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U.S. public vehicle records

Chevrolet CRUZE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

3,717 owner complaints analyzed

26 distinct recall campaigns

52,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2010 to 2019 model years. Data snapshot: . 2,700 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1,258 of 3,717 complaints (33.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior58115.6%
Steering behavior47312.7%
Transmission and shifting39010.5%
Electrical and battery issues3399.1%
Engine operation2867.7%
Fuel system concerns451.2%

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.

Engine
1,258
Electrical System
742
Power Train
649
Unknown Or Other
468
Steering
373
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
369
Service Brakes
345
Air Bags
256
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine1258
Electrical System742
Power Train649
Unknown Or Other468
Steering373
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)369
Service Brakes345
Air Bags256

Engine: 1,258; Electrical System: 742; Power Train: 649; Unknown Or Other: 468; Steering: 373; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 369; Service Brakes: 345; Air Bags: 256

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
730
25,000 to 49,999
537
50,000 to 74,999
607
75,000 to 99,999
402
100,000 to 149,999
366
150,000 and above
58
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,000730
25,000 to 49,999537
50,000 to 74,999607
75,000 to 99,999402
100,000 to 149,999366
150,000 and above58

Under 25,000: 730; 25,000 to 49,999: 537; 50,000 to 74,999: 607; 75,000 to 99,999: 402; 100,000 to 149,999: 366; 150,000 and above: 58

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (730). 1,017 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.

2010
2
2011
57
2012
113
2013
169
2014
448
2015
295
2016
311
2017
330
2018
422
2019
446
2020
319
2021
192
2022
185
2023
168
2024
121
2025
84
2026
55
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20102
201157
2012113
2013169
2014448
2015295
2016311
2017330
2018422
2019446
2020319
2021192
2022185
2023168
2024121
202584
202655

2010: 2; 2011: 57; 2012: 113; 2013: 169; 2014: 448; 2015: 295; 2016: 311; 2017: 330; 2018: 422; 2019: 446; 2020: 319; 2021: 192; 2022: 185; 2023: 168; 2024: 121; 2025: 84; 2026: 55

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 581 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 473 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 390 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 10383221 · 2011-02-18 (February 18, 2011)

NEW 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. 270 MILES ON ODOMETER. ENTERING MY GARAGE AND STEPPED ON BRAKES AND CARE WOULD NOT STOP. RELEASE BRAKE AND REAPPLIED AND CAR STOPPED. TOOK TO DEALER WHO TESTED AND FOUND NO PROBLEM BUT WHEN TECHNICIAN WAS TAKING CAR INTO BAY TO INSTALL MUDFLAPS PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED. DEALERSHIP KEPT CAR AND ENDED UP REPLACING A POWER BOOSTER CHECK VALVE. *LN

Owner-reported narrative. 270 miles reported. Look up ODI 10383221 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10392518 · 2011-03-22 (March 22, 2011)

I HAVE A 2011 CHEVY CRUZE. I JUST PURCHASED IN NOV 2010. ONE MONTH AFTER I HAD THE CAR I HAD TO TAKE IT INTO THE DEALER DUE TO STEERING NOISE WHEN WHEEL WAS TURNED LEFT/RIGHT. THEY HAD TO LUBRICATE SOME PARTS BY THE WHEELS. STARTING IN FEB 2011 I NOTICE THE CAR STARTED TO LURCH FORWARD WHEN YOU TOOK YOU FOOT OF THE BRAKE. IT BOGS WHEN YOU TAKE OFF, YOU WILL GO THEN THE CAR BOGS AND THEN IT GOES AGAIN. WHEN ITS GOING INTO GEARS (I HAVE AN AUTOMATIC 6 SPEED) ITS ROUGH AND THE CAR JERKS WHENEVER YOU ACCELERATE OR WHEN YOUR SLOWING DOWN. WHEN YOU …

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10392518 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10392252 · 2011-03-20 (March 20, 2011)

WHILE DRIVING MY NEW 2011 CHEVY CRUZE ON HIGHWAY 10 IN MINNESOTA, WITH OUT ANY WARNING OR ANY OTHER INDICATIONS THE STEERING WHEEL FELL OFF IN THE HANDS OF THE DRIVER. WE CROSSED SEVERAL LANES OF TRAFFIC AND FINALLY GOT THE CAR STOPPED JUST INCHES FROM HITTING THE GUARDRAIL. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,609 miles reported. Look up ODI 10392252 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10654512 · 2014-11-12 (November 12, 2014)

