1. Home
2. Chevrolet
3. Cruze 2011–2015

Chevrolet Cruze 2011–2015 problems by year and mileage

1st generation (J300) — plus the MY2016 'Cruze Limited' carryover

NHTSA data through 24 September 20263,137 complaints, 2,366 with mileageMethod

Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.

• 201155kmedian
• 201254kmedian
• 201351kmedian
• 201453kmedian
• 201555kmedian

Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2011 reports latest and the 2013 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2011 has had 2 more years on the road to accumulate mileage.

The short answer

“Is the 2011–2015 Chevrolet Cruze reliable?”

Median of reported failures

54,000 mi

90% of reports came by

115,000 mi

Reports with mileage

2,366

Recalls

21

Most reported

1. Engine33.5% of complaints · median 69,000 mi
2. Electrical system20.7% of complaints · median 50,000 mi
3. Transmission and driveline18.4% of complaints · median 52,000 mi

When each system fails ↓

Documented problems

• Engine (1.4L Turbo) — Pcv System2011–2015
• Cooling System2011–2015
• Electrical2011–2015
• Turbocharger2011–2015

What each one is ↓

Owners filed 3,137 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011–2015 Chevrolet Cruze; the engine leads with 33.5% of them, and half of the 2,366 that record an odometer reading came by 54,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.

Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 24,000 and 84,000 miles.

Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗

How many miles does a 2011–2015 Chevrolet Cruze last?

Figure 1 · Chevrolet Cruze 2011–2015 · 2,366 reports with mileage

Mileage at failure

Complaints per 5,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 223 complaints.

223167112560

9.4% of all reports fall between 0 and 5,000 miles

25k50k75k100k125k150k175k200k

• Rest of the range
• Median
• 200,000+ — 11 complaints (0.5%), plotted separately

10%

5,000

25%

24,000

Median

54,000

75%

84,000

90%

115,000

Tallest bin: 223 complaints between 0 and 5,000 miles. Based on 2,366 complaints that record mileage. Bin width 5,000 miles.

Show the numbers

Complaints by mileage bin

Mileage	Complaints	Share
0–5,000	223	9.4%
5,000–10,000	119	5.0%
10,000–15,000	99	4.2%
15,000–20,000	69	2.9%
20,000–25,000	90	3.8%
25,000–30,000	80	3.4%
30,000–35,000	76	3.2%
35,000–40,000	100	4.2%
40,000–45,000	123	5.2%
45,000–50,000	94	4.0%
50,000–55,000	125	5.3%
55,000–60,000	115	4.9%
60,000–65,000	93	3.9%
65,000–70,000	106	4.5%
70,000–75,000	94	4.0%
75,000–80,000	75	3.2%
80,000–85,000	101	4.3%
85,000–90,000	66	2.8%
90,000–95,000	67	2.8%
95,000–100,000	52	2.2%
100,000–105,000	71	3.0%
105,000–110,000	37	1.6%
110,000–115,000	40	1.7%
115,000–120,000	42	1.8%
120,000–125,000	39	1.6%
125,000–130,000	25	1.1%
130,000–135,000	39	1.6%
135,000–140,000	19	0.8%
140,000–145,000	25	1.1%
145,000–150,000	9	0.4%
150,000–155,000	12	0.5%
155,000–160,000	2	0.1%
160,000–165,000	6	0.3%
165,000–170,000	8	0.3%
170,000–175,000	4	0.2%
175,000–180,000	5	0.2%
185,000–190,000	5	0.2%
200,000+	11	0.5%

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.

What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.

Common Cruze problems, and when they happen

Figure 2 · Chevrolet Cruze 2011–2015

When each system fails

Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.

System0–12,000 mi factory-defect window12,000 mi and beyond wear and service lifeMedian

1. Brakes294 reports40,00013,000–70,000Brakes: 294 reports, median 40,000 miles, middle half 13,000 to 70,000 miles.
2. Steering342 reports44,00021,000–68,000Steering: 342 reports, median 44,000 miles, middle half 21,000 to 68,000 miles.
3. Electrical system649 reports50,00030,000–80,000Electrical system: 649 reports, median 50,000 miles, middle half 30,000 to 80,000 miles.
4. Transmission and driveline576 reports52,00011,000–82,000Transmission and driveline: 576 reports, median 52,000 miles, middle half 11,000 to 82,000 miles.
5. Problems owners could not categorise369 reports66,00035,000–93,000Problems owners could not categorise: 369 reports, median 66,000 miles, middle half 35,000 to 93,000 miles.
6. Electronic stability control (esc)344 reports66,00042,000–90,000Electronic stability control (esc): 344 reports, median 66,000 miles, middle half 42,000 to 90,000 miles.
7. Engine1,052 reports69,00037,000–97,000Engine: 1,052 reports, median 69,000 miles, middle half 37,000 to 97,000 miles.

