Model year record

2012 Chevrolet Cruze

7 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 1,374 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 16V502000

Electrical system: ignition

Component
Electrical system: ignition
Manufacturer
General Motors LLC
Vehicles affected
8,367
Reported to NHTSA
2016-07-05
Owners notified
2016-10-14

Defect description

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Safety risk

If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

Recall campaignNHTSA 14V300000

Air bags

Component
Air bags
Manufacturer
General Motors LLC
Vehicles affected
31,520
Reported to NHTSA
2014-06-06
Owners notified
2014-07-25

Defect description

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured December 5, 2011 to August 2, 2012, and Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 1, 2011 to June 11, 2012. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Safety risk

If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at 1-800-222-1020. Buick owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. Note: This is an expansion of recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023.

Recall campaignNHTSA 13V360000

Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist

Component
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist
Manufacturer
General Motors LLC
Vehicles affected
292,879
Reported to NHTSA
2013-08-15
Owners notified
2013-10-07

Defect description

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with 1.4L DOHC gasoline turbo engines and 6T40 front wheel drive automatic transmissions and equipped with an electric vacuum pump to provide supplemental vacuum for brake assist, when needed. In the affected vehicles, the pump may not activate, resulting in an intermittent reduction or loss of brake assist.

Safety risk

A loss of braking assistance will require extra pedal force and/or distance to bring the vehicle to a stop, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace a microswitch in the power brake vacuum pipe assembly, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020. GM's recall number is 12213.

Recall campaignNHTSA 13V023000

Air bags

Component
Air bags
Manufacturer
General Motors LLC
Vehicles affected
4,167
Reported to NHTSA
2013-01-24
Owners notified
2013-02-13

Defect description

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic, and model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Safety risk

If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on February 13, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

Recall campaignNHTSA 12V522000

Air bags

Component
Air bags
Manufacturer
General Motors LLC
Vehicles affected
2,949
Reported to NHTSA
2012-10-31
Owners notified
2013-01-11

Defect description

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Safety risk

If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal airbag, that airbag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel airbag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

Recall campaignNHTSA 12V289000

Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: mounting

Component
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: mounting
Manufacturer
GENERAL MOTORS LLC
Vehicles affected
53,239
Reported to NHTSA
2012-06-22
Owners notified
2012-07-09

Defect description

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH MAY 14, 2012. ATTACHMENT WELDS FOR THE FUEL TANK STRAP SECONDARY BRACKETS MAY HAVE BEEN OMITTED.

Safety risk

THE FUEL TANK COULD COME LOOSE IN A CRASH, POSSIBLY ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE TANK. A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Manufacturer remedy

GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR MISSING WELDS. IF THE VEHICLE IS MISSING WELDS, DEALERS WILL SECURE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENTS WITH FASTENERS. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 9, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE CHEVROLET OWNER CENTER AT 1-866-694-6546.

Recall campaignNHTSA 12V288000

Engine and engine cooling

Component
Engine and engine cooling
Manufacturer
GENERAL MOTORS LLC
Vehicles affected
413,148
Reported to NHTSA
2012-06-22
Owners notified
2012-07-10

Defect description

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH MAY 31, 2012. SPILLED OR DRIPPING OIL (SUCH AS AFTER AN OIL CHANGE) MAY COLLECT IN THE ENGINE SHIELD (BELLYPAN) NEAR HOT ENGINE OR EXHAUST SYSTEM SURFACES. AS A RESULT, THE OIL AND THE ENGINE SHIELD MAY IGNITE AND BURN.

Safety risk

EITHER CONDITION COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.

Manufacturer remedy

GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ENGINE SHIELD TO PREVENT FLUID FROM CONTACTING THE SHIELD. ALSO, ON VEHICLES WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, DEALERS WILL APPLY A PROTECTIVE TAPE TO THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING WIRE HARNESS. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE TO THE OWNER. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 10, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE CHEVROLET OWNER CENTER AT 1-866-694-6546.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Engine27666,000 mi
Electrical system19850,000 mi
Service brakes14445,000 mi
Power train13958,000 mi
Electronic stability control (ESC)10861,000 mi
Steering10345,000 mi
Unknown or other8575,000 mi
Vehicle speed control5065,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion system4956,680 mi
Engine and engine cooling4033,890 mi
Visibility/wiper3574,700 mi
Air bags3459,000 mi
Structure: body1532,945 mi
Exterior lighting1467,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic915,000 mi
Tires722,253 mi
Wheels732,945 mi
Seat belts576,000 mi
Suspension519,009 mi
Structure428,374 mi
Fuel system, gasoline344,286 mi
Visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system39,118 mi
Engine and engine cooling: engine: crank/camshaft position sensor2100,000 mi
Equipment2
Forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control2
Latches/locks/linkages: trunk lid: lock219,000 mi
Seats234,000 mi
Structure: body: trunk lid250,000 mi
Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems25,300 mi
Traction control system237,000 mi
Visibility2150 mi
Electrical system: wiring1
Engine and engine cooling: cooling system: fan157,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: cooling system: pump1
Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/supercharger1
Engine and engine cooling: engine: oil/lubrication: seals/gaskets1130,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: catalytic convertor198,039 mi
Equipment adaptive/mobility1
Equipment: appliance: air conditioner142,000 mi
Equipment: mechanical: accessory scissor/screw/bottle jack/lift1
Exterior lighting: headlights158,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: evaporative emissions: canister198,039 mi
Interior lighting180 mi
Power train: automatic transmission1
Power train: clutch assembly170,000 mi
Power train: manual transmission180 mi
Seats: front assembly: head restraint13,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum142,300 mi
Steering: electric power assist system156,000 mi
Steering: hydraulic power assist: power steering fluid18,856 mi
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal135,000 mi
Visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system: heater core122,000 mi
Visibility: windshield168,700 mi
Visibility: windshield wiper/washer15,000 mi

The 2011 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. The 2013 model has about 1.5 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.