2012 Chevrolet CRUZE: complaints, problems and recalls

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 12 MPH DURING A RAIN STORM WHEN THE WIPERS WERE ACTIVATED BUT WOULD ONLY OPERATE EXTREMELY SLOW. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ROADWAY BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY WIPERS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE WIPER SPEED WAS SLOWER THAN NORMAL. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER BUT THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE DURING INCLEMENT WEATHE…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10432765 at NHTSA ↗

MY 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE ECO WITH THE 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION HAS OCCASIONALLY REFUSED TO GO INTO 4TH GEAR, AND GRINDS OCCASIONALLY WHEN GOING INTO 2ND GEAR. I GET THE GRIND AT ABOUT 1200 RPM AND UP. MOST OF MY SHIFTING IS DONE AT OR BELOW 2500 RPM FOR FUEL ECONOMY REASONS. THE CLUTCH PEDAL CAN BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR, THE ENGINE REV-MATCHED, AND IT WILL STILL BALK/GRIND IN THOSE GEARS.THIS IS MY SECOND MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR AFTER PUTTING 70,000 MILES ON MY FIRST ONE, SO I KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION WITHOUT GRINDING THE GEARS. …

Owner-reported narrative. 1,672 miles reported. Look up ODI 10433103 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 TO 80 MPH, HE WOULD HEAR WIND ENTERING THE VEHICLE FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND WAS PRESENT ON ALL THE NEW VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10436843 at NHTSA ↗

I JUST BOUGHT A 2012 CHEVY CRUZE. AT TAKE OFF AND TURNING AROUND CURVES AT LOW SPEED THE STEERING AND THE WHEELS SHAKE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT BUT IT CONTINUES TO DO IT. VERY UPSETTING THAT IT IS BRAND NEW AND ALREADY HAVING PROBLEMS. I REALLY LIKE MY CAR BUT WISH IT WAS FIXED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10437369 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE LTZ. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WAS AUTOMATIC DIMMING LIGHT AND IT DOESN'T FUNCTION AS IT SHOULD. WHEN SOMEONE IS DRIVING BEHIND HIM WITH THEIR HEADLIGHTS ON IT CAUSED A GLARE IN THE MIRROR WHICH OBSCURED HIS VISION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE MIRROR WITH ONE THAT HAD TINT IN IT. AFTER HAVING THE REAR VIEW MIRROR REPLACED, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE W…

Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10445585 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN WHICH THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO CHANGE GEARS WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING TO SPECIFICATIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10456130 at NHTSA ↗

THE FLOOR MATS DO NOT STAY IN PLACE AND SLIDE UP UNDER THE PEDALS. THERE ARE RETAINING PINS, BUT THESE DO NOT WORK DUE TO POOR DESIGN. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10456651 at NHTSA ↗

BACK IN JANUARY 2012, I BOUGHT A CHEVY CRUZE 2012 WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. AFTER TWO MONTH USING THIS VEHICLE, I FOUND OUT IT HAS A PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING UP/DOWN HILL. DRIVING UPHILL, ONCE I PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE AND RELEASE THE BRAKE PEDAL THIS CAR ROLLS BACK AND THE ENGINE CUT OFF. DRIVING DOWNHILL, ONCE I PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO REAR AND RELEASE THE BRAKE PEDAL THIS CAR GOES DOWN AND THE ENGINE CUT OFF. I WENT TO A CHEVROLET DEALER, THEY TESTED MY CAR AND ANOTHER 2012 CRUZE FROM THEIR INVENTORY AND BOTH CARS DID THE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10456727 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2012-06-22 (June 22, 2012)

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH MAY 31, 2012. SPILLED OR DRIPPING OIL (SUCH AS AFTER AN OIL CHANGE) MAY COLLECT IN THE ENGINE SHIELD (BELLYPAN) NEAR HOT ENGINE OR EXHAUST SYSTEM SURFACES. AS A RESULT, THE OIL AND THE ENGINE SHIELD MAY IGNITE AND BURN.

Consequence: EITHER CONDITION COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ENGINE SHIELD TO PREVENT FLUID FROM CONTACTING THE SHIELD. ALSO, ON VEHICLES WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, DEALERS WILL APPLY A PROTECTIVE TAPE TO THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING WIRE HARNESS. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE TO THE OWNER. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 10, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE CHEVROLET OWNER CENTER AT 1-866-694-6546.

Reported: 2012-06-22 (June 22, 2012)

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH MAY 14, 2012. ATTACHMENT WELDS FOR THE FUEL TANK STRAP SECONDARY BRACKETS MAY HAVE BEEN OMITTED.

Consequence: THE FUEL TANK COULD COME LOOSE IN A CRASH, POSSIBLY ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE TANK. A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR MISSING WELDS. IF THE VEHICLE IS MISSING WELDS, DEALERS WILL SECURE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENTS WITH FASTENERS. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 9, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE CHEVROLET OWNER CENTER AT 1-866-694-6546.

Reported: 2012-10-31 (October 31, 2012)

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Consequence: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal airbag, that airbag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel airbag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

Reported: 2013-01-24 (January 24, 2013)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic, and model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Consequence: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on February 13, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

Reported: 2013-08-15 (August 15, 2013)

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with 1.4L DOHC gasoline turbo engines and 6T40 front wheel drive automatic transmissions and equipped with an electric vacuum pump to provide supplemental vacuum for brake assist, when needed. In the affected vehicles, the pump may not activate, resulting in an intermittent reduction or loss of brake assist.

Consequence: A loss of braking assistance will require extra pedal force and/or distance to bring the vehicle to a stop, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace a microswitch in the power brake vacuum pipe assembly, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020. GM's recall number is 12213.

Reported: 2014-06-06 (June 6, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured December 5, 2011 to August 2, 2012, and Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 1, 2011 to June 11, 2012. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Consequence: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at 1-800-222-1020. Buick owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. Note: This is an expansion of recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023.

Reported: 2016-07-05 (July 5, 2016)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.