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Holden Cruze: Transmission problems

I was driving my 2010 Holden Cruze from Geelong to Melbourne recently when I noticed a jolt every now and then. It got worse as we went on and the engine light eventually came on and the transmission would not engage high gears. We had it towed to our mechanic who thought the transmission had gone and as he couldn't fix it he suggested we take it to our local Holden dealer. He also commented that the Cruze was the worst car he had dealt with and that it was nothing but trouble. I complained to Holden and requested compensation, as it is ridiculous for a transmission to go so early. I was told it would have to be checked by a dealer and it would depend on the findings whether any compensation would be given. I am going to fight them, as I feel really disappointed that they can sell a car that has a Holden Badge, but is actually a Korean car. Can you suggest if there is something I can do to get compensation?

Holden’s response is entirely appropriate and you should do as they have suggested and get the car checked by the dealer, so the cause of the problem can be determined. If you don’t do that you won’t have any claim for compensation, but if you do, you can rightly ask Holden to fix the car for you at its expense. It’s not the only case we’ve heard about, and Holden has replaced a number of transmissions with problems like the one you describe.

NOTE: As a result of receiving a number of reports of transmission problems with the Holden Cruze we have contacted Holden for assistance in getting to the bottom of it. Once we’ve heard from Holden we’ll post any update here.

UPDATE: When asked about Holden's policy of replacing automatic transmissions in the Cruze when owners report them as giving trouble, the company's Director of Communications, Sean Poppitt gave us the following response.

"We are addressing each customer on a case-by-case basis, there's no single fix to the (automatic transmission) issues you've brought to our attention. For those unfortunate customers who experience problems, our Customer Care team are assisting them case by case, and we'll work with them to find a resolution."

Our advice to Cruze owners having any problems with the automatic transmission in their cars is to report it to the dealers immediately and request assistance in the form of a replacement transmission.

Holden's customer service line is: 1800 033 349

Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. Carsguide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.

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