Home · 2016 Chevrolet Cruze Limited · Complaints

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)

5 of 240 complaints match · Engine · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Sep 13, 2023Electrical systemEngineCrash

At first, and only on cold/rainy/snowy weather, while driving the radio would randomly turn off and turn itself back on (i have videos of this). Sometimes it would last a few seconds, sometimes a few minutes. While this was happening, the blinker sounds wouldn't work. I brought it to Chevy in Geneva, NY for diagnostics. No check engine codes ever. They told me that the radio computer needed to be updated. I had them fix it, only to find out that the problem would still happen. Over a few months, it developed more symptoms. It started to not shut off when I pushed the button, and it also started stalling when it went into auto off, but would turn back on if I put it in park and re started. At first it would stall in auto off at random times. This caused an accident in the summer of 2019. I was at a stop sign, waiting to make a right hand turn, took my foot off the brake and car stalled. The car behind me thought I was going and rear ended me. I had to drive around in the summer with the heat on, as it was the only way to prevent the car from going into auto off. I had the car looked at a few more times after that (paying $100 diagnostic fees every time). Brought it back to chevy and the told me it was because of the damage to my trunk allowing water to get to the battery (it wasn't). Issues then turned into stalling at auto off, but not turning back on once in park. I brought it to the dealership I bought it from and they looked at the alternator and had them clean all battery terminals and replace the battery. This worked for 2 weeks before continuing. It got to the point that I had to jump start my car everytime I wanted to drive it or it stalled. Finally it just wouldnt start, So i had it towed to chevy again in 2021. They determined the issue was the starter and replaced. It worked but as of now (9/13/23) my car has began stalling at auto off. It is very dangerous, car gives no warning!! There is too much to say with limited space

NHTSA ODI 11544286

Jul 23, 2023EngineLane DepartureCrash

When I start my car it will sputter then die, also cuts off while driving. It cuts off but will crank up and die again after so many tries it will drive a while and do it again. The check engine was on and I have fixed the O2 sensor, the mass air flow sensor, Ive replaced the turbo hose it had a big chunk ripped out of it which we have no clue how that happened, I just changed the PCV valves a few weeks ago and the car started but would not go in drive nor reverse put it back in shop and cleaned the throttle body and it ran good the whole day today I started cutting off again.

NHTSA ODI 11533949

Feb 13, 2021SteeringSpeed controlEngineCrash1 injury

SECOND REPORT I'M MAKING ABOUT THIS CARS ENGINE PROBLEMS THE STABILITY TRACK AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER CAUSED MY CAR TO STOP ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND I ALMOST HIT SOMEONE ! PLEASE INVESTIGATE INTO THIS ISSUE THEIR ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE UNDER THIS POST FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD SAYING THE SAME THING

NHTSA ODI 11396071

Oct 20, 2016Electrical systemEngineFire

AS I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35 ON A CITY STREET, EVERYTHING SEEMED LIKE JUST ANY OTHER DAY. BUT IT WAS FAR FROM IT. I STARTED TO SMELL A FUNNY PLASTIC/RUBBER LIKE SMELL COMING FROM THE FRONT OF MY CAR. SO IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO CHECK WHAT WAS GOING ON. IT IS KEY TO NOTE THAT I ALSO CHECKED MY ENGINE TEMPERATURE, SPECULATING THAT MAYBE I FORGOT TO TOP OFF THE COOLANT OR SOMETHING, BUT THE TEMPERATURE WAS PERFECT. I STOPPED THE CAR, POPPED THE HOOD, AND SAW WHAT WAS TO MY SHOCK JUST INSANE... A 3 FOOT FLAME THAT WAS BURNING UP MY WHOLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I DID NOT EVEN TRY TO PUT THE FLAME OUT WITH ANY MEANS BECAUSE THE FLAME WAS LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO THE FUEL INJECTORS AND I WAS NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO RISK IT AND TRY TO PUT OUT THE FLAME. I CALLED 911 AND IN SEVERAL MINUTES, TO MY LUCK, THEY WERE THERE AND PUT THE FLAME OUT BEFORE THE CAR BLEW UP. HOWEVER, THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR AND SOME OF FRONT INTERIOR IS BASICALLY MELTED AND THE CAR IS NOT USEFUL FOR ANYTHING ANYMORE. THIS WAS A SPONTANEOUS FLAME THAT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY AT ABOUT 35 MPH ON A 70 DEGREE DAY. WHAT HAPPENED? I DO NOT KNOW... BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT CARS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO PUT THEIR DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS AT RISK OF DYING JUST BECAUSE A PERSON WANTS TO PEACEFULLY DRIVE DOWN TO POINT B FROM POINT A. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS, WHOEVER WILL BE DOING SO. THIS KIND OF CAR MANUFACTURING IS UNACCEPTABLE! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10917708

Oct 18, 2016Electrical systemEngineFire

VEHICLE PROVED TO BE SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTIVE THUS THE CAR BURNED UP IN A FIRE DUE TO ELECTRICAL HARNESS CATCHING FIRE AS STATED FIRE FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRE INSPECTOR. NO SIGNS SHOWED ANY IMMINENT DANGER, THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE BARELY ESCAPED BEFORE CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION BEING DRIVEN ON A CITY STREET.

NHTSA ODI 10917216

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 →