Home · 2017 Chevrolet Cruze Limited · Complaints

What 201 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 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 (201)Crash / fire / injury (15)Engine (73)Transmission & drivetrain (39)Electrical system (33)Brakes (18)Body & structure (16)Fuel system (15)Lights (12)Speed control (10)Airbags (7)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (7)

12 of 201 complaints match · Lights · clear filters

Feb 22, 2024Electrical systemLights

Several times during ownership (Bought used in 2021 with 13,000 miles at purchase, currently 35,000 miles on car. Entire instrument cluster including center screen and center console shifter selector goes completely dark. This includes both speedometer indicators. No apparent cause, no advance warning, screen(s) just "black out". After some time...30-40 seconds to as long as 2-3 minutes all console and instruments lights come back on. Happens during daytime and nighttime usage, with heater and/or air conditioning in use.

NHTSA ODI 11573424

Jun 26, 2023Lights

Seal on rear break lights malfunctioning causing water to leak into light and trunk causing mold and mildew buildup and possible electrical issues.

NHTSA ODI 11528977

Aug 13, 2022Lights

During rain or carwash, water leaks into rear passenger cabin along ceiling. Suspect coming from cracked rear third brake light which is a known Cruze issue that may also cause battery issues. My third brake light has two cracks (one on each side).

NHTSA ODI 11479150

Jan 13, 2022Lights

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. While refueling, the contact discovered that cracks had formed on both sides of the middle brake light housing. She then noticed that water from the cracks had leaked into the top rear headliner of the vehicle. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer where they confirmed the failure and provided her an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle has been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000. Consumer paid $312.82 for the repairs.

NHTSA ODI 11447375

Nov 1, 2021Lights

Third rear brake light on my Chevy Cruze hatchback broke off from its mount, and is now dangling against the rear window glass, obstructing the view, obstructing the rear windshield wiper from being able to operate, and held on by nothing but the wiring. It is at risk of falling off into the road, makes the car less visible to drivers while braking, and obscures my view out of the back window, especially when it is raining, as I can no longer use the wiper. It is unable to be reattached without replacing the entire rear spoiler (approximately $1,000 repair according to multiple dealerships I have contacted, with photographs), and it is a manufacturer defect, not caused by outside force. It appears the bolts that hold the spoiler in were over-torqued at the factory, causing excess stress on the plastic holes they mount into, as the plastic surrounding both mounting holes cracked.

NHTSA ODI 11438916

Jun 9, 2021Electrical systemLights

Third brake light cracked and letting water in my trunk. Where my battery and other electrical components are located.

NHTSA ODI 11420321

Apr 27, 2021LightsVisibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE NOTICED A FRACTURE ON ONE OF THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT ON THE SIDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT RECENTLY A PASSENGER IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE POINTED OUT THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT WAS FRACTURED ALLOWING WATER TO LEAK INSIDE THE VEHICLE INTO THE HEAD VISOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY NOTICED THE SEAL AROUND THE BRAKE LIGHT AND SURROUNDING AREA WAS NOT PROPERLY SEALED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11414186

Feb 28, 2020Lights

EXTERIOR FRONT HEAD LAMP CONDENSATION ON BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES. HAD BACK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES IN PAST 2 YEARS. DEALER SAYS IT IS NORMAL AND TO LIVE WITH IT. THE CONDENSATION HAPPENS STANDING OR IN MOTION. ALL DEPENDING ON OUTDOOR WEATHER.

NHTSA ODI 11312019

Jun 18, 2019LightsBody & structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HIGH MOUNT BRAKE SEAL WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HOMETOWN CHEVROLET BUICK GMC (2009 BARNES ST, REIDSVILLE, NC 27320, (336) 634-0050) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THIRD HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,829.

NHTSA ODI 11220961

Feb 15, 2018LightsCrash

THIS VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AT NIGHT DUE TO THE "AUTOMATIC" LIGHTING SYSTEM EITHER WAS NON OPERATIONS, NOT FOCUSED IN THE CORRECT DIRECTION OR NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH. THE CRUZE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING SOUTH BOUND TO A LIGHTED INTERSECTION FROM A STOP SIGN A BLOCK AWAY. THE NORTH BOUND CAR WAS AT A STOP WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN. UPON TURNING GREEN AND AFTER VIEWING THE OPPOSITE LANE TO YIELD, THE NORTH BOUND CAR PROCEEDED TO TURN LEFT AND DID NOT SEE THE CRUZE UNTIL IT WAS ALREADY IN A TURN AND LATER STATED THAT THE CRUZE CAME OUT OF NO WHERE. THE CRUZE WAS TOTALED. THE WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT, ANOTHER NORTHBOUND CAR, STATED THAT THE NORTH BOUND CAR WAS GOING EXTREMELY SLOW AS THE LIGHT JUST TURNED GREEN. IT IS NOTED THAT THE 2016 VEHICLES WERE RECALLED FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11073159

Jan 2, 2018LightsBrakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LAMP FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BUCHANAN AUTOMOTIVE INC (1035 E MAIN ST, WAYNESBORO, PA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WASHERS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND WAS PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 8-3724651728. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 59,238.

NHTSA ODI 11057912

Oct 24, 2017Lights

THE HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DIM ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR BUT IT IS THE LS MODEL WHICH DOES NOT HAVE SEPARATE DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS. INSTEAD OF DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS, THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON ANYTIME THE IGNITION KEY IS IN THE RUN POSITION. WHETHER OR NOT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS SET TO "AUTO" OR THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON MANUALLY MAKES NO DIFFERENCE IN HEADLIGHT INTENSITY. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIM THAT THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. WHEN I DRIVE ON HE FREEWAY AT NIGHT I CAN TELL THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ON NEIGHBORING CARS ARE BRIGHTER. I AM OFTEN FORCED TO USE THE HIGH BEAMS WHEN THERE ARE NO OTHER SOURCES OF ILLUMINATION. I WONDER IF THE LIGHTING "COMPUTER" IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE POWER OF THE HEADLIGHTS. I'VE NOTICED THAT CHEVY CRUZES WITH DISCRETE DT RUNNING LAMPS (LEDS) STILL UTILIZE THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS (PROJECTOR BEAM) BUT IN A DIMMED MODE. MY VEHICLE HAS OLD FASHIONED HALOGEN HEADLIGHTS. I NEED TO DETERMINE IF THE LIGHTING COMPUTER IS DIMMING MY HEADLIGHTS BECAUSE IT CAN'T DIFFERENTIATE NIGHT FROM DAY. THIS PROBLEM PERSISTS AT ALL TIMES. IT COULD BE THAT THIS VEHICLE MODEL HAS POOR HEADLIGHTS. I'VE OWNED AND DRIVEN MANY CARS OVER A LONG STRETCH OF TIME. BUT RARELY HAVE I DRIVEN A VEHICLE THAT HAD SUCH POOR HEADLIGHTS.

NHTSA ODI 11039332

Working with the data? Download all 201 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 2017 Chevrolet Cruze Limited verdict →