Just replaced my entire thermostat housing. I finally don’t have to keep coolant in my trunk! Now that my coolant leak is fixed it’s time to find the oil leak. This thing’s starting fall apart as it nears 100k miles.
As a 2011 Cruze owner at 130,000. I can safely say that i've had 4 out of 5 problems already. Can't wait to get the steering issue and complete the set.
I have a 2011 Cruze with 185,000 miles I did have some of these problems along the way but I’ve managed to fixed them all and she is still going strong
Mine is a 2012 & has 177,456 miles and still love my car just as I did the day o bought it with 10 miles on it. I to have fixed most of the same issues and sill killen it'll lol
I bought my 1992 Honda CRX DelSol in 2005 and at 13 years old with 63,000 miles = 140,000 kms it never had ANY of these issues. Today in Feb 2021 with 185,000 miles = 298,000 kms (more city/suburban than open highway) I still do not have any of these issues (original motor, transmission and clutch albeit nearing a change but still driveable).
@@laurasimpson7454 honestly I’ve heard so many bad things about it I just got a 2015 w 63000 miles so I was worried it wouldn’t last so you have eased my mind a bit people of the internet
The throttle lag isn’t because of delay in signal as he explained. It’s programed to only give you a percentage for every movement in the pedal. If you want a 1:1 ratio get a pedal commander and you can adjust it to be more immediate.
I purchased a 2014 and a 2016 for both of my daughters when they started college. Yeah...You nailed every issue with them. It seems that we have lost the technology to keep coolant in a vehicle. I used to be a gear head and owned a 1970 Chevelle and would pull the transmission just to wash it and paint it, and could rebuild an engine from the cam up by age 12, but now I am too tired to be wrenching on cars. I was hoping that these cars would have lasted longer.
I have a 2012 1.8. 2nd thermostat, 3rd water reservoir, new oil cooler seals, new radiator and replaced some cooling pipes. Just over 200 000 kms on the clock. Besides these headaches I actually love this car, especially now that it's paid off
I know this is an older post, but I want to thank you for the video. My 2016 Trax suddenly started shaking and losing power. My check engine light started flashing and the traction system light came on. My dad ran his scanner on it and it gave a P0304 code. Thanks to your video, I told him that it isn't uncommon for the coil packs to need to be replaced as well. He tried the spark plugs first and it fixed it for about 30 seconds. 🤣 He then replaced the coil pack and she's running like a gem now!!! I can't thank you enough for the very informative video with super easy to follow instructions - and also shout out to my amazing dad!!
I have had most of these issues, I have had mine for 7 years and it now has just over 200,000 miles on it and still runs and drives. It's been a big pain at times but honestly it's been reliable most of the time, just have to fix the common problems as they come. Also, on the 1.4 the turbos tend to go out and the waste gate hole cracks and then it boost leaks same with the check valves in the intake manifold and turbo inlet..
I got my first Chevy Cruze this year. A used 2014 model and so far it's been a dream to drive. Though I have encountered a couple of these problems myself so I'm trying to learn more so I can maintain it to last me a long time. :)
I've had mine going to 5 years,, no issues at all. Till now I'm having a minor coolant leak. Having that problem checked sap . Besides that. Happy with my 2014 cruze .
I've had very good luck with my Cruze. I bought mine used and it had some issues which were issues the previous owner didn't bother to fix. The valve cover gasket was bad, the oil pan gasket was bad, the coolant pump was squeaking (bad pump), and a bad radiator fan. Since repairs were all covered by the extended warranty provided by my dealer, I didn't pay a dime for the work done. In the 3 years I've had my Cruze, I've kept up on regular oil changes and even bought a new set of tires for it. It's been a reliable car so far and I've never had any major problems with it.
I’m a tech at an independent shop and I’ve serviced a number of these cars from turbos to timing chains, intakes, valve covers, and everything in between. One of the biggest reasons for most of the failures I’ve seen on this car and most others are people going too long between oil changes. Timing chain tensioners, variable timing solenoids/actuators, turbo oil feed lines, and crankcase ventilation systems get clogged up or restricted by build up from poor maintenance. This causes multiple issues and most of them can be avoided by just using high quality oil and changing it frequently. There are a lot of products that claim to clean out buildup but the only way to undo it is a full tear down and rebuild. Best thing is to maintain well and prevent it from ever happening in the first place.
I have been driving a 1.8 since 2010, put 192.000 kilometers on it. So far it has been bulletproof. Only real 'problem' was a broken ABS sensor. These are solid cars.
+Joey Castrellon Thank you! We love empowering our customers and showing how to perform DIY auto repairs with our high-quality auto parts. 1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c
I'm a luckiest owner of Chevrolet 2013 RS package bought in an option in Baltimore for 5k one owner clean title an impacable maintenance hystory so far I have no complaints an still with 184200 miles on runs strong thanks God.
Have a 2011 with 225000 on it and only issue was the coolant inlet pipe started to leak. Not bad for the mileage. Ten years old and the body is rock solid with zero rust and winter driven on heavily salted roads.
Blown 2 thermostat housings, damaged the PCV (Still not fixed yet), check engine lights all over the place due to airflow faults that I suspect are PCV fault, electrical gremlins taking out my instrument panel randomly, and cracking vacuum lines. 2012 Holden cruze CD sedan 1.4L turbo manual. Gotta love these money pits!
I have 2013 1.8l with 119k miles. My thermostat and sensors were shot. I just replaced them myself yesterday. Oh, and the housing was a little cracked so I did that too. I hope you still continue to have no problems! I hope after this repair, it'll last me a little bit longer. Once my transmission goes, I'll just buy a new car at that point but I take good care of mine. I even had to change my purge valve already because after filling up with fuel, it wouldn't start. I also had to do my water pump cause it was squeaking. I need your luck.
Personal experiences: Coolant loss: thermostat housing needed replacing as well as every plastic part on the reservoir side. I went ahead and also replaced the hoses and clamps anyway as PM Slight rough idle and oil loss: replaced cam cover with gasket, not just the gasket. The cover has a pcv component that is notorious for failing All and all, those were my issues and I've no problems since. No oil loss, no coolant loss, avg mpg of about 33 with almost 170k miles. Vehicle hasn't treated me poorly at all. One thing I've rarely had is when at a stop light the vehicle feels like it will want to surge forward until I manually take it into neutral. Rarely does it happen but both times neutral back to drive when taking off seems to resolve it
I like my 2016 I bought used with 21K on it. So far no problems at all, quick on accelration, averages 37 mpg rides good and actually very quiet for a small car.
I have a 2014 with 80,000 miles. I have a bit of a throttle lag, and engine coolant evaporating. But it's been a good car, not the best made vehicle but I'm happy for what I paid and it's paid off. 🙌
I got a 2015 Chevy Cruze LT at 140000km now at 165000km put on a K&N intake the car runs great! Replace the spark plugs and do oil change at 25% no issues so far
Great video, I have a 2013 1.4Turbo LT I bought it used low miles 1 owner I drive it to work. I only had 2 problems heater core & minor leaking coolant other than that I am happy with it I am a Chevy & Jeep fan.I hear a lot people saying these cars r junk not true...now I have 150,000 thousand miles on it now.
Got my Cruze about a year and a half ago, haven’t even driven it 100 miles yet it’s problem after problem. I feel like I got scammed 😂 takes forever to save money to fix it when I’m paying for a ride to work everyday
Yeah, so this spring I had misfires, coolant leak (with no leak to be found), and acceleration issues........2015 cruze LT. Changed the coil pack and plugs. That helped for a minute. Then the check engine light came on going to work one morning. Took it to the dealership and the bad news came. The head was warped (after one time of the temp going up about 3/4 of the way on the gauge) and coolant was dumping straight into one of the cylinders, turbo was bad, and transmission coolant line was leaking. I got lucky and was still in the powertrain warranty by 12 days. A couple of years ago the crank case cover had to be replaced because if a PCV leak, warranty work also. I hope everyone that bought a cruze got that extended warranty, because mine came in handy. Quite a few problems with this car design.
Have a 2016 Cruze limited LT with 117k, bought it with 112k last year, replaced spark plugs and coil ignition pack due to noticeable misfire. Car runs pretty good for all the talk, thinking I’ll be replacing valve cover soon and I believe I have a coolant leak. Both should be covered by warranty. Peppy engine, good handling, very smooth ride. Definitely for a person that’s familiar with maintenance, but it’s good to be on top of that with every vehicle even the best of them. Bought a little bit after I turned 18, first car and loving it so far.
