Holden Cruze 2013

Holden Cruze 2013 Q&As

Check out real-world situations relating to the Holden Cruze 2013 here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.

• 2013 Holden Cruze engine is seeping oil

  If the car in question has the 1.8-litre engine, then this is definitely a known problem. Plenty of these engines suffered cracked cylinder heads which could allow the engine's oil and coolant to mix, producing the symptoms you saw. Holden actually issued a service program to replace the cylinder heads and other components to address the problem.

  The other major cause of these symptoms is a failure of the transmission's cooling system. This actually piggy-backs on to the engine's cooling system (they use the same radiator) but if the transmission cooler fails, it can allow transmission fluid into the radiator and coolant into the transmission. Eventually, this will destroy the transmission both mechanically and electronically.

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• My 2013 Holden Cruze won't start or lock

  It sounds as though you either have a problem with the car's electrics or the electronics within the ignition remote. If the car's battery is dead flat, you'll get the symptoms you're reporting, but if the remote has a flat battery (or is faulty in some other way) then you an find yourself in the same boat.

  But it could also be an electrical problem other than a flat battery. From memory, some of these Holdens had suspect battery terminals which lacked the grip they should have had and could lead to a loose connection which could produce these symptoms. This would be a good place to start.

  But there's another trick you can try. On some Cruze models, there's a process that can over-ride the remote locking and ignition protocols. If the battery in the remote is weak or the remote itself is damaged, this is definitely worth a try. From the driver's seat, locate the small, round plastic bung in the cup-holder in the centre-console. Place the remote key over this hole with the Holden logo facing up. Then try the starter button. With luck, the engine will start and you're away to have the remote fob fixed or replaced. You may find you need to hold the stop/start button for two seconds to get the engine to stop.

  Meantime, I have no idea why the actual physical key will not lock the doors from outside. That sounds more like a job for a locksmith.

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• Why is my 2013 Holden Cruze revving and losing power?

  If the engine is revving but the car is not moving, you probably have a transmission or gearbox fault. If the problem was a broken driveshaft or CV joint, the car would just roll to a stop and not move again. But since it gradually lost drive before finally refusing to move, it’s more likely to be the gearbox that is the cause of this.

  Sometimes, this sort of problem can be as simple as a leak from the transmission which has led to a low fluid level. And since it’s the fluid in an automatic transmission that actually provides the drive (by transferring the torque) this can bring on the symptoms you’re seeing.

  At the other end of the catastrophe scale, you could be looking at a gearbox that has failed internally and comprehensively. And I’m afraid to say that this model Cruze did have a reputation for just that occurring. Sometimes the problem could be traced back to a torque-converter, valve body or sensor error, but other times complete transmission failure was the diagnosis.

  Holden actually acknowledged this problem by extending the transmission warranty to 150,000km or five years after the date the car first went into service. Unfortunately, that ended in 2018 for your car. It would still be worth contacting Holden’s customer service department, however, but don’t be surprised if financial help is not forthcoming.

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• My 2013 Holden Cruze transmission has failed completely. Is it worth fixing the transmission or would there be other issues?

  Although it was a reasonably popular car when it was brand-new, it’s fair to say Holden’s Cruze hasn’t aged terribly gracefully. In fact, there has been an ever-growing list of potential problems including (but not limited to) cracked cylinder heads, broken driveshafts, various oil and coolant leaks, not to mention the Takata air-bag recall fiasco. And, as you have discovered, the automatic transmission was a problem-child, too.

  Holden actually extended the warranty of the six-speed automatic to five years or 150,000km, but your vehicle is well outside those parameters. Which means, as you’ve pointed out, you decision now comes down to repair or replace the car.

  This model Cruze varies enormously in price, and your car could be worth anything from $5000 (at which point you’d be over-capitalising with a new gearbox) to $15,000 which would mean it’s worth fixing. Based purely on the kilometres your car has travelled, I’d say its second-hand value is somewhere right about the middle of those two numbers, which muddies the waters ever further.

  Perhaps you should have the rest of the car checked out by a specialist who might be able to give you a more concrete idea of where you stand. Obviously, throwing several thousand dollars at a car that’s about to break somewhere else makes no sense. Remember, too, that selling the car with a broken gearbox means it’ll be worth almost nothing.

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