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What 864 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze Limited

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (864)Crash / fire / injury (85)Engine (267)Electrical system (196)Brakes (150)Transmission & drivetrain (137)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (108)Steering (103)Fuel system (52)Speed control (51)Engine & cooling (44)Visibility & wipers (43)

8 of 864 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jun 11, 2018Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngineCrash

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

Jul 26, 2017Transmission & drivetrainEngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STATIONARY, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. CHEVROLET OF BROADSHEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE SERIES OF FAILURES AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE COOLANT THERMOSTAT WAS FAULTY. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED, UNDER A MANUFACTURERS RECALL, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED THEREAFTER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO GET USED TO THE NEW TRANSMISSION AND THE WAY THE VEHICLE OPERATED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY IN REGARDS TO THE MILEAGE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/06/17*LJ *JS

NHTSA ODI 11010726

Feb 8, 2016Transmission & drivetrainCrash1 injury

AFTER MY PURCHASE OF A BRAND NEW CHEVY CRUZE LS I DID NOTICE THAT IT WAS NOT SHIFTING GOOD.THE CAR WAS NOT SHIFTING DOWN OR UP AND WHEN SHIFTING DOWN VERY HESITANT, ALMOST LIKE THERE WERE NO BRAKES. AFTER BRINGING IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WITH THEM TELLING ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT AND SEVERAL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE, TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL AND PARTS REPLACEMENTS, I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR STILL DOES NOT WORK RIGHT AND I BELIEVE THIS ACCIDENT IS RELATED TO THIS CAR'S DRIVE TRAN AND LEADS ME TO THINK THAT THE PRODUCT SAFETY SHOULD BE RELATED TO THE NHTSA,

NHTSA ODI 10824882

Nov 20, 2014Transmission & drivetrainAirbagsCrash2 injuries

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND ENGAGING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHILE SLOWING DOWN FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT DOWN TO FIRST GEAR AND REMAINED IN THIRD GEAR WHICH PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING FROM A STANDING POSITION. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL IN FIRST GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD ERRONEOUSLY SHIFT TO SECOND GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED A COMPUTER MODULE WHICH CORRECTED THE GEAR SHIFTING PROBLEM BUT THE ACCELERATION PROBLEMS PERSISTED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN AUGUST 2014 WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, A SECOND VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. BOTH THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SUFFERED HEAD AND NECK INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.

NHTSA ODI 10659701

Nov 7, 2013Transmission & drivetrainFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CLUTCH FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED GEARS. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT STEERING THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT AND A BURNING ODOR WAS SMELLED. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES AND THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FLY WHEEL, CLUTCH, AND BEARINGS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000.

NHTSA ODI 10551391

Sep 17, 2013Transmission & drivetrainBrakesCrash

WHILE PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE CRAWLING INTO POSITION THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE CAR VIBRATED AND LUNGED FORWARD CRASHING INTO A BRICK WALL. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR THE CAR THEN BEGAN TO VIBRATE THEN ACCELERATE FORWARD HITTING BRICK WALL. I BELIEVE THAT THE TURBO CHARGE ENGAGED BECAUSE OF THE VACUUM BOOST FAILED CAUSING THE TURBO TO ENGAGE. FILED COMPLAINT WITH GM NO LUCK SAID IT WAS DRIVER ERROR. NEEDLESS TO SAY WE ARE REPAIRING THE CAR THEN TRADING IN. I HAVE CONTACTED LOCAL MEDIA CAN'T SEEM TO GET ANY HELP. WE HAVE BEEN LOYAL CHEVY OWNERS FOR OVER 20YEARS NEVER AGAIN. I THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE WARNED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. IF SOMEONE WAS WALKING ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE CAR THEY WOULD HAVE DIED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10544144

Aug 16, 2013Transmission & drivetrainCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY IN REVERSE AS THE CONTACT WAS EXITING THE VEHICLE AND CLOSING THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE THEN CRASHED INTO A TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

NHTSA ODI 10535785

May 17, 2013Transmission & drivetrainEngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, HE NOTICED A BURNING ANTI-FREEZE SMELL THROUGH THE VENTS AND AROUND THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT NOTICED A JERKING MOTION AND A HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN PERFORMED UPDATES TO THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED THE CANISTER INSIDE THE DASHBOARD TO ALLEVIATE THE BURNING SMELL. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10512536

Working with the data? Download all 864 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Chevrolet Cruze Limited verdict →