Ha, loved those 50's VW bug commercials, even though I have never owned one, like driving faster than 50 mph. Their claim to fame was no cooling system problems, for the simple reason, they didn't have a liquid cooling system.
Problem #1 with liquid cooled systems, needs a radiator, since day one, mounted in the front of the vehicle with a dual purpose of being a bug collector. You think your windshield is bad, you should look at your radiator. Severely blocks air flow, the only cooling media.
Problem #2 FWD vehicles, was proposed to put in an angled shaft for an engine driven fan like RWD vehicles, too expensive, so electric fans were installed. Was sure a problem for us electrical guys, maximum cooling is required when stopped at engine idle when the alternator was least capable of delivering this now super high current. Some fans drew as much as 45 amperes.
Problem #3 started with controlled fans using fluid couplings and conserving fuel, talk about idiots, the absolute power these fans can draw is well less that 1/3 HP, and you need this cooling again when stopped. When driving on the highway, have a windmilling effect with practically zero fan load on the engine, but for whatever reason, these guys got a bug up their butts, have to screw around with the fan.
Problem #4 started with electronic fan control to minimize its operation, no longer used radiator thermistor sensors to determine when the radiator was getting too hot, but using the engine temperature sensor to control the fans. Positively idiotic.
Fans would kick on with a 195*F thermostat at around 205*F and up to 235*F that gave a 30* thermo cycling effect and when coupled with an aluminum head on a cast iron block, expansion of that head was seven times greater than the block, so invented head gasket problems, all to save about 25 cents on a radiator sensor. Augmented by the fact the radiator was ready to blow its cork with no cooling reserve. I solved this problem myself by adding a thermistor to the center of the radiator that would kick on the fans at 160*F so the engine ran at a constant 195*F. Seem to be one of these guys against mods, this one was necessary.
Problem #5, use of point contact relays to energize a fan, with any motor a huge surge current exists when first started up generating a carbon like arc on the contacts so they don't make contact. A Power MOSFET is a far superior switch, haven't done this to the Cruze yet, but going to soon, my bumper to bumper warranty is dead. Also the Cruze does maintain a constant thermostat temperature, don't have to fool with this.
Problem #6 and really started with the Cruze, worse vehicle I have ever owned to clean the face of the condenser on. You can't remove that radiator shroud from the top. Only access to it is to remove that shroud from the bottom to have bugs drop in your face. Really don't like this.
So you wonder why you have problems?
On other vehicles have mounted an aluminum screen in front of the condenser angled forward, the larger bugs drop off, smaller ones can be brushed off. But they don't recommend this, they want us to have problems.
