What 585 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze Limited

Car caught on fire under hood

NHTSA ODI 11588307

Hi, I have had my car for a total of 8 years so far. It was bought used, in perfect condition in the beginning. Years passed and I have gained many problems down the road. First, the valve had to be replaced, spent a little under $1K, car worked well, until it started leaking coolant. Second, the car started to jerk back if you were passing at least 60mph. You go above 65-70, the car would jerk back to where it felt as if the whole bottom of the car fell off. You could press the gas pedal and it would barely go, it felt as if you were pushing the car with your own hands from the back, as if it lost power to move forward. Third, why does my coolant leak? Why is it that I have to put coolant in it at least every other week? The fan is EXTREMELY loud as well, as if it's overheating.

NHTSA ODI 11472763

Complete engine failure whole driving under normal conditions. Vehicle had all old changes. Engine blown at 98452 miles

NHTSA ODI 11454201

TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HER SON WHO OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HER GRANDDAUGHTER WAS PARKING THE VEHICLE, WHEN SHE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER WAS NOT AWARE IF ANY WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND WHEN OPENED THE HOOD, SHE SAW FIRE AND SUSTAINED BURNS ON HER RIGHT HAND. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVERS STEPFATHER WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH WATER HOSE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED BUT WAS NOT AWARE OF THEY FILED A FIRE REPORT. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE DRIVER DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR HER INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HER RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 137,000. *BF*JB

NHTSA ODI 11366999

I WAS SITTING IN MY VEHICLE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE AIR CONDITIONER ON, SINCE IT IS AUGUST AND VERY HOT IN LAS VEGAS. I HAD BEEN IN MY VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES ABOUT TO LEAVE WHEN MY AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED BLOWING COLD AIR. I SMELT AN ELECTRICAL SMELL IN COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. THEN MY CAR SHUT OFF AND SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. I QUICKLY EXITED MY VEHICLE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WITHIN A COUPLE MINUTES, THE ENTIRE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE WAS IN ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I HAVE NOT DONE ANY MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE OR WORK TO MY VEHICLE RECENTLY. I HAD MY OIL CHANGED APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES AGO. I HAD NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE UNTIL IT CAUGHT ON FIRE SPONTANEOUSLY AND RANDOMLY WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA ODI 11246707

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND THE TRACTION AND ENGINE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED SMOKE OCCASIONALLY UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE CYLINDER MISFIRED AND THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REBUILT OR REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER (WALKER CHEVROLET, 3940 CAROTHERS PKWY, FRANKLIN, TN 37067, 615-538-5184) WHERE IT WAS ALSO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REBUILT OR REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000. *TT CONSUMER STATED CRACKED TURBO IS OCCURING IN THIS VEHICLES ALSO TURBO AND CATALTIC CONVERTER WENT OUT 2 WEEKS LATER UPDATED 6/15/18*JB

NHTSA ODI 11089688

GOT INTO A VERY MINOR FENDER BENDER AND THE CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES. AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED BECAUSE I WASN'T GOING FAST ENOUGH. BUT YET MY CAR BURNED.

NHTSA ODI 11001176

MY VEHICLE LOOSES POWER, ENGINE LEAKS, HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROBLEMS WITH THE KEY IN THE SWITCH....THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING AND CAUGHT ON FIRE THAN LOOSES POWER ALL THE TIME. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE I TRAVEL WITH MY FAMILY I HAVE THREE CHILDREN.

NHTSA ODI 10747079

I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN GETTING READY TO CROSS OVER HWY TO GO NORTH BOUND. A TRUCK CAME OUT OF NOWHERE AND HIT MY DRIVER SIDE FRONT END. MY AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. I GOOGLED IT AND SAW THERE IS A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE FOR AIR BAG. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR 2 WEEKS AGO. SHOULDN'T THE DEALER BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING RECALLS BEFORE SELLING THE CAR EVEN IT IS USED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10652435

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT DUE TO THE FAILURE ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.

NHTSA ODI 10628454

I PURCHASED A 2013 CHEVY CRUZE IN JUNE, 2013. IN NOVEMBER OF THE SAME YEAR, I STRUCK A DEER ON A RURAL STRETCH OF INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEED (70MPH). AT THIS POINT THERE WERE ROUGHLY 9,000 MILES ON IT. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, BUT I WAS UNHARMED. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DO A 180 DEGREE ROLL ONTO THE SHOULDER, AT WHICH POINT I EXITED THE VEHICLE TO SEE THE AREA NEAR THE BATTERY SMOKING WITH A SMALL FLAME COMING OUT OF IT. WITHIN MINUTES, AND BEFORE EMERGENCY VEHICLES COULD ARRIVE THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10572498

I HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED FOR OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION ON MAY 25. A FEW DAYS LATER, APPROXIMATELY JUNE 1, I NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS VERY HARD TO STOP WHEN BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY (HAD TO PUSH DOWN VERY HARD ON THE BRAKES WHICH DID NOT SEEM TO GO TO THE FLOOR). I ALSO NOTICED THAT WHILE I WAS STOPPED AT RED LIGHTS OR BEHIND OTHER VEHICLES THE CAR WOULD LUNGE FORWARD--NOT ENOUGH TO HIT SOMEONE BECAUSE I NOTICED IT AS SOON AS IT HAPPENED. ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, JEFF WYLER CHEVROLET EASTGATE, AND ADVISED THEM OF THE PROBLEM. SOMEONE TEST DROVE THE CAR WITH ME IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND HE INFORMED ME THAT HE COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I DO NOT KNOW IF HE CHECKED ANYTHING ELSE WHILE I WAS IN THE WAITING ROOM. AT MY REQUEST, HE PROVIDED ME WITH A PRINTOUT DOCUMENTING THE VISIT. ON JULY 7, 2013, WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS PULLING THE VEHICLE INTO OUR GARAGE, THE BRAKES FAILED AND SHE HIT MY GRANDDAUGHTER BICYCLE WHICH, IN TURN, WENT THROUGH THE DRYWALL AT THE END OF THE GARAGE. I HAVE FOUR CHILDREN LIVING AT THE HOUSE INCLUDING AN 8 AND 10 YEAR OLD. THERE IS ALSO A SIGN ON OUR STREET INDICATING A DEAF CHILD LIVES ON THE STREET (WE HAVE ONLY LIVED THERE SINCE NOV. 2012). WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT A CHILD HAS NOT BEEN INJURED. THERE IS NO WAY TO ALERT THE DEAF CHILD THAT THE CAR IS COMING THEIR WAY SINCE THEY CANNOT HEAR THE HORN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10523701