What 864 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze Limited

Was driving and my car literally wouldn't go forward. Prior to I had an oil change and I would smell burning oil

NHTSA ODI 11744364

My breaks do not work in reverse. Pump valve seems to be bad

NHTSA ODI 11741926

Have called about this starting 2020. Had 137000. Also previous owner since 99000mi. Drive train & Turbo. Brake assist. Oil leaks, shutting off while driving. Now as of Saturday April 25 2026 Car shut off while driving and has been towed to dealership. Car deemed lemon by GM. In 2020 car to have been replaced I have all service contact numbers as well as my receipts. Car is a death trap. Do better Chevrolet & GM

NHTSA ODI 11734134

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH and accelerating over a speed bump, the key slid out of the ignition switch. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic, and it was determined that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V502000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 74,522.

NHTSA ODI 11733293

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine started overheating, and a coolant leak was discovered. During the failure, the check engine warning light was displayed, and the message "A/C Off Due to High Engine Temp" was displayed even though the A/C was not activated. The temperature gauge was elevated, creating a risk that the engine might stall or catch on fire. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V288000 ( ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the VIN was not included in the recall repair. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

NHTSA ODI 11728123

Check engine light on Car smoking when driven and smells like burning oil

NHTSA ODI 11711132

My son just purchased this car and nearly hit 100,000 miles. It started leaking oil in the engine area the valve cover gasket. It's drips all over the car causing it to smoke and smell.

NHTSA ODI 11693383

Repetitive coolant leak repaired 5+ times over 9 years; incurred costs over $X,XXX. Coolant (toxic) leak causes burn off in the engine compartment and the vapors from this are transferred into the cabin, posing a risk to driver and passenger health.

NHTSA ODI 11685443

Had a 3-5-R wave plate failure. Symptoms started at around 87,000 miles. Bouncing/jerking when put into reverse. 5th gear slams hard into gear when upshifting and downshifting, making it feel like I have been rear ended. Now 3rd gear is starting to shift hard like 5th. Soon I'll have no gears. Car has been both regular and preventative maintained so should not have such a massive failure at under 100k miles. Other vehicles with the same transmission (6t40) have been recalled due to similar issues, like the 1.4 turbocharged Cruze, but not the 1.8l Cruze for whatever reason. Now I have to pay $4k for a rebuild on something that Chevrolet should be liable to pay.

NHTSA ODI 11655044

I went to take 5 for an oil change , the tech broke my oil cap filter , coolant hose & damage my engine oil cooler . Towed it to progressive Chevrolet . Fleet response is the insurance company for take 5 & they are not taking care of my rental extension while determining if they are at fault with progressive already stated that they were at fault and now they dragging their feet ! Leaving me without a car and I’m in school and so is my son .

NHTSA ODI 11654069

Coolant leaking , engine knock sound , turbo issue

NHTSA ODI 11650936

Car started jerking when put in reverse and slams hard into 5th gear only. Taken to transmission shop and they have no idea what's causing it. They said they've never seen something like this before, and said it doesn't feel like a major transmission failure. Car only had 98,000 miles on it when hard shifting started. Regularly maintained. Motor and trans mounts were checked and fine. More than normal amounts of metal in trans fluid when drain and fill was performed.

NHTSA ODI 11649148

The check engine light keeps coming up after I buy gas in it and when I take it to Autozone for diagnose it keeps saying engine coolant which I just changed. After a while the light disappears but comes back when I fuel it.

NHTSA ODI 11627746

To whom it may concern at NHTSA, We are writing to file a formal complaint regarding Chevrolet's refusal to address a serious safety recall on our vehicle related to an engine oil leak, which poses a fire hazard and endangers occupants. The malfunctioning component appears to be the engine shield (belly pan), which collects spilled oil and allows it to accumulate near hot engine or exhaust surfaces. This defect is documented in NHTSA Campaign ID: 12V288000. Our vehicle, which is experiencing the same issue, is available for inspection upon request. Our vehicle has exhibited persistent and severe oil leakage, creating a strong burning odor after driving for a short period. This malfunction presents a significant safety risk, as oil accumulating on or near the engine shield may ignite. This defect endangers not only the vehicle’s occupants but also the safety of others on the road. When we visited Lee Johnson Chevrolet (11845 NE 85th St, Kirkland, WA · (425) 827-0521) on October 26, 2023, we requested that the dealership inspect and repair the defect as outlined in the recall. The dealership acknowledged the issue but declined to proceed with inspection or repair, citing that the recall status was marked "complete." They offered to inspect the issue for a fee of $250, which we believe to be unreasonable given the known manufacturing defect and the related safety recall. We are requesting NHTSA's assistance to have Chevrolet fulfill its obligations under this recall. Citing a "completed" status of the recall as a reason to deny service is an unacceptable means for Chevrolet to avoid addressing a critical safety hazard. The engine shield defect, which continues to pose a fire risk, is an original manufacturing flaw for which Chevrolet should be held accountable. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for any assistance you may provide to resolve this critical safety issue. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11622788

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. However, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an auto repair shop where it was diagnosed that the vehicle was leaking oil, along with several other undisclosed failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact attempted to contact the manufacturer; however, the manufacturer had not yet responded. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11618705

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was able to be restarted on the third attempt; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11618183

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact connected a diagnostic machine to the vehicle and retrieved a DTC code for a failure with the purge valve and the catalytic convertor. The contact replaced the purge valve; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the warning lights blinked on and off. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,039.

NHTSA ODI 11613565

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that on several occasions while the vehicle was parked, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic twice where it was diagnosed that unknown parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred after approximately a week. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

NHTSA ODI 11612889

My car keeps telling me my trunk is open then it dings constantly going back and forth from tire monitor system to the trunk open. Then Everytime I turn the car off I have to wiggle the battery cable to get my car to start and my power steering keeps going out. I'm aware there are recalls.for my car but beings my check engine light is on they r refusing to fix my car. I don't understand. I thought recalls were mandatory and had to be fixed. This car barely has 85,000 miles on it. I shouldn't be having all these issues. It's all electrical it seems like. I need help.

NHTSA ODI 11611181

Internal transmission failure Just started with the transmission coolant line coming off on the interstate and the car wouldn't go this can cause a major wreck an now the transmission is going out has been verified by jd byrider and has several coolant leaks

NHTSA ODI 11580347

Runs like the black stallion with a stud of a hide [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11578614

Car is leaking coolant from unknown area.

NHTSA ODI 11575223

The engine on our 2012 Chevy Cruze experienced a blown head gasket and possibly warped heads, leading to the engine overheating and making the vehicle inoperable. It is available for inspection if needed. The car was towed to a local mechanic, was pressure tested and then confirmed the diagnosis. It has not yet been inspected by anyone else. There were no warning signs prior to this happening. There were recalls for 2013 and 2014 Chevy Cruze head gaskets but not model year 2012.

NHTSA ODI 11571789

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH the vehicle started running rough and then stalled. The contact stated that the check engine warning light and the stabili-trak symbol were illuminated. The contact stated that an engine over heating warning had flashed. The contact pulled off the highway and attempted to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that after several attempts the vehicle failed to restart and was towed back to the residence. The contact stated that he had observed that the vehicle was leaking coolant, and that the vehicle had previously stalled prior to the failure on the highway; however, the contact was able to restart the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was also leaking oil. The contact had researched online and related the oil leak to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V288000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

NHTSA ODI 11569252

Check engine light, traction control light, tire pressure light came on. Message on dash reported reduced engine power, service stabilitrak, and car slowed to 16 no more than 20mph and would not go any higher.

NHTSA ODI 11566301