Holden Cruze: Coolant leaks from water pump, water outlet, thermostat housing and turbo coolant lines (1.4 turbo A14NET/LUJ/LUV)
Coolant leaks from water pump, water outlet, thermostat housing and turbo coolant lines (1.4 turbo A14NET/LUJ/LUV) is a very common cooling fault on the Holden Cruze on the 2011–2016 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $250 to $1,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 13 documented faults on the Holden Cruze.
- Vehicle
- Holden Cruze
- Engine
- 1.4L
- Years
- 2011–2016
- Fuel
- petrol
- System
- Cooling
What you are looking at
Example of the part — not this vehicleA double-valve engine thermostat, labelled: the wax capsule is what sticks.
What goes wrong
The 1.4 turbo runs a pressurised cooling system full of plastic parts, and several of them leak with age: the water pump shaft seal and weep reservoir, the plastic water outlet and thermostat housing, the crimped turbo coolant feed and return lines, and the coolant expansion tank, which can crack or vent past a tired cap. Leaks are often slow, so the first sign is a falling reservoir level or a sweet coolant smell after a drive rather than a puddle. Left alone, the engine runs low on coolant and can overheat, which on a turbo engine risks a warped head or damaged turbo. GM extended water pump cover on US Cruze 1.4 cars to 10 years or 240,000 km (Special Coverage 14371B), but that has now expired on every car in this range, and NZ/AU cars were not part of that program anyway.
What you would notice
- Coolant reservoir level below the MIN mark or needing regular top ups
- Sweet coolant smell from the engine bay or through the vents after a drive
- Dried pink or orange crust around the thermostat housing, water pump or turbo pipes
- Temperature gauge climbing in traffic or low coolant warning on the dash
- Heater blowing cool air at idle
How to check it
Where to look. Engine bay: coolant expansion tank, plastic thermostat housing and water outlet on the engine, water pump, and the coolant lines to the turbo at the back of the engine
With the engine cold, open the bonnet and check the coolant expansion tank: the level should sit between MIN and MAX and the coolant should be clean, not brown or oily. Look at the tank itself with a phone torch for hairline cracks and wet seams. Shine the torch down the front and left side of the engine at the plastic thermostat housing and water outlet, and around the water pump and the small metal pipes running to the turbo on the back of the engine, looking for wet spots or dried pink or orange crust. Look on the ground under the front of the car where it was parked. After the test drive, sniff for a sweet coolant smell at the bonnet and watch the temperature gauge stays steady in traffic. Ask how often it needs coolant topped up and whether the water pump or thermostat housing has been replaced, and ask for the invoice. If a workshop inspection is possible: have the cooling system pressure tested cold and the pump, outlet housing and turbo coolant lines checked from underneath with the undertray off.
What it costs to put right
$250 to $1,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.
Ask the seller
- “Does it ever need coolant topped up, and how often?”
- “Has the water pump, thermostat housing or coolant tank been replaced? Can I see the invoice?”
- “Has it ever overheated or shown a low coolant warning?”
Now check the Holden Cruze you are actually looking at
Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.
Where this comes from
- GM Special Coverage Bulletin 14371B (Jan 2015): 2011-2014 Cruze 1.4L water pump coolant leak
- Bob Is The Oil Guy forum thread: GM 1.4T coolant leak?
- Samarins.com Chevrolet Cruze 2011-2015 common problems (coolant leaks: expansion tank, outlet, thermostat housing, water pump)
- au7o.io known issues: Chevrolet Cruze (thermostat housing, water outlet, turbo coolant lines)
Holden Cruze buyer questions
Is coolant leaks from water pump, water outlet, thermostat housing and turbo coolant lines (1.4 turbo a14net/luj/luv) serious on a Holden Cruze?
We rate it major and very common on the Holden Cruze. The 1.4 turbo runs a pressurised cooling system full of plastic parts, and several of them leak with age: the water pump shaft seal and weep reservoir, the plastic water outlet and thermostat housing, the crimped turbo coolant feed and return lines, and the coolant expansion tank, which can crack or vent past a tired cap. Leaks are often slow, so the first sign is a falling reservoir level or a sweet coolant smell after a drive rather than a puddle. Left alone, the engine runs low on coolant and can overheat, which on a turbo engine risks a warped head or damaged turbo. GM extended water pump cover on US Cruze 1.4 cars to 10 years or 240,000 km (Special Coverage 14371B), but that has now expired on every car in this range, and NZ/AU cars were not part of that program anyway.
How much does it cost to fix on a Holden Cruze?
$250 to $1,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.
Which Holden Cruze years are affected?
Our research records this fault on the 2011–2016 Holden Cruze. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.
How do I check for it before I buy?
With the engine cold, open the bonnet and check the coolant expansion tank: the level should sit between MIN and MAX and the coolant should be clean, not brown or oily. Look at the tank itself with a phone torch for hairline cracks and wet seams. Shine the torch down the front and left side of the engine at the plastic thermostat housing and water outlet, and around the water pump and the small metal pipes running to the turbo on the back of the engine, looking for wet spots or dried pink or orange crust. Look on the ground under the front of the car where it was parked. After the test drive, sniff for a sweet coolant smell at the bonnet and watch the temperature gauge stays steady in traffic. Ask how often it needs coolant topped up and whether the water pump or thermostat housing has been replaced, and ask for the invoice. If a workshop inspection is possible: have the cooling system pressure tested cold and the pump, outlet housing and turbo coolant lines checked from underneath with the undertray off. Look here: Engine bay: coolant expansion tank, plastic thermostat housing and water outlet on the engine, water pump, and the coolant lines to the turbo at the back of the engine