5001k2k5k10k20k50k100k200k

• Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”

Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.

All systems in a table

Complaints by vehicle system

System	Complaints	Share	Median	25–75%
Engine	1,052	33.5%	69,000	37,000–97,000
Electrical system	649	20.7%	50,000	30,000–80,000
Transmission and driveline	576	18.4%	52,000	11,000–82,000
Problems owners could not categorise	369	11.8%	66,000	35,000–93,000
Electronic stability control (esc)	344	11.0%	66,000	42,000–90,000
Steering	342	10.9%	44,000	21,000–68,000
Brakes	294	9.4%	40,000	13,000–70,000
Airbag system	220	7.0%	48,000	15,000–80,000
Throttle and speed control	209	6.7%	46,000	17,000–83,000
Fuel and propulsion system	196	6.2%	58,000	26,000–90,000

System by system, in words

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 54,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The engine accounts for 33.5% of complaints (1,052 reports, 722 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 69,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 37,000 and 97,000 miles.

A single system taking 33.5% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.

The electrical system accounts for 20.7% of complaints (649 reports, 485 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 50,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 30,000 and 80,000 miles.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 18.4% of complaints (576 reports, 426 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 52,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 11,000 and 82,000 miles.

Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 11.8% of complaints (369 reports, 224 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 66,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,000 and 93,000 miles.

Electronic stability control (esc) accounts for 11.0% of complaints (344 reports, 296 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 66,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 42,000 and 90,000 miles.

The steering accounts for 10.9% of complaints (342 reports, 276 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 44,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 21,000 and 68,000 miles.

Known problems with the 2011–2015 Cruze

Before you buy a 2011–2015 Cruze: the 3-minute check

Generated from 2,366 mileage-tagged complaints, 21 recall campaigns, 4 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.

For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 24,000 and 84,000 miles, with a median of 54,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.

On inspection, the engine and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 50,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Cruze problems by mileage: where your car sits

Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.

Your odometer, milesGo

Figure 3 · Chevrolet Cruze 2011–2015 · 2,366 reports with mileage

Share of reports below each mileage

Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.

100%75%50%25%0%

25k50k75k100k125k150k175k200k

• 60,000 mi — 55% of reports below
• 90,000 mi — 78% of reports below
• 120,000 mi — 91% of reports below
• 150,000 mi — 98% of reports below
• 200,000 mi — 100% of reports below
• Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
• Your odometer — appears after you enter it above

The staircase tops out at 100%: the remaining 0.5% of reports (11) came above 200,000 miles.

Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.

2011–2015 Chevrolet Cruze recalls (21)

NHTSA records 21 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (7), the transmission and driveline (4), the steering (3). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Recall repairs are free at an authorized dealer, for any owner. Summaries below shorten NHTSA’s own wording.

1. Nov 2025 · 2014 · Air BagsAn inflator that ruptures may partially inflate the air bag and cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit…

   The defect. General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. The left and/or right-side roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflators located on the roof rails above the headliner, may rupture at the inflator weld joint.

   What can happen. An inflator that ruptures may partially inflate the air bag and cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of an injury.

   The free fix. Dealers will replace the left and/or right-side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 5, 2025. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or…

   NHTSA campaign 25V-764 (2025-11-06).

2. Dec 2023 · 2014 · Air BagsAn inflator that ruptures may partially inflate the air bag and cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit…

   The defect. General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. The left and/or right-side roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflators may rupture at the inflator weld joint. This recall is an expansion of Recall 23V-674.

   What can happen. An inflator that ruptures may partially inflate the air bag and cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of an injury.

   The free fix. Dealers will replace the left and/or right-side RRAB modules as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 22, 2024. Owners may contact Buick customer service at…

   NHTSA campaign 23V-870 (2023-12-21).

3. Sep 2023 · 2014 · Air BagsAn inflator that ruptures may partially inflate the air bag and cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit…

   The defect. General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. The left and/or right-side roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflators located on the roof rails above the headliner, may rupture at the inflator weld joint.

   What can happen. An inflator that ruptures may partially inflate the air bag and cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of an injury.

   The free fix. Dealers will replace the left and/or right-side RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 12, 2024. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or…

   NHTSA campaign 23V-674 (2023-09-20).

