The answer to this isn’t as simple as you might think, as there were four engines sold in this model Cruze, some of which have different capacities. So let’s start with the 1.4 litre turbocharged petrol engine which holds four litres of oil. The 1.6-litre and 1.8-litre petrol engines hold 4.5 litres, as does the 2.0 litre turbo-diesel engine.

For the record, the correct Holden Cruze oil type (grade) is a 5W30 fully synthetic. That’s for either the 1.8-litre, 1.4-litre turbo or the 1.6-litre turbo engine. The exception is the two-litre turbo-diesel Cruze engine which requires 5W40 grade oil. And if you’re doing an oil change at home, those figures should include enough to fill the new oil filter, but definitely check the level on the dipstick to be sure.

This could be down to a number of things, but a lot of mechanics would begin by looking at the engine’s fuel supply (pressure and flow) as well as the condition of things like the fuel filter (which can slow flow if it’s dirty or clogged).

It’s also entirely possible that a problem like this is being caused by a faulty temperature sensor which is not telling the engine’s computer the truth about the current temperature. In colder weather and cold starts, an engine needs a richer fuel:air mixture (more fuel, less air) to run smoothly. If the sensor isn’t accurately conveying the temperature to the computer, the mixture could be way off. Poor starting and rough running is definitely a possibility at that point.

An electronic scan of the car should be your first move as this may pinpoint the problem straight away, rather than spending hours of checking things that aren’t the problem.

Code 79 on the dashboard (along with the little spanner icon) means your engine is low on oil. You should top it up before driving anywhere as running an engine with a low oil level is tempting fate and could lead to a catastrophic engine failure.

The best advice is not to rely on this warning code to alert you to low oil level, and instead make a habit of checking the engine oil level on the dipstick every couple of weeks. This takes just a minute or so and can save your engine in the long run. Your owner’s manual should tell you how to check the oil on this engine, but it’s not difficult. Just make sure the oil level stays between the high and low marks on the dipstick and you should be fine.

Don’t forget, all engines use some oil in the normal course of things, but as engines age, this usage can increase and that’s when owners who don’t do regular checks get caught out.