My 2014 Chevy Cruze 1.4 Turbo has been running cold the last few days (around the 1/4 mark). It has been very warm outside so this has been puzzling. The first day my temp gauge was fluctuating from just below 1/2 to the 1/4 mark. It seemed very erratic. First thing I did was check my coolant reservoir and sure enough it was very low, below the hose inlet. I will admit that I haven't kept good tabs on the coolant level since I bought the car new in 2014. I have never added coolant before so I don't know how long it was low for. After adding coolant I bled air out of the radiator bleed and then topped it off again. The engine temp now stays around the 1/4 mark, only once I have seen if creep close to 1/2 but then it quickly cooled down again. Do you think that I just have air in the system still? One time I got it to start bubbling in the reservoir and thought that maybe the air would be gone after that but no luck. It didn't seem like it was boiling, more like air bubbles. I can't see any external leaks in the system either. Will air work its way out of the system over time? Will I hurt it by running it cold like that? Just not sure what to do next. Any help is appreciated.

 

As a first step replace the thermostat.

 

Quick update. Temp gauge fully stopped working and I got the "AC off due to over temp" message. So my coolant sensor must have just been slowly failing. I replaced both of them and everything is back to normal.

 

Flush your coolant and use fresh. Your dex cool is way beyond it's shelf life. It's probably acidic and eating the inside.

 

here's what happens when you leave the coolant in there:
https://chevroletforum.com/forum/equ...ortant-101719/

 

indeed, introducing air turns dexcool to a gooey paste. Pour a little dex cool in a cup and sit it outside for a day. That's what's n your system... no joke

 

so why doesn't the coolant in the reservoir turn into paste? It's vented to open air.