Holden Cruze Gearbox & Transmission Problems

You should take it to the Holden dealer for the diagnostic check, and to find out how much Holden is prepared to contribute to the cost of repairs. I would guess because you have been doing the servicing yourself that Holden will offer you a lesser amount. But once you know how much they are prepared to pay you can decide on what to do.

There's only one option and that is to take it to your Holden dealer and have them assess the problem. The automatic gearbox in the Cruze is troublesome and you're not the only one to have trouble. Holden usually comes to the party in repairing or replacing the gearbox, so ask the dealer to request help from Holden when you take the car in.

I agree with you, it should have been replaced earlier, and under warranty. The automatic transmission in the Cruze has a troubled history, as we have consistently reported. Present your dealer with your car's history of failure and make a formal request that the transmission be replaced at no cost to you. If the dealer won't agree take your case directly to Holden's Customer Care service (Ph: 1800 033 349).

If there is no error code showing on the computer — and that's common — you're probably getting better service if they're prepared to drive it in search of the fault instead of waiting for it to break down

I agree that it is frustrating for such a new car to be troubled in such a way, but I expect Holden will fix it. The company has been pretty good at repairing or replacing faulty transmissions in the Cruze once it has been established that the transmission is the problem. Do as Holden requests, have it towed to your dealer for assessment. I am confident it will work out for you.

Yes, you could approach Holden and present to them a case for reimbursement of the cost of repairs. Transmission problems are common with the Cruze, we have reported numerous in CarsGuide and it’s not an unknown to Holden. The company has in many cases replaced the transmission free of charge, so I think you would have a good case for getting your money back. Having had the repairs done by a Holden dealer should help you with your case. I doubt that you would be successful in getting any extra costs back, such as the hire car, but you could try.

I couldn’t recommend the Cruze; there are too many problems with its auto transmission, as we have reported here at CarsGuide. Look at the Mazda2 or Mazda3, Toyota Yaris or Corolla, which are generally trouble free.

Take it to a Holden dealer and have them assess the transmission for you. If your mechanic is correct and the transmission does need to be replaced request Holden to do it free of charge. The transmission in the Cruze of that year is known to be faulty, and Holden has replaced many without charge.

Go back to Holden and attempt to convince them that they should replace the transmission free of charge. They sold you a transmission that is faulty and in my view they should replace it without charge. If the Customer Care people refuse your request, go to the CEO of the company, it has worked for other owners with this problem.

Update 17/7/2015: 

Ms Alyaseri has informed us that after contacting Holden boss Mark Bernhard directly, Holden has agreed to cover the cost of a new transmission. 

There is a long and sad history of transmission failures on the Holden Cruze, and yours appears to be yet another case. Go direct to Holden and register your complaint and don't accept the explanation Holden has previously given to you. That's not the problem, the real problem is that the automatic transmission in the Cruze is prone to failure. Holden is replacing problem transmissions for owners who make enough noise, so go for it. If you get fobbed off again go straight to the CEO.