Throttle lag isnt the time it takes voltage to travel, that's instantaneous. The lag you experience in cars with electric throttles is because they have built in safeties that check to make sure inputs are correct before giving the power being requested at the pedal. You can get around this with a throttle controller
@MadNlGGER Lol, this would be like saying you move the mouse but have to wait for a second or 2 for your computer "boop boop boop" and move the cursor on your screen. Ridiculous, it happens so fast it is instant.
Owning a 2011 cruze 1.6 for 6 years already and all I ever changed was a oil cooler, oxygen sensor and coolant reservoir. Car have some 160.000 km and it doesn't burn oil or leaking anything, still runs very smoothly. I'm so happy with it's reliability, a perfect example that cheap doesn't necessarily means not good. 1st gen. Cruze is the best budget car money can buy.
Cruze has been good to me so far. Few minor problems here and there. Only ones here I've had are the thermostat housing and throttle lag. I've also heard they have valve cover gasket leaks. Mine had that, and issues with the waste gate on the turbo.
I have a 2012. I've had to replace the Thermostat, Thermostat housing, MAF Sensor, Transmission Cooler lines, water outlet, oil pan & gasket, valve cover, and even the Reservoir Tank itself (Apparently they can leak too). Mostly coolant leaks & oil issues. They have issues, but I still enjoy the car. I would like to see how the 2nd gen is.
What you call “throttle lag” because of a wired throttle is more likely turbo lag. The majority of all cars built in the last 30 years have electronic throttle control and do not have cable throttles so that is not unique to Cruzes. The turbo models do have turbo lag on occasion. Also I was expecting you to mention some high dollar repairs common to this model, failures of the water pump, the turbocharger, and the transmission.
I have a 2014 72k miles. Bought it at 60k miles Second owner. Swear my transmissions starting to go out. It’s not bad or anything and not a problem now, but it doesn’t feel nearly as smooth as other cars I’ve drove with even 5 times the amount of miles on them. I hear they have transmission issues early on also. Just a warning to anyone planning on getting one
You made a comment about the steering rack. I bought my 2015 Cruze new from the dealer. I brought it in for my first service call telling them it tended to pull to one side, kinda like a bad alignment but not exactly. The wheel was straight and it did not wander, but when I would change lanes one direction would give more easily than the other ( eg right to left), it always felt loose in that direction... they told me there was a software patch for the steering that helped fix it, and it did because I have not had that issue since ( 5 years now). Additionally: my Cruze ( RS 1.4 Turbo), has had the following issues All fixed under Power-train Warranty: Water Pump (yes its covered) Fail @ 90000 KM, PCV Valve @ 125000 KM. In General its a great car, I love driving it.
I own a Cruze 2013. Had so many coolant leak issues . Never will I buy a GM vehicle again . Poorly constructed cars. If not for all the coolant issues this is one very good car to own.
I bought my son a 2012 about 2 years ago, very low km’s and very good shape. I had to replace the coil pack and thermostat housing in the last year. Otherwise it’s a very reliable vehicle for him and he is very happy with it. It doesn’t matter what vehicle you buy there will be repair and maintenance costs. I would recommend the Chev Cruze to someone who just needs a getting around car, nothing fancy but a nice little car
Recently got a 2011 Cruze LT, been noticing some inconstant heating and occasional gurgling sounds. Now I know exactly what's going on and how to deal with it, thank you!
Glad I watched this because I took my 2013 to my mechanic and was in question. Well. It pulled up a code which he always shows and breaks it down, o have no idea what hea talking, but I'm learning lol. Last issue was the coil pack. He suggested replacing spark plugs and tune up cause I hadn't done one, and if need be, we would do the coil pack. Was hoping the tune fixed the problem, but needed the coil pack. But, we were already half way there, he showed me exactly what tools to use, how to do it, so I would not have to pay the shop. Easy peasy fix. Awesome mechanic and this channel backed all that he has taught me. Thank you so much
My 2014 Cruze hasn’t had any of these problems. But I have had a broken window regulator and the gear selector replaced. Overall, very happy with my car!
I was almost going to buy one until i spoke with my mechanic . he shifted my direction to Toyota Camry .. I'm glad I did . I get v6 XLE .. the other reason . I have friends who owns Chevy vehicles . most of them aren't happy . Reliability and Rust . that what i see and hear all the time !!!
2013 Chevy Cruze LT with about 118k miles on it right now. Has an oil leak near the topside of the engine due to that gasket there underneath the engine lid. But the most annoying problem has been thermostat issues. I've had to replace the thermostat 3 times now! First two times because it wasn't letting enough coolant through, causing the engine to overheat. We figured it was because two different coolants were mixed together and possibly gelling. So we flushed it out and only used DEX-COOL coolant since. But I had to replace it again last weekend (maybe 24 months since the last replacement) because it was letting too much coolant into the engine. Could tell because the air coming from the cabin heater wasn't super hot (checked after driving on the freeway for 10 min), and the engine code on my reader said the engine was overcooling. I don't know if this problem keeps recurring because I'm using a bad brand for the thermostat, or if it's something else I don't know about. I think it's the Murray brand I keep buying each time, but I'm not sure because I haven't been keeping record of it. Also, the thick metal clamp ring that Chevrolet installed to hold the pipe onto the right port of the thermostat is just terrible! Once you miraculously get it off, replace it with a clamp ring that tightens/loosens with a screwdriver. Much better!!!
I have 2014 my brother said I have a bad water pump but I also have something that looks like oil in where you put the coolant do u know what it could be I was thinking head gasket
I've owned my 2011 1,8l now for 5 years and it has now 207000km. The coil packs last about 120000km, wheel bearings from 60000 to 90000km. I've had to replace rear springs, handbrake cables, battery, control arms, balljoints, stabilizer bar links. The joints of the wiper linkage popped out last summer and that had to be fixed. Rear brake calipers got stuck and that had to sorted out. The oil cooler gaskets needed to be replace. Now it has generated a whining noise while engine running. I think the water pump is the culprit. Otherwise it's a decent car. 😁
I have owned a 2012 cruze for 5 years now. Nothing but problems. Had the stereo black out issue which is still out. replaced almost all the cooling system and the coil pack and plugs. Been 4 weeks with out a code now. first time in the 5 years owning it.
I have a 2018 Cruze with the 1.4 turbo. Very satisfied after 2+ years. I did notice more throttle lag than my 2010 Malibu which also has the drive by wire throttle. I decided to try 89 octane gas instead of 87 and most of the throttle lag went away. Also fuel economy is much improved. My guess is that the ECM is using a more aggressive timing curve due to reduced engine knock.
I like the cruze because it can be fun without being that dangerous The tcs can be turned off with a easy to access button The engine doesn'tt make an unwieldy amount of power on any of the trims You can get it as a manual or an automatic with an optional semi-auti mode Its just a fun little car
Yeah, you hit the nail on the head. I bought the 2011 for my son as a senior in HS. it had a little over 100,000 miles. The car looked clean inside and out so I thought, "what the heck." Needless to say, piece of junk. Sadly, it seems it isn't just the car being a lemon but the entire Chevy Cruze lineup. One thing after another, after another, after another. Should have bought a Toyota.
Yeah but you get all those features man my Corolla le 2011 is so boring no leather seats no steering controls not very fast compared to other cars on the road super reliable and fun to drive had it 6 months now only needed a brake job and oil change but when I see other cars from around the same year with push to start and steering controls I get kinda jealous because I paid a lot for my Corolla and feel I could’ve found something with a bit more features like heated seats and power seats idk ig the reliable is what we pay for
2012 holden cruze 100,000kms petrol engine leather heated seats all the bells and whistles had no problems but missus wants to sell it cause she thinks there lemons for a corolla or yaris i have a 1990 80 series landcruiser with over 425,000kms on it that is well maintained but also regularly abused like a red headed step child off-road and has driven around Australia over a dozen times my son has a 2003 corolla with over 250,000kms on it he never does any maintenance on it has drove it with near no oil for months n it wont die also have a mazda sp23 05 model with just under 300,000kms on it the missus wants to sell the cruze and drive the mazda again till the mazda dies then buy another toyota
2012 Cruze LT here. 6 orig miles. Hands down best car I've ever owned. Put 40,000 miles the first year, slowed down since. Regular maintenance over the years and now stronger than ever. All GM cars since my first a 96 Corsica, might branch out but also might go electric.
