What 731 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Limited

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED FOR IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THE RPM'S GO SO HIGH THE CAR ACCELERATES AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ENGINE IS GOING TO BLOW UP... AT THE SAME TIME THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKS AND I LOOSE ALL ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKE ALSO TRY TO LOCK. MAKING THE CAR FEEL LIKE I RAN SOMETHING OVER AND IT STUCK UNDER THE CAR.... PULLING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL HELP BRING IT TO A STOP- *TR

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MY 2011 CHEVY CRUZE HAS AN ACCELERATION HESITATION THAT CAUSES ME TO FEEL TOTALLY UNSAFE IN THE VEHICLE. STARTING ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2011 THE ISSUE BEGAN. WHEN I NEED TO ACCELERATE IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS SUCH AS PULLING OUT ON A ROAD, PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE, ACCELERATING AFTER REDUCING SPEED, ETC. ETC. THE CAR LOSES POWER WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS FOR THREE-FIVE SECONDS BEFORE SLOWLY RESPONDING AND ACCELERATING TO WHERE I NEED IT TO BE. IT'S AS IF THE CAR DIES FOR A FEW SECONDS. THOSE FEW SECONDS ARE ALWAYS IN SITUATIONS WHEN I NEED TO BE MOVING AND I DON'T LIKE IT. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS TURBO LAG. THINKING I DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT CARS, I LET IT GO. THE ISSUE IS GETTING WORSE (AND THERE WERE NUMEROUS OTHER LITTLE ISSUES) SO I BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP RIGHT BEFORE IT HIT 36,000 MILES AND WAS TOLD (ON TWO SEPARATE VISITS) THAT THE PROBLEM WAS PERFECTLY NORMAL AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THEY SHOWED ME A TSB FROM CHEVROLET SAYING THAT THE ISSUE WAS NORMAL. THEY ALSO SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WHEN THEY HAD MY CAR FOR A TOTAL OF 7.5 DAYS (OVER TWO SEPARATE VISITS) THEY GAVE ME A 2013 CRUZE TO DRIVE. THE NEWER CRUZE DID NOT HAVE THE HESITATION PROBLEM AT ALL, IT DROVE BEAUTIFULLY. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT GM REALIZED THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE 2011 CRUZE AND WAS ABLE TO REMEDY IT IN THE NEWER MODELS OF THE CAR WHICH LEAVES THE MANY 2011 CRUZE OWNERS SCARED FOR THEIR LIVES EVERY TIME THEY DRIVE THEIR CARS FOREVER. THAT ISN'T RIGHT. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL THAT HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE. IT IS DANGEROUS!! JUST BECAUSE NO ONE THAT WE KNOW OF HASN'T DIED YET THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE ISN'T AN ISSUE. THE 2011 CRUZE IS UNSAFE AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *TR

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CONSUMER STATED CHEVROLET CRUZE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, COULD NOT STOP. IT CRASHED INTO A FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.

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THIS INCIDENT IS OCCURRING ON A NEW VEHICLE THAT WAS PURCHASED LESS THAN 2 YEARS AGO. ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, AT A RATE OF SPEED APPROXIMATELY 65 -75 MPH, THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH WOULD LIGHT UP AND THE CAR WOULD FAIL TO ACCELERATE AND START LOSING SPEED. ATTEMPTS TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR AND GAIN SPEED WOULD RESULT IN EITHER THE CAR REVVING VERY HIGH AND ONLY REACH 5 - 10 MPH HOUR, OR THE CAR WOULD COMPLETELY LOSE POWER AND DIE. THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO EXIT THE FREEWAY DUE TO THE HIGH RATE OF SPEED OF THE OTHER VEHICLES ON THE FREEWAY AS THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FASTER THAN 5-10 MPH. THIS SITUATION IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS AS THE VEHICLE IS IN JEOPARDY OF BEING IN AN ACCIDENT OR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AS YOU HAVE NO WARNING BEFORE THE CAR STARTS TO JUST LOSE SPEED AT A VERY FAST PACE. THE MANUFACTURER AND/OR DEALERSHIP INDICATED THEY HAD CORRECTED THE PROBLEMS EACH TIME. *TR

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2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE BRAKE MALFUNCTION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED AS SHE TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, GIVING HER NO TIME TO REACT, WITH APPLYING THE BRAKE. THE CONSUMER HIT A PLANTER BOX, WHICH STOPPED HER FROM CRASHING INTO A WALL. *JB

NHTSA ODI 10495502

THERE IS KNOCKING NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. A LETTER FROM CHEVY STATES THAT THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. #PIC5726 THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES FOR THIS STARTING AT ABOUT 16,000 MILES. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 1.5 MONTHS. TAKING THE CAR BACK TO SHOP ON 1/17/2013 FOR THE HEATER AND A GRINDING NOISE WHEN PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL DOWN.

