:


> 1. trunk opens on its own
> 2. 31MPG average / 22MPG street / 40MPG Hwy
> 3. VERY DANGEROUS and intermittent 4-6 second Throttle delay
> 4. over heated smoking driver side rear brakes
> 5. radio freezing after OnStar pushs advertisements thru my radio that is off!!!


2 & 4 are related. You have a brake dragging. Get it fixed and your MPG will go up.


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## jsusanka (Jan 31, 2011)

obermd said:


> This. GM really, really needs to crack down on this one area.



Totally agree with this sentiment. I told the service manager where I bought my cruze that if I bought another GM car it would be because of his shop. They tried to upsell me a couple of times which disappointed me but I just tell them no and move on. I was bugged that the time they tried to sell me throttle body cleaning they put the air intake tubing back on incorrectly and it took me a while to find it and my high silicon on my oil analysis got me digging into it but I finally found it.


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## 0ldjoblo (Feb 14, 2015)

Brand new 2015 Cruze TDI owner ,,,, with 21 miles on it,,,,,


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## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

0ldjoblo said:


> Brand new 2015 Cruze TDI owner ,,,, with 21 miles on it,,,,,


One of us. One of us. Gooble gobble one of us .


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

tunedbytad said:


> 1. trunk opens on its own
> 2. 31MPG average / 22MPG street / 40MPG Hwy
> 3. VERY DANGEROUS and intermittent 4-6 second Throttle delay
> 4. over heated smoking driver side rear brakes
> 5. radio freezing after OnStar pushs advertisements thru my radio that is off!!!


Have you taken it to a dealer? What did they say? I have many more questions for you, but will start there.


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## 0ldjoblo (Feb 14, 2015)

I have been a Cruze owner for a bit now ,,,,Traded my 2013 ECO for a new 2015 TDI,,,,,,The 2013 ECO was turned into such a POS after the dealer replaced the turbo ,,,,,killed the radiator while replacing the turbo,,,,,replaced clutch packs 1-4 in the transmission,,,,, with a combined city/hwy mileage of 25.5 mpg,,,I got rid of it at 35750 miles on the OD,,,,

I drove home and averaged 50+ mpg in my 2015 TDI,,,,,,:happy:

I must admitt,,, I am a deisel novice,,,,I really only have 1 ? at the moment ,,,,,,

Is the starting procedure on my 2015 TDI any different than my old gas burner,,????
Do I need to wait a few seconds for the glow plugs to heat up with the key in the on position ,,,then start the car:question:

Thanks in advance,,,,,


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## Gator (Jul 14, 2013)

They say no you don't have to wait for the light to go out, but I error on the side of caution and wait for the light to go out then start mine. I know in the auto start there is a slight hesitation for the glow plugs. 
If you have driven the car and the engine is at operating temp your glow plug light will not illuminate as it will when the engine is cold and you can start the car immediately.
I know old school was to wait for them to warm up then start the engine, I've been driving a semi for 30 years and the newer ones don't even have a glow plug light but won't start till it goes through a series of self test.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

0ldjoblo said:


> I have been a Cruze owner for a bit now ,,,,Traded my 2013 ECO for a new 2015 TDI,,,,,,The 2013 ECO was turned into such a POS after the dealer replaced the turbo ,,,,,killed the radiator while replacing the turbo,,,,,replaced clutch packs 1-4 in the transmission,,,,, with a combined city/hwy mileage of 25.5 mpg,,,I got rid of it at 35750 miles on the OD,,,,
> 
> I drove home and averaged 50+ mpg in my 2015 TDI,,,,,,:happy:
> 
> ...


Isn't the TDI a VW? I have a diesel Cruze and I just turn the key and start it. I bought it in 2012 and it still starts and runs with no problem. I have never needed the glow plugs as in Australia the coldest I have seen is 2C, (35F), and starting is instant.


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## au201 (May 18, 2013)

0ldjoblo said:


> I must admitt,,, I am a deisel novice,,,,I really only have 1 ? at the moment ,,,,,,
> 
> Is the starting procedure on my 2015 TDI any different than my old gas burner,,????
> Do I need to wait a few seconds for the glow plugs to heat up with the key in the on position ,,,then start the car:question:
> ...


Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I am under the impression that the glow plugs start heating up when the drivers door is opened, thus allowing seamless quick starting. So with that in mind, i would say no, no longer than you wait for the gasser. Although, I always gave my gasser 2 seconds to prime the fuel pump before starting. 



Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

au201 said:


> Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I am under the impression that the glow plugs start heating up when the drivers door is opened, thus allowing seamless quick starting. So with that in mind, i would say no, no longer than you wait for the gasser. Although, I always gave my gasser 2 seconds to prime the fuel pump before starting.
> 
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App




as you walk towards the car, hit the fob to unlock the doors, the car goes into pre start mode so its ready for you


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Wait. When I press the unlock the glow plugs activate? I don't know if that's correct. My car does some cranking when cold unless I turn the key to the on position until the light goes off. This is in (<0°c) weather.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

money_man said:


> Wait. When I press the unlock the glow plugs activate? I don't know if that's correct. My car does some cranking when cold unless I turn the key to the on position until the light goes off. This is in (<0°c) weather.


