What 698 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Limited

On May 25, 2026, at approximately 3:30 p.m. Central Time, after the vehicle had been operated under normal conditions and subsequently parked, a fire originated within the vehicle’s engine compartment and/or under-hood area. Personnel from the Milwaukee Fire Department responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. An official fire investigation report is pending and is expected to be available within the coming week. The incident has been documented through photographs and video recordings, all of which have been preserved. The vehicle itself remains in its post-fire condition and has been retained for inspection. At this time, the precise cause and origin of the fire have not been determined, of which no warning lamps nor other symptoms of a problem prior to incident.

NHTSA ODI 11740155

I remote started my car using the factory installed remote starter, and approximately 5 minutes later I heard my car alarm start going off, so I went to investigate and when I opened the drivers side door, my car was filled with smoke and flames were coming up from the front passenger footwell, underneath the dash where the HVAC blower motor is located. I closed the drivers door and rushed inside to grab a fire extinguisher, but within those 10 seconds I was away, the fire has more than tripled in size. So when I opened the passenger door to use the extinguisher, the fire had grown out of control. With the fire put out, I started looking around and noticed that the engine bay for the car still has rubber hoses and pieces of plastic that are fully intact and haven't been burned, yet the interior of the car is completely gone. I have reason to believe the blower motor was the source of the fire. After talking to a few others that own the same car as me, some have said they've been noticing a burning smell and minor traces of smoke coming from that same area

NHTSA ODI 11704174

My car caught fire driving down the road

NHTSA ODI 11637979

I financed my car through drivetime in june 2019 and from the time i got the car i have been having electrical issues. My car has also been in a really bad accident prior to me purchasing it and when i tried to return it. They just kept telling me to go to pep boys because I had a 60 day warranty to fix any issues. I should not have had to take my car to any mechanic if I got it from a dealership. I now have really mad transmissin issues and I havent even had the car for 3 years. I believe this company sold me a lemon and i dont know how to prove it. I dont have the money to fix all the issues.

NHTSA ODI 11494041

MY CHEVY CRUZE IS VERY UNSAFE. WHILE DRIVING, THE STEREO BEGINS TO SHUT ON AND OFF AND THE DISPLAY STARTS DISPLAYING VARIOUS WARNINGS SUCH AS "SERVICE STABILITRACK". OVER 5 TIMES NOW, WHEN I BEGIN A TURN FROM BEING IDLE, THE SAME OCCURS BUT WITH THE ADDED PROBLEM OF THE WHEEL LOCKING UP AND NOT LETTING ME TURN IT. I HAVE HAD TO STOP ALMOST COMPLETELY WHILE TURNING TO AVOID HITTING SOMETHING HEAD ON WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL GETS LOCKED. PLEASE PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11257235

*ENGINE FIRE* 4/10/19... (XXXXX) WAS IN THE CAR AND IT WAS IDLING AT THE SANDY, UTAH MCDONALDS PARKING LOT WHEN SMOKE AND SMELL CAME FROM ENGINE. SHE PUT OUT FIRE WITH WATER. I ARRIVED 15-20 MINUTES LATER TO HELP. I INSPECTED ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND DID A VISUAL CHECK ONLY TO FIND BURNT WIRING. THERE WAS NO OTHER KNOWN ISSUES AND VERIFIED NO FLUIDS SPILLED. I CALLED THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY HAD TOWED TO RIVERTON CHEVROLET TO WORK WITH CHEVROLET AND HAVE KNOWN ENGINE FIRE RISKS. 2014 CHEVROLET CRUISE CASE# 95243938936 (GM) VIN: (XXXXXX) 4/11/19 INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED TO RIVERTON MOTORS. RIVERTON MOTORS INVOICE# 6209533 / 6206861/1 4/11/19 THE DAY AFTER THE ENGINE FIRE, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM FRED URIBE (SERVICE REP.) FROM THE RIVERTON MOTORS SERVICE CENTER. HE STATED THAT THERE WAS OIL ALL OVER AND IT NEEDED REPAIR. I TOLD HIM THAT THE CAR WAS IN FOR AN ENGINE FIRE AND I NEVER HAD AN OIL OR ANY CAR LEAKS. HE TOLD ME IT WOULD BE ~$600 TO REPAIR THE OIL COOLER LEAK AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED BEFORE THE ENGINE FIRE ISSUE. A FEW DAYS LATER FRED CALLED AND SAID IT WAS ACTUALLY A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. THEY DIAGNOSED THE FIRE AS BEING STARTED FROM THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK? THE INVOICE WRONGLY STATED THAT I REPORTED A LEAK NEEDING REPAIR AND NOT THE FIRE I REPORTED!!! I INFORMED RIVERTON MOTORS THAT THERE WAS AN ENGINE FIRE AND NOT ANY LEAKS. INVOICE INCORRECTLY STATED: CUSTOMER STATED VEHICLE HAS A COOLANT LEAK, LATER STATED THE CUSTOMER STATED VEHICLE HAS AN OIL LEAK. AND THEN VEHICLE FOUND THE RADIATOR LEAKING. THE INVOICE DID NOT STATE THE ACTUAL REASON FOR THE SERVICE WAS AN ENGINE FIRE!!!! STATE FARM INSURANCE CLAIM: 44-8388-Q93 AMOUNT:  $148.78 COMPREHENSIVE - FIRE 5/20/19 REPORTED TO GM/MACHELLA ENGINE FIRE 2014 CHEVROLET CRUISE CASE# 95243938936 6/10/19 REPORTED TO NHTSA PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11218883

