Holden Cruze Problems

Definitely not a Cruze as I get lots of owner complaints. If you only need a small car, definitely the Polo. It's a classy little job that's a sporty drive and it gets The Tick.

They should go immediately to Holden HQ at Fishermans Bend, as they are far from alone and Holden has been quietly replacing automatics in a number of cases I have reported. This is another one.

Glad to help but just sad you're not the first — or last — person who has needed CarsGuide help to get justice after a Cruze auto transmission failure.

I would go for an i30. It's a former Carsguide Car of the Year and you will get a car with the remainder of the five-year warranty

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

I am convinced Holden has a systemic problem with the Cruze auto but the company refuses to admit it. Still, it is quietly replacing gearboxes at no cost and getting owners to sign confidentiality documents so they cannot reveal details.

Your problem sounds like many others reported to CarsGuide. You should immediately request a replacement via both your Holden dealer and Holden headquarters in Melbourne.

The Cerato is good choice and the long warranty makes it an easy decision. I get lots of complaints about the Cruze and would not recommend it.

The gearbox is a known problem in the Cruze and we've helped a number of people get a replacement. Go direct to Holden and push hard, as they are replacing automatics but also asking owners to maintain confidentiality.

Your problem sounds like many others reported to CarsGuide. You should immediately request a replacement via both your Holden dealer and Holden headquarters in Melbourne.