Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-9
A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑14.
B. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑9.
C. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System on
page 10‑16.
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑9.
E. Remote Negative (-) Terminal. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑80.
F. Brake/Clutch Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” underBrakes
on page 10‑22 andHydraulic
Clutch on page 10‑14. G.
Battery on page 10‑25 (Under
Cover).
H. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System on page 10‑16.
I. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑80.
J. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑36.
K. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑22.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10‑12.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
10-14 Vehicle Care
Hydraulic Clutch
For vehicles with a manual
transmission, it is not necessary to
regularly check brake/clutch fluid
unless there is a leak suspected.
Adding fluid will not correct a leak.
A fluid loss in this system could
indicate a problem. Have the
system inspected and repaired.
When to Check and What
to Use
The brake/hydraulic clutch fluid
reservoir cap has this symbol on it.
The common brake/clutch fluid
reservoir is filled with DOT 3 brake
fluid as indicated on the reservoir
cap. SeeEngine Compartment
Overview on page 10‑6 for
reservoir location.
How to Check and Add Fluid
Visually check the brake/clutch fluid
reservoir to make sure the fluid level
is at the MIN (minimum) line on the
side of the reservoir. The brake/
hydraulic clutch fluid system should
be closed and sealed.
Do not remove the cap to check the
fluid level or to top off the fluid level.
Remove the cap only when
necessary to add the proper fluid
until the level reaches the MIN line.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑6 for the location of the
engine air cleaner/filter.
When to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Inspect the air cleaner/filter at the
scheduled maintenance intervals
and replace it at the first oil change
after each 80 000 km (50,000 mi)
interval. See Maintenance Schedule
on page 11‑3 for more information. If you are driving in dusty/dirty
conditions, inspect the filter at
each engine oil change.
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/filter,
remove the filter from the vehicle
and lightly shake the filter to release
loose dust and dirt. If the filter
remains covered with dirt, a new
filter is required.
Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-23
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications inCapacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
If the vehicle has rear drum brakes,
they do not have wear indicators,
but if a rear brake rubbing noise is
heard, have the rear brake linings
inspected immediately. Rear brake
drums should be removed and
inspected each time the tires are
removed for rotation or changing.
Drum brakes have an inspection
hole to inspect lining wear during
scheduled maintenance. When the
front brake pads are replaced, have
the rear brakes inspected, too. Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service might be
required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied,
with or without the vehicle moving,
the brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is
complex. Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get
new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly.For example, installing disc brake
pads that are wrong for the vehicle,
can change the balance between
the front and rear brakes
—for the
worse. The braking performance
expected can change in many other
ways if the wrong replacement
brake parts are installed.
Brake Fluid
The brake/clutch master cylinder
reservoir is filled with DOT 3 brake
fluid as indicated on the reservoir
cap. See Engine Compartment
Overview on page 10‑6 for the
location of the reservoir.
Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
10-24 Vehicle Care
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir
might go down:
.The brake fluid level goes down
because of normal brake lining
wear. When new linings are
installed, the fluid level goes
back up.
.A fluid leak in the brake/clutch
hydraulic system can also cause
a low fluid level. Have the brake/
clutch hydraulic system fixed,
since a leak means that sooner
or later the brakes will not
work well.
Do not top off the brake/clutch fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a leak.
If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid
when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove fluid, as
necessary, only when work is done
on the brake/clutch hydraulic
system.
{WARNING
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and
the vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake/clutch
hydraulic system.
Checking Brake Fluid
The brake/clutch fluid can be
checked without taking off the cap
by looking at the brake/clutch fluid
reservoir.
The fluid level should be above
MIN. If it is not, have the brake/
clutch hydraulic system checked to
see if there is a leak.
After work is done on the brake/
clutch hydraulic system, make sure
the level is above MIN but not over
the MAX mark. When the brake/clutch fluid falls to a
low level, the brake warning light
comes on. See
Brake System
Warning Light on page 5‑16.
What to Add
Use only new DOT 3 brake fluid
from a sealed container. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑13.
Always clean the brake/clutch fluid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it. This
helps keep dirt from entering the
reservoir.
{WARNING
With the wrong kind of fluid in the
brake/clutch hydraulic system, the
brakes might not work well. This
could cause a crash. Always use
the proper brake/clutch fluid.
Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-25
Notice
.Using the wrong fluid can
badly damage brake/clutch
hydraulic system parts. For
example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as
engine oil, in the brake
hydraulic system can
damage brake hydraulic
system parts so badly that
they will have to be replaced.
Do not let someone put in
the wrong kind of fluid.
.If brake fluid is spilled on
the vehicle's painted
surfaces, the paint finish can
be damaged. Be careful not
to spill brake fluid on the
vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately.
Battery
Refer to the replacement number on
the original battery label when a
new battery is needed.
{WARNING
Battery posts, terminals, and
related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and reproductive
harm. Wash hands after handling.
Vehicle Storage
{WARNING
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you are
not careful. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑80 for tips on working
around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery to keep the battery from
running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery or use a battery trickle
charger.
Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
10-26 Vehicle Care
Starter Switch Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could
be injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle.
2. Firmly apply both the parking brake and the regular brake.
See Parking Brake on
page 9‑36.
Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to turn off
the engine immediately if it
starts. 3. For automatic transmission
vehicles, try to start the engine
in each gear. The vehicle should
start only in P (Park) or
N (Neutral). If the vehicle starts
in any other position, contact
your dealer for service.
For manual transmission
vehicles, put the shift lever in
Neutral, push the clutch pedal
down halfway, and try to start
the engine. The vehicle should
start only when the clutch pedal
is pushed down all the way to
the floor. If the vehicle starts
when the clutch pedal is not
pushed all the way down,
contact your dealer for service.
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control
Function Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could
be injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle. It should be
parked on a level surface.
Black plate (39,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-39
J‐CaseFuses Usage
43 Not Used
44 Not Used
45 Cooling Fan K1
59 Not Used
Micro
Relays Usage
1 A/C Clutch
2 Starter Solenoid
4 Front Wiper Speed Micro
Relays Usage
5 Front Wiper On
6 Not Used
10 Cooling Fan K3
12 Cooling Fan K3
14 Not Used
U‐Micro Relays Usage
3 Cooling Fan K7
8 Fuel Pump
11 Not Used HC Relays Usage
9 Cooling Fan K2
13 Cooling Fan K1
Mini Relays Usage 7 Ignition 87 Main
15 Ignition 15
16 Not Used
17 Not Used
Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-13
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
UsageFluid/Lubricant
Engine Oil Use only engine oil licensed to the dexos1 specfication, or equivalent, of
the proper SAE viscosity grade. ACDelco dexos1 Synthetic Blend is
recommended. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑9.
Engine Coolant 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and use only DEX-COOL Coolant.
See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑16.
Hydraulic Brake/Clutch System DOT 3 Hydraulic Brake Fluid
(GM Part No. 88863461, in Canada 88863462).
Windshield Washer Optikleen
®Washer Solvent.
Automatic Transmission DEXRON
®-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Manual Transmission Manual Transmission Fluid
(GM Part No. 19259104, in Canada 19259105).
Key Lock Cylinders Multi-Purpose Lubricant, Superlube
(GM Part No. 12346241, in Canada 10953474).