That is how the glow plugs should work, hold the key on ignition only and when the light goes out start it. Australia is seldom cold enough for the glow plugs to be needed, so I just turn the key and it starts. I used to drive diesel buses with no glow plugs and had to spray an engine start product into the manifold for the first start in winter. The Cruze has no such issues. The buses were non turbo as well.


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## mkohan (Dec 19, 2015)

0ldjoblo said:


> I have been a Cruze owner for a bit now ,,,,Traded my 2013 ECO for a new 2015 TDI,,,,,,The 2013 ECO was turned into such a POS after the dealer replaced the turbo ,,,,,killed the radiator while replacing the turbo,,,,,replaced clutch packs 1-4 in the transmission,,,,, with a combined city/hwy mileage of 25.5 mpg,,,I got rid of it at 35750 miles on the OD,,,,
> 
> I drove home and averaged 50+ mpg in my 2015 TDI,,,,,,:happy:
> 
> ...


Yes wait until the glow plug light goes out or use remote start. With remote start the car will do the correct procedure.

The owners manual page 9-21 states
Diesel Engine Starting Procedure The diesel engine starts differently than a gasoline engine. 1. Turn the ignition key to ON/RUN. Observe the wait-to-start light. See Wait-to-Start Light on page 5-19. This light may not come on if the engine is warm. 2. As soon as the wait-to-start light goes off, immediately turn the ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let go of the key. The engine has a fast warm-up glow plug system. The wait-to-start light will illuminate for a much shorter time than most diesel engines, due to the rapid heating of the glow plug system.


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## oldestof11 (Apr 3, 2016)

Only thing I do not like about my CTD is one not CTD related but an issue I see while browsing the Chevy car forums.

The MyLink, when paired to my iPhail and playing Spotify, doesn't always show what is currently playing. And there is a delay from hitting the volume buttons on the steering wheel to it actually working.

Other than that, I love mine!

More bolstering would be nice as I take some corners with the inside wheel making complaints. :grin:


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## 2014Oilburner (Feb 1, 2015)

If I were to complain about my CTD it would be that I wish the heater controls and steering wheel controls were reversed from their current postion..would much rather have the radio controls on the steering wheel on the left side instead of the right and the heater fan switch should be on the left side closer to you instead of the right side....another thing I don't like is the doors always wanting to close on me...other than that I'm very happy with the CTD


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## skip66 (Jan 29, 2016)

I love my Cruze diesel. I just wish that someone would figure out why the battery keeps going dead overnight. The dealer can't find the problem because Chevrolet won't pay them to troubleshoot the problem. It has cost me $385.00 in ferry fares to bring it to the dealer twice and the problem is still there. Customer assistance doesn't seem to want to talk to me any more. Any suggestions who I contact next? Anybody got a mailing adress for the CEO of GM ?


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Take off your negative battery cable and put a multimeter between the post and the cable. Now unplug fuses until the draw on the battery goes down to about <.03A. If you're pulling more than that it will go dead over night. 

When you figure out which fuse is drawing the extra power than you know it's that circuit. Now you'll have to figure out what on that circuit is drawing power. Gm has been bad for radio's staying on and factory amps not turning off on upgraded audio equipped vehicles.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

skip66 said:


> I love my Cruze diesel. I just wish that someone would figure out why the battery keeps going dead overnight. The dealer can't find the problem because Chevrolet won't pay them to troubleshoot the problem. It has cost me $385.00 in ferry fares to bring it to the dealer twice and the problem is still there. Customer assistance doesn't seem to want to talk to me any more. Any suggestions who I contact next? Anybody got a mailing adress for the CEO of GM ?


A couple people have posted in the past that some 2014 diesels came with the wrong radio from the factory that, in some cases, could cause the battery to drain. I don't remember the specifics but you could start there.

Oh, and get a new dealer!


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## NH_Diesel (Nov 6, 2013)

I love my Cruze diesel and find the engine reliable and peppy. I'm over 100,000 miles and have had no engine problems. My only issue is with the electronics which could affect any vehicle. I've owned numerous vehicles over the years and the Cruze TD engine has been great.


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## tunedbytad (Nov 25, 2015)

diesel said:


> Have you taken it to a dealer? What did they say? I have many more questions for you, but will start there.


Dealer says "can not reproduce issues"


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

tunedbytad said:


> Dealer says "can not reproduce issues"


I suppose then your best shot is to keep your phone handy so you can capture proof on video. I've used this before to document issues and the dealers have accepted that. YMMV


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