I have a 2014 turbo Cruze, I’ve been mostly lucky with it. I got it used at 20000 miles and it’s at 75000 now. I’ve replaced the coil pack and valve cover. I also replaced the negative battery cable and the pcv hose at some point. It generally runs well. It does have the engine bay chirp which is annoying but it hasn’t led to any failures yet. The common diagnosis is the valve cover, the intake manifold, or the pcv hose but there is also a camshaft seal that may be the cause. I’ve been super satisfied with it though. I will say that the oil does get put through the ringer though with the turbo and would recommend a flush after awhile to clear some build up. And replace the plugs every 15000 for best results with the copper ones. I prefer the iridium plugs though, they seem to work better for me and last longer.
I do appreciate your videos and the care you take producing them. Great as repair solutions. They also serve as a what not to buy, or accept as a gift list.
I have Chevy Cruze LS 2011 and so far no problems. Bought the car with 145 500km mileage and I have driven around 50k and no problems so far and last owner also said that he took care of the car often etc.
Hey, just wanted to offer you a second thought, as a Chevrolet Dealer tech. All cars have problems. Best advice I have, is if you find a car you're interested, go to the forums for it. Every car has a forum, if it has a large enough owner-base or support base. Learn to read between the lines of the forum topics, gather a little data on them. You'll learn so much more than by just watching a video that's trying to sell you parts. Cruzetalk is the one for the Chevy Cruze, and there's actually a GM representative that monitors the forums. Most of the problems on the Cruze in particular end up covered by powertrain, or extended warranty. Coolant leaks are the most common issues with them, and the water pump has a 7 year/150k warranty on it. The second gen ironed that out. The coil pack issue this video refers to can be sorted by just putting some dielectric grease in the coil boot when installing it. Also prevents it from cracking on future removals. Lastly, I have never ever heard of a steering gear going bad on one of these.
I’ve had the coil pack problem and a valve cover problem. Now I’m getting a p0299 code, even after changing the turbocharger about 5 months ago. Supposed to warm up in the next few days so hopefully I can find out why. Love your videos btw
If you have the turbo 1.4L engine, understand that GM Marketing department says you can run on 87 octane (North America, I think 95 octane Europe / Japan), but the RPO code in your glove box will say KRD, which is a 91 octane (99 Europe / Japan) requirement.
I screenshot this... LoL... My friend told me to try 89/91 octane cause I spoke about the lack of power and sluggishness.... Searched all the forums... Now I can bullshit on the manual...
Been driving my 2017 on 87 since I got it new with no problems . However I drive for fuel economy not acceleration. It is rare that I ever get on it but when I do it's nice to know the car can move when needed.
I had a water pump crack at 60,000 miles in my 2016 limited LT. 10,000 miles later, the coolant reservoir cracked at the bottom. I’ve had bad things about the thermostats of these vehicles, and I decided the thermostat wasn’t maintaining properly. I changed both the tank and used an aftermarket thermostat and the difference is very noticeable in how much healthier it runs
I’ve had every problem he listed except for the power steering on my 2015. Its a pretty good car if you replace the spark plugs, coils, fuel injectiors, intake manifold, turbo, pistons, air intake, throttle body, and then tune it. 🤷🏻♂️💸
I have a chance to buy a 2015 with 50K miles for 5 grand. Should I make the purchase? It would be for my wife (she doesn’t drive much, would primarily be driven to work and back ) oh and the car is pretty clean inside and out as well.
I’ve had my Cruze for maybe 48k miles and I’ve already ran into coolant leaks(water pump, thermostat housing and reservoir) as well as the electric power steering issue. My wife always thought I was drifting off to sleep while driving and never believed the wheel wouldn’t move unless I jerked it
Hey Len, I know I'm late to the party but it should be worth mentioning that this is actually the second generation of Cruze by technicality. The first generation is actually based on the '01-'08 Suzuki Ignis but we never got them in North America. Also! The generation of Cruze that we did get had a hatchback option in most of the other markets it was sold in but we once again never got it. (Likely because of the Spark and Sonic but I would've enjoyed the hatch as an option personally.)
My sister has a 2015 RS model and safe to say the only issue it has had so far was the coolant leak. Someone at a different dealership told me to look out for it for the 2015s since it was a factory problem. Got the coolant leak fixed for $0 at my dealership since the factory warranty for it covered the repairs. Other than a plastic bracket for the driver's door window motor breaking the car has been excellent with no real issues.
I put 337,000 miles on a 2012 1.4t auto model. 1 turbo replacement, 4 valve cover replacements, 2 water pumps, 2 reservoirs, cv axles, random sensors, O2 3 times, definitely needed new mounts but makes sense with age. The annoying things are the dash blend vent gears that break and the trunk button fails due to moisture.
I have a 2014. I bought it when it was brand new so I've had it for 7 years. Its deemed a "lemon" bc every winter it throws codes saying service traction control and stabilitrack and the dealerships have never figured it out. It runs like crap when this happens but if I turn the car off and back on it's fine. I also don't use defrost bc then I get a film on the windshield but bc I park in a carport so I really don't need defrost often. That being said I really can't say it's that bad of a car. It is just now starting to idle a little harder than it used to. And it left me stranded only one time bc the battery died. But that's expected as the battery was 6 years old. I have 76k miles on it and I haven't had to replace much on it not even brakes which I had inspected a few months ago and I was told they didn't look like they had that much wear on them. The shop I took it too didn't believe it had over 70k miles on the brakes and apparently think I must drive like a grandma hahahaha! I bought the base model though so I actually think that worked out in my favor. I have the car paid off so I think I'll keep it for a while. But this video is helpful as something to keep my eye out for.
It’s very common for the dealers to not figure out your issue. If it’s running like crap and has a light tick that gets louder the more you drive it stop right away. Often over looked the torque spec for the camshaft bearing cap bolts are stupid low 106 inch pounds. The timing chain guide on the top of the engine will come loose it will cause a misfire and throw the whole car out of wack. Some times the caps come loose and you loose oil pressure to the top end because the passage gets blocked by the bearing. It can and will cause catastrophic failed if not caught in time. It may throw a knock sensor code p0324. Or the traction control. Never seen them both at the same time but have diagnosed the same issue with both different codes.
I’ve had bad bad luck with my Chevy Cruze starting with replacing the water pump then it kept overheating then recently it started making noises then it wouldn’t start due to the coolant and was told the housing needed to replaced replaced that and still isn’t working I’ve taken it to a couple people who have been a mechanic for years they do t know what’s wrong with it I’ve been without a car for 3 months and still paying on car I can’t drive then I got a recall for the PCV
Coolant leaks on this car (I have a 2013 1.4L turbo) are most likely the reservoir cracked, the elbow next to the battery cracked, or the heater core has a leak. Those are the most common causes for the Cruze. I’ve had all three of them.
Bought a 2011, 1.4 turbo with a 110,000 miles. Now it has 144,000 miles, plus a new thermostat, water pump, turbo, head gasket, and power steering pump! Biggest piece I've ever delt with!
Excelente video! Tenía el problema del Coolant leak... Varias veces sentí el olor dentro de mi vehículo, llegué a pensar que estaba loco... Cambié todo el deposito del Coolant y problema resuelto... Saludos desde Medellín, Colombia!
My 2014 chev cruze... No matter what we fix the damn engine light won't go away... PCV valve and tappet cover replaced✔️ turbo reconditioned, then replaced ✔️sounds and runs much better now but turbo fault still and not as responsive as I know it can be... 😔 Very frustrating...
No there not I bought my 13 brand new yes I have to replace the coil pack about a year ago and the coolant problem was fixed by GM for free because it had a recall on it haven't had a problem with it. The garage that I have my car worked on said it's pretty common for that vehicle had to have the thing that pressurizes the fuel tank replaced because the check engine light keep coming on. She now has just shy of 90,000 miles that's far from a money pit
I love my cruze and so far i had the coolant reservoir busted, thermostat housing, and the turbo went out on me thats has been the most expensive repair yet over $1200 dollars with just the turbo
I have a 2016 Cruze Turbo. Has roughly 65,000 miles on it. I’ve only put about 32,000 on it in the 6 years I’ve owned it. The last 3 months it has been in the shop 4 times! First CEL was for thermostat. Got it replaced. 2 weeks later another CEL with some crazy rough idling. Replaced spark plugs before taking it to shop bc others recommended trying that. Didn’t work, so took to the shop again. Intake manifold and cover replaced on 2nd visit. 2 weeks goes by and another CEL pops up. Before I had a chance to take it to AutoZone for them to check the code, my car died. I had been having battery corrosion. So I replaced the battery thinking that was the issue. It was not. Turns out it was my starter. Got it taken to the shop for its 3rd trip to have the starter replaced. Exactly 1 week later, another CEL popped up. AutoZone checked it and suggested fix was to replace the VCT solenoids. Before I had a chance to replace those myself, had a friend offer to look before wasting more money on parts. Popped the hood and my car wouldn’t start! Doing same thing it previously was with the bad starter. 4th trip to the shop. This time having to be hauled off on a trailer. Turns out I had a bad connection to the starter. Got that fixed last week and NOW I have coolant leaking like crazy. 😵💫😵💫 This car is a money pit! I’m hoping this coolant leak is something I can fix myself and won’t require another expensive trip to the shop.
