
Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 5-2
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-3
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-10 Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-11
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-13
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Service Vehicle Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Up-Shift Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Power Steering Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Ultrasonic Parking Sensor Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
StabiliTrak®OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-19
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . 5-19
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-21
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 5-21
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Reduced Engine Power Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-22 Daytime Running Lamps
(DRL) Indicator Light . . . . . . . 5-23
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . 5-23
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages (CanadaBase Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Vehicle Messages (Canada Uplevel and United
States) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Battery Voltage and Charging Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-29
Compass Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Cruise Control Messages . . . . 5-29
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-30
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-31
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-31
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 5-31

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-21
Engine Oil Pressure Light
{WARNING
Do not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule for changing engine oil.
The oil pressure light should come
on briefly as the engine is started.
If it does not come on have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and might have
some other system problem. See
your dealer.
Low Fuel Warning Light
This light comes on for a
few seconds when the ignition is
turned on as a check to indicate it is
working. If it does not come on,
have it fixed.
The low fuel warning light (A) comes
on and a chime sounds when the
vehicle is low on fuel. The light turns
off when fuel is added to the
fuel tank.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2011
5-28 Instruments and Controls
On the Canadian base level cluster,
vehicle messages appear as code
numbers.
25:Left front turn indicator failure
26: Left rear turn indicator failure
27: Right front turn indicator failure
28: Right rear turn indicator failure
35: Replace battery in radio remote
control
53: Tighten gas cap
68: Service power steering
75: Service air conditioner
82: Change engine oil soon
84: Engine power is reduced
95: Service airbagVehicle Messages
(Canada Uplevel and
United States)
DIC messages display when the
status of the vehicle has changed
and action may be needed to
correct the condition. Multiple
messages appear one after another.
Press any of the DIC buttons on the
turn signal lever to acknowledge
and clear them from the display.
More urgent messages cannot be
cleared from the DIC display. All
messages should be taken
seriously. Clearing messages will
not correct the problem.
On the Canadian uplevel cluster
and on vehicles sold in the United
States, vehicle messages are
displayed as text. The messages
and information about them follow.
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the
vehicle has detected that the battery
voltage is dropping beyond a
reasonable point. The battery saver
system starts reducing certain
features of the vehicle that you may
be able to notice. At the point that
features are disabled, this message
is displayed. It means that the
vehicle is trying to save the charge
in the battery. Turn off unnecessary
accessories to allow the battery to
recharge.
LOW BATTERY
This message is displayed when the
battery voltage is low. See Battery
on page 10‑26 for more information.

Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2011
5-30 Instruments and Controls
Engine Cooling System
Messages
A/C OFF DUE TO HIGH
ENGINE TEMP
This message displays when the
engine coolant becomes hotter than
the normal operating temperature.
To avoid added strain on a hot
engine, the air conditioning
compressor automatically turns off.
When the coolant temperature
returns to normal, the air
conditioning compressor turns back
on. You can continue to drive the
vehicle.
If this message continues to appear,
have the system repaired by your
dealer as soon as possible to avoid
damage to the engine.
ENGINE
OVERHEATED—IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down.
ENGINE
OVERHEATED —STOP
ENGINE
This message displays and a
continuous chime sounds if the
engine cooling system reaches
unsafe temperatures for operation.
Stop and turn off the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so to avoid
severe damage. This message
clears when the engine has cooled
to a safe operating temperature.
HIGH COOLANT
TEMPERATURE
This message displays if the coolant
temperature is hot. See Engine
Overheating on page 10‑20.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When you change the engine oil, be
sure to reset the Oil Life System.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑12 andDriver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑24 for
information on how to reset the
system. See Engine Oil on
page 10‑9 andScheduled
Maintenance on page 11‑2 for more
information.
OIL PRESSURE LOW —STOP
ENGINE
This message displays if low oil
pressure levels occur. Stop the
vehicle as soon as safely possible
and do not operate it until the cause
of the low oil pressure has been
corrected. Check the oil as soon as
possible and have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer.

Black plate (42,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2011
9-42 Driving and Operating
Fuel Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines
in the United States are now
required to contain additives that
help prevent engine and fuel system
deposits from forming, allowing the
emission control system to work
properly. In most cases, nothing
should have to be added to the fuel.
However, some gasolines contain
only the minimum amount of
additive required to meet U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
regulations. To help keep fuel
injectors and intake valves clean,
or if the vehicle experiences
problems due to dirty injectors or
valves, look for gasoline that is
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline. Look for the TOP TIER
label on the fuel pump to ensure
gasoline meets enhanced
detergency standards developed by
the auto companies. A list of
marketers providing TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline can be found at
www.toptiergas.com.For customers who do not use TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline regularly,
one bottle of GM Fuel System
Treatment PLUS, added to the fuel
tank at every engine oil change, can
help clean deposits from fuel
injectors and intake valves. GM Fuel
System Treatment PLUS is the only
gasoline additive recommended by
General Motors. It is available at
your dealer.
Gasolines containing oxygenates,
such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines might be
available in your area. We
recommend that you use these
gasolines, if they comply with the
specifications described earlier.
However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than
10% ethanol must not be used in
vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.
Notice:
This vehicle was not
designed for fuel that contains
methanol. Do not use fuel
containing methanol. It can
corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage
would not be covered under the
vehicle warranty.
Some gasolines that
are not reformulated for low
emissions can contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT); ask the attendant
where you buy gasoline whether the
fuel contains MMT. We recommend
against the use of such gasolines.
Fuels containing MMT can reduce
the life of spark plugs and the
performance of the emission control
system could be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp might
turn on. If this occurs, return to your
dealer for service.

Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-49
Parking on Hills
{WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet for
vehicles with an automatic
transmission, or into gear for
vehicles with a manual
transmission. Turn the wheels
into the curb if facing downhill or
into traffic if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels. 3. When the wheel chocks are in
place, release the brake pedal
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park) for vehicles with an
automatic transmission or into
gear for vehicles with a manual
transmission.
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
.Start the engine,
.Shift into a gear, and
.Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See this
manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things
that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See Engine Overheating
on page 10‑20.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-12
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-15
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-20 Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-22
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-26
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-28
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Windshield Replacement . . . 10-29
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30 Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, Stoplamps,
and Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . 10-32
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-35
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-53

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2011
10-10 Vehicle Care
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle
must be on level ground. The
engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow
loop. SeeEngine Compartment
Overview on page 10‑6 for the
location of the engine oil dipstick.
Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shut off will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or cloth, then
push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the tip
down, and check the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick, add
one liter/quart of the recommended
oil and then recheck the level. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil” in
this section for an explanation of
what kind of oil to use. For engine
oil crankcase capacity, see
Capacities and Specifications on
page 12‑2.
Notice: Do not add too much oil.
Oil levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If you find that you
have an oil level above the
operating range, i.e. the engine
has so much oil that the oil level
gets above the cross-hatched area that shows the proper
operating range, the engine could
be damaged. You should drain
out the excess oil or limit driving
of the vehicle and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess amount of oil.
See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑6 for the location of the
engine oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when through.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil
depends on both the proper oil
specification and viscosity grade:
Specification
Use and ask for engine oils with the
dexos™ certification mark. Oils
meeting the requirements of the
vehicle should have the dexos™
certification mark on the container.