What 864 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze Limited

Coolant leaking , engine knock sound , turbo issue

NHTSA ODI 11650936

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

Everything that has to do with the air in cabin and air intake for engine fails. Have issues all the time with it , told I need to fix one part then that fails again. Can’t use the AC in this car more than half the time if not an issue arises. Now I can’t get my inspection because again the same codes: P0097, P0171,P11c3, P 2199 At first I had only an issue with the MAF new one was placed and now all these errors popped up. The electrical also gave me issues before the lights are not as bright anymore in the car not the headlights. Too afraid to change them because I need the vehicle for my medical appointments and to pick up kids from school

NHTSA ODI 11554698

Engine valve cover explode

NHTSA ODI 11546213

I purchased this vehicle almost three weeks ago…I’m assuming it’s out of warranty…J am spending out of pocket expenses to have this car repaired….It has a faulty leakage in transmission that mechanics seem to can’t fix….I need my car for transportation….ATP I’m assuming the car is a lemon

NHTSA ODI 11544875

Started the purchase June 2022 when dealer said everything is good, Carfax no accidents, good car, nothing wrong. Dealers had me drive MI to CT to get the car, had 5-y.o. kid w/me. Brought car to mechanic when finally delivered July 6, ebrake almost gone; dealers had me drive w/my kiddo CT to MI with no ebrake on 6 speed turbo manual, wonderful. In writing said they would fix & some extras for all the issues they caused such as selling a vehicle w/o having title. Made it home in one peice. Next few weeks, car started shaking and stalling out losing complete power while driving, stopping at lights/signs, it hasn't stopped. Different smells of fluids coming inside ever since. Clouds of smoke coming from exhaust. Fuel seems to slip like sputtering/jolting, more smells coming in car. Check engine light on, went to Advanced Auto, showed me code has to do w/fuel/fuel tank & it showed dealer cleared out check engine without repairing. More research, they fraudulently passed the car for inspections/emissions & said it was good & passed, never received copies. They passed brakes when in writing they were to repair at no cost due to deceptive practices. No, nothing has been fixed; no, they never transferred title/registered vehicle. Now May 2023. Drove it now/then keep it going; MI awful winters. This winter heater went out for 3 days, no blower, no noise, magically started working. Roughly a dozen times when I shut it off, theres noises from front by grille like a ticking, no clue. I've drivien car 5,000 mostly from trip to get it. Dealers never provided the 3 special 10 yr warranties that car had. I found out, they were all expired, nothing I could do. They didn't disclose issues & 3 wks after purchase, accident on Carfax. So much fraud, it is sickening. One of the dealers violated their FTC Orders. Lies & lies, also @3 times stabilization/traction both need repairs then disappears 2 days. Loses power, definitely does not feel turbolike. Issues 7.6.22 & continue

NHTSA ODI 11522176

I am wondering when GM is gonna admit fault on these Chevy Cruzes? My mechanic father owns one. He's had to replace Valve cover gasket on his 3x. Mine at least 4-5x now. One bad oil change at a dealership almost cost me my engine at Sunfair Chevrolet. They left 2 rings on the oil fuel filter causing it to leak all over my engine compartment which left me roadside the next day after driving it 2 hours the night before back in Aug 2016. So they gave us 10K miles over this incident in case my engine blew. It ran a bit hotter than it did before this incident. I also noticed a burning smell. Enclosed in the scanned documents you will find a letter from Chevrolet discussing a "engine light" coming on and engine coolant leak from the water pump reservoir leading to a drip of coolant onto the engine or onto the ground. Overtime, the loss of coolant will reduce cooling performance and eventually could lead to engine overheating. Well, that isn't the only issue. Look at my scanned documents to see how many times the valve cover has been the issue. Always the engine light coming on and pull codes. A mechanic friend, replaced the valve cover gasket for me before it became a recall to save me$. Engine light came on again in 1 year. The PCV valve was built into the valve cove creating a chronic problem. Leads to a loss of turbo power. The last time manifold had to be repaired, they lifted the valve cover to get to it; leaked oil one day after my husband just replaced it. We assumed that was the issue (again), so instead of taking it in, he replaced the seal before taking it in. Someone please help us. Last fix was Aug. 2023, one day after it was in the shop. over $1200 in repairs I called GM, they told me to take it into the dealership. They focused on an oil leak from oil feed line. 4 days in still wasn't repaired. 1-20-14 I think was first incident of a valve cover issue. This is only 2 years after the car was "NEW". 137K miles on it now. Faithful with oil changes.

