What 864 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze Limited

AC AUTO SHUTOFF TEMP TO HIGH MESSAGE COMES ON L. I HAVE REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT ALREADY THREE TIMES. THEN THE CAR WON'T START. DISCONNECT THE GROUND AND PUT IT BACK ON AND IT STARTS JUST FINE. YOU CAN DRIVE IT FOR A WHILE THEN AC OFF COMES BACK IN AND START THE PROCESS AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI 11153643

MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND NO RUNNING. I ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND STARTED IT. THE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT FLASHED THEN THE SERVICE STABILITRAK LIGHT FLASHED THE LIGHTS WENT AWAY AND THE VEHICLE DROVE FINE. SEVERAL DAYS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED UPON ENTERING MY DRIVEWAY IT STARTED TO SPUTTER. FOUR DAYS AFTER THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE THE SAME LIGHTS CAME ON IN ADDITION TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. NOW WHEN I START MY VEHICLE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON AND AFTER THE VEHICLE IS WARMED UP THE OTHER TWO LIGHTS COME ON AND THEN GO OFF. MY LATEST ONSTAR DIAGNOSTIC REPORTS A PROBLEM WITH THE ECM. I HAS BEEN ALMOST EXACTLY THREE YEARS TO THE DATE THAT THESE SAME THINGS HAPPENED AND WERE SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED UNDER RECALL # 14801 AND SPECIAL COVERAGE # 14311B. PLEASE ADVISE.

NHTSA ODI 11151225

THIS VEHICLE (CHEVY CRUZE 2012) IS THE WORST VEHICLE MADE POSSIBLE. THERE IS OIL LEAKS THAT HAVE BEEN FIXED THAT OCCUR AGAIN . THERE IS A COOLANT LEAK THAT WAS FIXED BY THE RADIATOR CONNECTOR. 15 MINUTES LATER OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE 2 MORE HOSES POPPED AND CAUSED THE COOLANT TO LEAK AGAIN. THE RADIATOR WENT BAD AND WAS CHANGED THE VEHICLE STILL OVER HEATED . THE THERMOSTAT WAS CHANGED AND THE VEHICLE WAS FINE FOR 2 DAYS. I GO TO START THE VEHICLE AND IT DOESN'T WANT TO TURN OVER . COME TO FIND OUT AT THE SAME MECHANIC THAT I HAD THE THERMOSTAT CHANGED APPARENTLY SAID THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN . THEN SAYS THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CYLINDER HEADS . SO ALL IN ALL . THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD OIL LEAKS , COOLANT LEAKS , ENGINE LIGHTS , RADIATOR ISSUES , CYLINDERR HEAD PROBLEMS , MISFIRING AND NOW A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM . THIS BRINGS A SAFETY ISSUE TO ME THAT WHILE I AM DRIVING MY CAR IS MISFIRING ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE THERE IS TRAFFIC GOING ON AND TONS OF PEOPLE ON THE ROAD . I COULD POTENTIALLY BE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AND BECAUSE OF ALL OF THIS ELECTRICAL ISSUES THAT GM IS NOT CAPABLE OF MANUFACTURING CORRECTLY ON THESE VEHICLES (CHEVY CRUZE) MY CAR COULD OF BLEW UP WHILE DRIVING IT. I HAVE MY NIECES AND NEPHEWS IN THE CAR WHILE THE CAR SHAKES OUT OF NOWHERE WHICH COULD OF PUT THERE LIFE IN DANGER . CHEVY IS NO HELP WHAT SO EVER THEY ONLY WANT TO CHARGE TO EVEN LOOK AT A CAR THEY MANUFACTURED!!!! I ASK FOR HELP FROM THEM AND THEY SEEM SO CAREFREE . MY LIFE IS IN DANGER AND NO ONE CARES!! SOMEONE WILL DIE BY GM HANDS IF THIS ISSUE CANNOT BE CORRECTLY FIXED ON THESE VEHICLES . YOU GUYS ARE SELLING CARS THAT CAN KILL SOMEONE AND ONCE YOU GUYS ARE NOTIFIED OF THIS NO ONE CARES . ONCE THERE IS A LAWSUIT UNDER YOUR COMPANY THEN MAYBE YOU GUYS WILL TAKE THIS SERIOUS .

