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Chevrolet CruzeYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 3,729 NHTSA owner complaints across 9 model years, no Chevrolet Cruze year stands out as one to avoid, and the strongest years are 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. The Cruze has 26 safety recalls on record.

Chevrolet Cruze
Years to avoidNoneUse caution: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014Best years'15 '16 '17 '18Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints3,729Top: EngineSafety recalls262011–2019 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Best & worst years

Chevrolet Cruze years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Cruze median. Tap a year for its full report.

'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2019Not rated–/10023 complaints · 2 recalls2018Best75/100109 complaints · 3 recalls2017Best69/100203 complaints · 2 recalls2016Solid63/100250 complaints · 4 recalls2015Solid63/100254 complaints · 4 recalls2014Caution36/100705 complaints · 10 recalls2013Caution42/100587 complaints · 5 recalls2012Caution34/100865 complaints · 7 recalls2011Caution37/100733 complaints · 7 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Chevrolet Cruze problems

All model years combined: 3,729 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine126292
Electrical system76252
Power train68327
Steering37535
Electronic stability control (ESC)37021
Service brakes34577
Air bags261153
Fuel/propulsion system25415
Vehicle speed control23819
23 other systems777110
26 recalls

Chevrolet Cruze recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

15%Air bags: side/window25V-764 · 2014 · Nov 6, 2025 · 2,099 vehicles23%Air bags: side/window23V-870 · 2014 · Dec 21, 2023 · 20,712 vehicles23%Air bags: side/window23V-674 · 2014 · Sep 20, 2023 · 9,264 vehicles79%Power train: automatic transmission20V-668 · 2018–2019 · Oct 29, 2020 · 194,105 vehicles96%Disc: caliper18V-576 · 2018–2019 · Aug 30, 2018 · 210,628 vehicles83%Fuel system, gasoline18V-304 · 2016–2018 · May 10, 2018 · 111,966 vehicles92%Front assembly: head restraint17V-057 · 2016–2017 · Jan 26, 2017 · 17,197 vehicles98%Electrical system: ignition16V-502 · 2011–2016 · Jul 5, 2016 · 8,367 vehicles100%Exterior lighting: headlights16V-498 · 2016 · Jul 1, 2016 · 32,913 vehicles87%Front: anchorage15V-876 · 2015 · Dec 23, 2015 · 15 vehicles90%Steering15V-442 · 2014–2015 · Jul 10, 2015 · 10 vehicles99%Parking brake15V-113 · 2015 · Feb 27, 2015 · 1,733 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 26 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

3 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Cruze

  1. Air Bag Non-deploymentRQ13002 · 2012 · closed Jul 9, 2014
    Led to recall 13V-023
  2. Chapman Chevrolet / Cruze Engine RecallAQ12002 · 2011–2012 · closed Oct 20, 2014
    No recall
  3. Engine compartment firePE12010 · 2011–2012 · closed Jul 19, 2012
    Led to recall 12V-288