Holden Cruze: common faults & what to check

Which Holden Cruze are you looking at?

3 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Petrol

2 variants documented

2009–2016JG2009–2016JG1.4 turbo petrolPetrolDocumented issues4 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

2009–2016JG2009–2016JG1.8 petrolPetrolDocumented issues8 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

Diesel

1 variant documented

2009–2016JG2009–2016JG2.0 dieselDieselDocumented issues3 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Holden Cruze

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Holden Cruze before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Serious issue

  Cold-start rattle check.

  See why

  LUW 1.8 / A14NET 1.4T timing chain wear

  The LUW 1.8-litre petrol and A14NET 1.4 turbo fitted to NZ/AU Cruze variants share GM's small-displacement timing chain architecture with the Astra/Insignia family engines. Both exhibit chain stretch and tensioner wear accelerated by infrequent oil changes — a common problem on high-mileage Cruze examples used as high-kilometre run-arounds. The 1.4T is particularly sensitive due to turbo thermal loads. Failure results in cam timing retardation and eventual contact damage.

  What you would notice

  • Rattle from top of engine on cold start for several seconds
  • Check engine light — P0016 cam/crank correlation or P0341 cam position sensor
  • Rough cold idle, smoothing as oil pressure builds
  • Power loss and rough running in advanced cases

  Typically $1,200–$2,400 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Ask the seller for the service book and any recall stickers or invoices showing the fuel hose, driveshaft, park brake and airbag recalls were done.

  See why

  Open Holden safety recalls: fuel feed hose leak, diesel driveshaft, park brake and Takata airbag

  Several Holden safety recalls cover Cruze cars from this period and some cars in NZ and AU never had the work done. The JG Cruze had two fuel feed hose recalls, petrol cars in March 2010 (PRA 2010/11504) and 2.0 diesel cars in December 2011 (PRA 2011/12941), because a badly made hose end could leak fuel in the engine bay and risk a fire. Diesel automatics built Feb 2009 to Dec 2010 were recalled in 2014 for a right hand driveshaft that could separate (PRA 2014/14199), JG manuals for a park brake that may not hold (PRA 2015/14708), and 2010-2013 JG/JH cars for Takata airbag inflators that can rupture (PRA 2018/16856). Recall work is free, and GM still handles Holden recalls after the brand closed.

  What you would notice

  • Strong petrol or diesel smell from the engine bay
  • Loss of power or stalling
  • Clunk and loss of drive when turning at low speed (diesel auto)
  • Car rolling when parked on a slope with the handbrake on (manual)

  Typically $0–$400 to put right.

• Costly issue

  With the engine idling, open the bonnet and listen at the top of the engine for a whistle or hissing sound; a healthy engine is quiet.

  See why

  PCV diaphragm failure in the valve cover causing oil burning and whistle (1.4 turbo A14NET/LUJ/LUV)

  On the 1.4 turbo the crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve is a small rubber diaphragm built into the plastic valve cover, so it cannot be replaced on its own. When the diaphragm tears the engine pulls oil into the intake and burns it, the idle goes rough, and there is often a loud whistle or hoot from the top of the engine. GM acknowledged it in its technician bulletin PIP5197, which also warns that the abnormal crankcase pressure can in some cases lead to a broken piston ring land, meaning an engine rebuild. The normal fix is a new valve cover (and sometimes the intake manifold check valve), but an engine that has been burning oil for a long time may already be damaged.

  What you would notice

  • Whistle, hoot or squeal from the top of the engine at idle
  • Blue smoke from the exhaust, especially after idling
  • Oil level dropping between services
  • Rough idle or misfire, check engine light (codes P0171, P0300, P0299)
  • Oil seeping from the valve cover gasket or around the oil filler cap

  Typically $400–$1,200 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Scan for DPF soot load and stored P24xx/EGR codes before buying.

  See why

  DPF blocking and EGR carbon build-up (2.0 diesel)

  The 2.0 turbo-diesel Cruze suffers the usual short-trip diesel diseases, amplified by a small DPF: around-town use blocks the particulate filter and coats the EGR valve and intake in carbon, causing limp mode, warning lights and rough running. Forced regenerations buy time, but a fully blocked DPF is a $2,000+ replacement. The diesel also uses a timing belt that must be kept up to date, unlike the petrol Cruzes' chains.

  What you would notice

  • DPF warning light or frequent regens (fan running after shutdown, smell of hot exhaust)
  • Limp mode with power loss
  • Rough idle and black smoke
  • Rising fuel consumption

  Typically $500–$3,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Perform a light-throttle acceleration run at 50-80 km/h and note any shudder or vibration through the drivetrain.

  See why

  Automatic Transmission Shudder and Fluid Degradation (6T30/CVT Variants)

  The Holden Cruze JH automatic variants (both the 6-speed 6T30 and early CVT-equipped models) are documented to develop shudder and harsh shifting as transmission fluid degrades. The 6T30 is sensitive to fluid quality and exhibits shudder on light-throttle acceleration when the fluid breaks down. CVT-equipped early models develop a distinctive judder when the CVT belt slips on worn fluid. Fluid changes outside the recommended interval are the primary cause. Often misdiagnosed as engine or drivetrain issues.

  What you would notice

  • Shudder or vibration on light throttle acceleration between 40-80 km/h
  • Harsh or delayed upshifts
  • Transmission slipping or hunting between gears
  • CVT variants: whining noise and shudder under load

  Typically $300–$2,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  With the engine cold, open the bonnet and check the coolant reservoir is at the mark and the coolant looks clean.

  See why

  Thermostat housing and turbo coolant hose leaks, overheating (1.6 turbo A16LET, SRi and SRi-V)

  The 1.6-litre turbo petrol used in the Cruze SRi and SRi-V from 2013 is prone to overheating, and a common cause is a failed thermostat housing that had to be replaced on many cars. The coolant hoses that feed the turbocharger were also not tough enough for Australian underbonnet heat and can split or leak. Owners commonly report these failures between about 45,000 and 90,000 km, and running the engine hot after a leak risks cylinder head damage.

  What you would notice

  • Temperature gauge climbing or overheating warning
  • Coolant level dropping in the reservoir
  • Sweet coolant smell after a drive
  • Crusty pink or orange residue around hoses near the turbo
  • Heater blowing cold

  Typically $400–$1,500 to put right.

Holden Cruze service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the Holden Cruze. These are the model’s intervals — the car’s own service book is the only thing that can tell you what has actually been done to it.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Holden Cruze’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• Cambelt Replacement Cost
• Timing Chain Replacement Cost
• CVT Gearbox Repair Cost
• DPF Repair and Replacement Cost
• EGR Valve and Cooler Repair Cost

Other Holden models