Check the airbag recall first
The Cruze has a Takata driver's airbag recall covering 2010 to 2013 model years. Moisture can degrade the inflator's propellant, and in a crash the housing can rupture and throw metal fragments into the cabin, a risk of serious injury or death. Check your VIN on vehiclerecalls.gov.au today.
Which Cruze have you got?
The JG arrived in 2009, built in South Korea, with a 1.8-litre petrol or a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel. The JH followed in March 2011, built at Elizabeth in Adelaide, and added a 1.4-litre turbo petrol, then a 1.6-litre turbo petrol from April 2013. The 1.4 and the diesel were dropped in January 2015, and local production ended on 7 October 2016.
Engine light on a Holden Cruze: what it can mean
A flashing engine light means ease off and pull over somewhere safe if the car runs rough. A steady one means the computer has stored a fault, and a mechanic with a scan tool can read it. Start with what an engine light means.
Likely causes by engine
- 1.8 petrol: a failed coil pack, with misfires and rough running. On 2014 to 2016 model years, a cracked cylinder head can bring misfires, overheating and low coolant.
- 1.4 turbo: a failed PCV valve in the camshaft cover, with rough idle and sluggish take-off, often before 80,000 km. Also an underboost code, P0299, from the turbo's wastegate, and a leaking water pump.
- 1.6 turbo: on 2014 model years, the thermostat housing, with the fan running after shutdown and the engine overheating.
- 2.0 diesel: a clogged diesel particulate filter that puts the car in limp mode. It needs sustained running above 2000 rpm to clean itself.
- 1.8, 1.4 turbo and diesel automatics: on 2011 to 2013 cars, slipping or no gears, with code P0776.
Other common Holden Cruze problems
The automatic. GM ran a coverage program on GF6 six-speed autos for 5 years or 150,000 km, which has probably run out for most cars. If yours flares between gears or won't take reverse, get it scanned before anyone quotes a whole gearbox, as GM's fix was to replace only the faulty part where it could.
Coolant. 2009 cars can crack the surge tank, and on the 1.8 automatic the gearbox cooler sits inside the radiator, so a leak there mixes the two fluids. If it overheats, pull over and switch off.
A warning code on the dash. CarsGuide says Code 79 with a spanner on a 2009 Cruze means low engine oil. Top it up before you drive.
Other recalls. The 1.4 turbo had an oil spill fire hazard recall, and manuals had a park brake recall.
Holden Cruze timing belt
The 1.4 turbo has a chain-driven engine, so no belt. The 1.8 has a timing belt, the rubber toothed belt that keeps its valves in step. The Cruze service book sets the interval.
One trap on the 1.8: after a timing belt change, a small plastic oil flow tube at the front of each camshaft has to go back in. Left out, it starves the variable valve timing of oil, the check engine light comes on and the car loses power. If that started right after a belt job, tell the mechanic. More in timing belts.
Servicing a Cruze now
carsales lists the 2015 Cruze at 15,000 km or 9 months. CarsGuide gives 5W30 fully synthetic oil for the petrols and 5W40 for the 2.0 diesel. Your book or the mechanic will confirm what yours takes.
Holden ceased trading at the end of 2020, so an independent mechanic is an obvious fit for a car this age. Tell us the year, the engine and what it's doing. A local mechanic who specialises in your car.
What we'd do with a Cruze
Sort the airbag recall first. Then have the code read rather than guessing, and give the mechanic the exact engine. If the 1.8's belt has no record, ask for it to be checked against the book and put in the estimate. On a car this age, we'd ask for repairs that fix the fault code, not a run of parts thrown at it.