If you can't afford to fix your Car IF it breaks, you certainly wouldn't want this car. If you find a car that doesn't break though let us know
About to buy a 2012 cruze LS but Transmission horror stories scares me
Nice to meet everyone! My friend is selling her 2012 cruze for a pretty good price.... But it's out of the 5 year warranty period so I'm very scared it will have that dreaded transmission problem which seemed to be very common in 2011-2012 cruze. Transmission out of pocket cost looks like $1500-3000 range? If anyone had to repair the transmission out of pocket, please let me know what it costed you!
It has 43k miles on it now and she said it drives fine... I drove it around the parking lot but didn't get on the highway or anything. Also noticed it had 7 recalls, making me even more uneasy about the 2012 cruze...
Thanks for all your help!
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It has 43k miles on it now and she said it drives fine... I drove it around the parking lot but didn't get on the highway or anything. Also noticed it had 7 recalls, making me even more uneasy about the 2012 cruze...
Thanks for all your help!
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Welcome to the forum!
I don't recall hearing much about the LS transmission issues you're referring to, could you post some links to the material causing the concern? If you're worried about vehicle reputation you could just buy a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla, but as others have pointed out, these days just about every manufacturer is prone to failures at roughly the same part per million as everyone else. If it's the warranty you want, buy a Kia, Hyundai, or later model Mitsubishi, they offer 10 year 100K warranties.
Be sure to test drive whatever used vehicle you're considering. Test drive it well, don't just drive up the block and back. Take it for a good 30 mile cruise and pay close attention to everything. Stop in a parking lot away from the owner and give it a REALLY thorough check. You can find common check lists for what to look for with a google search.
Good luck with your purchase, keep us updated!
I don't recall hearing much about the LS transmission issues you're referring to, could you post some links to the material causing the concern? If you're worried about vehicle reputation you could just buy a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla, but as others have pointed out, these days just about every manufacturer is prone to failures at roughly the same part per million as everyone else. If it's the warranty you want, buy a Kia, Hyundai, or later model Mitsubishi, they offer 10 year 100K warranties.
Be sure to test drive whatever used vehicle you're considering. Test drive it well, don't just drive up the block and back. Take it for a good 30 mile cruise and pay close attention to everything. Stop in a parking lot away from the owner and give it a REALLY thorough check. You can find common check lists for what to look for with a google search.
Good luck with your purchase, keep us updated!
If the car has seven recalls yet to be performed it is a clear indicator of poor maintenance on the previous owners part.
If that is the case, I'm inclined to recommend walking (running) away from the deal no matter how attractive the price.
If the car HAS had all of its recalls performed, then the odds are it has been serviced as well.
There have been spot trans failures, but every carmaker has spot trans failures......they are man made machines and things happen but beyond shift quality (as opposed to previous designs) concerns this unit is not known to be failure prone.
If a mechanical failure of any sort is so disconcerting to you, you probably should consider only looking at cars that have remaining warranty.
Regards,
Rob
If that is the case, I'm inclined to recommend walking (running) away from the deal no matter how attractive the price.
If the car HAS had all of its recalls performed, then the odds are it has been serviced as well.
There have been spot trans failures, but every carmaker has spot trans failures......they are man made machines and things happen but beyond shift quality (as opposed to previous designs) concerns this unit is not known to be failure prone.
If a mechanical failure of any sort is so disconcerting to you, you probably should consider only looking at cars that have remaining warranty.
Regards,
Rob
Welcome and I must say I would not worry about transmission failures like that. If you do, never buy a car. regardless of the make, every car will have some type of problem. I had a 2012 Eco and my 6M had problems with shifting @ 70K and I can only image I caused those problems by the way I drove it. We have not heard a lot about tranny problems with most cars on this site. So as stated before:
Since it is someone you know I would find out why she is selling it and see that she took are of it. Honestly if you like the car just buy it and make sure it is maintained well and I can almost guarantee minimal problems.
Good luck with the purchase. Since it is someone you know I would find out why she is selling it and see that she took are of it. I know when I had to replace my 2012 Eco, I thought about age and repair costs etc. but I ended up finding a 2014 Cruze LT with only 26K on it and buying from a dealer, I wondered why such low miles and if there would be problems.Be sure to test drive whatever used vehicle you're considering. Test drive it well, don't just drive up the block and back. Take it for a good 30 mile cruise and pay close attention to everything. Stop in a parking lot away from the owner and give it a REALLY thorough check. You can find common check lists for what to look for with a google search.