4. Jul 2016 · 2011–2015 · Electrical SystemIf the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting…

   The defect. 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…

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

   The free fix. 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…

   NHTSA campaign 16V-502 (2016-07-05).

5. Dec 2015 · 2015 · Seat BeltsAn insufficiently torqued bolt may prevent the seat belt from holding the required load in a crash…

   The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured September 24, 2014, to May 29, 2015. In the affected vehicles, one of the driver-side seat belt assembly bolts may not be properly tightened.

   What can happen. An insufficiently torqued bolt may prevent the seat belt from holding the required load in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

   The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the bolts, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2016 Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's…

   NHTSA campaign 15V-876 (2015-12-23).

6. Jul 2015 · 2014–2015 · SteeringSeparation of the tie rod from the steering gear could result in the loss of steering, increasing the risk of…

   The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured November 8, 2013, to March 12, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Volt vehicles manufactured April 11, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the inner tie rod may not be…

   What can happen. Separation of the tie rod from the steering gear could result in the loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.

   The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's…

   NHTSA campaign 15V-442 (2015-07-10).

7. Feb 2015 · 2015 · Parking BrakeIf the parking brake bracket separates, the parking brake may not hold the vehicle, increasing the risk of a…

   The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured February 4, 2015, to February 9, 2015. The left-rear or right-rear parking brake cable brackets may not have been properly fastened during the assembly process.…

   What can happen. If the parking brake bracket separates, the parking brake may not hold the vehicle, increasing the risk of a vehicle roll away and a crash.

   The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left-rear and right-rear parking brake brackets bolts, tightening them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in March 24, 2015. Owners may…

   NHTSA campaign 15V-113 (2015-02-27).

8. Jul 2014 · 2013–2014 · EquipmentExposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is…

   The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured…

   What can happen. Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.

   The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in August 2014. Owners…

   NHTSA campaign 14V-417 (2014-07-02).

9. Jun 2014 · 2013–2014 · Air BagsIn the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's air bag, the air bag's inflator may rupture…

   The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the driver's front air bag inflator may have been manufactured with an incorrect part.

   What can happen. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's air bag, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike and…

   The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side air bag, free of charge. The recall began on June 28, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's…

   NHTSA campaign 14V-372 (2014-06-26).

10. Jun 2014 · 2012 · Air BagsIf the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the…

    The defect. 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…

    What can happen. 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…

    The free fix. 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…

    NHTSA campaign 14V-300 (2014-06-06).

11. Mar 2014 · 2013–2014 · Power TrainIf the half shaft fractures and separates while driving, the vehicle would lose power and coast to a stop.

    The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with a 1.4L turbo engine, and manufactured between November 28, 2012, and March 7, 2014. On the affected vehicles, the right front half shaft may fracture…

    What can happen. If the half shaft fractures and separates while driving, the vehicle would lose power and coast to a stop. If a vehicle with a fractured half shaft is parked without the parking brake applied, the…

    The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the right half shaft, as needed, free of charge. Parts for the remedy are not currently available. GM will send an interim letter to owners…

    NHTSA campaign 14V-151 (2014-03-31).

12. Feb 2014 · 2014 · Power TrainIf a vehicle's shift cable disengages from the transmission shift lever, a driver may be unable to shift gear…

    The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Regal, LaCrosse, Verano, and Enclave, and Chevrolet Impala, Malibu, Cruze, and Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. In the affected vehicles, the…

    What can happen. If a vehicle's shift cable disengages from the transmission shift lever, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the…

    The free fix. General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace any affected transmission shift cable adjusters, free of charge. The recall began on April 10, 2014. Chevrolet owners may…

    NHTSA campaign 14V-092 (2014-02-21).

13. Sep 2013 · 2013–2014 · Power TrainIf the half shaft fractures and separates while driving, the vehicle would lose power and coast to a stop.

    The defect. General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with manual transmissions (MF3/MR5) and manufactured January 24, 2013, through August 1, 2013. On the affected vehicles, the right front half shaft may…

    What can happen. If the half shaft fractures and separates while driving, the vehicle would lose power and coast to a stop. If a vehicle with a fractured half shaft is parked without the parking brake applied, the…

    The free fix. General Motors has notified owners. Dealers will replace the half shaft assembly, free of charge. The safety recall began on October 15, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.…

    NHTSA campaign 13V-452 (2013-09-23).

