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Proper Way of Driving a Cruze 1.8L 2012 LS

3006 Views 20 Replies 11 Participants Last post by  Chevy Customer Care
Hi Guys,

Good Day. Got a question.

I've got my 2nd hand Cruze for 3 months now, it had only 9500KM on it when I brought it, now it has 13,500KM.

What I've noticed is, when ever I'm driving from a complete stop, what I normally do is only disengage the clutch slowly (w/o stepping on the Gas) and it will gain speed, then i'll Shift, release clutch then Gas. Is this the right way?. I've driven other cars before and I swear they aren't like this.

However, if I disengage the clutch while pressing the Gas (Mixing them), my Cruze lunges forward. I have confirmed this via the RPM, I would notice the RPM with surges and additional 1.5K then go down again (w/o proportional control from the Clutch and Gas). it happens all the time. so i'd like to ask if anyone is experiencing the same?

Also, I'm think of the following.

1.) Can the Gas pedal be adjusted since I notice that it only engages if around 10% depressed.
2.) Same with the Clutch, it only releases if around 30% released.
3.) Also, when moving on 1st to 2nd Gear at low rpm, I notice a lot of Jerking, it really feels that the Clutch and Gas Control does not provide proportional changes in the Cruze movement.

Thank you very much!

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

I hope I'm making sense.

Please forgive me, this is my first post!
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I frequently do the no throttle start in my ECO MT. You can do both, but it takes a little bit of practice to do a smooth clutch out/throttle down start. The friction point in my son's LS MT is just shy of half way up the pedal travel. Does the car start moving as soon as the clutch is coming off the floor? If so it should be checked to ensure there are no problems with the hydraulics that control the clutch.
My LT is not this way, should be at least one inch of clutch freeplay. My then new 04 Cavalier was this way, zero freeplay, came this way brand new from the factory with a defective clutch master cylinder, ha, another fight to get that replaced. Then had a full 1.25 inches of clutch freeplay.

And no longer hitting my chin with my left knee.

LS also has the throttle by wire, you are actually changing the resistance of a rheostat that a servo in the throttle body should follow, if yours is not doing this, it has problems.

Seeing more and more brand new vehicles coming out with improperly gapped spark plugs causing misfires, Cruze also has a problem where the contact springs get hung up in the shoulders of the boot leaving a large extra gap. Super easy job on the Cruze, also should be torqued to 18 ft lbs. A slight loose plug will have it spark blown by blowby.
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When you let the clutch out, it bumps the electronic throttle a bit for you (do it in neutral and watch the rev counter) and tries to maintain its idle speed - 1500 on a cold start, ~900 once warmed up. If you do hit the gas in first, slip the clutch a little bit more to compensate for jerkiness. 1st gear is very touchy because it's so short.
Proper Way of Driving an IT

Well Golly I had no Idear there were a Proper Way to Drive an LS ..
No Wonder I Traded IT ..
Is Yours Silver Ice Metallic ?
So Was Mine !

Story time ..

San Diego ..a guy and meself were sitting at a red light waiting for IT to change and for some Dang reason this guy rides up to the light on a ten speed and sits rite next to us ..the light changed to green so I guns the throttle and begin to pull away . Put the right turn signal on and attempt to pull into a gas station since we had been driving upon E for Ahh the last 10 miles and would 'nt ya know this guy upon that 10 speed is Yelling his lungs out .. Shoot I thought we drug his arse into the Gas Station ...Nope just drug his 10 speed under the wreck I was driving .. wrecked IT pretty good too .. we got gas and drove off ...LOAO ....
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My 1.4 idles at 600 rpm, I want my money back, faster is better. Ha, the first time my kid drove with me, said, dad, your engine died.

When I take my foot off the gas, was slow getting down to idle, had to spray the TB vane with choke and carb cleaner, then it responded quick again.

Ford was always returning the PCV valve back to the air cleaner, this was dumb, crap and soot gets into the TB. Designers of the 1.4 L copied this, should be returned to the base of the TB.

Ha, returning the PCV in front of the TB really sounds like a stupid idea, lets copy this, maybe the owners will trade these things off quicker so we can sell more cars.

Screw you, I have a can of choke and carb cleaner and would like to spray this up your butt.

