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I have done all of my own oil changes on the Gen 1 Cruze. It's super easy on the gen 1 and only takes me about 15 minutes. I don't even lift the car. I have an oil drain container that fits perfectly underneath. The oil change place I used in the past wants $69 for the Cruze because it requires synthetic oil. The dealership wants to keep my car all day, which is unbelievable.
Keep your receipts. Keep a log of oil changes with the dates and mileage. There is one in the back of the owners manual.
This is my check list I use to actually do the oil change. I print this out and take it with me to the car so that I don't forget anything. This is my personal list for my Gen 1 Cruze.
- Note mileage, pre-service oil level on dipstick, and oil monitor %.
- Loosen oil fill cap and pull dipstick up an inch.
- Loosen oil filter until the o-ring is visible.
- Remove drain plug and drain oil.
- Replace filter and gasket.
- Torque filter to 25 NM or 18.5 ft lb.
- Torque drain plug to 14 NM or 10 ft lb.
- Fill engine with 4.25 quarts of oil.
- Push dipstick back in.
- Install and tighten oil fill cap.
Also, read through the owners manual. There are other items you are supposed to do at every oil change. Here is the checklist I use:
- Lubricate hood and door hinges and lock cylinders.
- Lubricate hood latch assembly, secondary latch, spring anchor and release pawl.
- Lubricate weather strips.
- Check engine air filter.
- Check brake fluid and coolant levels.
- Inspect trans drain and fill plugs.
- Inspect engine and trans for leaks.
- Check tire pressures, spare and inspect valves and caps.
- Inspect wheels and lug nuts.
- Inspect joints, struts, linkage, shafts and seals.
- Inspect lights, wiper blades, battery terminals, glass.
- Inspect brake pads, drums, rotors, plugs, booster, calipers and brake lines.
- Inspect park brake cable and system.
- Spray suspension joints with silicone spray (recommended by @NickD )
- Starter switch check on page 10-29 in owners manual (2014).
- Ignition transmission lock check on page 10-30.
- Park brake check on page 10-30.
- Auto trans shift lock control check on page 10-29.
- Restraint system check on page 3-15.
- Accelerator pedal check on page 11-4.
- Check sunroof track and seal. page 2-24.
- Safety system check. page 3-15.
It only takes a few minutes to do all of these other items. Instructions are included for most of them in the OM. I do some of these when I rotate the tires, which I do about every 7500 miles.
I use fluids and lubricants recommended in the Owners Manual.
- Oil - Dexos1 5W-30.
- Coolant - 50/50 mixture of water and Dex-Cool.
- Door hinges, Lock cylinders - Superlube (GM part number 12346241)
- Hood latch - Lubriplate (GM 89021668)
- Weatherstrip - I have been using Jet Lube dielectric grease. I bought a 1 lb can on Amazon.
- Sunroof tracks - I have been using Jet Lube white lithium grease with PTFE. Also a 1 lb can from Amazon
I also recently bought some Krytox GPL105 because I read on other forums that it is the same as the GM recommended weatherstrip conditioner (GM 3634770). I haven't tried it yet.
Keep your receipts. Keep a log of oil changes with the dates and mileage. There is one in the back of the owners manual.
This is my check list I use to actually do the oil change. I print this out and take it with me to the car so that I don't forget anything. This is my personal list for my Gen 1 Cruze.
- Note mileage, pre-service oil level on dipstick, and oil monitor %.
- Loosen oil fill cap and pull dipstick up an inch.
- Loosen oil filter until the o-ring is visible.
- Remove drain plug and drain oil.
- Replace filter and gasket.
- Torque filter to 25 NM or 18.5 ft lb.
- Torque drain plug to 14 NM or 10 ft lb.
- Fill engine with 4.25 quarts of oil.
- Push dipstick back in.
- Install and tighten oil fill cap.
Also, read through the owners manual. There are other items you are supposed to do at every oil change. Here is the checklist I use:
- Lubricate hood and door hinges and lock cylinders.
- Lubricate hood latch assembly, secondary latch, spring anchor and release pawl.
- Lubricate weather strips.
- Check engine air filter.
- Check brake fluid and coolant levels.
- Inspect trans drain and fill plugs.
- Inspect engine and trans for leaks.
- Check tire pressures, spare and inspect valves and caps.
- Inspect wheels and lug nuts.
- Inspect joints, struts, linkage, shafts and seals.
- Inspect lights, wiper blades, battery terminals, glass.
- Inspect brake pads, drums, rotors, plugs, booster, calipers and brake lines.
- Inspect park brake cable and system.
- Spray suspension joints with silicone spray (recommended by @NickD )
- Starter switch check on page 10-29 in owners manual (2014).
- Ignition transmission lock check on page 10-30.
- Park brake check on page 10-30.
- Auto trans shift lock control check on page 10-29.
- Restraint system check on page 3-15.
- Accelerator pedal check on page 11-4.
- Check sunroof track and seal. page 2-24.
- Safety system check. page 3-15.
It only takes a few minutes to do all of these other items. Instructions are included for most of them in the OM. I do some of these when I rotate the tires, which I do about every 7500 miles.
I use fluids and lubricants recommended in the Owners Manual.
- Oil - Dexos1 5W-30.
- Coolant - 50/50 mixture of water and Dex-Cool.
- Door hinges, Lock cylinders - Superlube (GM part number 12346241)
- Hood latch - Lubriplate (GM 89021668)
- Weatherstrip - I have been using Jet Lube dielectric grease. I bought a 1 lb can on Amazon.
- Sunroof tracks - I have been using Jet Lube white lithium grease with PTFE. Also a 1 lb can from Amazon
I also recently bought some Krytox GPL105 because I read on other forums that it is the same as the GM recommended weatherstrip conditioner (GM 3634770). I haven't tried it yet.
