2017 Chevrolet Cruze

Cylinder 1 experienced cracking due to Low Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI, commonly referred to as “Knock”) just after exiting the highway in a 70 mph zone and produced a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) code of P0301. As evidenced in Attachment 1, this caused damage to the Antilock Braking System due to loss of vacuum on the system and possible fouling due to foreign object damage to the vehicle ABS. Later assessment by trained mechanics determined the root cause was due to insufficient structural capability of engine pistons to withstand brief periods of LSPI. As evidenced by attachment 18-NA-171 and PIP5490, the vehicle manufacturer (General Motors) is aware of the insufficient design of the pistons, has re-designed them to withstand LSPI, however has not made an effort to notify me or replace the existing part to prevent damage to the vehicle powertrain and ABS. While this particular instance of piston cracking due to LSPI has only had a financial impact on myself, loss of ABS functionality and potential engine seizure at highway speeds have the potential to produce dangerous, if not fatal, conditions to other drivers with similar hardware.

BRAKE PEDAL SINKS SLOWLY TO FLOOR AND BRAKES REQUIRE A STRONGER SHOVE TO ACTIVATE. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES ON FIRST DRIVE AFTER CAR WAS STATIONARY. SEEMS NORMAL AFTER THAT AT THIS TIME. CAR HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHICH SHARES A CLUTCH & BRAKE FLUID SYSTEM. CAR HAS ALREADY HAD CLUTCH SYSTEM REPAIRED DUE TO FLUID LEAK AND DEBRIS FROM CLUTCH RELEASE COMPONENT. EUROPEAN RECALL OF SIMILAR MODEL INCLUDES REPLACING BRAKE COMPONENTS AS WELL AS CLUTCH COMPONENTS.

VEHICLES COMES WITH A ENGINE STOP ON/OFF THAT CAN'T BE TURNED OFF. WHAT THIS DOES IS THAT IT 'TURNS OFF' THE ENGINE WHEN IDLING TO SAVE GAS. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THIS ENGAGES EVEN BEFORE BRAKE PRESSURE HITS 100%. SO WHEN IN AN UPHILL OR DOWNHILL AND COMING TO A STOP THE CAR TENDS TO SHUT DOWN WHEN IT REACHES LOW SPEEDS. HOWEVER, WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE CAR STARTS ROLLING AND YOU CAN'T STEER CORRECTLY BECAUSE POWER STEERING IS TURNED OFF. THIS CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IT ENGAGES BEFORE PRESSURE IS 100% CAUSING THE CAR TO SHUT DOWN EARLY AND YOU START ROLLING UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT ANY POWER STEERING. VEHICLE WAS APPROACHING A RED LIGHT IN A SLIGHT UPHILL. CAR ROLLED FROM :34-:50 SECONDS BACKWARD. I RE GAINED CONTROL OF NY CAR ONCE I LET GO COMPLETELY OFF MY BRAKE(THIS CAUSES THE AUTO STOP ON/OFF TO DISENGAGE)

WITH LESS THAN 25,000 MILES ON THIS LEASED VEHICLE ALL FOUR BRAKE ROTORS WERE RUSTED TO THE POINT OF DETERIORATION AND CHIPPING. THE RUST WAS SO THICK AND ROUGH THAT IT WAS GRINDING AWAY THE PADS WITH STOPPING ABILITY SERIOUSLY DIMINISHED. ONE REAR BRAKE PAD WAS GROUND DOWN TO THE METAL SURFACE. THE DEALER WOULD NOT WARRANTY THE ROTORS AS BRAKES ARE CONSIDERED NORMAL VEHICLE MAINTENANCE. IN FACT , I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT AN EQUINOX WAS IN HIS SHOP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THAT VEHICLE'S MILEAGE WAS 19,000. THE CONDITION OF THESE ROTORS WAS ANYTHING BUT NORMAL, AS THOUGH THEY WERE MANUFACTURED USING A POOR QUALITY AND /OR POROUS MATERIAL. ON AVERAGE VEHICLE ROTORS LAST UP TO 50,000 MILES AND THROUGH TWO SETS OF BRAKE PADS. MY CLAIM IS THAT THESE SEVERELY RUSTED ROTORS ARE A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE DIMINISHED STOPPING ABILITY, COMPARED TO THE SMOOTH SURFACE A ROTOR IS INTENDED TO MAINTAIN.

I RECEIVED A WAITING NOTIFICATION STATING 'SERVICE BRAKING SYSTEM' WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND THEN MY CARS BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN TO STICK AND VIBRATE WHILE THERE BEING NOTHING WRONG WITH THE PADS. ROTORS, BRAKE LINES, OR BRAKE FLUID. IT COULD'VE CAUSED ME TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT AND HURT OTHERS OR MYSELF DUE TO THIS FAULTY BRAKE SYSTEM.

FIRST THE CAR SHAKED WHILE WE WERE WAITING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON A CITY STREET. THEN WE WENT TO DRIVE INTO A TUNNEL AND I COULD NOT ACCELERATE, WE HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE HILL TO KEEP MOVING. THEN THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE CAR SAID SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST, I HAD TO STEP VERY HARD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL REPEATEDLY TO TRY TO STOP THE CAR FROM HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF US. ONCE WE STOPPED AGAIN THE CAR SEEMED LIKE IT HAD DIED. I TRIED TO ACCELERATE BY STEPPING FULLY ON THE PEDAL AND NOTHING. THEN I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TRIED TO TURN OFF THE CAR BUT THAT DID NOT WORK EITHER. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE 3RD TIME OF TRYING TO TURN THE CAR OFF THAT THE VEHICLE ACTUALLY TURNED OFF. WE WERE ABLE TO TURN THE CAR BACK ON AND AT FIRST NOTHING HAPPENED, BUT THEN THE CAR STARTED TO WORK AGAIN. WE FOUND ON GOOGLE THAT I SHOULD NOT LET THE CAR GO BACK INTO AUTO-STOP IN THE HOPE THAT THIS WOULD NOT OCCUR AGAIN SINCE WE WERE GETTING ON INTERSTATE 95.

ISSUE> EBRAKE WARNING LIGHT ON I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND ABOUT 20 MILES INTO MY DRIVE THE SYSTEM ALERTED ME OF THE PARKING BRAKE OR E BRAKE NEEDED TO BE RELEASED. I HAVE NOT USED THIS BRAKE, BUT I STOP PRESS IT ALL THE WAY IN AND PRESS AGAIN TO RELEASE. START DRIVING AND LIME 100FT IT DINGS ALERTING ME AGAIN. I PRESS THE CHECK BUTTON AND THE WARNING AND BRAKE LIGHT GO AWAY.. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR LAST 5 MILES. GOING TO GET IT CHECKED FIRST THING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LAMP FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BUCHANAN AUTOMOTIVE INC (1035 E MAIN ST, WAYNESBORO, PA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WASHERS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND WAS PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 8-3724651728. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 59,238.