# 2012 Chevrolet Cruze - Oil Leak Elusive

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-chevrolet-cruze-oil-leak-elusive/150450>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [October 10, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-chevrolet-cruze-oil-leak-elusive/150450 "2019-10-10T17:58:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Janetspiker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85f322/32.png) [@Janetspiker](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Janetspiker)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-chevrolet-cruze-oil-leak-elusive/150450/1 "2019-10-10T17:58:19Z")

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I took my car to Goodyear because there is a oil leak. They put dye in it to locate where the leaks coming from. I went back acter a couple days so they can che check it. They came out & said they dont see a leak. Wth. Should i drive it a couple more days so they can see where the dyes coming from or what so u suggest. Thank you very much

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**Author:** ![tcmichnorth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tcmichnorth/32/25126_2.png) [@tcmichnorth](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tcmichnorth)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2019, 7:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-chevrolet-cruze-oil-leak-elusive/150450/2 "2019-10-10T19:10:11Z")

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Are there oil spots on the ground under where it is parked?

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**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2019, 8:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-chevrolet-cruze-oil-leak-elusive/150450/3 "2019-10-10T20:20:39Z")

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Take it to a real mechanic not goodyear they are only good for tire’s.

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2019, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-chevrolet-cruze-oil-leak-elusive/150450/4 "2019-10-10T21:26:57Z")

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Well, then, maybe you don’t have a leak. Did you take it in because you saw an oil stain under the car or because the level kept getting low?

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**Author:** ![Janetspiker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85f322/32.png) [@Janetspiker](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Janetspiker)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 4:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-chevrolet-cruze-oil-leak-elusive/150450/5 "2019-10-11T04:14:32Z")

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On thegarage floor

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**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 7:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-chevrolet-cruze-oil-leak-elusive/150450/6 "2019-10-11T07:30:59Z")

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This may be a dumb question, but are you 100% sure it was oil, rather than AC condensate, cat pee, etc?

Don’t laugh. The cat got locked in my shop overnight and peed under my truck. I thought I had a leak for a minute. But the cat took a leak. I really never liked that cat.

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**Author:** ![tcmichnorth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tcmichnorth/32/25126_2.png) [@tcmichnorth](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tcmichnorth)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 9:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-chevrolet-cruze-oil-leak-elusive/150450/7 "2019-10-11T09:59:23Z")

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There are 2 possibilities. Either Goodyear missed the leak or it’s something else leaking. If there is motor oil on the floor, there is an external oil leak. The best way to find it is to clean the engine, drive it for a couple of days and then trace the oil from the point from where it drops off the car to the source of the leak. A black light is used that gives the dye a yellow glow. It should be easy to spot. The dye is good for a long time. You could get a cheap pen sized blacklight and do this yourself, checking the oil dipstick to be sure they actually did put dye in it. There should also be a sticker somewhere in the engine compartment that says that dye was introduced. Waiting a few more days to have it rechecked is highly recommend as the leak may not be discoverable after a couple of days. If that doesn’t work bring it to another shop and tell them that dye was introduced and see if they can find it. Another possibility is that it is not motor oil. It may be power steering, transmission , brake fluid, or antifreeze. I can’t see it from here. But if it’s oil, it can definately be found with dye eventually.