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VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED WITH 18*** MILES ON THE ODOMETER. VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ERRATICALLY WHEN DRIVING IN CITY CONDITIONS. PROBLEM MAY CAUSE STALLING OF VEHICLE AT LOWER HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE TRANSMISSION APPEARS TO SLIP AT SLOW SPEEDS. BEFORE SHIFTING, VEHICLE REGULARLY HITS MAXIMUM (RED LINE) RPM. POOR DOWNSHIFTING INTO LOWER GEARS CAUSES VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD AT LOWER SPEEDS. MOST NOTABLY FROM PARK TO DRIVE. ON ICY ROADS, THE HARD SHIFTING MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE TRACTION, RESULTING IN A CRASH, CAUSING FATALITIES OR INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANTS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO REPRODUCE CUSTOMER COMPLAINT. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. CURRENT MILEAGE 28***. *TR

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EVER SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR I HAVE EXPERIENCED A HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION AT ALL SPEEDS. I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO A FEW PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME COMPLAINT WITH THEIR CRUZE. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS EFFECT IS KNOWN AS TURBO LAG. THE DEALERS SAY THE TURBO CHARGER TAKES TIME TO CATCH UP WITH THE ROTATION SPEED OF THE ENGINE. I HAVE DRIVEN MANY CARS WITH TURBO CHARGE IN MY LIFE AS AN AUTO MECHANIC AND HAVE NEVER FELT THIS HESITATION ON ANY OF THEM. WHY WOULD A TURBO CHARGER LAG WHEN IT'S WHOLE PURPOSE IS TO ENHANCE ACCELERATION. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER FOR THE LAST RECALL AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK INTO THIS PHENOMENA WHILE IT WAS IN THE SHOP. THEY WROTE ON THE REPAIR ORDER THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE MY COMPLAINT DURING THE ROAD TEST. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE A HESITATION OF THIS SORT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER. I WILL CONTINUE TO COMPLAIN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THEIR STANCE SEEMS TO BE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING CHEVY CRUZE OWNERS ARE FORCED TO LIVE WITH. I'VE ALREADY HAD SOME CLOSE CALLS DUE TO THIS HESITATION. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10478012

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE AS A PRESENT FOR MY FATHER. AFTER GETTING IT HOME, (DRIVING IT HOME WAS ALL HIGHWAY), HE DROVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK AND NOTICED IT HAD A LAG IN THE VEHICLE SPEED. IT ALMOST FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. I DROVE IT HOME THAT NIGHT AND NOTICED THE SAME FEELING. IT'S ALMOST AS THOUGH IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT OUT OFTHE CAR TO KEEP DRIVING. IT DOWNSHIFTS BEFORE ITS SUPPOSED TO WHEN DRIVING AND AS A RESULTS ISN'T GETTING THE GAS MILEAGE ITS SUPPOSED TOO. DRIVING CITY, IT WAS ONLY GETTING 18-19MPG FOR ME. IT DOES MUCH BETTER ON THE HIGHWAY, OVER 55MPH, THEN WITH CITY DRIVING. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER, WHO TOOK IT TO A BIGGER CHEVY DEALER AND THEY STATED NOTHING WAS WRONG. GOT IT BACK AND ITS THE SAME WAY. WE LOVE THE CAR BUT WILL NOT DRIVE IT BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID OF NOT KNOWING WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT AND POSSIBLY HAVING SOMETHING SERIOUS HAPPEN TO IT. WE HAVE 2 LITTLE ONES THAT WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT WHO RIDE IN THE CAR AS WELL. SEEMS PRETTY UNSAFE TO HAVE A CAR DOWNSHIFT AND LAG WITH SPEED ASPECT WHEN ITS NOT SUPPOSED TOO. WISH A RECALL WOULD COME OUT. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE THE SERVICE LIGHTS FOR ABS AND STABILITRAK BEGIN INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATING AT THE SAME TIME, REMAINING ON FOR RANDOM PERIODS OF TIME. *TR

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CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHILE AT A STOPLIGHT, WITH CARS BEHIND ME. RADIO READOUT SAID, "STABILITRAK TURNED OFF"; DASH READOUT SAID, "ENGINE POWER REDUCED!". I COULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 1ST GEAR. I HAD AAA TOW THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND I WAS TOLD THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE THROTTLE WOULD NOT OPEN. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED SHE REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THE HANDLING OF THE VEHICLE WITHIN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS. PROBLEMS REPORTED INCLUDED: SHIFTING ISSUES IN WHICH THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY LUNGED FOWARD WHEN HER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, WHEN IN PARK AND ONCE WHILE DRIVING. SHE ALSO REPORTED INCIDENCES OF UNUSUALLY LONG PERIODS OF HESITATION WHEN STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE SERVICE STABLIIZER, SERIVCE POWER STEERING, TRACTION CONTROL AND ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED PERIODICALLY AS WELL AS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GOING BLANK WHILE DRIVING. UPDATED 01/04/12*BF