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, IT EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FAILURES AND SHUT ON AND OFF. ALSO, THE BRAKES SKIPPED AND THE VEHICLE JERKED WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THE FAILURES OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING TEST DRIVEN. PREMIER CAR SALES LLC (5425 ELVIS PRESLEY BLVD, MEMPHIS, TN 38116) STATED THAT THE FAILURES WOULD BE REPAIRED BEFORE THE SALE WAS FINAL. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN CHEVROLET DEALER FOR REPAIRS. AFTER THE SALE OF THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE CONTACT RETURNED TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A CHEVROLET DEALER FOR REPAIRS SINCE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. BEFORE THE CONTACT COULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN IN THE RAIN, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND SLID INTO THE SIDE OF A CURB. THE AXLES, ROTOR, SPINDLE, AND RIMS WERE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED AND THEY STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO GENERAL MOTORS. THE CONTACT BOUGHT NEW ROTORS, A NEW SPINDLE, AND RIMS AND HAD THEM REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. GENERAL MOTORS REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE BECAUSE REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE; HOWEVER, THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

NHTSA ODI 11182777

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, IT CAUGHT FIRE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS LOW SPEEDS, THE AIR CONDITIONER SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THE CONTACT TURNED THE AIR CONDITIONER BACK ON, SMOKE ENTERED INTO THE CABIN. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND OPENED THE HOOD, BUT THERE WAS NO SMOKE. UPON CLOSING THE HOOD, THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY FILLED WITH SMOKE AND THE CONTACT NOTICED A FLAME THAT IGNITED UNDER THE DASHBOARD TO THE RIGHT OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT CALLED THE POLICE AND FILED A POLICE REPORT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. XCHANGE LEASING, AN UBER COMPANY, WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FIRE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO HER INSURANCE COMPANY. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND REQUESTED THAT THE VEHICLE BE INSPECTED BY A THIRD PARTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,500.

