Holden Problems

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.

Fault code PO171 usually indicates a lean air:fuel mixture entering the engine. As in there’s too much air and not enough fuel. This creates all sort of problems including poor running, but it could also lead to engine damage in the longer term.

Experience suggests that in this particular engine, this problem is often caused by a vacuum leak, and, in turn, that’s often caused by the PCV (positive crankcase ventilation). Since you’ve changed your PCV (presumably for a band-new one) that probably rules that out, but it would still be worth a check. After that, you need to start looking for leaks in the various vacuum hoses around the engine, and don’t forget to make sure that the dipstick and the oil filler car are both sealing, as these can lead to vacuum leaks, too.

If none of that identifies the problem, you may need to check and clean the air flow sensor. If this is giving false readings, the mixture will be wrong as the engine’s computer is getting poor quality information.

But before any of that, did you reset the check engine light after performing the repairs you’ve mentioned? It could be that simple.

Here’s how the owner’s manual describes the process:

• Press the Menu button on the steering wheel (or the indictor stalk depending on your car).
• Scroll down to the Toolbox or Settings icon.
• Press and hold the Enter or Set/Reset button.
• Hit the Language icon and press Enter.
• Select English and press Enter again.

That should do the trick, but you can also switch from Korean to English from the infotainment screen via the same process, starting with the Settings menu.

It remains a mystery to some of us why car makers ever switched from the old-fashioned manual levers for four-wheel-drive engagement to the rotary dial or electronic switch type. Pretty much everybody who has owned a 4X4 with the electronic engagement will have experienced a situation where the electronics just don’t seem to want to select four-wheel-drive when they should. This is usually a momentary problem, put right by trying the dial or switch a second time, but it’s still annoying.

Your problem is likely to be a poor electrical contact in either the selector dial or the actuators under the car that physically engage four-wheel-drive and/or low ratio. A quick check under the vehicle might expose a loose wire or broken fitting, but otherwise, a trip to a workshop that knows this make and model is your best bet. The good news is that the problem should be pretty quick, easy and cheap to fix once it’s been identified.

Is the engine turning but not starting, slow to start or not turning over at all? The answer to this question will determine where you look first. Hitting something lying on the road is more common than you might think. And it can cause absolute chaos, even causing enough damage to write the vehicle off in some cases.

If the car won’t turn over at all, your suspicions should first turn to the starter motor and its wiring. The wiring is pretty easily dislodged after an impact, so it could be something as simple as reconnecting that wiring.

If the engine is slow to turn you could have damaged the charging system that has allowed the car’s electrical system to stop charging properly, gradually flattening the battery which now struggles to turn the engine over. And if the engine turns over but won’t start, you could have any combination of wiring or mechanical damage that is preventing the thing firing.

The best advice is to get the vehicle on a hoist where you can safely and easily examine its underside with a torch. Look for any freshly exposed metal (which could indicate where the impact occurred) and take note of any oil, fuel or coolant leaks. From above, check the battery connections and other wiring and see if there’s anything loose, dented or smashed that could be cutting off the supply of fuel. Even a smashed-in or crushed exhaust system that is preventing the flow of gasses can cause problems like this. The problem could even be something as simple as a high-tension lead or crank-angle sensor wire that has come adrift from its proper attachment point as a result of the impact.

The brakes shouldn’t be applied at all if you’re trying to accelerate. What’s probably happening is that the brakes (likely the front calipers) are not releasing as you stop and take your foot off the brake pedal. Then, when you try to take off, the brakes are still applied somewhat and only break free once you hit the accelerator and convince the car to move.

Rebuilding the calipers should do the trick, but you may also have brake pads that are worn beyond their serviceable limit and need to be replaced. You should also check the rear brakes and the parking brake for poor adjustment and dragging.

This is important stuff, too, as driving with dragging or sticking brakes can overheat (and actually boil) the brake fluid, leaving you with no brakes when you need them most. And this sort of problem will only get worse over time, not better.

The reason you can’t start the engine in second gear is for safety reasons. Car makers fit what’s called a Neutral or Park switch, which means the engine won’t crank unless the car is in Neutral or Park. That prevents the car starting in gear and taking off.

If the lever’s connection to the transmission has failed or become excessively worn, you can get the symptoms you have because the lever won’t select Neutral or Park. And therefore the engine won’t start.

However, it’s highly questionable that this is connected to the limp-home mode. That’s usually caused by a problem with the driveline that threatens to do more damage if you continue driving. The gear lever problem sounds more like a simple mechanical issue. Did both things happen at the same time? If not, they’re very probably not related.

You have two issues here. The first is the transmission problem, and, to be honest, on a late model car like this, an automatic transmission specialist is where you need to go. A slipping transmission can be caused by all manner of things, starting with the simple low fluid level, to the catastrophic mechanical failure. In between there are also electronic possibilities to be investigated.

Your second problem is that you’ve spent otherwise useful money on an aftermarket extended warranty. All too often, these warranties are carefully worded to exclude a range of possible problems you might experience. You might be lucky and the warranty will cover the repairs (it’s definitely worth a try) but don’t be surprised if the fine-print scuppers any chance of the warranty paying out.

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.