I had problem with the thermostat housing gasket all the coolant went out 😱😱 got a warning motor overheated 😱😱😱 and after stopping the motor fan keeps working for about 10 minutes to cool down the motor that's a pretty nice safety feature 😃😃😃😃
I have a 2011 Chevy Cruze Eco and it's a manual. I have only had one of these problems which was cylinder 2 misfiring. My major issue that nobody can seem to figure out is the stabilitrak attraction control turning on shortly after shifting. It doesn't seem to matter which gear I'm shifting to, the car will shake and pull back it won't let me accelerate unless I put the clutch in a little bit at which point it stops shaking and allows me to accelerate. Then the lights go back off and it drives fine until I need to shift up again. I am a delivery driver I usually drive about 6 to 8 hours a day and so this is incredibly irritating. The things that I have replaced on my car in the past month include air filter, Purge valve, PCV valve, does throttle body and gasket, the fuel injectors and spark plugs. The spark plug Wells and fuel injector Wells were very very dirty so I vacuum them out and scrub them out using throttle body cleaner and after all of this it made my misfiring go away but I'm still having that stabilitrak issue. There is no codes. I'm at a loss I'm not sure what to do. the water pump looks fine all the hoses look fine, there was a small crack in the coolant reservoir and since it was plastic I used JB plastic weld and it patched it up very well. I'm too poor to have anyone fix the issue so I want and need to fix it on my own. I might end up just taking it somewhere to get diagnosed but everyone I've talked to that knows things about cars can't figure out what the issue is. I've cleaned that car up really good. I should not have taken welding in high school, I should have taken mechanics courses instead. But most of the time while I'm working I listen to all sorts of things on how to fix my vehicle but I don't have all the necessary tools yet.
YOOO THANK YOU SO MUCH, I HAVE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON IN MY CRUZE AND I CHANGED A LOT OF STUFF ALREADY BUT U LITERALLY TOLD ME SPECIALLY WHAT IT IS🥺
2015 1.4t here. I'm having a misfire issue with cylinder 1 misfiring a ton compared to the others, only code after clearing it is po300. I already changed the coil pack with the holly/msc pack last year. New spark plugs too. Pull the plugs and they look fine/non scorched. Just boroscoped the cylinders, lots of carbon buildup on the piston heads. Valve cover and pcv hose were replaced as well. The car left my wife stranded a week ago, misfires like crazy in idle, dies and engine cuts out if you drive it a short distance. Idles around 600 rpm, had a bunch of codes when I looked at it but currently only PO300. . Coolant issues have been common, I've replaced the coolant outlet 3 times now. Replaced the coolant hoses with DDMworks silicone ones two years ago. About to replace the turbo charge pipes and throttle body hose, water pump, thermostat. Hoping the turbo isn't dead.
Yeah, same issues with Sonic. I had my coil pack replaced at 60K miles, oil cooler+thermostat housing at 80K miles, then the heater hoses burst right after that, so got them replaced too. Shocks are dead, AC is not cold any longer. Really disappointing.
I had a cracked coolant reservoir i kept adding coolant every 2 days or everyday and i wouldn’t see any leaks and it would disappear overnight. I looked at it closely over and over and then finally realized the crack was under the reservoir where i couldn’t see it or even notice the leak cause the crack was so thin. I believe it was on the back side too close to the firewall. Motor took a dump, luckily still had warranty and got a whole new motor. New motor only gave me the spark plug issues pretty early on. Haven’t had the steering but I’ve felt it on customer cars when i used to work for a Chevy dealership. It’s annoying. Hope i don’t ever have to deal with it.
It's called drive by wire, not a wired throttle. That throttle lag is not because it takes that long for the system to work, it's programmed that way. GM calls it torque management. By applying the throttle smoothly number one it reduces fuel consumption but mainly it reduces stress on drivetrain components.
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In using car AC does the cooling indicator at max or at lower cooling have any difference the fuel consumption??
In using car AC does the cooling indicator at max or at lower cooling have any difference the fuel consumption??
What to do for P2096
Spark plug, air filter oxygen sensor replaced still the same error. Please help
Forgot the trans lines leaking, very common too.
Everyone with a cruze already knows to carry a jug of coolant in the back seat 😂
Maybe 2 😂😂
FACTS 😂
Mine is in the trunk! 🤣😂
Just replaced my entire thermostat housing. I finally don’t have to keep coolant in my trunk! Now that my coolant leak is fixed it’s time to find the oil leak.
This thing’s starting fall apart as it nears 100k miles.
Yup 😂😂
As a 2011 Cruze owner at 130,000. I can safely say that i've had 4 out of 5 problems already. Can't wait to get the steering issue and complete the set.
lol sell it
I have a 2011 Cruze with 185,000 miles I did have some of these problems along the way but I’ve managed to fixed them all and she is still going strong
Mine is a 2012 & has 177,456 miles and still love my car just as I did the day o bought it with 10 miles on it. I to have fixed most of the same issues and sill killen it'll lol
Do you guys have the 1.4 or the 1.8?
@@laurasimpson7454 thinking about getting 2012 lt with 112,234 miles have you had any major problems with this car?
I bought my 1992 Honda CRX DelSol in 2005 and at 13 years old with 63,000 miles = 140,000 kms it never had ANY of these issues.
Today in Feb 2021 with 185,000 miles = 298,000 kms (more city/suburban than open highway) I still do not have any of these issues (original motor, transmission and clutch albeit nearing a change but still driveable).
@@laurasimpson7454 honestly I’ve heard so many bad things about it I just got a 2015 w 63000 miles so I was worried it wouldn’t last so you have eased my mind a bit people of the internet
The throttle lag isn’t because of delay in signal as he explained. It’s programed to only give you a percentage for every movement in the pedal. If you want a 1:1 ratio get a pedal commander and you can adjust it to be more immediate.
I purchased a 2014 and a 2016 for both of my daughters when they started college. Yeah...You nailed every issue with them. It seems that we have lost the technology to keep coolant in a vehicle. I used to be a gear head and owned a 1970 Chevelle and would pull the transmission just to wash it and paint it, and could rebuild an engine from the cam up by age 12, but now I am too tired to be wrenching on cars. I was hoping that these cars would have lasted longer.
I have a 2012 1.8. 2nd thermostat, 3rd water reservoir, new oil cooler seals, new radiator and replaced some cooling pipes. Just over 200 000 kms on the clock. Besides these headaches I actually love this car, especially now that it's paid off
Oh yes and the coil pack and bypassed the catalytic converter
I know this is an older post, but I want to thank you for the video. My 2016 Trax suddenly started shaking and losing power. My check engine light started flashing and the traction system light came on. My dad ran his scanner on it and it gave a P0304 code. Thanks to your video, I told him that it isn't uncommon for the coil packs to need to be replaced as well. He tried the spark plugs first and it fixed it for about 30 seconds. 🤣 He then replaced the coil pack and she's running like a gem now!!! I can't thank you enough for the very informative video with super easy to follow instructions - and also shout out to my amazing dad!!
There’s no reason why I wouldn’t support a business like this!!! So much knowledge!!!!
I have had most of these issues, I have had mine for 7 years and it now has just over 200,000 miles on it and still runs and drives. It's been a big pain at times but honestly it's been reliable most of the time, just have to fix the common problems as they come. Also, on the 1.4 the turbos tend to go out and the waste gate hole cracks and then it boost leaks same with the check valves in the intake manifold and turbo inlet..
I have a 2012 "eco" 6-spd that I got for a commuter last year. I'm pretty sure it's leaking at the waste gate.
How long can you drive them leaking before it could blow something?
yee biggest issue ive had is the pcv valve diaphragm ruptured and it was making a really loud whining noise lol
I got my first Chevy Cruze this year. A used 2014 model and so far it's been a dream to drive. Though I have encountered a couple of these problems myself so I'm trying to learn more so I can maintain it to last me a long time. :)
I've had mine going to 5 years,, no issues at all. Till now I'm having a minor coolant leak. Having that problem checked sap . Besides that. Happy with my 2014 cruze .