NHTSA ODI 11014153

MY WIFE HAD COME BACK FROM A DR. APPT. APPROX. 52 MILES AWAY FROM HER PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT ON MONDAY 5/15/17 AT APPROX. 1:15PM. AS SHE APPROACHED HER EMPLOYMENT, SHE MADE A LEFT TURN ON A SIDE STREET THAT SEPARATES TWO AUTO DEALERSHIPS, WHERE EMPLOYEES PARK ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET. SHE NOTICED AN EMPTY PARKING SPOT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET AND DECIDED TO MAKE A U-TURN TO PARK THERE. AS SHE SLOWED DOWN TO ATTEMPT THE U-TURN, SHE MADE A SLIGHT LEFT TO BEGIN THE U-TURN AND AT THAT MOMENT ALL THE VEHICLE'S WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIT UP, THE MESSAGE CENTER SCREEN LOCATED AT THE CENTER OF THE CLUSTER ON THE DASH READ "STABILINK SYSTEM DISABLED" AND HAD LOST ALL POWER STEERING. UPON LOSING STEERING, THE STEERING WHEEL SNAPPED BACK AND BROKE HER WRIST IN TWO PLACES. THE LOSS OF STEERING RESULTED IN OUR VEHICLE SLIGHTLY IMPACTING THE VEHICLE PARKED TO HER IMMEDIATE RIGHT. I (HER HUSBAND) ARRIVED LITERALLY MINUTES AFTER THE LOSS OCCURRED, TRIAGED HER ARM AND NEEDED TO MOVE THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE STREET. UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS STILL RUNNING AND HAD NOTICED ALL THE DASH AND VEHICLE WARNING LIGHTS ON, INCLUDING THE "STABILINK DISABLED" MESSAGE ON THE DASH. AS I BEGAN TO DRIVE IT APPROX. 20 YARDS TO AN EMPTY PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER STEERING YET IT WAS RUNNING. APPROX. 9 HOURS LATER, I HAD GONE BACK TO THE VEHICLE TO ATTEMPT TO DRIVE IT TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP TO STORE IT AND UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, ALL SYSTEMS WERE RUNNING AGAIN, NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE PRESENT ON THE DASH AND THE POWER STEERING HAD BEEN RESTORED. I ATTEMPTED TO FIND ANY INDICATION OF A PROBLEM THRU THE MESSAGE CENTER WITHOUT SUCCESS. I FILED AN INSURANCE CLAIM ON APPROX. 5/19, HAD THE VEHICLE PRESERVED FOR EVIDENCE AND IS NOW CURRENTLY STORED AND NOT MOVED AT THE BODY SHOP. AS OF 6/15, INJURY SCIENCES LLC IS SCHEDULED TO PLUG INTO THE ECU OR DATA EVENT RECORDER.

NHTSA ODI 10995436

MY CARS POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING FOR SHORT BURSTS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THE POWER CABLES TO THE BATTERY WENT BAD BUT THAT IT ISN'T COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS CAR IS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD. THIS CAUSED ME TO HAVE A SMALL ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN.

NHTSA ODI 10850421

DRIVING DOWN A ROAD ON THE FRIDAY MORNING. WHEN A DEER POPPED UP IN FRONT OF ME. I HIT THE DEER ON CRUISE CONTROL GOING 70 MPH; BUT WAS HARD BRAKING TO AVOID THE DEER. THE VEHICLE CLIPPED THE DEER ON THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR BY THE HOOD. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, MEANING IT WASN'T EVEN A BIG IMPACT. SO I PULLED OVER TO CALL AUTHORITIES WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO SMOKE. SHORTLY AFTER, ESTIMATED TWO MINUTES, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE BEGIN ON THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF WHERE THE BATTERY WAS LOCATED. IT COMPLETELY BURNED DOWN THE CAR. NOT SURE HOW HITTING A DEER, WOULD NOT SET OFF THE AIR BAGS AND ALSO START A FIRE. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT WITH NO INJURIES.

NHTSA ODI 10735849

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED BUT WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE JERKED INCESSANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 3/31/15*CN UPDATED 9/20/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI 10681351

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2014 CHEVY CRUZE. ON THE WAY TO WORK FOUR DAYS AFTER PURCHASING IT, I WAS SIDE SWIPED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 55 MPH. MY VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO A SPIN, I HIT A CURB AND SNAPPED THE PASSENGER SIDE SUB FRAME, SPUN OUT, AND MY VEHICLE WENT UP INTO FLAMES. IT WAS ENGULFED WITHIN 20 SECONDS OF THE ACCIDENT. I HAD TO KICK THE DRIVER DOOR OUR BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T OPEN. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET OUT OF THE CAR BEFORE BEING BURNED. THERE WERE NO DEATHS, I WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT OF THE VEHICLE AND I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WITH A MODERATE CONCUSSION, AND MULTIPLE BRUISES. HAD THERE BEEN ANYONE ELSE IN THE CAR, THE OUTCOME WOULD'VE BEEN DIFFERENT. THE VEHICLE HAD 200 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. I DON'T RECOMMEND BUYING A CHEVY, THEY ARE NOT SAFE VEHICLES. GM WILL NOT RETURN MY PHONE CALLS OR DO ANYTHING TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10621185