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SEVERE HESITATION WHEN YOU ACCELERATE LEADING TO POSSIBILITY OF REAREND COLLISION..MANUFACTURER WELL AWARE OF ISSUE BUT SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10430458

WHEN YOU BACK OFF THE THROTTLE AND SLOW TO 20 TO 25 MPH, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT THE CAR WILL DO. IT MAY COAST LIKE A NORMAL CAR. IT MAY DOWNSHIFT AND SLOW MODERATELY. OR IT MAY DOWNSHIFT TO FIRST GEAR AND SLOW RADICALLY. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE COMPUTER TAKES FULL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. YOU STEP ON THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS. THE COMPUTER HAS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE FOR THE NEXT 5 SECONDS. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 40 DIFFERENT TIMES. THIS CREATES A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. FIRST, I AM IN THE DRIVER SEAT AND I SHOULD HAVE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I DO NOT. SECONDLY, MOST PEOPLE DRIVE WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. IF I SLOW RADICALLY FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON AND ALL OF THE DRIVERS AROUND ME CONTINUE ON, SOMEONE BEHIND ME WILL RUN INTO ME. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A DISTRACTED DRIVER SMASHES INTO ME. AND THIRDLY, SINCE I NEVER TOUCHED THE BRAKE, THE BRAKE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. THE DRIVER BEHIND ME HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT I AM RADICALLY SLOWING AND CREATING SUCH A DANGEROUS SITUATION. IF YOU STEP ON THE GAS TO GET THE CAR TO GO, NOTHING HAPPENS. THEN THE COMPUTER RETURNS CONTROL TO THE DRIVER AND THE CAR TAKES OFF AT FULL SPEED. IF YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE, THE COMPUTER TAKES OVER. YOU THEN MUST COME TO A FULL COMPLETE STOP BEFORE THE COMPUTER WILL RETURN CONTROL TO THE DRIVER. IF YOU ARE MAKING A TURN WHEN THE CAR RADICALLY SLOWS, YOU COULD VERY EASILY LOOSE CONTROL. WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS WET OR SLIPPERY, THE PROBLEM IS GREATLY INCREASED. YOU ARE TOTALLY AT THE MERCY OF AN INSANE COMPUTER. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PLEASE GO TO THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER AND TEST DRIVE A CRUZE WITH THE AUTOMATIC SIX SPEED TRANSMISSION. YOU WILL SEE WHAT I MEAN.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE WHEN ACCELERATING BETWEEN 45-65 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PRODUCE ANY FAILURE CODES WHEN DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER PERFORMED A TEST DRIVE AND WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE BUT THERE WERE NO REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,000. UPDATED 11/16/2011 *LN *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND LETTING OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE WOULD DOWNSHIFT SLOWLY OR AGGRESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND THAT THE COMPUTER WAS LEARNING THE CONTACT'S WAY OF DRIVING. IN ADDITION, WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE TO HIGHER SPEEDS THE VEHICLE WOULD CREEP AND SLOWLY ACCELERATE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED A SECOND TIME AND THEY TEST DROVE BUT WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7. UPDATED 09/02/11*LJ

NHTSA ODI 10414734

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 VERY SLOW RESPONSE, WHEN IT DOES RESPOND THE CAR IS VERY JERKY GOING THRU THE GEARS, AFRAID THIS MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT FOR FAILURE TO MOVE OUT AND WITH THE TRAFFIC. IT HAPPENS WITH ALL THE GEARS ! I HAVE PROBLEMS TOO WITH THE CAR OVER- ACCELERATING GOING NOW HILLS. ALL THE ABOVE CONTINUE TO HAPPEN DESPITE FOLLOWING THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR OPERATING THE VEHICLE. I FEEL STRONGLY THAT THIS IS A UNSAFE VEHICLE. I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH A 4 CYL TURBO WITH HOPES I WOULD HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA POWER, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET. *TR

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHEN THE STOPPED THE CONTACT BEGAN TO DEPRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE. THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED THAT THE SPEED WAS RISING BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED IT DID SO AT THE SPEED DISPLAYED ON THE SPEEDOMETER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 1,000.

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE RPMS EXTENDED FROM 0 TO 7. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,825.

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