What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2012 Chevrolet Cruze

Typical pattern

8% of complaints about the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2012 vehicle — around the middle of the 201 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 4.4 yr in service. The most-reported system is engine (266 complaints), typically at 5.9 yr or about 68,000 miles.

Complaints
1,351
Median age at failure
4.4 yr
Median mileage
54,778 n=1100
Crash / fire / tow
11.6% of reports
Safety recalls
7

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Engine
266 reports · 68,000 mi
5.9 yr
11.7%
Electrical system
197 reports · 50,000 mi
3.5 yr
7.1%
Service brakes
141 reports · 45,000 mi
3.8 yr
18.4%
Power train
138 reports · 58,000 mi
5.3 yr
8.7%
Electronic stability control (esc)
108 reports · 62,767 mi
4.4 yr
4.6%
Steering
105 reports · 46,000 mi
2.8 yr
8.6%
Other
84 reports · 79,000 mi
6.9 yr
8.3%
Speed control
51 reports · 65,000 mi
4.0 yr
9.8%
Fuel / propulsion
48 reports · 60,000 mi
6.5 yr
4.2%
Engine cooling
46 reports · 42,000 mi
2.4 yr
19.6%
Visibility / wipers
35 reports · 78,500 mi
5.6 yr
2.9%
Air bags
34 reports · 59,000 mi
5.2 yr
58.8%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

16V502000 2016-07-05
Electrical system:ignition

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 Sta

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

14V300000 2014-06-06
Air bags

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.

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.

13V360000 2013-08-15
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist

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.

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.

13V023000 2013-01-24
Air bags

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.

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.

12V522000 2012-10-31
Air bags

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.

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.

12V289000 2012-06-22
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:mounting

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.

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.

12V288000 2012-06-22
Engine cooling

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.

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

In owners’ own words

Power train mileage not reported 2 mo in service
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
Power train 100 mi 3 mo in service
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 FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100. UPDATED 07/06/12 *BF
Power train 760 mi 7 mo in service
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 30 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE JERKED WHILE CHANGING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 760 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,300. UPDATED 8/23/12 *CN
Steering mileage not reported 2 mo in service
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

Other Cruze model years

20182017201620152014201320122011

How to read this