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What 240 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 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 (240)Crash / fire / injury (27)Engine (98)Electrical system (57)Fuel system (34)Transmission & drivetrain (31)Airbags (21)Brakes (17)Steering (17)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (16)Speed control (10)Body & structure (7)

31 of 240 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · clear filters · page 2 of 2

Dec 27, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING FAILS. CAR IS IN GEAR BUT DOESN'T MOVE. FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS WHEN CAR WAS PARKED IN THE MORNING AND PUT INTO REVERSE TO BLACKOUT AND SECOND OCCURRENCE WAS A COUPLE WEEKS LATER WHEN STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. TURNING THE CAR OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES SEEMS TO TEMPORARILY CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I AM WORRIED THE TRANSMISSION WILL FAIL SUDDENLY WHILE IN AN INTERSECTION OR OTHER DANGEROUS SITUATION

NHTSA ODI 11163765

Jul 23, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

WHEN IM PRESSING THE BREAKS WHILE TURNING THE RPMS GO UP TO 3. WHEN IM GOING UP A HILL AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE THE CAR IS SLOW AT GETTING UP TO A 3 IN THE RPMS

NHTSA ODI 11113015

Jun 28, 2018Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK AND RESTARTED ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HURRICANE CHEVROLET (200 SATURN WAY, HURRICANE, WV 25526, (304) 562-3005) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CONVERTER MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE WIRE TO WIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER AWAITING FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. *TT *TR

NHTSA ODI 11104519

Jan 23, 2018Transmission & drivetrainBrakes

CAR HAS LESS THAN 17,000 MILES ON IT, AND THE CAR JERKS LIKE A FAILING TRANSMISSION. WHEN DRIVING AND STARTING UP AFTER STOPPING IT JERKS AND HESITATES. BRAKES ARE CONTINUOUSLY BEING BLOWN OUT AS THEY SQUEAL.

NHTSA ODI 11064308

Dec 20, 2017Transmission & drivetrain

COOLANT RESERVOIR CRACKED, POSSIBLE BLOWN HEAD GASKET, OR BAD WATER PUMP.

NHTSA ODI 11055623

May 16, 2017Transmission & drivetrainFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND SMOKE BEGAN TO COME FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO REVERSE ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT REMOVED THEMSELVES FROM THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED LIQUID COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A ROLLING STOP AT WHICH POINT THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED A FIRE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND FILED A REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT RECEIVED A DIAGNOSING FOR THE FAILURE AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED TO CONTACT THEIR INSURANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

NHTSA ODI 10986039

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Working with the data? Download all 240 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 2016 Chevrolet Cruze Limited verdict →