NHTSA ODI 11150899

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD STILL WITHIN CITY LIST, THE CAR BEGAN MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING FLASHED. AFTER TAKING IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WE WERE TOLD THAT THE ENGINE IS BLOWN WITH 122K MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI 11149786

VEHICLE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. VEHICLE IS SPILLING OIL CAUSING SMOKE TO BE EXHAUSTED OUT OF ENGINE WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. ENGINE HAS HAD COOLANT LEAKS AND ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN

NHTSA ODI 11141307

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A HIGH PITCHED NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO NALLEY CHEVROLET (4200 JONESBORO RD, UNION CITY, GA 30291, (678) 369-6497) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PCV VALVE WAS MISSING AND THE ENGINE WAS INTAKING TOO MUCH AIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE A SHAFT MEMBRANE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO CURRENT RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

NHTSA ODI 11133557

WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY AT NIGHT, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, INCLUDING THE ENGINE AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THIS CAUSED ALL LIGHTS TO TURN OFF, LOSS OF POWER STEERING, POWER TO BRAKES, AND LITTLE TO CONTROL TO THE VEHICLE. LUCKILY, THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME NOTICED AND TAILED ME TO A STOP WITH THEIR WARNING LIGHTS. I THEN PROCEEDED TO OPEN THE ENGINE WITH A FLASHLIGHT TO DISCOVER THAT THE BATTERY WAS STILL PROPERLY CONNECTED (6 MONTHS OLD) WITH NO FRAYS OR CORROSION TO THE CONNECTORS OR WIRING. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES ATTEMPTING TO FIND A TOW TRUCK COMPANY THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAME BACK ON WITH NO INTERVENTION. I TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE STARTED WITH NO ISSUES AND NO ENGINE LIGHTS ON. I DROVE IT THE REST OF THE WAY HOME WITH NO ISSUES. WHEN I GOT HOME I CHECKED ALL THE FUSES AND ALL WERE OPERABLE. THE OBD SCANNER FOUND NO CODES. I AM MID 30S 190IBS AND FAIRLY STRONG, I COULD ONLY IMAGINE IF THIS HAPPENED IN AN INTERSECTION OR DURING BUSY HOURS ON THE HIGHWAY, I WOULDN'T BE SITTING HERE REPORTING THIS ISSUE. I FOUND NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON BLOGS CONCERNING THIS MODEL. I ASSUME NOT MANY HAVE REPORTED PROPERLY SINCE THERE IS NO RECALL ISSUED FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

NHTSA ODI 11124185

ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM EXPLODED WHILE CAR IN MOTION COOLANT WAS EVERYWHERE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. BELT BROKEN.AND HAS OIL LEAKING.WITH AN 800 HUNDRED DOLLARS BILL WHILE ON VACATION.

NHTSA ODI 11122471

THE VALVE COVER AND PCV VALVE LEAKS AIR BAD AND IS DEFECTIVE. IT CONSTANTLY CAUSES SURGING AND MULTIPLE OBD CODES AND THE STABILI/TRAC TO FLASH AND THE RADIO TO FLASH OFF AND ON. IT IDLES ROUGH AND SHUTS OFF ROUGH TOO. THE GAS MILEAGE ISN'T AS GOOD AS IT SHOULD AND THE POWER ISN'T AS GOOD AS IT SHOULD. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS KNOWN DEFECTIVE PCV VALVE COVER TO BE FIXED

NHTSA ODI 11119521

MY TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTING HARD THEN I PARKED IT GOT BACK IN PUT IN REVERSE AND IT WON'T MOVE,IT MOVED IN DRIVE SO MANY FEET MAKING HORRIBLE NOISE AND THEN WENT OUT OF GEAR...NOW WON'T MOVE AT ALL

NHTSA ODI 11119477

BELT TENSIONER BOLT CAME OUT AND IS NOW STUCK IN A SPRING IN THE ENGINE..THE LIGHT ON MY RADIO FADES IN AND OUT.. ROTOR ON DRIVERS SIDE HAD DEFORMITY TO IT .STILL HAVE THE ROTOR AND THE SPRING IS STILL STUCK IN ENGINE I CAN'T AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED

NHTSA ODI 11114036

DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THIS CAR 2012 CHEVY CRUZ. MY CC 12 DECIDED TO JERK, SHAKE, ALL PANELS STARTING FLASHING, SHAKE, MAKE NOISE AND INCREASE SPEED AND THEN SUDDENLY BRAKES KICK IN AND IT STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF I95. BECUS POWERTRAN IS OVER BY 1 YEAR, CHEVROLET WONT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY SAID TO TAKE TO OFFICIAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP. WHICH NOW INCURRED A COST OF 370 WITH DISCOUNT. THEIR REP TOLD ME A EACH TIME I CALL THA THE POWERTRAIN IS OVER HOWEVER CONSIDERING THE TROUBLE WITH THE VEHICLE, YOU ARE ON THE PERIMETERS OF THIS. WE GET THE DIAGNOSTICS AND WORK WITH YOU POSSIBLE PICKING UP SOME IF NOT ALL OF THE COST. NO SUCH THING, INSTEAD THEIR SENIOR ADVISOR ADVISED ME I AM [XXX] OUT OF LUCK ON A 6 YRS OLD CAR WITH APPROX. 79 THOUSAND MILES. THAT'S THEIR RESPONSE. OUT OF CAR NOW 11 DAYS, HANDED A BILL FOR 370.00 TO TELL ME THE SAME THING MY MECHANIC TOLD ME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11111180

WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS DAY.. MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITH ONLY 80,000 MILES ON JUNE 7, 2018. BEING ON A BUSY 2 LANE, CURVY HIGHWAY, MY CAR JUST COMPLETELY WENT OUT OF GEAR AND THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE CRUISE OFF TO THE SIDE. A FEW MINUTES LATER AN ALERT THAN CAME UP ON MY DASH AND SAID "TRANSMISSION HOT, IDLE ENGINE". I HAD BOUGHT THIS CAR IN 2014 WITH ONLY ONE PREVIOUS OWNER THAT TOOK REALLY GOOD CARE OF IT. IT IS RIDICULOUS FOR MY TRANSMISSION TO GO OUT WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE AND TO HAVE TO PAY $5,000 FOR A NEW ONE AND PLUS THE CAR PAYMENTS I STILL HAVE ON IT. UNFORTUNATELY, I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO HAVE THIS ISSUE. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS. JUST BECAUSE THEY LOOK NICE DOESN'T MEAN IT WILL LAST LONG.

NHTSA ODI 11101358

MY CAR IS VERY DANGEROUS! SHUTS OFF WHILE ON FREEWAY! JERKS FORWARD WHILE ON BRAKES, CAUSED AN ACCIDENT! CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK! ELECTRICAL THINGS FLASHING ALL THE TIME! JERKS AND LOCKS UP ALL 4 WHEELS WHILE DRIVING! JUST TODAY IS SHUT DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY I STRUGGLED TO GET IT HOME WHILE THE RPM'S WERE UP ABOVE 6! YOU NAME IT, IT HAS IT. THINK THERE SHOULD BE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE MAKERS OF THIS VEHICLE!! CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT!!!!!

NHTSA ODI 11101210

BURNING OIL SMELL STARTED AFTER AN OIL CHANGE. I HAVE REPLACED THE INTAKE TUBING THAT LEADS IN THE TURBO BECAUSE WHEN I REPLACED THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR IN THE TURBO AREA, THERE WAS OIL IN THE TURBO INTAKE. IT HAS LOST SOME POWER SINCE I STARTED EXPERIENCING THE BURNING SMELL. IT NOW SMELLS LIKE PLASTIC BURNING SINCE REPLACING THE INTAKE TUBING/GASKET.

NHTSA ODI 11084971

EVEN AFTER FREE REPAIR DUE TO BEING COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, THE NEW PCV VALVE AND COVER ARE LEAKING AGAIN. ENGINE IDLES ROUGHLY, BOTH IN PARK AND IN DRIVE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH CHEVROLET CRUZE, BUT MY VIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. MAIN ERROR CODE P0171- BANK 1 SYSTEM TOO LEAN- IS BEING PICKED UP (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON YESTERDAY MORNING (APRIL 10, 2018)), ALONG WITH ERROR CODES: P0106, P015B, P0236, P0237, P1101, P112D.

NHTSA ODI 11084536

WHEN EXITING THE FREEWAY COMING TO A STOP MY CAR COMPLETLY SHUTS OFF. HAVING TO PUT IT IN PARK TO RESTART

NHTSA ODI 11084435

ENGINE COOLANT STENCH AND LOSS OF COOLANT SINCE DAY ONE! I NOW HAVE JUST OVER 45,600 MILES AND PER THE DEALER A NEED A TEMP SENSOR HOUSING AND THERMOSTAT. WHILE DRIVING I GOT A MESSAGE ON THE DASH READING "AC OFF DUE TO HIGH ENGINE TEMP" AND THE COOLANT TEMP READ - - - AND THE NEEDLE ON THE TEMP GAUGE DROPPED TO LOW FROM A PRIOR MIDWAY POINT AND COOLANT TEMP OF 218 DEGREES. BACK IN 2014 I SUDDENLY HAD BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM TAILPIPE AND THE "DEALER REPLACED THE WATER PUMP ASSEMBLY WITH NEW BASE AND THERMOSTAT." I ALSO HAD A "SERVICE STABILITRAC" NOTICE AND SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING BACK IN 2015 AND THE DEALER SAID THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUE BUT THAT I NEEDED A NEW COIL PACK WHICH I HAD TO PAY FOR AND REPAIR ON MY OWN EVEN THOUGH CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY!! THIS VEHICLE HAS SMELLED LIKE ANTIFREEZE SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT, BRAND NEW, FROM THE DEALER THAT WAS PERFORMING ALL THE SERVICES. IN ADDITION, THE BACK WINDOW LEAKED FROM DAY ONE AND I HAD 2" OF STANDING WATER IN MY TRUNK AND I HAD TO PAY, OUT OF MY OWN POCKET!!, TO REPLACE THE REAR WINDOW = TWICE!!! THIS CAR IS A PIECE OF JUNK AND HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS AND THE DEALER HAS FORCED ME TO DO REPAIRS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. I AM SICK AND TIRED OF THE STENCH OF ANTIFREEZE AND THE FACT THAT I NOW HAVE TO REPAIR THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING AND THERMOSTAT DUE TO ENGINE OVERHEATING!!!