I've had very good luck with my Cruze. I bought mine used and it had some issues which were issues the previous owner didn't bother to fix. The valve cover gasket was bad, the oil pan gasket was bad, the coolant pump was squeaking (bad pump), and a bad radiator fan. Since repairs were all covered by the extended warranty provided by my dealer, I didn't pay a dime for the work done. In the 3 years I've had my Cruze, I've kept up on regular oil changes and even bought a new set of tires for it. It's been a reliable car so far and I've never had any major problems with it.
And how many miles do you have on the Chevy Cruze you're speaking of?
Same here, bought used but did fix some small issues. Since then, just runs fine.
I’m a tech at an independent shop and I’ve serviced a number of these cars from turbos to timing chains, intakes, valve covers, and everything in between. One of the biggest reasons for most of the failures I’ve seen on this car and most others are people going too long between oil changes. Timing chain tensioners, variable timing solenoids/actuators, turbo oil feed lines, and crankcase ventilation systems get clogged up or restricted by build up from poor maintenance. This causes multiple issues and most of them can be avoided by just using high quality oil and changing it frequently. There are a lot of products that claim to clean out buildup but the only way to undo it is a full tear down and rebuild. Best thing is to maintain well and prevent it from ever happening in the first place.
Same here I got a 14, had a couple of leaks but since it was repaired, I’ve had no problems
@@Jpilgrim30 I'm having that wire throttle issue. Will the oil fix that?
What’s funny is that I have had all these problems on my Cruze already at 65k miles and it cost about $2,000 to fix all of it. Now it’s running strong
I have been driving a 1.8 since 2010, put 192.000 kilometers on it. So far it has been bulletproof. Only real 'problem' was a broken ABS sensor. These are solid cars.
+PARKLAAN Thanks for the feedback!
Just changed the coil pack and my spark plugs. Totally did the trick. No more misfires, and the car runs smooth now. Thanks for the info.
+Joey Castrellon Thank you! We love empowering our customers and showing how to perform DIY auto repairs with our high-quality auto parts. 1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c
Whats a misfire?
I'm a luckiest owner of Chevrolet 2013 RS package bought in an option in Baltimore for 5k one owner clean title an impacable maintenance hystory so far I have no complaints an still with 184200 miles on runs strong thanks God.
+Fernando De Lara Thanks for checking us out! 1AAuto.com
Mine is same year and model, keep having problems with coolant, overheated once and it was the cooling fan but now it gurgles a lot. Tired of the pos
Have a 2011 with 225000 on it and only issue was the coolant inlet pipe started to leak. Not bad for the mileage. Ten years old and the body is rock solid with zero rust and winter driven on heavily salted roads.
Blown 2 thermostat housings, damaged the PCV (Still not fixed yet), check engine lights all over the place due to airflow faults that I suspect are PCV fault, electrical gremlins taking out my instrument panel randomly, and cracking vacuum lines. 2012 Holden cruze CD sedan 1.4L turbo manual. Gotta love these money pits!
I have a2013 bought it new and it has 113310 miles and I’ve had no problems and I love mine
I have 2013 1.8l with 119k miles. My thermostat and sensors were shot. I just replaced them myself yesterday. Oh, and the housing was a little cracked so I did that too. I hope you still continue to have no problems! I hope after this repair, it'll last me a little bit longer. Once my transmission goes, I'll just buy a new car at that point but I take good care of mine. I even had to change my purge valve already because after filling up with fuel, it wouldn't start. I also had to do my water pump cause it was squeaking. I need your luck.
Is yours the 1.8 or 1.4
Agreed, mine too
@@kyleboone8042 still good?
I have a 2013 Chevy Cruze LT. Commented today on this video about the thermostat issues I've been constantly having.
Personal experiences:
Coolant loss: thermostat housing needed replacing as well as every plastic part on the reservoir side. I went ahead and also replaced the hoses and clamps anyway as PM
Slight rough idle and oil loss: replaced cam cover with gasket, not just the gasket. The cover has a pcv component that is notorious for failing
All and all, those were my issues and I've no problems since. No oil loss, no coolant loss, avg mpg of about 33 with almost 170k miles. Vehicle hasn't treated me poorly at all.
One thing I've rarely had is when at a stop light the vehicle feels like it will want to surge forward until I manually take it into neutral. Rarely does it happen but both times neutral back to drive when taking off seems to resolve it
I like my 2016 I bought used with 21K on it. So far no problems at all, quick on accelration, averages 37 mpg rides good and actually very quiet for a small car.
Same here... love my 2017.
fortunatly my 2012 chevy cruze is still alive not a single problem ever since.
best regards from paris.
ernest.
+ernest cor-de-buy Thanks for checking us out! 1AAuto.com
ernest cor-de-buy do you drive it hard or easy?
Good bye frenchy
You've had no issues with your cruze? I am having anxiety reading these comments. Geesh
Thats great
I have a 1.8L 2013. 170 k miles and I’ve had zero problems. I love her
I have a 2014 with 80,000 miles. I have a bit of a throttle lag, and engine coolant evaporating. But it's been a good car, not the best made vehicle but I'm happy for what I paid and it's paid off. 🙌
I got a 2015 Chevy Cruze LT at 140000km now at 165000km put on a K&N intake the car runs great!
Replace the spark plugs and do oil change at 25% no issues so far
Thank you so much for this comment. I'm at 119k with my 2015. I wasn't sure it would run past 120k. But of I maintain it I have a chance!
Valve cover. Oil cooler. Oil leak. And other oil leaks 😂
Thank you
@@xboxswitch9457 I bought a 2013 ltz for my daughter in 2017. We've replaced the valve cover 2 times. It has 99,100 miles.
@@onthefritzfarm just fix the pcv intake manifold already
Great video, I have a 2013 1.4Turbo LT I bought it used low miles 1 owner I drive it to work. I only had 2 problems heater core & minor leaking coolant other than that I am happy with it I am a Chevy & Jeep fan.I hear a lot people saying these cars r junk not true...now I have 150,000 thousand miles on it now.
+william kozar Thanks for checking us out. Shop for high quality auto parts on 1AAuto.com:
1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c
I’ve got a 13 Cruze runs great just the throttle lag didn’t know it could be fixed see what I can do about that
@@josephmacswan5109 How long have you had it?
Got my Cruze about a year and a half ago, haven’t even driven it 100 miles yet it’s problem after problem. I feel like I got scammed 😂 takes forever to save money to fix it when I’m paying for a ride to work everyday
Yeah, so this spring I had misfires, coolant leak (with no leak to be found), and acceleration issues........2015 cruze LT. Changed the coil pack and plugs. That helped for a minute. Then the check engine light came on going to work one morning. Took it to the dealership and the bad news came. The head was warped (after one time of the temp going up about 3/4 of the way on the gauge) and coolant was dumping straight into one of the cylinders, turbo was bad, and transmission coolant line was leaking. I got lucky and was still in the powertrain warranty by 12 days. A couple of years ago the crank case cover had to be replaced because if a PCV leak, warranty work also. I hope everyone that bought a cruze got that extended warranty, because mine came in handy. Quite a few problems with this car design.
I have same car with same issues. I spend about $500-1200 just getting it fixed smh
Oh boy, more crap to look forward to with my Cruze, It's the gift that keeps on giving, leakier than a sieve!
I would trade it in before it quits moving under its' own power.
I hear you there
Have a 2016 Cruze limited LT with 117k, bought it with 112k last year, replaced spark plugs and coil ignition pack due to noticeable misfire. Car runs pretty good for all the talk, thinking I’ll be replacing valve cover soon and I believe I have a coolant leak. Both should be covered by warranty. Peppy engine, good handling, very smooth ride. Definitely for a person that’s familiar with maintenance, but it’s good to be on top of that with every vehicle even the best of them. Bought a little bit after I turned 18, first car and loving it so far.
How much did you pay for the car ? 🎆
Throttle lag isnt the time it takes voltage to travel, that's instantaneous. The lag you experience in cars with electric throttles is because they have built in safeties that check to make sure inputs are correct before giving the power being requested at the pedal. You can get around this with a throttle controller
👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽💪🏼
I highly doubt that he really thinks it's so , he's just trying to make it simple for non tech guys .
@MadNlGGER He should have said it will trigger a P2135 code (bad throttle body sensor) must replace the entire throttle body.
Couldn't throttle delay be a dirty throttle body?
@MadNlGGER Lol, this would be like saying you move the mouse but have to wait for a second or 2 for your computer "boop boop boop" and move the cursor on your screen. Ridiculous, it happens so fast it is instant.
Owning a 2011 cruze 1.6 for 6 years already and all I ever changed was a oil cooler, oxygen sensor and coolant reservoir. Car have some 160.000 km and it doesn't burn oil or leaking anything, still runs very smoothly. I'm so happy with it's reliability, a perfect example that cheap doesn't necessarily means not good. 1st gen. Cruze is the best budget car money can buy.