VEHICLE NOT TAKING OFF FROM STOP THEN RED LINES AND JERKS FORWARD . DEALERSHIP TRYING TO SAY IT IS THE ADAPTIVE MEMORY ON TRANSMISSION . THE CAR IS NOT TAKING OFF PROPERLY AND THEN LURCHES AND JERKS FORWARD. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10654512 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10392902 · 2011-03-25 (March 25, 2011)

I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2011 CHEVY CRUZE LS. AFTER ABOUT TWO WEEKS OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE I NOTICE THAT WHEN DRIVING IT IN MANUAL AND COMING TO A STOP THE CAR WOULD VIOLENTLY SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CONTACTED GM. THEY ALSO TEST DROVE EVERY CHEVY CRUZE LS MODEL AND NON-TURBO ENGINE CRUZE THEY HAD IN STOCK AND FOUND THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY CONTACTED GM AGAIN AND GM INFORMED THEM THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE LS AN NON-TURBO ENGINE MODELS AND THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A SOLUTION OF FIX TO TH…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10392902 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10453754 · 2012-04-02 (April 2, 2012)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND AFTER SHE EXIT THE VEHICLE IT BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND REFERRED HIM TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. …

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10453754 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10465455 · 2012-07-12 (July 12, 2012)

RECEIVED A RECALL #12081,WE TOOK THE CAR INTO THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER IN CONWAY SC FOR THE REPAIRS ,ABOUT 45 MIN. .WHEN IT WAS COMPLETED ,I ASKED THE SERVICE ADVISER ,HOH IT WAS REPAIRED. HE SAD IT WAS REWORKED AND MODIFIED PER CHEVROLET SPECS . LITTLE DID I KNOW. THERE REPAIRS CONSIST OF REMOVING MOST OF THE SHIELD AND LEAVING THE ENGINE AND WIRING LEFT UNPROTECTED TO THE ELEMENTS ON THE ROADS.ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS CUT A ACCESS HOLE IN THE PLATE TO GET TO THE OIL DRAIN PLUG /HONESTLY IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS DONE IN SUCH A HURRY TO JUST SAVE …

Owner-reported narrative. 11,737 miles reported. Look up ODI 10465455 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10408888 · 2011-06-25 (June 25, 2011)

I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH MY NEW 2011 CHEVY CRUZE ECO (1.4L 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION) THE CAR LOOSES POWER ESPECIALLY WHEN TRY TO ACCELERATE UP HILLS, TOTAL LOSS OF POWER AND LACK OF RESPONSE. THIS KEEPS HAPPENING OUT ON THE FREEWAY. I HAVE MY FOOT PRESSED ALL THE WAY DOWN ON ACCELERATOR, BUT NO RESPONSE FROM THE CAR. CAR HAS SLOWED DOWN TO 30 MPH GOING UP THE HILLS ON FREEWAY PUTTING ME IN AN UNSAFE POSITION. IT HAPPENS ON LEVEL SERVICES TOO, TRY TO GET THE CAR GOING WHEN AT A STOP LIGHT IS HARD TOO, I GIVE THE CAR GAS AND GET VER…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10408888 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10413754 · 2011-07-20 (July 20, 2011)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUE DRIVING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED WITH A FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 12,528. UPDATED 09/21/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THERE IS A HESITATION FROM THE VEHICLE, WHEN TRYING TO PULL OUT IN …

Owner-reported narrative. 12,528 miles reported. Look up ODI 10413754 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10488678 · 2012-12-13 (December 13, 2012)

GAS TANK VENT HAS SHIFTED IN MY CAR. WHENEVER I PUMP GAS INTO THE CAR IT WILL ONLY ALLOW ME TO PUMP AT A SLOW SPEED. SEVERAL PUMPS HAVE NOT RECOGNIZED THE SPEED AND DID NOT AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF. CAUSING GASOLINE TO SPILL OUT OF MY CAR ONTO MY CLOTHES, VEHICLE AND GROUND. TO ME THIS IS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. NOT ONLY DID I HAVE TO GO TO WORK SMELLING LIKE GAS, BUT I CARRIED THE FUMES INTO THE CAR WITH ME. SO THAT MY 2 YOUNG GRAND CHILDREN HAVE TO SMELL THE FUMES. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10488678 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2010
0
2011
7
2012
7
2013
5
2014
10
2015
4
2016
4
2017
2
2018
3
2019
2
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
20100
20117
20127
20135
201410
20154
20164
20172
20183
20192

2010: 0; 2011: 7; 2012: 7; 2013: 5; 2014: 10; 2015: 4; 2016: 4; 2017: 2; 2018: 3; 2019: 2

Year-by-year records

Chevrolet CRUZE model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
201020Not available
20117317+7
201286570
20135865-2
201470210+5
20152514-6
201624940
20172012-2
20181093+1
2019212-1