NHTSA ODI 11512592

Please attache the scans attached to this email to incident/complaint # 11512592. I needed more room to upload my history with this car and the issues with it.

NHTSA ODI 11512593

Please print off the scanned documents and add them to the complaint form # 11512592. I needed more room to upload 4 more jpeg files to show the history of the problem with the valve cover and PCV valve attached to it. Thank you.

NHTSA ODI 11512594

The cars turbo system fails. This causes a loss of power when accelerating. Pulling out into traffic or merging onto the freeway are all unsafe now as the car suddenly doesn't accelerate. This can cause crashes. I have pulled out and assumed I was at a very safe distance only to have the car not pick up as it usually does. I feel very unsafe.

NHTSA ODI 11484649

I had no heat for a long time, as well as the engine light constantly being on and never knowing why. There was a lag to accelerate. Also it would suddenly overheat and say turn off ac due to overheating, as well as suddenly fluctuate to cold and back to normal. I change the throttle body inlet heater hose to see if that would get it working. It did for a day. Then all over a sudden the same issues started happening. From what I can tell it is an extremely common issue that has not been address yet or had a recall yet....the thermostat. That is the only thing it could be at this point. I am going to try and bleed out the coolant for air again. But other than that it is the thermostat, it is the only thing that covers every symptom and it is an extremely, well documented problem with these types of cars.

NHTSA ODI 11431594

I have filed a complaint 2 other times on my car from the power train to the electrical and now my radiator. Because of the date of my car, which is one week off, my car doesn't fall under all the recalls that have been made. Everything wrong with my car is a recall including the head gasket! I have paid to fix my car out of pocket every time and now the repair isn't worth fixing because i never know whats going to happen next! Just like every other government agency NHTSA is controlled by the big corporations while the little guy gets screwed over! Times are hard as is now throw in this plandemic and car problems life becomes unmanageable at times.

NHTSA ODI 11428042

I've had this car for less than 2 months I've already spent $3,500 I've had to replace the thermostat the resvoir tank most oxygen sensors lower stream and upper stream now has a blown head gasket and a possible fuel pump

NHTSA ODI 11427813

IT KEEP SAYING A/C OFF DUE TO HIGH ENGINE TEMP BUT IT STAY IN COLD N I GOT COOLANT SENSOR RADIATOR SENSOR ALL FIXED N IT KEEP SAYIN THE SAME STUFF IT'S GIVING ME A HEAD ACHE WEN I GO FOR LONG DRIVES TO MALL OR STORE IT POPS ON

NHTSA ODI 11402534

REPLACED PCV VALVE ASSEMBLY TWICE AND STILL LEAKS OIL FROM COVER AND CAP. RUNS ROUGH ESPECIALLY WHEN IDLING, BAD GAS MILEAGE.

NHTSA ODI 11377206

THE CAR HAS HAD ISSUES SINCE I BOUGHT IT. EVERYTHING FROM THE TRANSMISSION TO THE SEATBELTS TO THE ENGINE TO THE BRAKES THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG. MY VIN NUMBER DOESNT MATCH THE RECALLS BUT TEVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG IS RECALLED ON THE 2012 AND 2013 BUT I MISSED THE RECALL BY A WEEK? SOUNDS LIKE TO ME GM KNEW THE MOST ISSUES WERE ON THE CAR MANAUFACTURED WHEN MINE WAS AND DIDNT WANT TO FIX THE PROBLEM