Cruze has been good to me so far. Few minor problems here and there. Only ones here I've had are the thermostat housing and throttle lag. I've also heard they have valve cover gasket leaks. Mine had that, and issues with the waste gate on the turbo.
I have a 2012. I've had to replace the Thermostat, Thermostat housing, MAF Sensor, Transmission Cooler lines, water outlet, oil pan & gasket, valve cover, and even the Reservoir Tank itself (Apparently they can leak too). Mostly coolant leaks & oil issues. They have issues, but I still enjoy the car. I would like to see how the 2nd gen is.
Well that won't be happening anytime soon. The cruze has been cancelled.
What you call “throttle lag” because of a wired throttle is more likely turbo lag. The majority of all cars built in the last 30 years have electronic throttle control and do not have cable throttles so that is not unique to Cruzes. The turbo models do have turbo lag on occasion. Also I was expecting you to mention some high dollar repairs common to this model, failures of the water pump, the turbocharger, and the transmission.
I have a 2014 72k miles. Bought it at 60k miles Second owner. Swear my transmissions starting to go out. It’s not bad or anything and not a problem now, but it doesn’t feel nearly as smooth as other cars I’ve drove with even 5 times the amount of miles on them. I hear they have transmission issues early on also. Just a warning to anyone planning on getting one
So get out of my 2014 Chevy Cruze with 56k miles currently before I have transmission problems
Update: I just spent over 500$ on coolant leaking issues, water pump
P0171 Valve cover (diaphragm)
Water pump
Rad Fan resistor
P0299
Purge valve
Turbo
Cam seals
Cool pack
You made a comment about the steering rack. I bought my 2015 Cruze new from the dealer. I brought it in for my first service call telling them it tended to pull to one side, kinda like a bad alignment but not exactly. The wheel was straight and it did not wander, but when I would change lanes one direction would give more easily than the other ( eg right to left), it always felt loose in that direction... they told me there was a software patch for the steering that helped fix it, and it did because I have not had that issue since ( 5 years now).
Additionally: my Cruze ( RS 1.4 Turbo), has had the following issues All fixed under Power-train Warranty: Water Pump (yes its covered) Fail @ 90000 KM, PCV Valve @ 125000 KM.
In General its a great car, I love driving it.
Also a failing PCV Valve is in the Valve cover, it causes rough idle/ acceleration...Error code: P0171 - Fuel System Too Lean Bank 1
Coolant leak and 3 battery's ran through it in the 5 years I've had it. Great little car but dang some of the small stuff is annoying as hell
My daughter just got a 13 model and I was just looking for insight. Great job and presentation bro! 👍👍
I’m so glad the coil packs are all connected it solves the problem of people replacing them one at a time 😂
+Aaron Sexton Thanks for checking us out, we agree! 1AAuto.com
I own a Cruze 2013. Had so many coolant leak issues . Never will I buy a GM vehicle again . Poorly constructed cars. If not for all the coolant issues this is one very good car to own.
I bought my son a 2012 about 2 years ago, very low km’s and very good shape. I had to replace the coil pack and thermostat housing in the last year.
Otherwise it’s a very reliable vehicle for him and he is very happy with it. It doesn’t matter what vehicle you buy there will be repair and maintenance costs. I would recommend the Chev Cruze to someone who just needs a getting around car, nothing fancy but a nice little car
I had 2016 Lt ...got rid of it!! Best decision ever!!!
Same here
Dee Dee what was wrong with yours?
D Trahan I’ve got one now. Many issues!
I love how animated he is with explaining everything! I'm the same way but with 75% profanity. I'm glad I didn't get one of those cars.
I got a feeling when he's not being a professional on camera, he's also 75% profanity
Recently got a 2011 Cruze LT, been noticing some inconstant heating and occasional gurgling sounds. Now I know exactly what's going on and how to deal with it, thank you!
Man, I like this guys positive energy! Thanks✌🏾
+iamdjsluggo Thanks for checking us out! 1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c
I have 2 issues takes for ever to heat my car and smelling burnt oil coming from the vents
Glad I watched this because I took my 2013 to my mechanic and was in question. Well. It pulled up a code which he always shows and breaks it down, o have no idea what hea talking, but I'm learning lol. Last issue was the coil pack. He suggested replacing spark plugs and tune up cause I hadn't done one, and if need be, we would do the coil pack. Was hoping the tune fixed the problem, but needed the coil pack. But, we were already half way there, he showed me exactly what tools to use, how to do it, so I would not have to pay the shop. Easy peasy fix. Awesome mechanic and this channel backed all that he has taught me. Thank you so much
You did a Good Job in Editing this video ( pause the sound in throttle lag , worming up & down the picture through red & blue filters )
My 2014 Cruze hasn’t had any of these problems. But I have had a broken window regulator and the gear selector replaced. Overall, very happy with my car!
109,000 on my 2014, and only one of these I have is the 1st one, the throttle response. It only happens on extremely hot days with the A/C going 🤷♂️
Right same here
I was almost going to buy one until i spoke with my mechanic . he shifted my direction to Toyota Camry .. I'm glad I did . I get v6 XLE .. the other reason . I have friends who owns Chevy vehicles . most of them aren't happy . Reliability and Rust . that what i see and hear all the time !!!
2013 Chevy Cruze LT with about 118k miles on it right now. Has an oil leak near the topside of the engine due to that gasket there underneath the engine lid. But the most annoying problem has been thermostat issues. I've had to replace the thermostat 3 times now! First two times because it wasn't letting enough coolant through, causing the engine to overheat. We figured it was because two different coolants were mixed together and possibly gelling. So we flushed it out and only used DEX-COOL coolant since. But I had to replace it again last weekend (maybe 24 months since the last replacement) because it was letting too much coolant into the engine. Could tell because the air coming from the cabin heater wasn't super hot (checked after driving on the freeway for 10 min), and the engine code on my reader said the engine was overcooling.
I don't know if this problem keeps recurring because I'm using a bad brand for the thermostat, or if it's something else I don't know about. I think it's the Murray brand I keep buying each time, but I'm not sure because I haven't been keeping record of it.
Also, the thick metal clamp ring that Chevrolet installed to hold the pipe onto the right port of the thermostat is just terrible! Once you miraculously get it off, replace it with a clamp ring that tightens/loosens with a screwdriver. Much better!!!
I have 2014 my brother said I have a bad water pump but I also have something that looks like oil in where you put the coolant do u know what it could be I was thinking head gasket
I've owned my 2011 1,8l now for 5 years and it has now 207000km. The coil packs last about 120000km, wheel bearings from 60000 to 90000km. I've had to replace rear springs, handbrake cables, battery, control arms, balljoints, stabilizer bar links. The joints of the wiper linkage popped out last summer and that had to be fixed. Rear brake calipers got stuck and that had to sorted out. The oil cooler gaskets needed to be replace. Now it has generated a whining noise while engine running. I think the water pump is the culprit. Otherwise it's a decent car. 😁
My 15' LT has been quite good to me so far (55k) I know thats not many miles but the only issue thus far has been the coil pack which I got replaced.
Where u based I need coil pack I am in South Africa and they sell sh*t coil packs here
I have owned a 2012 cruze for 5 years now. Nothing but problems. Had the stereo black out issue which is still out. replaced almost all the cooling system and the coil pack and plugs. Been 4 weeks with out a code now. first time in the 5 years owning it.
I have a 2018 Cruze with the 1.4 turbo. Very satisfied after 2+ years. I did notice more throttle lag than my 2010 Malibu which also has the drive by wire throttle. I decided to try 89 octane gas instead of 87 and most of the throttle lag went away. Also fuel economy is much improved. My guess is that the ECM is using a more aggressive timing curve due to reduced engine knock.
+Robert Weinmann Thanks for the feedback!
@@1AAuto I notice my cruze has issues starting, just takes a little bit longer… what should i do
@@dgags4548 most likely a bad negative cable
Might possibly need new battery
@@dgags4548 just had that problem with my 2011 cruze at 110k
Replaced the cable and the battery
Running real smooth now
I like the cruze because it can be fun without being that dangerous
The tcs can be turned off with a easy to access button
The engine doesn'tt make an unwieldy amount of power on any of the trims
You can get it as a manual or an automatic with an optional semi-auti mode
Its just a fun little car
Yeah, you hit the nail on the head. I bought the 2011 for my son as a senior in HS. it had a little over 100,000 miles. The car looked clean inside and out so I thought, "what the heck." Needless to say, piece of junk. Sadly, it seems it isn't just the car being a lemon but the entire Chevy Cruze lineup. One thing after another, after another, after another. Should have bought a Toyota.
