Holden Cruze 2013

Holden Cruze 2013 Q&As

Check out real-world situations relating to the Holden Cruze 2013 here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.

• Is a blown gasket a warranty claim with my 2013 Holden Cruze

  The gasket in question is probably the head gasket and when this fails, it can allow the engine oil and coolant to mix, which is why you’re seeing oil in the coolant expansion tank. If you check the engine’s oil dipstick, you may find that coolant has found its way into the sump, mixing with the oil as well, giving the latter a milky quality rather than appearing clear and clean.

  This would have been a potential warranty claim back when the car was new, but at 11 years of age – even with your low mileage – it would be a miracle if Holden agreed to fix it as part of a warranty job.

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• Can I swap a 2014 SRi motor into an SRi-V in my 2013 Holden Cruze?

  This is a slightly tricky one because while both the SRi and SRi-V were fitted with the same engine, this point in time marked a change in specification. Around March of 2013, Holden switched the SRi and SRi-V engines form the 1.4-litre unit to the 1.6-litre unit. The automatic transmission was updated with a sport-shift mode and predictive down shifting, although physically the automatic and manual transmissions were carried over to the 1.6-litre version.

  On the surface, this sounds like a viable swap, but you could run into wiring and computer problems in trying to make what was a 1.4-litre car `talk’ to the 1.6-litre engine. The 1.6-litre engine also used direct fuel injection, so you’d need the entire engine management system and computer to go with the swap. There may also be physical differences in things like airbox design and exhaust locations, too, so you need to drag out the tape measure and make an assessment based on measurements and facts. However, if your 2013 car was one from later in that year, it will already have the 1.6-litre engine and the swap to an engine from a 2014 car should be pretty straightforward.

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• 2013 Holden Cruze engine is seeping oil

  If the car in question has the 1.8-litre engine, then this is definitely a known problem. Plenty of these engines suffered cracked cylinder heads which could allow the engine's oil and coolant to mix, producing the symptoms you saw. Holden actually issued a service program to replace the cylinder heads and other components to address the problem.

  The other major cause of these symptoms is a failure of the transmission's cooling system. This actually piggy-backs on to the engine's cooling system (they use the same radiator) but if the transmission cooler fails, it can allow transmission fluid into the radiator and coolant into the transmission. Eventually, this will destroy the transmission both mechanically and electronically.

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• My 2013 Holden Cruze won't start or lock

  It sounds as though you either have a problem with the car's electrics or the electronics within the ignition remote. If the car's battery is dead flat, you'll get the symptoms you're reporting, but if the remote has a flat battery (or is faulty in some other way) then you an find yourself in the same boat.

  But it could also be an electrical problem other than a flat battery. From memory, some of these Holdens had suspect battery terminals which lacked the grip they should have had and could lead to a loose connection which could produce these symptoms. This would be a good place to start.

  But there's another trick you can try. On some Cruze models, there's a process that can over-ride the remote locking and ignition protocols. If the battery in the remote is weak or the remote itself is damaged, this is definitely worth a try. From the driver's seat, locate the small, round plastic bung in the cup-holder in the centre-console. Place the remote key over this hole with the Holden logo facing up. Then try the starter button. With luck, the engine will start and you're away to have the remote fob fixed or replaced. You may find you need to hold the stop/start button for two seconds to get the engine to stop.

  Meantime, I have no idea why the actual physical key will not lock the doors from outside. That sounds more like a job for a locksmith.

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