2017 Chevrolet CRUZE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
201 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
27,750 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2017 model year. Data snapshot: . 114 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 73 of 201 complaints (36.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 44 | 21.9% |
| Engine operation | 24 | 11.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 21 | 10.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 20 | 10.0% |
| Steering behavior | 11 | 5.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 8 | 4.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 73 |
| Power Train | 38 |
| Electrical System | 32 |
| Unknown Or Other | 31 |
| Service Brakes | 18 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 15 |
| Structure:Body | 13 |
| Exterior Lighting | 10 |
Engine: 73; Power Train: 38; Electrical System: 32; Unknown Or Other: 31; Service Brakes: 18; Fuel/Propulsion System: 15; Structure:Body: 13; Exterior Lighting: 10
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 54 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 25 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 15 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 14 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 6 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 54; 25,000 to 49,999: 25; 50,000 to 74,999: 15; 75,000 to 99,999: 14; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (54). 87 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 21 |
| 2019 | 33 |
| 2020 | 34 |
| 2021 | 15 |
| 2022 | 22 |
| 2023 | 26 |
| 2024 | 16 |
| 2025 | 17 |
| 2026 | 5 |
2016: 2; 2017: 10; 2018: 21; 2019: 33; 2020: 34; 2021: 15; 2022: 22; 2023: 26; 2024: 16; 2025: 17; 2026: 5
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 44 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 24 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 21 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10924912 · 2016-11-07 (November 7, 2016)
ALMOST NEW VEHICLE (304 MI WHEN RENTED FROM HERTZ IN SAN ANTONIO, TX, 751 WHEN RETURNED). ON FREEWAY NEAR LIMIT SPEED (70 AND 75 MPH), COASTING DECELERATION (TO 60-65?) FOR SLOW TRAFFIC AHEAD, TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED ON ITS OWN, CAUSING RAPID DECELERATION (EST. 10 MPH MORE), ACCELERATOR NOT EFFECTIVE FOR ~2 SEC. OCCURRED TWICE IN ABOUT 1 HR. FIRST EVENT -- HEAVY TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC AHEAD SLOWING FOR TRANSITION RAMP CURVE, SLIGHT UPHILL CURVE. IF THROTTLE WAS APPLIED, IT WAS VERY LIGHT TO STOP DECELERATION AND MATCH SPEED OF TRAFFIC AHEAD.…
Owner-reported narrative. 620 miles reported. Look up ODI 10924912 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10967908 · 2017-03-22 (March 22, 2017)
I PULLED INTO MY CAR PORT AND NOTICED THAT MY CAR HAD ALREADY SHUT OFF, NOT KNOWING THAT IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE. I LEFT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, TOOK OFF MY SEAT BELT AND OPENED MY DOOR TO EXIT. THE CAR STARTED AND LURCHED FORWARD AS I WAS PARTIALLY OUT OF THE VEHICLE. MY WIFE WAS STILL IN THE VEHICLE AND MANAGED TO GET IT INTO PARK BEFORE I WAS RUN OVER AS IT WOULD HAVE ALSO HIT MY MOTORCYCLE THAT WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF IT. I FIND THAT THE CAR HAS A "AUTO STOP" WHICH TURNS OFF THE ENGINE WHILE YOU ARE STOPPED AND IN GEAR, THEN THE ENGINE STARTS AU…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10967908 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11022144 · 2017-09-07 (September 7, 2017)
WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 62 MPH I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THE POWER STOPPED FROM THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED CAUSING A LOUD THUD NOISE IN THE DASH BOARD AREA. THE VEHICLE NEVER INCREASED SPEED IT DROPPED DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH UNTIL I EXITED, UPON EXITING I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. WHEN ACCELERATING THE DASH BOARD NOW VIBRATED AT APPROXIMATELY 5000 RPM. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER PADDOCK CHEVROLET. DRIVING IN THE VEHICLE WITH THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ROLAND WE WERE ABLE…
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11022144 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11051511 · 2017-11-30 (November 30, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER (BRYNER CHEVROLET 1750 THE FAIRWAY, JENKINTOWN, PA 19046) FOR REPAIRS BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11051511 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11113809 · 2018-07-26 (July 26, 2018)