I try to get all the people I know to by Toyotas or Hondas lol my third gen 4runner still going strong
Yeah but you get all those features man my Corolla le 2011 is so boring no leather seats no steering controls not very fast compared to other cars on the road super reliable and fun to drive had it 6 months now only needed a brake job and oil change but when I see other cars from around the same year with push to start and steering controls I get kinda jealous because I paid a lot for my Corolla and feel I could’ve found something with a bit more features like heated seats and power seats idk ig the reliable is what we pay for
I have a chance to buy a 2015 w 50K miles on it for 5 grand, should I make the purchase?
2012 holden cruze 100,000kms petrol engine leather heated seats all the bells and whistles had no problems but missus wants to sell it cause she thinks there lemons for a corolla or yaris i have a 1990 80 series landcruiser with over 425,000kms on it that is well maintained but also regularly abused like a red headed step child off-road and has driven around Australia over a dozen times my son has a 2003 corolla with over 250,000kms on it he never does any maintenance on it has drove it with near no oil for months n it wont die also have a mazda sp23 05 model with just under 300,000kms on it the missus wants to sell the cruze and drive the mazda again till the mazda dies then buy another toyota
2012 Cruze LT here. 6 orig miles. Hands down best car I've ever owned. Put 40,000 miles the first year, slowed down since. Regular maintenance over the years and now stronger than ever. All GM cars since my first a 96 Corsica, might branch out but also might go electric.
I have a 2011 cruze 1.4t with ALL of these issues 😂😂😂
i had misfire after 20k miles
2013. I've had all these issues, and more. Praise be when I get rid of it. Have a good day, may the Lord open.
Amen Brother ! Same here but still love my cruze.. 240k and 9 years old, still going strong :D
@@samirsecickic1663 mine is 75k miles
@ The car weighs 4000 lbs and the rear has drum brakes.
I have a 2014 turbo Cruze, I’ve been mostly lucky with it. I got it used at 20000 miles and it’s at 75000 now. I’ve replaced the coil pack and valve cover. I also replaced the negative battery cable and the pcv hose at some point. It generally runs well. It does have the engine bay chirp which is annoying but it hasn’t led to any failures yet. The common diagnosis is the valve cover, the intake manifold, or the pcv hose but there is also a camshaft seal that may be the cause. I’ve been super satisfied with it though. I will say that the oil does get put through the ringer though with the turbo and would recommend a flush after awhile to clear some build up. And replace the plugs every 15000 for best results with the copper ones. I prefer the iridium plugs though, they seem to work better for me and last longer.
I do appreciate your videos and the care you take producing them. Great as repair solutions. They also serve as a what not to buy, or accept as a gift list.
I have Chevy Cruze LS 2011 and so far no problems. Bought the car with 145 500km mileage and I have driven around 50k and no problems so far and last owner also said that he took care of the car often etc.
Thanks. I was wondering if I should look for one used to buy, but this video just convinced to avoid it, ever.
Hey, just wanted to offer you a second thought, as a Chevrolet Dealer tech. All cars have problems. Best advice I have, is if you find a car you're interested, go to the forums for it. Every car has a forum, if it has a large enough owner-base or support base. Learn to read between the lines of the forum topics, gather a little data on them. You'll learn so much more than by just watching a video that's trying to sell you parts. Cruzetalk is the one for the Chevy Cruze, and there's actually a GM representative that monitors the forums. Most of the problems on the Cruze in particular end up covered by powertrain, or extended warranty. Coolant leaks are the most common issues with them, and the water pump has a 7 year/150k warranty on it. The second gen ironed that out. The coil pack issue this video refers to can be sorted by just putting some dielectric grease in the coil boot when installing it. Also prevents it from cracking on future removals. Lastly, I have never ever heard of a steering gear going bad on one of these.
I’ve had the coil pack problem and a valve cover problem. Now I’m getting a p0299 code, even after changing the turbocharger about 5 months ago. Supposed to warm up in the next few days so hopefully I can find out why. Love your videos btw
If you have the turbo 1.4L engine, understand that GM Marketing department says you can run on 87 octane (North America, I think 95 octane Europe / Japan), but the RPO code in your glove box will say KRD, which is a 91 octane (99 Europe / Japan) requirement.
Yeah...definitely can't run 87 octane in anything turbo'd or super'd.
I screenshot this... LoL... My friend told me to try 89/91 octane cause I spoke about the lack of power and sluggishness.... Searched all the forums... Now I can bullshit on the manual...
So 87 isn’t good for the car ?
Been driving my 2017 on 87 since I got it new with no problems . However I drive for fuel economy not acceleration. It is rare that I ever get on it but when I do it's nice to know the car can move when needed.
I had a water pump crack at 60,000 miles in my 2016 limited LT. 10,000 miles later, the coolant reservoir cracked at the bottom. I’ve had bad things about the thermostats of these vehicles, and I decided the thermostat wasn’t maintaining properly. I changed both the tank and used an aftermarket thermostat and the difference is very noticeable in how much healthier it runs
I’ve had every problem he listed except for the power steering on my 2015. Its a pretty good car if you replace the spark plugs, coils, fuel injectiors, intake manifold, turbo, pistons, air intake, throttle body, and then tune it. 🤷🏻♂️💸
+Rick Frazier Thanks for the feedback!
Thats a whole new car lmaooo
I have a chance to buy a 2015 with 50K miles for 5 grand. Should I make the purchase? It would be for my wife (she doesn’t drive much, would primarily be driven to work and back ) oh and the car is pretty clean inside and out as well.
@@michaelloughery6100 I would do it immediately.
I’ve had my Cruze for maybe 48k miles and I’ve already ran into coolant leaks(water pump, thermostat housing and reservoir) as well as the electric power steering issue. My wife always thought I was drifting off to sleep while driving and never believed the wheel wouldn’t move unless I jerked it
Hey Len, I know I'm late to the party but it should be worth mentioning that this is actually the second generation of Cruze by technicality.
The first generation is actually based on the '01-'08 Suzuki Ignis but we never got them in North America.
Also! The generation of Cruze that we did get had a hatchback option in most of the other markets it was sold in but we once again never got it. (Likely because of the Spark and Sonic but I would've enjoyed the hatch as an option personally.)
My sister has a 2015 RS model and safe to say the only issue it has had so far was the coolant leak. Someone at a different dealership told me to look out for it for the 2015s since it was a factory problem. Got the coolant leak fixed for $0 at my dealership since the factory warranty for it covered the repairs.
Other than a plastic bracket for the driver's door window motor breaking the car has been excellent with no real issues.
There is a tsb for valve cover gasket leaks and I believe there is an updated valve cover as a fix. The water outlet is known for leaking coolant
I put 337,000 miles on a 2012 1.4t auto model. 1 turbo replacement, 4 valve cover replacements, 2 water pumps, 2 reservoirs, cv axles, random sensors, O2 3 times, definitely needed new mounts but makes sense with age. The annoying things are the dash blend vent gears that break and the trunk button fails due to moisture.
I have a 2014. I bought it when it was brand new so I've had it for 7 years. Its deemed a "lemon" bc every winter it throws codes saying service traction control and stabilitrack and the dealerships have never figured it out. It runs like crap when this happens but if I turn the car off and back on it's fine. I also don't use defrost bc then I get a film on the windshield but bc I park in a carport so I really don't need defrost often. That being said I really can't say it's that bad of a car. It is just now starting to idle a little harder than it used to. And it left me stranded only one time bc the battery died. But that's expected as the battery was 6 years old. I have 76k miles on it and I haven't had to replace much on it not even brakes which I had inspected a few months ago and I was told they didn't look like they had that much wear on them. The shop I took it too didn't believe it had over 70k miles on the brakes and apparently think I must drive like a grandma hahahaha! I bought the base model though so I actually think that worked out in my favor. I have the car paid off so I think I'll keep it for a while. But this video is helpful as something to keep my eye out for.
It’s very common for the dealers to not figure out your issue. If it’s running like crap and has a light tick that gets louder the more you drive it stop right away. Often over looked the torque spec for the camshaft bearing cap bolts are stupid low 106 inch pounds. The timing chain guide on the top of the engine will come loose it will cause a misfire and throw the whole car out of wack. Some times the caps come loose and you loose oil pressure to the top end because the passage gets blocked by the bearing. It can and will cause catastrophic failed if not caught in time. It may throw a knock sensor code p0324. Or the traction control. Never seen them both at the same time but have diagnosed the same issue with both different codes.