Since it is someone you know I would find out why she is selling it and see that she took are of it. Honestly if you like the car just buy it and make sure it is maintained well and I can almost guarantee minimal problems.
Seven open recalls, or seven completed recalls? The difference is that seven open recalls indicates the car hasn't been maintained. Seven completed recalls combined with service records is a different story. Seven recalls in 5+ years since the model year started is about average for most car manufactures.
The 2012 LS hasn't been plagued with transmission issues.
If you're concerned about not having to pay for repairs, buy new and put a manufacturer's extended service contract on the car.
The 2012 LS hasn't been plagued with transmission issues.
If you're concerned about not having to pay for repairs, buy new and put a manufacturer's extended service contract on the car.
This car has been a pain in the ass for me bro. I spend so much money on this car. Also it shifts very hard and rough in automatic. I have to use the manual shift for better shifting. Up to you tho man
Thank you so much for all the reassurance, I went ahead and gave her the nod and we should finalize it in a week...she also has some minor bumper damage.
She is selling it because she is leaving the country for a few years....
I expect the water pump to go bad since that seems to be fairly common from what I read, but is there any preventative measures I should do? Or can I switch it out for a more reliable part before it goes bad?
Yes I made a mistake about the recall, I mixed up the total number of recall for all Cruze...BUT for her VIN number alone, there was only one ( according to Chevy's site, it was issued before she got the car (in 2015) so she probably didn't know about it.
This came up when i put in her VIN on mychevolet.com
Recall Title:INTERMITTENT AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED - RPL STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG COIL
The Status says incomplete...does that mean her car specifically never got repaired (she probably didn't know) or does that just mean not all the Cruzes that was affected have been fixed? I can still go to the dealer to get this fixed even if i didn't get it from the dealer?
I found some links to Transmission issues but because i don't have enough post count I can't post them as link...a few youtube with the driver pressing the gas pedal but the car is not moving is sorta of scary..
And it looks like I still have a few months of warranty left based on the earliest title date..hopefully whatever happens happen in 2.5 months.
But at the price she is letting it go, I feel i can take the chance (the most similar 2012 cruze LS at her price was double the mileage but without bumper damage)
Thanks again for all the support, learning alot about this car!
She is selling it because she is leaving the country for a few years....
I expect the water pump to go bad since that seems to be fairly common from what I read, but is there any preventative measures I should do? Or can I switch it out for a more reliable part before it goes bad?
Yes I made a mistake about the recall, I mixed up the total number of recall for all Cruze...BUT for her VIN number alone, there was only one ( according to Chevy's site, it was issued before she got the car (in 2015) so she probably didn't know about it.
This came up when i put in her VIN on mychevolet.com
Recall Title:INTERMITTENT AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED - RPL STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG COIL
The Status says incomplete...does that mean her car specifically never got repaired (she probably didn't know) or does that just mean not all the Cruzes that was affected have been fixed? I can still go to the dealer to get this fixed even if i didn't get it from the dealer?
I found some links to Transmission issues but because i don't have enough post count I can't post them as link...a few youtube with the driver pressing the gas pedal but the car is not moving is sorta of scary..
And it looks like I still have a few months of warranty left based on the earliest title date..hopefully whatever happens happen in 2.5 months.
| Date | State of Title | Record Type | Mileage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-09-06 | New York | Historical | 30 mi. |
But at the price she is letting it go, I feel i can take the chance (the most similar 2012 cruze LS at her price was double the mileage but without bumper damage)
Thanks again for all the support, learning alot about this car!
Most of comments about a bad problem are only from people who have had a problem. All my recalls were for minor things & ones I took care of. So far my 2012 has been problem free
Most importantly, have it fully checked out by a certified mechanic before buying it, and take it for a thorough test drive.
Its due for a Trans drain and fill. Put that on the to due list!
Water pump isn't common on the 1.8. Neither are transmission issues for the 2012 MY. It's a transmission that's been used for some time and most of the bugs were ironed out (shift logic isn't great, but it does what it's supposed to do - most times without issue).
Common failure points for the 1.8L are the thermostat housing developing a leak, leaking transmission cooler lines (all GMs), and the intake manifold tuning valve. Nothing that's a huge repair cost.
Common failure points for the 1.8L are the thermostat housing developing a leak, leaking transmission cooler lines (all GMs), and the intake manifold tuning valve. Nothing that's a huge repair cost.