CAR WAS APROXIMATELY 10 MONTHS OLD WITH 5000 MILES ON IT AND BATTERY DIED ALL OF THE SUDDEN AND CAR LOCKED UP IN GEAR AND COULD NOT BE MOVED.FORTUNATELY I WAS AT A FRIENDS HOUSE AND WAS ABLE TO GET IN OUT OF HEAT.THERE WAS NO INDICATION BEFORE IT DIED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM IF WAS AT NIGHT I COULD NOT HAVE TURNED ON THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND IN ARIZONA HEAT COULD HAVE DIED HAD I NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET INSIDE. TOOK 3 HOURS FOR WRECKER TO COME AND TAKE ME TO DEALERSHIP . I BELIEVE THAT SINCE THIS CAR S ENGINE CUTS OFF WHEN STOPPED AT TRAFFI…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,265 miles reported. Look up ODI 11113809 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11130910 · 2018-09-24 (September 24, 2018)
PURCHASED NEW CRUSE HATCHBACK IN DEC.2017, WITH 3 MILES ON ODOMETER FROM (XXXXX) WESTLAKE,OH. PROBLEMS STARTED IN FEBRUARY, JUST STOPPED CAR,I WAS STILL IN IT AND ALARM WENT OFF, THEN ,ONSTAR SENT ME A NOTIFICATION MY CAR HAS BEEN STOLEN, CAR DID NOT RECOGNIZE REMOTE WITH ON SCREEN MESSAGE.CALLED DEALER SERVICE ADVISOR STATED I MUST HAVE ELECTRONIC ITEM IN CUP HOLDER CONFUSING THE CAR, I ONLY HAVE A SMARTPHONE THAT STAYS IN THE DRIVERS DOOR OR IN MY POCKET, I KEPT HITTING THE START BUTTON& REMOTE AND EVENTUALLY THE ALARM STOPPED AND IT WAS BACK…
Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11130910 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10959838 · 2017-03-09 (March 9, 2017)
I WAS TEST DRIVING A NEW 2017 CHEVY CRUZE...WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC FROM THE ON RAMP OF THE INTERSTATE, THE CAR JUST REVS UP FOR LIKE 5 SECS BEFORE FINALLY ACCELERATING INTO TRAFFIC....THIS IS A *****MAJOR FLAW***** I THOUGHT THE CAR HAD SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL....THE LAG TIME FOR THE MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION TO ENGAGE IS A HIGHLY****DEADLY****DESIGN FAILURE...
Owner-reported narrative. 15 miles reported. Look up ODI 10959838 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11016075 · 2017-08-17 (August 17, 2017)
I HAD MY CAR SERVICED AT A LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP (SUBURBAN CHEVROLET IN ANN ARBOR, MI), WHERE MY TIRES WERE ROTATED, OIL CHANGED, AND A RECALL FIXED. AS I LEFT THE DEALER/SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT DAY I FELT MY CAR PULLING SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN TO WORK AND THE PULLING CONTINUED, WITH MY STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY WOBBLING. I LEFT WORK FOR AN APPOINTMENT A FEW HOURS LATER AND AS I WAS DRIVING MY STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING MORE VIOLENTLY. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF AT THE FIR…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11016075 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11091071 · 2018-04-30 (April 30, 2018)
THE STEERING STARTED MOVING UP AND IN A LOCKED POSITION NOW THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN WILL COME ONLY TO YOUR KNEES. I ALMOST CRASHED THE CAR WHEN PUTTING ON THE BRAKES BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL GOES TO THE LEFT. NOT SYRE IF THE AIR BAG WILL GO OFF AS NEEDED.STEERING WHEEL WHEN PUTTING ON THE BRAKE SENDS CAR MOVING TO THE LEFT. THE STEERING WHEEL IS ABLE TO CONTROL IT CAN BE MOVED BY JUST A LITTLE MOVEMENT OF YOUR HAND.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11091071 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11258965 · 2019-09-30 (September 30, 2019)
THE SERVICE STABILITY TRACK LIGHT CAME ON ALL OF A SUDDEN AND THE CAR WAS SHAKING. MY WARRANTY TEAM OUT AT 63000 MILES, AND I WAS ONLY AT 93000. I HAD TO HAVE THE INJECTOR REPLACED AND THEY SAID I ALSO HAVE TO REPLACED THE VALVE SPRING COVER. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH CHEVY CRUZE AND THAT GM KNOWS OF THE ISSUE, BUT REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL. IN JUST MY AREA, ONE DEALERSHIP HAS SOLD 300 INJECTORS AND VALVE SPRING COVERS RECENTLY. I DO NOT HAVE SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT GM IS AWARE OF. THERE IS NO REASON I …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11258965 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11308041 · 2020-02-09 (February 9, 2020)
WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE INSTEAD OF THE CAR SPEEDING UP IT WILL STALL OR SLOW DOWN. MY CAR HAD STOPPED ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC BEFORE WHILE DRIVING. I HAD TO TURN MY CAR OFF AND TRY TO RESTART WHICH IT STRUGGLED TO RESTART BUT AFTER TRYING A FEW TIMES IT STARTED. THE DEALERSHIP STATED IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL INJECTOR. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET AND ALSO WHEN TURNING OR ENTERING THE HIGHWAY
Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11308041 at NHTSA ↗