2013 Chevrolet Cruze problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Engine (116) · Power Train (86) · Steering (65)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Chevrolet Cruze model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
415 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (5)
Electrical System:ignition 2016-07-05 · campaign 16V502000 · 8,367 vehicles
Defect: 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 lever
Risk: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Equipment:electrical 2014-07-02 · campaign 14V417000 · 2,990 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured August 7, 2012, to August 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured May 10, 2011, to August 16, 2012 equipped with a Calix oil pan/block heater. In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can beco
Risk: Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14257.
Air Bags 2014-06-26 · campaign 14V372000 · 29,019 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the driver's front air bag inflator may have been manufactured with an incorrect part.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's air bag, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike and potentially seriously injure the vehicle occupants. Additionally, if the air bag does not inflate, the driver is at an increased risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side air bag, free of charge. The recall began on June 28, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14305.
Power Train:axle Assembly:axle Shaft 2014-03-31 · campaign 14V151000 · 174,046 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with a 1.4L turbo engine, and manufactured between November 28, 2012, and March 7, 2014. On the affected vehicles, the right front half shaft may fracture and separate.
Risk: If the half shaft fractures and separates while driving, the vehicle would lose power and coast to a stop. If a vehicle with a fractured half shaft is parked without the parking brake applied, the vehicle could move unexpectedly. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the right half shaft, as needed, free of charge. Parts for the remedy are not currently available. GM will send an interim letter to owners in May 2014. A second owner letter will be mailed when parts are available. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-866-694-6546. GM's number for this recall is 14079. This is an expansion of recall 13V-452. NOTE: Some vehicles subject to this recall were subject to the recall campaign initiated i
Power Train:axle Assembly:axle Shaft 2013-09-23 · campaign 13V452000 · 3,161 vehicles
Defect: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with manual transmissions (MF3/MR5) and manufactured January 24, 2013, through August 1, 2013. On the affected vehicles, the right front half shaft may fracture and separate.
Risk: If the half shaft fractures and separates while driving, the vehicle would lose power and coast to a stop. If a vehicle with a fractured half shaft is parked without the parking brake applied, the vehicle could move unexpectedly. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: General Motors has notified owners. Dealers will replace the half shaft assembly, free of charge. The safety recall began on October 15, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300. This is General Motors campaign number 13276.
Service bulletins (1,883)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-26 · PIT5698F · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi provides diagnostics tips on how the lin bus works and how to diagnosis it.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-04 · PIP4902W · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email gds2 session logs into technical assistance.
Unknown Or Other 2026-04-01 · PIT3271Q · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
Unknown Or Other 2026-03-09 · PIP6104 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a gds2 session log and upload to a technical assistance case in cx connect.
Unknown Or Other 2026-03-09 · PIP4902V · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email gds2 session logs into technical assistance.
Unknown Or Other 2026-01-08 · PIP4902U · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email gds2 session logs into technical assistance.
Showing the 6 most recent of 1,883 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-01 · Power Train“i purchased the car with my student financial aid money as soon as i got 5 car a few blocks away and the car started boiling.then the key ignition system said use pocket transmitter that didn't work .i purchased a new battery i have a mechanic that's why i purchased the car i was confidant je could fix it no matter what the car was3 very unsafe no …”
2026-08-29 · Vehicle Speed Control“i’d like to report this vehicle and its engine as i did not know i could before we have had this car since 2015 this engine has chronic repeated issues that chevy would patch once under “special coverages” or “extended warranty” and it fails again and again but they only honor it 1 time even if it fails yet again due to bad engineering or design …”
2026-02-26 · Engine“the contact owns a 2013 chevrolet cruze. the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact felt ill and pulled over to the side of the road. the contact stated that a passerby stopped and found the contact unconscious inside the vehicle. the ambulance was called to the scene, and the contact was taken to the hospital. the doctor…”
2025-11-09 · Vehicle Speed Control“when i accelerate my rpm goes up but car dosent move as speed says and takes for me to let off the gas to speed up , and my steering when i turn it pulls away n it keep popping up service traction and going off …”
2025-10-17 · Unknown Or Other“my car over heats at least over 300 degrees. afraid that my vehicle is in danger of catching fire due to the high temperature causing tension belt and hose components to melt. …”
2025-08-30 · Unknown Or Other“i’ve had the thermostat housing fail twice now. and now it leaking again for the third time!! now the service stabilitrak light is on, but it only happens when the car is idling. this happened to me before while driving and i replaced the spark plugs and the coil pack. i know on other models the valve cover failed as well but i don’t see a recall o…”
2025-08-20 · Fuel/Propulsion System“for the airbag the car was sold to me without a working airbag. it’s in the steering wheel (i have been told this by a chevrolet dealership) and the part that is broken is the part that will make it inflate in case of crash. this is scary to me. i was just in my first (and hopefully only) accident a month before in a more steely car and while no ai…”
2025-08-14 · Electrical System:instrument Panel:speedometer/Odometer · 189,000 mi“odometer fraud. the contact purchased a 2013 chevrolet cruze. the contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. the vehicle was a private sale. at the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 157,454. the contact later discovered that the title mileage was 189,000.…”
2025-08-11 · Engine“this is the second time that we have experienced over heating issues. currently the car has been out of commission for over a year and half. every since we purchased the car used it has over heated. the first time of course the head gasket was blown. we paid $1200 to have it fixed. still ran hot we replaced the water pump. after a year same …”
2025-06-13 · Steering · 103,212 mi“the contact owns a 2013 chevrolet cruze. the contact stated that while driving 65 mph, the steering wheel seized, and the vehicle also lost motive power. there were no warning lights illuminated. the vehicle was able to be restarted. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the electronic control unit module h…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.