MajorVery commonEngine

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

PCV diaphragm failure in the valve cover causing oil burning and whistle (1.4 turbo A14NET/LUJ/LUV) is a very common engine fault on the Holden Cruze on the 2011–2016 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $400 to $1,200 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: Engine

This page covers the Holden Cruze as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Holden Cruze faults13 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Rocker / valve cover or Turbocharger or PCV / oil separator yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

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

How to check it

Where to look. Top of the engine: black plastic valve (cam) cover with the built in PCV diaphragm, and the intake manifold behind it

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. With the engine running, slowly remove the oil filler cap: if it is hard to pull off, sucks in hard, or the engine note changes a lot, the PCV system is suspect. Check the dipstick level (low oil on a recently serviced car is a warning) and look for oily wetness around the edge of the black plastic valve cover. Ask someone to watch the exhaust while you rev the engine after it has idled for a few minutes, looking for blue smoke. Make sure the check engine light comes on with the key and then goes out. Ask whether the valve cover has been replaced and how much oil it uses between services. If a workshop inspection is possible: scan for stored fuel trim, misfire and underboost codes, and do a compression or leak down test if the car has been using oil.

Parts involved: Rocker / valve cover, Turbocharger, PCV / oil separator.

What it costs to put right

$400 to $1,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the valve cover or PCV valve been replaced? When?”
“How much oil does it use between services?”
“Has the check engine light been on recently?”

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.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

GM technician bulletin PIP5197 (Cruze 1.4L turbo oil consumption, whistle, PCV diaphragm, broken ring land)
Xtreme Revolution: Chevy Cruze, Sonic, Trax and Buick Encore 1.4L turbo PCV valve issues
Samarins.com Chevrolet Cruze 2011-2015 common problems (PCV diaphragm in valve cover, PIP5197J)
NHTSA TSB document MC-10151883-9999

Holden Cruze buyer questions

Is pcv diaphragm failure in the valve cover causing oil burning and whistle (1.4 turbo a14net/luj/luv) serious on a Holden Cruze?

We rate it major and very common on the Holden Cruze. 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.

How much does it cost to fix on a Holden Cruze?

$400 to $1,200 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.