NHTSA ODI 11083452

AS I WAS DRIVING MY RADIO STARTED GOING ON AND OFF THEN CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF STEERING WHILE WENT STIFF TO THE LEFT AND LOCKED AS I WAS ON THE ROAD SCARED THE LIVING SPIRIT OUT OF ME WAS THE SCARIEST EXPERIENCES LUCKLY I WAS ALONE WITHOUT MY KIDS BECAUSE THAT COULD OF BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT. IN WAS VERY LUCKY IT WAS NOT A BUSY MORNING THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPEN AND I WAS ABLE TO KEEP TO LEFT UNTIL CAR CAME TO A STOP AT THE CURVE. THIS HAS HAPPEN TO ME MORE THAN ONCE THAT I STOPPED DRIVING CAR STOPPED PAYING IT BECAUSE IT WAS A LEMON SO MANY THINGS WENT WRONG 3MNTHS AFTER BUYING CAR AT USED DEALERS I FELT CHEATED AND STUCK I EVEN LOST MY JOB BECAUSE I WASNT ABLE TO GET TO WORK ON TIME OR AT ALL AT TIMES BECAUSE OF CAR PROBLEMS

NHTSA ODI 11082338

I HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE I HAVE REGARDING THE 2012 CHEVY CRUZE I BOUGHT ON APRIL 26TH, 2015 WITH APPROXIMATELY 29,000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS PURCHASED THROUGH CARMAX. AS OF THIS TIME MY CAR HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT. ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY SUDDENLY, I COULD NOT ACCELERATE FASTER THAN 25MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE 'D' FOR DRIVE STARTED FLASHING AT ME. IT TURNS OUT THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI 11078541

THE CAR WAS MOVING DOWN THE ROAD, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, 'AC OFF DUE TO HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE'- FANS KICKED ON AND RAN NON STOP. COOLANT WAS ADDED IMMEDIATELY ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE HEAD CRACKED- THE COOLANT WAS RUNNING INTO THE OIL. THIS CAR WAS NOT VERY OLD AND IT FOR NO REASON SHOULD HAVE CRACKED. I THINK IT IS IN RELATION TO RECALL CAMPAIGN 12081.

NHTSA ODI 11076683

SINCE NOVEMBER 2016 AT 56,000 MILES THE CAR HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY OVERHEATING. THE ENGINE COOLANT FLANGE, WATER PUMP, AND THERMOSTAT HAVE BEEN REPLACED 2XS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE CAR FLASHES SPORADIC MESSAGES SUCH AS A/C OFF HIGH ENGINE HEAT, SERVICE STABILITRAK, CHANGE OIL, ETC. THE CAR ALSO HAS STARTED LEAKING OIL. FINALLY ON FEBRUARY 10TH, 2018 THE CAR HAD THESE SAME ISSUES AGAIN AND THIS TIME THE ENGINE WENT ENTIRELY. THE CAR HAD TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE AT 83,500 MILES AND NOW REQUIRES A NEW ENGINE. THIS IS THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED AND I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE. UPON GOING ONLINE EVERYONE HAS THESE SAME EXACT ISSUES SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHY MASSIVE RECALLS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE.

NHTSA ODI 11074881

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. A LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ONCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACT AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11074005

WITH HEATER AND FAN ON, NAUSEATING ODOR IS EMITTED FROM THE VENTS. THE ODOR SMELLS LIKE ANTI-FREEZE. THIS ODOR CANNOT BE SAFE TO BE INHALING.

NHTSA ODI 11072949

AT 45K MILES HAD GAS CAP MESSAGE A COUPLE OF TIMES. THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH WAS $1000. I FEEL AT 45K (RURAL TOWN DRIVING) THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME DEFECT FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. DOES ANYONE KNOW OF ANY MANUFACTURE PROBLEMS WITH THE MANIFOLD ON CHEVY CRUZE 2012. ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE TRYING TO DIE RIGHT BEFORE TAKING IT TO DEALER.

NHTSA ODI 11067297