14. Aug 2013 · 2011–2012 · Service Brakes, HydraulicA loss of braking assistance will require extra pedal force and/or distance to bring the vehicle to a stop…

    The defect. 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…

    What can happen. 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.

    The free fix. 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…

    NHTSA campaign 13V-360 (2013-08-15).

15. Jan 2013 · 2012 · Air BagsIf the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the…

    The defect. 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.

    What can happen. 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…

    The free fix. 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.

    NHTSA campaign 13V-023 (2013-01-24).

16. Oct 2012 · 2012 · Air BagsIf the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the…

    The defect. 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.

    What can happen. 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.

    The free fix. 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…

    NHTSA campaign 12V-522 (2012-10-31).

17. Jun 2012 · 2011–2012 · Fuel System, GasolineThe fuel tank could come loose in a crash, possibly allowing fuel to leak from the tank.

    The defect. 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.

    What can happen. 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.

    The free fix. 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…

    NHTSA campaign 12V-289 (2012-06-22).

18. Jun 2012 · 2011–2012 · Engine and Engine CoolingEither condition could result in an engine compartment fire, possibly causing injury or death.

    The defect. 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…

    What can happen. Either condition could result in an engine compartment fire, possibly causing injury or death.

    The free fix. 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…

    NHTSA campaign 12V-288 (2012-06-22).

19. May 2011 · 2011 · Power TrainThe driver may not be able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited…

    The defect. General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured from october 6, 2009, through april 27, 2011 and equipped with an automatic transmission for failing to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 102…

    What can happen. The driver may not be able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning.

    The free fix. Dealers will inspect the transmission shift linkage for correct installation and adjust the shift linkage system free of charge. The safety recall began on may 23, 2011. Owners may contact Chevrolet…

    NHTSA campaign 11V-273 (2011-05-06).

20. May 2011 · 2011 · SteeringThis could allow the shafts to separate, resulting in the loss of steering.

    The defect. General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured from october 2, 2009, through april 21, 2011. The bolt attaching the intermediate steering shaft to the steering gear input shaft may not have been properly installed.

    What can happen. This could allow the shafts to separate, resulting in the loss of steering. Loss of steering control may increase the risk of a crash.

    The free fix. Dealers will inspect, and if required, repair the intermediate shaft/steering gear assembly to assure the bolt is fully seated and the shaft properly assembled. This service will be performed free of…

    NHTSA campaign 11V-270 (2011-05-06).

21. Apr 2011 · 2011 · SteeringShould the steering wheel detach from the steering column while driving, the driver could lose the ability to…

    The defect. General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. During manufacturing the steering wheel could have been improperly fastened and may detach from the steering column.

    What can happen. Should the steering wheel detach from the steering column while driving, the driver could lose the ability to steer the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    The free fix. Dealers will inspect to ensure that the steering wheel is assembled properly. This service will be performed for you free of charge. The safety recall began on april 7, 2011. Owners may contact…

    NHTSA campaign 11V-221 (2011-04-06).

Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported

What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 3,137 complaints against this generation:

Crashes

244 (7.8%)

Fires

67

Injury reports

123

Fatality reports

1

These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.

Cruze problems by model year

The 2012 drew the most complaints of this generation, 865, most of them about the engine, and the 2015 the fewest, 252. A typical year drew about 702.

What Cruze owners reported

The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and raising the foot off the accelerator pedal, the vehicle decelerated drastically. Additionally, the vehicle occasionally hesitated while accelerating and failed to immediately accelerate while depressing the accelerator…

2011 · 129,000 miles · Throttle and speed control

The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while attempting to move the gear shifter, the vehicle hesitated while shifting into neutral(N) or drive(D) as intended, and there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the…

2014 · 45,000 miles · Transmission and driveline

The contact owned a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, a Chevrolet Impala crashed into the rear of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to fishtail and flip over several times and land upside down in the woods. The contact stated that the air bags deployed and exploded. The contact stated…

2014 · 14,000 miles · Airbag system

The contact stated that the key-fob failed to lock and unlocking of the failed intermittenly. The key fob was the original manufactured key fob. The dealer had been contacted, and the key fob was reprogrammed. The failure persisted. The dealer was contacted again, and it was diagnosed that the circuit board would slip…

2014 · 82,000 miles · Electrical system

Built from 2,366 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built

Other Cruze generations

• Cruze 2016–2019 330 reports with mileage, most about the engine

Other compact cars from the same years

• Hyundai Elantra 2011–2016
• Toyota Prius 2010–2015
• Volkswagen Jetta 2011–2018
• Ford Focus 2012–2018