Need help with my 2011 Chevy Cruze LT

Discussion Forum
1

So we got a 2011 Chevy Cruze LT used because it was the only option (please don’t be too harsh). But every time we use it, the electrics go all sorts of crazy. We lose power steering constantly, which is super dangerous. The radio flashes on and off, and SOMETIMES we get to listen to a full commercial or the first 10 seconds of a song. The dash completely shuts off, so the speedometer and gas gauges stop working too. Any help would be appreciated!

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Weird intermittent electric issues can usually be traced back to bad electrical ground connections. I don’t know where the major ground points are on these cars, but a quick online search should help you find that info.

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@Skyler
Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll look into that. What should I check first?

4

Aris said:
@Skyler
Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll look into that. What should I check first?

Start by looking under the hood at the negative battery terminal. Make sure it’s tight and check the wires connected to it too.

5

Oh man, that sounds frustrating! One more thing—my headlights flash like an emergency vehicle, and we’ve already had to replace them. Plus, the rear tail lights didn’t come on over Thanksgiving unless we switched them to auto.

6

@Ainsley
That’s definitely odd. It could all be related to the same grounding issue.

7

I had a 2014 Cruze and there was a recall for a bad ground wire that wasn’t crimped properly. It caused similar issues. Check if there’s an open recall on your car—it might be worth it!

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Morgan said:
I had a 2014 Cruze and there was a recall for a bad ground wire that wasn’t crimped properly. It caused similar issues. Check if there’s an open recall on your car—it might be worth it!

I’ll look into that. Thanks for the heads up! I didn’t even think about recalls.

9

Also, if you have a multimeter, you can test the voltage at different points in the electrical system to see where the drop is occurring.

10

Lee said:
Also, if you have a multimeter, you can test the voltage at different points in the electrical system to see where the drop is occurring.

I don’t have one, but I’ll see if I can borrow one. That sounds like a good way to troubleshoot.

11

Good luck with it! Electrical issues can be tricky, but hopefully, you can get it sorted out soon.

12

Angel said:
Good luck with it! Electrical issues can be tricky, but hopefully, you can get it sorted out soon.

Thanks! I appreciate the support. I’ll keep everyone updated on what I find.