Gee, I am getting nasty.
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When you let the clutch out, it bumps the electronic throttle a bit for you (do it in neutral and watch the rev counter) and tries to maintain its idle speed - 1500 on a cold start, ~900 once warmed up. If you do hit the gas in first, slip the clutch a little bit more to compensate for jerkiness. 1st gear is very touchy because it's so short.
Thanks.. is there a way to turn this off?
Thanks.. is there a way to turn this off?
Nope
Is there a way to adjust the rheostat?

Is the clutch also controls via wire?, electric signals?

Thanks.
Nope. Just the nature of the beast.

Clutch is hydraulic. Can't be adjusted either.
I guess this is how it should be driven.. man, this is really different from what I've driven before... other than that the car is fine though, jerky in gears 1 - 2, but once in third its ok.

I'll just cross my fingers and hope I don't need an expensive repair soon.. cause I really don't have enough cash right now..
My 1.4 idles at 600 rpm, I want my money back, faster is better. Ha, the first time my kid drove with me, said, dad, your engine died.

When I take my foot off the gas, was slow getting down to idle, had to spray the TB vane with choke and carb cleaner, then it responded quick again.

Ford was always returning the PCV valve back to the air cleaner, this was dumb, crap and soot gets into the TB. Designers of the 1.4 L copied this, should be returned to the base of the TB.

Ha, returning the PCV in front of the TB really sounds like a stupid idea, lets copy this, maybe the owners will trade these things off quicker so we can sell more cars.

Screw you, I have a can of choke and carb cleaner and would like to spray this up your butt.

Gee, I am getting nasty.
Wheres the TB Vane? id like to try this one.. hehe
I frequently do the no throttle start in my ECO MT. You can do both, but it takes a little bit of practice to do a smooth clutch out/throttle down start. The friction point in my son's LS MT is just shy of half way up the pedal travel. Does the car start moving as soon as the clutch is coming off the floor? If so it should be checked to ensure there are no problems with the hydraulics that control the clutch.
Yeah, no throttle start is the way I guess.. otherwise, it lunges forward from the release of the clutch bumping the RPM a bit and added throttle, makes the RPM shot uppp
Wheres the TB Vane? id like to try this one.. hehe
Incoming air starts at the air cleaner, can you find this, hehe. Through the turbo, piped all around to the intercooler, than routed back up to the throttle body, really gets a nice roller coaster type of ride. or tracing back from the intake manifold toward the left side of the car, than forward. The air inlet hose from the front has to be removed to see that vane.

Just an air circuit, same air you breathe, gas is injected with fuel injectors, hmmm, seems like an appropriate name for these at the outlet of the intake manifold. has four of them one for each cylinder.
Thanks.. is there a way to turn this off?
Since it's probably part of the computer programming, a tune might do it.
My 2013 1.8 had the starter replaced at 28,000 alittle over a year and half ago now at 58,000 it needs another one. Has anyone else had this problem seems excessive for a 3 year old car to go thru 2 starters before it reaches 60000 miles.
Incoming air starts at the air cleaner, can you find this, hehe. Through the turbo, piped all around to the intercooler, than routed back up to the throttle body, really gets a nice roller coaster type of ride. or tracing back from the intake manifold toward the left side of the car, than forward. The air inlet hose from the front has to be removed to see that vane.

Just an air circuit, same air you breathe, gas is injected with fuel injectors, hmmm, seems like an appropriate name for these at the outlet of the intake manifold. has four of them one for each cylinder.
Haha, I can do an oil change, but that's about it, kinda confident I can find it :), so i'll spray some carb cleaner and see what happens, tnx!
My 2013 1.8 had the starter replaced at 28,000 alittle over a year and half ago now at 58,000 it needs another one. Has anyone else had this problem seems excessive for a 3 year old car to go thru 2 starters before it reaches 60000 miles.
Oh you never drove a 70's Dodge/ Plymouth Product:question:
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The takeoff gas/clutch balance on the Cruze is challenging, but with enough practice and attention paid to what the car's telling you it can be conquered. I only do no-gas takeoffs when I'm on flat ground in no hurry - parking lot, etc. Otherwise my average takeoff is probably 1,100-1,200 RPM, up to 2,500-2,800 before shifting to 2nd.
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