My daughter has a 2013 with the 1.4. The car came from someone we know and had been run very hot. I replaced the motor with a very good one. While it was out I put a new water pump on it. I got it running and everything looked good. Drove it and the temperature was right at the half way point then quickly went to the red I let it idle for about 30 seconds and it dropped straight back to the half way mark. I made sure there’s no air in the system. I replaced the thermostat and both coolant sensors. Still the same. I checked the radiator and the passenger side was considerably cooler than the driver side. I replaced it. Seemed okay at idle and on a 45 degree morning. But then did it again. At that point I noticed the new water pump leaking out of the shaft seal. I replaced it again and still the same problem. Looking at the front of the pump it spins clockwise which seems wrong if you look at the impeller. It doesn’t seem to be pulling coolant from the bottom of the radiator and it’s not making any sense here. Any ideas from you guys?

 

double check you have the belt routed correctly

 

I have it back on the way the old one was. I double checked what I could find on line and it all looks correct but still seems like the rotation is wrong for the impeller

 

I haven’t actually worked on it since my last post. My daughter has my car in Florida. I did start back into it last night and it looks to be a thermostat issue. With the scanner on it watching engine temp and radiator temp my engine temp went to 108C while the radiator stayed at 26C. While the thermostat control stay at 0. I tried to use the scanner to open it and still no luck. I have a new thermostat there for a sonic I plugged it in and again tried to command it to open but it’s not opening. My wiring harness ohms out back to the ECM connector and to ground. I have power from fuse 47 so at this point I’m leaning toward the ECM and it’s internal relay. I have another Cruze there for a head gasket so I’m going to plug that sonic thermostat in and command it to open just to make sure that the thermostat is functioning before I say mine is definitely the ECM

 

Ok, help an old guy out here - there are thermostats that are commanded to open electronically vs the mechanical spring ones I am familiar with??

 

That is correct. The plug on top of the thermostat housing is for a heating element