Holden Cruze Problems

The dreaded Cruze transmission problem strikes again. If you bought the car new go to Holden and seek their agreement to fix it, which I would expect them to do. If you bought it secondhand you can also ask them to fix it, but it will come down to how generous they are feeling.

There have been some gearbox troubles with the Cruze so keep an eye on that. Otherwise it should be fine, particularly with the whole-of-life service package now from Holden.

You should contact Holden and request their assistance in covering the cost of the new transmission. Even though the factory warranty has expired Holden still has responsibilities under statutory warranty laws, and this is a well-known and common problem with the Cruze.

With the age of the car and the fact that it is out of warranty, you're largely in the hands of Holden and their willingness to cover repairs out of "good will". I would press the company to come good with a repair to the transmission cooler on the same basis of good will. The oil leak is another matter, I wouldn't bother to seek a good will payment for that, it's too minor a problem to be bothered with. Just fix it.

I have a friend who swears by Toyo tyres. Perhaps not as much grip but smooth and quiet, and remember any low-profile tyre will be harsh and prone to noise on coarse-surface roads.

You're on difficult ground having bought the car secondhand. If you'd bought it new you would be well entitled to expect it to be repaired by Holden free of charge. Unfortunately, being secondhand, the normal warranties don't apply and you're effectively on your own. Still, I would persist with getting Holden to come to the party with at least part of the cost of repairs. After all, it is a known problem that has affected lots of Cruzes.

Go to a different mechanic, one who can pull the gearbox out, dismantle it and find out what's causing the problem. It's not a problem we have had reported to us before.

Holden spokesman, Sean Poppit, has good news and says: "If it's as described, we'll fix it under warranty no problems."

It’s good that you queried the advice, because I think it’s poor advice. It’s not standard to replace the rotors every time the pads are replaced. The rotors should be checked for wear when the pads are changed, and they might well need changing if they are worn out, but it’s not the standard practice to replace whenever the pads are changed. Have the dealer show you that the rotors are worn out. As for the light bulb quote, it’s probably not too bad given that the dealer is probably charging you $150 per hour. Think yourself lucky that you don’t own a Mercedes-Benz, I’ve heard of quotes of $400-plus to replace a front park light.

You're a member of a large club. The Cruze was a dud back then, the transmission problems have been well publicized. Holden has been replacing transmissions at its own expense, so I would be hopeful that they will come to the party with your car. You are absolutely right that a major problem like this should not happen to a car that is so new and done so few kays. Keep calling Holden until you get an answer, and if it's in the negative, call again. You could consider getting a lawyer to send the company a letter demanding action.