Keep in mind, the 1.8L engine is naturally aspirated, so it has no turbocharger. A turbo is complex, it leeches into your oil and coolant, it ties into the exhaust and the intake, it has to have an intercooler and high pressure tubing, it has to have sensors that tie into the computers and it has a wastegate that moves all the time. It spins at hundreds of thousands of RPMS. Turbos increase the risk of engine problems by millions of percent.
That 1.8 is a simple engine.
That 1.8 is a simple engine.
I didn't see anyone mention it - or if I did, I missed it, but the AT's are recommended to have the fluid flushed/changed every 45k in these cars. When/if you pick it up, that's something to add to your list - along with brake fluid (3 yrs) and coolant (5 yrs/100k lifetime).
Thank you for all the tips, been reading so much on here.. One thing though, I see there's a consensus on using premium 91-93 octane gas for cruze with turbo because of knock, should I also use it for the LS? If it will prevent engine issues down the road I wouldn't mind paying few dollars extra...and I see it also gets the cruze better gas mileage, especially in the summer heat?
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Have to remember the 1.8 is still using the timing belt. Kit runs around 135 bucks at rockauto.com.
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Not too bad if you can do this yourself.
Other question is, does it have cruise control? Ha, got spoiled by this a long time ago, installed an aftermarket one on my 65 Buick for around 50 bucks. Dropped the speed limit to 55 and invented radar. Very difficult to hold 55 mph on a 2,000 mile trip. Wasn't too bad back then, insurance companies didn't care if you received a speeding ticket. Sure do today, will skyrocket your insurance cost. Call this double jeopardy.
Not too bad if you can do this yourself.
Other question is, does it have cruise control? Ha, got spoiled by this a long time ago, installed an aftermarket one on my 65 Buick for around 50 bucks. Dropped the speed limit to 55 and invented radar. Very difficult to hold 55 mph on a 2,000 mile trip. Wasn't too bad back then, insurance companies didn't care if you received a speeding ticket. Sure do today, will skyrocket your insurance cost. Call this double jeopardy.
Least Obama's cash for clunkers is becoming history, just received a large brochure from my Chevy dealer yesterday. Lots of used up vehicles for sale.
See they wanted $9,000.00 for a 2012 Camry with 64K miles on it. About six years ago, was $12,000 for a 2004 Camry with 198K miles on it.
Knocking off $11K on a brand new Silverado, but $48K is still a lot of money for something that would barely get 10 mpg around town. Tempted to buy one so I can scare the hail out of compact car drivers.
See they wanted $9,000.00 for a 2012 Camry with 64K miles on it. About six years ago, was $12,000 for a 2004 Camry with 198K miles on it.
Knocking off $11K on a brand new Silverado, but $48K is still a lot of money for something that would barely get 10 mpg around town. Tempted to buy one so I can scare the hail out of compact car drivers.
The 1.8L ecotec runs at 10.5:1 compression, which isn't very high. If it were me, I wouldn't bother with 93/91 for the 1.8L. There won't really be much of a benefit. I'd run 87.
Now, if you live in Florida at sea level and know it's going to be 100+ degrees while you're blasting the A/C in stop and go traffic, then using 89 to 93 couldn't hurt.
Knock is caused by pre-detonation of the air/fuel mix. As it is compressed it heats up, and if it heats up too much and/or has too much pressure, it explodes before the spark plug gets to ignite it at the perfect time. This early unexpected explosion can hurt the engine. High compression and high heat is a recipe for knock.
Note: Please don't use 85 octane ever. I wouldn't even run 85 in my lawn mower.
Now, if you live in Florida at sea level and know it's going to be 100+ degrees while you're blasting the A/C in stop and go traffic, then using 89 to 93 couldn't hurt.
Knock is caused by pre-detonation of the air/fuel mix. As it is compressed it heats up, and if it heats up too much and/or has too much pressure, it explodes before the spark plug gets to ignite it at the perfect time. This early unexpected explosion can hurt the engine. High compression and high heat is a recipe for knock.
Note: Please don't use 85 octane ever. I wouldn't even run 85 in my lawn mower.
Try a tank or two of 89/93 and try a tank or two of 87 and see if you notice a difference.Thank you for all the tips, been reading so much on here.. One thing though, I see there's a consensus on using premium 91-93 octane gas for cruze with turbo because of knock, should I also use it for the LS? If it will prevent engine issues down the road I wouldn't mind paying few dollars extra...and I see it also gets the cruze better gas mileage, especially in the summer heat?
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Our Toyota has a 10.4:1 compression ratio, and it benefits from using 89 in the summer or it's really laggy away from a stoplight or uphill without a downshift.
Welcome Aboard!:welcome:
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