Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12146336) - 2019 - crc - 10/22/18
228 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 229
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 230
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 239
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 241
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 246
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Battery - North America . . . . . . 250
Fuel Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 251
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 252
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 252
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 253
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Headlamps and Front Turn Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Taillamps and Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
License Plate Lamp (Liftgate Models) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 262
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 262 Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 272
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12146336) - 2019 - crc - 10/22/18
230 Vehicle Care
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non-dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.Damage to suspension components
caused by modifying vehicle height
outside of factory settings will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non-GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 084.
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner ’s manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see
Publication Ordering Information
0 350.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 084.
Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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234 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
0241.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
under Engine Oil 0236.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0236.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 242.
5. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0249.
6. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0242.
7. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” under
Washer Fluid 0247.
8. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0263.
Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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236 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
0241.
2. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0236.
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 242.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
under Engine Oil 0236.
5. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0249.
6. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0242.
7. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” under
Washer Fluid 0247.
8. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0263.
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:
.
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 0239.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly,
every 650 km (400 mi), especially
prior to a long trip. The engine oil
dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0233 for the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays, check the
oil level.
Follow these guidelines:
. To get an accurate reading, park
the vehicle on level ground.
Check the engine oil level after
the engine has been off for at
least two hours. Checking the
engine oil level on steep grades
or too soon after engine shutoff
can result in incorrect readings.
Accuracy improves when
checking a cold engine prior to
starting. Remove the dipstick
and check the level.
. If unable to wait two hours, the
engine must be off for at least
15 minutes if the engine is
warm, or at least 30 minutes if
Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 245
{Warning
Spilling coolant on hot engine
parts can burn you. Coolant
contains ethylene glycol and it will
burn if the engine parts are hot
enough.
Caution
Failure to follow the specific
coolant fill procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and could
cause system damage. If coolant
is not visible in the surge tank,
contact your dealer.
If no problem is found, check to see
if coolant is visible in the coolant
surge tank. If coolant is visible but
the coolant level is not at or above
the indicated mark, add a 50/
50 mixture of clean, drinkable water
and DEX-COOL coolant. Be sure
the cooling system, including the
coolant surge tank pressure cap, is
cool before you do it.
1. Remove the coolant surge tank pressure cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no
longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise about
one-quarter of a turn. If you
hear a hiss, wait for that to
stop. This will allow any
pressure still left to be vented
out the discharge hose.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly and remove it.
1.4L L4 Engine (LE2) Shown, 1.6L
L4 Diesel Engine (LH7) Similar
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixture to the
indicated level mark.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the
engine, switch off the A/C and
let the engine run until the
upper radiator hose can be felt
getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 251
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.
Fuel Filter
The fuel filter is under the vehicle on
the driver side in front of the left rear
tire. For replacement of the filter,
seeFuel Filter Replacement
(Diesel) 0221. Also see
Maintenance Schedule 0324 for
recommended draining and
replacement intervals.
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. Apply both the parking brake and the regular brake.
Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to turn off
the engine immediately if it
starts. 3. 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.
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.
2. Apply the parking brake. Be ready to apply the regular
brake immediately if the vehicle
begins to move.
Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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252 Vehicle Care
3. With the engine off, turn theignition on, but do not start the
engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the
shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of P (Park), contact
your dealer for service.
Ignition Transmission
Lock Check
If equipped with a Key Access
ignition, while parked and with the
parking brake set, try to turn the
ignition off in each shift lever
position.
.The ignition should turn off only
when the shift lever is in
P (Park).
. The key should come out only
when the ignition is off.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check
{Warning
When you are doing this check,
the vehicle could begin to move.
You or others could be injured
and property could be damaged.
Make sure there is room in front
of the vehicle in case it begins to
roll. Be ready to apply the regular
brake at once should the vehicle
begin to move.
Park on a fairly steep hill, with the
vehicle facing downhill. Keeping
your foot on the regular brake, set
the parking brake.
. To check the parking brake's
holding ability: With the engine
running and the transmission in
N (Neutral), slowly remove foot
pressure from the regular brake
pedal. Do this until the vehicle is
held by the parking brake only. .
To check the P (Park)
mechanism's holding ability:
With the engine running, shift to
P (Park). Then release the
parking brake followed by the
regular brake.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Wiper Blade Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be
inspected for wear and cracking.
See the Maintenance Schedule
0 324.
Replacement blades come in
different types and are removed in
different ways. For proper type and
length, see Maintenance
Replacement Parts 0334.
Caution
Allowing the wiper arm to touch
the windshield when no wiper
blade is installed could damage
the windshield. Any damage that
occurs would not be covered by
(Continued)
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Vehicle Care 253
Caution (Continued)
the vehicle warranty. Do not allow
the wiper arm to touch the
windshield.
Front Wiper Blade
Replacement
To replace the windshield wiper
blade:1. Pull the windshield wiper assembly away from the
windshield.
2. Press the button in the middleof the wiper arm connector,
and pull the wiper blade away
from the arm connector.
3. Remove the wiper blade.
4. Reverse Steps 1–3 for wiper blade replacement.
Rear Wiper Blade Replacement
(Liftgate Models)
1. Pull the wiper arm away fromthe glass until it locks in place.
2. Push the tip of the blade assembly past its normal range
of movement. It can then be
removed from the wiper arm. 3. Remove the wiper blade from
the blade assembly.
It may require extra effort to
remove the old blade.
4. Reverse Steps 1–3 to install the new blade.
Windshield Replacement
Driver Assistance Systems
If the windshield needs to be
replaced and the vehicle is
equipped with a front camera sensor
for the Driver Assistance Systems, a
GM replacement windshield is
recommended. The replacement
windshield must be installed
according to GM specifications for
proper alignment. If it is not, these
systems may not work properly, they
may display messages, or they may
not work at all. See your dealer for
proper windshield replacement.