Holden Cruze: Plastic thermostat housing leak, coolant can damage auto shift cable (1.8 F18D4/2H0)
Plastic thermostat housing leak, coolant can damage auto shift cable (1.8 F18D4/2H0) is a common cooling fault on the Holden Cruze on the 2009–2016 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $250 to $700 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
- F18D4
- Years
- 2009–2016
- 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 1.8 uses a plastic thermostat housing on the side of the cylinder head that warps and leaks coolant as it ages. On automatics the leaking coolant drips onto the gear shift cable at the gearbox and destroys its rubber grommet, so the gear lever goes loose, becomes hard to shift or can stick in one position. GM ran Special Coverage 14773 on US 2011-2012 1.8 automatic Cruze cars to replace the housing and shift cable adjuster; that has expired and did not apply to NZ/AU cars. Ignoring it risks overheating plus a gear lever that will not select park or drive properly.
What you would notice
- Coolant level dropping slowly
- Dried pink or orange crust on the thermostat housing and the gearbox below it
- Loose, sloppy or notchy feel in the automatic gear lever
- Gear lever hard to move or sticking in one position
- Sweet coolant smell after driving
How to check it
Where to look. Left (gearbox) end of the cylinder head: plastic thermostat housing, directly above the automatic shift cable connection on the gearbox
With the engine cold, check the coolant expansion tank is between MIN and MAX. Use a phone torch to look at the plastic thermostat housing on the left (gearbox) end of the engine for wet coolant or dried crust, and look straight down from there at the top of the gearbox and the shift cable end for coolant staining. Sitting in the car with your foot on the brake pedal, shift the automatic gear selector through P, R, N and D several times: it should click cleanly into each position with no slop, binding or sticking, and the letter shown on the dash should match the selector position. Ask whether the thermostat housing has been replaced. If a workshop inspection is possible: pressure test the cooling system and inspect the shift cable grommet and adjuster at the gearbox.
What it costs to put right
$250 to $700 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.
Ask the seller
- “Has the thermostat housing been replaced?”
- “Has the gear lever ever felt loose or got stuck?”
- “Does it need coolant topped up?”
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 14773 (Jul 2015): 2011-2012 Cruze 1.8L LUW coolant leak from thermostat housing onto shifter grommet
- Samarins.com Chevrolet Cruze 2011-2015 common problems (coolant leaks from thermostat housing on 1.8)
Holden Cruze buyer questions
Is plastic thermostat housing leak, coolant can damage auto shift cable (1.8 f18d4/2h0) serious on a Holden Cruze?
We rate it major and common on the Holden Cruze. The 1.8 uses a plastic thermostat housing on the side of the cylinder head that warps and leaks coolant as it ages. On automatics the leaking coolant drips onto the gear shift cable at the gearbox and destroys its rubber grommet, so the gear lever goes loose, becomes hard to shift or can stick in one position. GM ran Special Coverage 14773 on US 2011-2012 1.8 automatic Cruze cars to replace the housing and shift cable adjuster; that has expired and did not apply to NZ/AU cars. Ignoring it risks overheating plus a gear lever that will not select park or drive properly.
How much does it cost to fix on a Holden Cruze?
$250 to $700 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 2009–2016 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, check the coolant expansion tank is between MIN and MAX. Use a phone torch to look at the plastic thermostat housing on the left (gearbox) end of the engine for wet coolant or dried crust, and look straight down from there at the top of the gearbox and the shift cable end for coolant staining. Sitting in the car with your foot on the brake pedal, shift the automatic gear selector through P, R, N and D several times: it should click cleanly into each position with no slop, binding or sticking, and the letter shown on the dash should match the selector position. Ask whether the thermostat housing has been replaced. If a workshop inspection is possible: pressure test the cooling system and inspect the shift cable grommet and adjuster at the gearbox. Look here: Left (gearbox) end of the cylinder head: plastic thermostat housing, directly above the automatic shift cable connection on the gearbox