[Toolbelt]

2014 LT here. Just an informal poll here about what you consider to be a few pet peeves/design blunders/head scratchers of this model. Mine are;

-the position of the front cup holders, which is beside your hip.

-The dash display(s) LED quality including the radio (base Pioneer here). Apart from the quality of the graphics (stick man quality), turning up the brightness seems to merely increase the background illumination rather than the actual digits.

-The radio volume knob has to be rotated several times to increase the volume only slightly.

-The decision to place an oil cooler between an engine block and exhaust manifold, above a hot CAT, and blocking it all by a metal shield reducing airflow.

-The PVC system

-Lack of a trunk release button

Ok, go!!!

 

[snowwy66]

Edit

 

[thebac]

Every annoying thing mechanically about the Gen1 can be fixed, even the lack of a trunk release button. The aftermarket for these cars is pretty diverse. The "green screen" radio display 12-up can even be upgraded, too.

The cup holders on the Cruze may be down low, but they sure arent in the way of your arm on the armrest! If you want to talk bad locations, my Regal's cupholders are in the worst possible spot on the console they could possibly be.

 

[Johnny B]

The transmission sometimes doesn't know what gear to be in.

Center power port doesn't stay seated.

10mm engine oil drain plug.

FWIW, my 2015 LT has a very nice trunk release button.

 

[frankh]

Plastic parts on cooling system.

 

[snowwy66]

Plastic parts on cooling system.

Everything is plastic parts lately.
Even semis have them.

Problem with the gen1 is it runs so dang hot.

 

[Cruzing12]

a weather proof trunk release button

the rear quarter panel sections, just at the tip of the rear bumper cover, rusting

wearing glasses, how bright the display is during night time driving

 

[jblackburn]

The HVAC system is downright terrible, especially early models with only 4 fan speeds. Not to mention the defrost gear that breaks. AC system is underpowered (and absolutely murders engine power in the summer), and it takes a good 15+ min of city driving in the winter to even make some semblance of heat.

No Bluetooth music from the factory, despite being toted as one of the more "connected" cars at the time.

General powertrain unreliability.

Rear seat space

That black fabric stuff on the dash is a dust magnet and pretty difficult to get clean again.

Stupid window regulators that fail almost as much as Chrysler products.

 

[Tpstr]

Stupid window regulators that fail almost as much as Chrysler products.

THIS! I’ve had multiple vehicles over 200,000 miles and have never, ever pulled a door apart this many times!

 

[Toolbelt]

a weather proof trunk release button

the rear quarter panel sections, just at the tip of the rear bumper cover, rusting

wearing glasses, how bright the display is during night time driving

It is dimmable though?

 

[Toolbelt]

and it takes a good 15+ min of city driving in the winter to even make some semblance of heat.

No arguments on that point.

 

[PAChevyCruze]

Only a few I have and most are fixed/being fixed/will be fixed.

As frankh said, plastic cooling system parts. Really? Luckily they make aftermarket aluminum parts for most of it.
Trunk release button. I have the switch for this, just needs installed when it gets warm (I don't like cold)
Plastic and non-serviceable valve cover. Have the aluminum replacement. Just needs painted.
Green screen pioneer system. Already fixed with a MyLink upgrade.
M32 Tranny. This thing sucks. Stuck with this.

 

[JLL]

wearing glasses, how bright the display is during night time driving

You can turn the brightness down.

 

[Toolbelt]

Already fixed with a MyLink upgrade.

Offhand, what's involved to upgrade to the MyLink unit. Dealer reprogramming or is it a simple matter of just plugging it in? Do you need to also install a GPS module?

 

[Cruzing12]

You can turn the brightness down.

Even at it's lowest is too bright.

 

[Keep’n It Runnin’]

On my 2012, the AC blower that sounded like a 747, and the stupidest location ever for an electric door lock button.
Thankfully, the engineers got smarter by the time I got my 2015.

 

[guuyuk]

PCV system that blows oil seals and gaskets everywhere if you look at it funny or forget to look at it funny or not look at it or ...
A cooling system that can decide to blow coolant out in any of 30+ places, and runs ridiculously hot by design.
Plastic everything and it still weighs over 3000 lbs before you put any gas/oil into it.
Whistling past the graveyard whenever I feel any strange vibrations from the M32 transmission. Even with the updates that went in late 2012, I'm still granny shifting it to keep it from breaking. Never had to worry about that in any of my previous stick-shift cars (including the 4 speed in my Chevette back in the 70s).

 

[PAChevyCruze]

Offhand, what's involved to upgrade to the MyLink unit. Dealer reprogramming or is it a simple matter of just plugging it in? Do you need to also install a GPS module?

You need the wiring harness for it. I got mine off eBay but I don't think the guy makes them anymore. I'd have to look. He made them for Camaro's and such, too. Then you need the radio and screen from a MyLink car. I got one with Nav from a 2014. The hardest part is taking the radio apart to reprogram it with your VIN, which isn't that hard. There's a writeup in the forum somewhere I used. Theres a 'clip' you buy that clips onto the chip and then you use software to enter your VIN. You only need a GPS if you get Nav, I think. GPS just simply plugs into the radio.

 

[JLL]

Even at it's lowest is too bright.

Anti-glare lenses?

 

[Cruzing12]

Anti-glare lenses?

Napkins over the radio screen, and covering the shift up light lol.

Previous suv I had the interior lights ran through a control switch... Unplugging the switch would disable all interior lights.