NHTSA ODI 11365131

I PURCHASED A CAR ON DECEMBER 19TH 2019 I PUT $4,000 DOWN ON A 2012 CHEVY CRUZE FROM A FROM A USED CAR LOT HERE IN DAYTONA BEACH FLORIDA I CANNOT GET MY OIL CHANGE THE SCREW THAT LETS THE OIL OUT OF THE OIL PAN HAS BEEN STRIPPED AND I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE OIL CHANGED BECAUSE IN ORDER TO DO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO BREAK IT AND SPOT WELDING WOULD NEED TO BE DONE ALSO EVERY TIME I SHUT MY CAR OFF AND GO TO TURN IT BACK ON I HAVE TO GET A JUMP MY CAR BATTERY LOSES ITS ENERGY OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT SO IT LOSES POWER MY BATTERY THE BATTERY IS 5 YEARS OLD ALSO MY ROTORS ARE BRAND-NEW BUT MY BRAKE PADS ARE BAD AND THEY WOULD NOT WHEN I SAY THEY I MEAN AUTOVENTURE IN HOLLY HILL FLORIDA WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR WILL NOT GIVE ME A CARFAX INSTEAD THEY GAVE ME ANOTHER THING THAT'S LIKE CARFAX AND IT SAYS THAT MY CAR IS FULL IS AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT WHEN INDEED THE MOTOR ITSELF IS FROM A JUNKYARD AND THEY DID NOT DENY THAT SO THIS IS WITHIN THE FIRST THREE WEEKS OF ME HAVING THE CAR AND I'M ALREADY SEEING THIS MANY PROBLEMS. ALSO I HAVE AN OIL LEAK I WAS TOLD TO PURCHASE A A COVER TO WHERE YOU PUT THE OIL IN THE CAR CUZ THE COVER MIGHT BE OLD AND IT STILL MIGHT NOT BE AS GOOD SO I WENT TO CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND PURCHASE IT FOR $28 ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT VALVE COVER GASKET ALSO NEEDS TO BE REPLACED SO MY CAR IS LEAKING OIL THE OIL CHANGE PLACE WHERE I'VE BEEN TAKING MY CAR'S THE LAST 6 YEARS WOULD NOT TOUCH MY CAR AND GIVE ME AN OIL CHANGE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE BOLT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OIL PAN HAS BEEN STRIPPED SO NOT ONLY IS MY OIL AT 6% BUT NOW I CAN'T GET MY OIL CHANGED BECAUSE OF IT

NHTSA ODI 11298405

LOW PREASSURE ON TURBO, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON, AND LOW ENGINE PERFORMANCE

NHTSA ODI 11232832

THE VEHICLE WILL BE DRIPPING ENGINE COOLANTS. HOSES WILL MALFUNCTION, CAUSING MULTIPLE REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ODI 11219081

CATALYTIC CONVERTER, ENGINE LIGHT ON AND SULPHER SMELL

NHTSA ODI 11193885

PCV VALVE COVER GASKET KEEPS HAVING LEAK ISSUES. IN THREE YEARS I HAVE REPLACE THREE PCV VALVE COVER GASKETS. I HAVE TALKED WITH THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THEY ADMIT THAT IT'S A DESIGN FLAW PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PURCHASE THIS THREE TIMES AND HAVE IT PUT ON ONE EACH TIME.

NHTSA ODI 11185526

TURBO CHARGER VALVE FAILED CAUSING MULTIPLE OTHER ISSUES. CAR SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY. STABILITY TRACK KEEPS COMING ON EVEN AFTER THE WIRE TO THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI 11176229

I AM HAVING ISSUES WITH MY TURBO. AFTER TAKING IT TO MY MECHANIC I AM TOLD THAT IT IS A COMMON ISSUE

NHTSA ODI 11173282

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

I GOT GAS ON JUNE 1ST AND NOT EVEN 15 MILES AFTERWORDS MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THE GAS CAP WAS ON PROPERLY AND LIGHT STILL DID NOT GO OFF. I TOOK CAR TO GET OBDII READ AND IT STATED THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR WAS BAD AND ALSO THE FUEL INJECTORS AS WELL. ONE MECHANIC STATED IT WAS FROM BAD GAS BUT WAS UNABLE TO PROVE IT. I HAVE DONE PERSONAL RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THE PCV IS CLOGGED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR CLEANED. THE CAR PROCEEDS TO RUN "ROUGH" AND STALLS WHEN PLACED IN PARK. I HOWEVER DON'T NOTICE A PROBLEM WHEN IN MANUAL GEAR.

NHTSA ODI 11114404