I’ve had bad bad luck with my Chevy Cruze starting with replacing the water pump then it kept overheating then recently it started making noises then it wouldn’t start due to the coolant and was told the housing needed to replaced replaced that and still isn’t working I’ve taken it to a couple people who have been a mechanic for years they do t know what’s wrong with it I’ve been without a car for 3 months and still paying on car I can’t drive then I got a recall for the PCV
Coolant leaks on this car (I have a 2013 1.4L turbo) are most likely the reservoir cracked, the elbow next to the battery cracked, or the heater core has a leak. Those are the most common causes for the Cruze. I’ve had all three of them.
Bought a 2011, 1.4 turbo with a 110,000 miles. Now it has 144,000 miles, plus a new thermostat, water pump, turbo, head gasket, and power steering pump! Biggest piece I've ever delt with!
+Derek S. Thanks for checking us out. Shop for high quality auto parts on 1AAuto.com:
1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c
Power steering pump??? *LOL*
They don't have power steering pumps... They have electronic steering!
Excelente video!
Tenía el problema del Coolant leak...
Varias veces sentí el olor dentro de mi vehículo, llegué a pensar que estaba loco...
Cambié todo el deposito del Coolant y problema resuelto...
Saludos desde Medellín, Colombia!
+SANDREST Thanks for checking us out and for the feedback! 1AAuto.com
My 2014 chev cruze... No matter what we fix the damn engine light won't go away... PCV valve and tappet cover replaced✔️ turbo reconditioned, then replaced ✔️sounds and runs much better now but turbo fault still and not as responsive as I know it can be... 😔 Very frustrating...
Endless money pit!
I see what you did there.
No there not I bought my 13 brand new yes I have to replace the coil pack about a year ago and the coolant problem was fixed by GM for free because it had a recall on it haven't had a problem with it. The garage that I have my car worked on said it's pretty common for that vehicle had to have the thing that pressurizes the fuel tank replaced because the check engine light keep coming on. She now has just shy of 90,000 miles that's far from a money pit
Dont just walk away from this RUUNNNNNN!!!!!!!!
Scotty fan spotted lol
"Endless money pit!"
Like all cars!
I love my cruze and so far i had the coolant reservoir busted, thermostat housing, and the turbo went out on me thats has been the most expensive repair yet over $1200 dollars with just the turbo
As a service advisor.. I love these!
I’ve Had My 2014 Cruze Since 2018 & I Can Honestly Say I’ve Went Through All These Problems. As Of Now I’m Looking At A New Turbo. 😤
Just get an LS with the 1.8 and throw a set of 2LT wheels on it and you’ll be mint
The LS does seem to be the least problem prone model.
@@wavyatdarootz 1.8 engine is way better than the 1.4t. even sounds better
I have a 2016 Cruze Turbo. Has roughly 65,000 miles on it. I’ve only put about 32,000 on it in the 6 years I’ve owned it. The last 3 months it has been in the shop 4 times! First CEL was for thermostat. Got it replaced. 2 weeks later another CEL with some crazy rough idling. Replaced spark plugs before taking it to shop bc others recommended trying that. Didn’t work, so took to the shop again. Intake manifold and cover replaced on 2nd visit. 2 weeks goes by and another CEL pops up. Before I had a chance to take it to AutoZone for them to check the code, my car died. I had been having battery corrosion. So I replaced the battery thinking that was the issue. It was not. Turns out it was my starter. Got it taken to the shop for its 3rd trip to have the starter replaced. Exactly 1 week later, another CEL popped up. AutoZone checked it and suggested fix was to replace the VCT solenoids. Before I had a chance to replace those myself, had a friend offer to look before wasting more money on parts. Popped the hood and my car wouldn’t start! Doing same thing it previously was with the bad starter. 4th trip to the shop. This time having to be hauled off on a trailer. Turns out I had a bad connection to the starter. Got that fixed last week and NOW I have coolant leaking like crazy. 😵💫😵💫 This car is a money pit! I’m hoping this coolant leak is something I can fix myself and won’t require another expensive trip to the shop.
I seen it all, coolant leaks, blue smoke, oil leaks , transmission leaks. I work on them and Ill never own one.
What’s always a pretty good car to own??
Honda
I have a 2014 mines manual I love it so much.!!! I haven’t had any major problems so far other then my breaks and my washer fluid leaks
1.6L?
I have come to the conclusion the Chevy Cruze might just be one of the worst used vehicles you could possibly purchase...
Exactly.
I had problem with the thermostat housing gasket all the coolant went out 😱😱 got a warning motor overheated 😱😱😱 and after stopping the motor fan keeps working for about 10 minutes to cool down the motor that's a pretty nice safety feature 😃😃😃😃
Solved the throttle lag with i trifecta tune, made it a speedy little thing and upped it to 180hp
+Steven Gilbert RC Thanks for the feedback!
The same. This car is actually easy to fix if you can read diagrams.
I have a 2011 Chevy Cruze Eco and it's a manual. I have only had one of these problems which was cylinder 2 misfiring. My major issue that nobody can seem to figure out is the stabilitrak attraction control turning on shortly after shifting. It doesn't seem to matter which gear I'm shifting to, the car will shake and pull back it won't let me accelerate unless I put the clutch in a little bit at which point it stops shaking and allows me to accelerate. Then the lights go back off and it drives fine until I need to shift up again. I am a delivery driver I usually drive about 6 to 8 hours a day and so this is incredibly irritating. The things that I have replaced on my car in the past month include air filter, Purge valve, PCV valve, does throttle body and gasket, the fuel injectors and spark plugs. The spark plug Wells and fuel injector Wells were very very dirty so I vacuum them out and scrub them out using throttle body cleaner and after all of this it made my misfiring go away but I'm still having that stabilitrak issue. There is no codes. I'm at a loss I'm not sure what to do. the water pump looks fine all the hoses look fine, there was a small crack in the coolant reservoir and since it was plastic I used JB plastic weld and it patched it up very well. I'm too poor to have anyone fix the issue so I want and need to fix it on my own. I might end up just taking it somewhere to get diagnosed but everyone I've talked to that knows things about cars can't figure out what the issue is. I've cleaned that car up really good. I should not have taken welding in high school, I should have taken mechanics courses instead. But most of the time while I'm working I listen to all sorts of things on how to fix my vehicle but I don't have all the necessary tools yet.
YOOO THANK YOU SO MUCH, I HAVE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON IN MY CRUZE AND I CHANGED A LOT OF STUFF ALREADY BUT U LITERALLY TOLD ME SPECIALLY WHAT IT IS🥺
+Valentin Reyes Thank you! We love empowering our customers and showing how to perform DIY auto repairs with our high-quality auto parts. 1AAuto.com
2015 1.4t here. I'm having a misfire issue with cylinder 1 misfiring a ton compared to the others, only code after clearing it is po300. I already changed the coil pack with the holly/msc pack last year. New spark plugs too. Pull the plugs and they look fine/non scorched. Just boroscoped the cylinders, lots of carbon buildup on the piston heads. Valve cover and pcv hose were replaced as well.
The car left my wife stranded a week ago, misfires like crazy in idle, dies and engine cuts out if you drive it a short distance. Idles around 600 rpm, had a bunch of codes when I looked at it but currently only PO300. .
Coolant issues have been common, I've replaced the coolant outlet 3 times now. Replaced the coolant hoses with DDMworks silicone ones two years ago. About to replace the turbo charge pipes and throttle body hose, water pump, thermostat. Hoping the turbo isn't dead.
Yeah, same issues with Sonic. I had my coil pack replaced at 60K miles, oil cooler+thermostat housing at 80K miles, then the heater hoses burst right after that, so got them replaced too. Shocks are dead, AC is not cold any longer.
Really disappointing.
I had a cracked coolant reservoir i kept adding coolant every 2 days or everyday and i wouldn’t see any leaks and it would disappear overnight. I looked at it closely over and over and then finally realized the crack was under the reservoir where i couldn’t see it or even notice the leak cause the crack was so thin. I believe it was on the back side too close to the firewall.
Motor took a dump, luckily still had warranty and got a whole new motor.
New motor only gave me the spark plug issues pretty early on. Haven’t had the steering but I’ve felt it on customer cars when i used to work for a Chevy dealership. It’s annoying. Hope i don’t ever have to deal with it.
Had one the transmission went out at 74k miles.
It's called drive by wire, not a wired throttle. That throttle lag is not because it takes that long for the system to work, it's programmed that way. GM calls it torque management. By applying the throttle smoothly number one it reduces fuel consumption but mainly it reduces stress on drivetrain components.