49 complaints reported

2012 Chevrolet Cruze Electrical System

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
49
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Apr 2022

Loses power replace the maf sensor new air filter replaced both thermostat sensors, the thing that regulates the gas and 3 oil changes only had the car 2 months. Now a differnt code is showing about a mis fire.. i dnt think any of the recalls were completed on my car

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 2022
Jan 2020

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO NUMEROUS MECHANICS WHO HAVE REPLACED THINGS AND IT STILL COMES ON. THE HEATING AND COOLING HAND WILL GO HAYWIRE BUT IT'S NOT RUNNING HOT AND ALL THE OTHER LIGHTS ON THE DASH WILL BLINK ON AND OFF. I THINK THE COMPUTER IS BAD.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2020
Nov 2019

RADIO AND DASH KEEP GOING OFF AND THEN BACK ON WHILE DRIVING. STABILITY CHECK KEEPS FLASHING I HAVE HAD THIS LOOKED AT AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2019
Jul 2019

CAR WILL NOT START. PUT KEY IN THE IGNITION AND IT WILL NOT TURN OVER. HAD MECHANIC COME AND CHECK OUT AND HE SAID THE IGNITION SWITCH IS NOT GETTING THE POWER IT SUPPOSED TO ONE CORE READS 12 VOLTS THE OTHER 6 AND THEY BOTH SUPPOSE TO READ 12 VOLTS TO TURN IT OVER.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2019
Oct 2018

TRUNK RELEASE DOES NOT WORK. THE TRUNK OPENS ONLY AFTER ACTUATING THE BUTTON ON THE FOB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 2014
Jul 2018

INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM NOT WORKING. THE STEREO SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. IT WILL TURN ON OR OFF ON WITHOUT INPUT FROM A HUMAN. NOT HAVING A STEREO IS NOT A PROBLEM, BUT THE TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHT CLICKING ARE NOT PRESENT WHEN THE RADIO IS NOT OPERATING. NOT HAVING AUDIO OF THE TURN SIGNALS REQUIRES THE DRIVER TO TAKE THEIR EYES OFF THE ROAD TO OBSERVE WHETHER EITHER TURN SIGNAL ARE OPERATING. THIS DRIVER HAS RIDDEN AROUND WITH A TURN SIGNAL FOR SOME LENGTHS OF TIME, POSSIBLY CONFUSING OTHER DRIVERS. THE RADIO AND VEHICLE DINGS AND CLICKS SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT FOR SAFETY ALERTS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2018
Oct 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. ADDITIONALLY, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, CHECK ENGINE, AND TRACTION INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION COIL NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2017
Jul 2017

I JUST BOUGHT MY CHEVY CRUZE ON DEC 18TH 2016 AND ON DEC 24TH 2016 MY CAR WOULDN'T START WHILE IN PARK, NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO PEEPING, NO NOTHING JUST WOULD NOT START, I WAITED A FEW MINUTES THEN IT STARTED. I DROVE ABOUT 10 OR MORE MILES TO MY DADS WAS THERE ABOUT 5 MINUTES GOT IN MY CAR TO LEAVE, SAME THING, WOULDN'T START, AGAIN NO PEEPING, NO WARNING LIGHTS NOTHING,WAITED ABOUT 3 TO 5 MINUTES AND IT STARTED. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY TOLD METO BRING IT IN THE FOLLOWING SAT WHICH WAS DEC. 31, 2016, THE CAR STARTED THE REST OF THAT WEEK NO PROBLEM. TOOK THE CAR IN ON DEC. 31, 2016, THEY STILL HAVE MY CAR AND IT IS JANUARY 7TH, 2017, THEY CAN'T FIND WHAT IS WRONG. I HAVE SINCE DONE RESEARCH ON THIS CAR AND FOUND OUT IT IS THE MOST UNRELIABLE CAR OUT THERE. I DRIVE AN 82 YEAR OLD LADY TO HER APPOINTMENTS AND I CAN'T RISK BEING IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF CAR PROBLEMS. I GOT RID OF A 1994 FORD ESCORT BECAUSE OF IT BREAKING DOWN ALL THE TIME, NOW IT SOUNDS LIKE I JUST TRADED THAT IN FOR THE SAME [XXX] THING JUST A DIFFERENT MAKE AND MODEL. I AM NOT DEALING WITH IT, I'M TAKING THE CAR BACK ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN DEALERSHIP SELLING ME THIS CAR, SPECIFICALLY TOLD THEM I NEEDED A SAFE RELIABLE CAR AND THEY SELL ME THE WORST RATING CAR ON THE [XXX] LOT. NEVER EVER WILL I BUY A CHEVY OR A FORD AGAIN. WE WILL SEE HOW THE DEALER MAKES THIS RIGHT IF I GO BACK TO THEM OR GIVE THEM A GOOD REVIEW. IT HAS BEEN 7 DAYS NOW AND THEY STILL HAVE MY CAR AND EVERYDAY I'M TOLD THE SAME THING, DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, DON'T KNOW WHEN WE WILL GIVE YOU YOUR CAR BACK. MUCH LONGER DEALING WITH THIS AND THEY CAN TALK TO MY ATTORNEY. I DON'T WANT THE CAR BACK, TRADE IT IN OR GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK. THIS IS BULL. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2016
Jun 2017

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START COULD NOT OPEN CAR BUT THE DASH LIGHT WERE ON & ONCE INSIDE THE WINDOW WOULD GO UP & AND DOWN. HAVE CHANGED BATTERY BUT STILL NOT WORKING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2017
May 2017

THERE ARE INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL ISSUES IN THIS VEHICLE, THE RADIO SHUTS ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING AND THE TURN SIGNALS HAVE NO SOUND ALONG WITH NO SOUND FROM THE REVERSE SENSORS. DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: May 2017
Feb 2017

RADIO AND COMMUNICATION MODULE IS TURNING ON AND OFF. STABILITYTRAK CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON AND ABS BRAKES LIGHTS COMES ON.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2017
Feb 2017

LIKE ALL THE OTHER CHEVROLET CRUZES WITH RADIO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. MY 2012 LTZ CRUZE WITH 50,000 MILES ON IT IS ALSO HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. ON FEBRUARY 10, 2017 MY RADIO STARTED FREAKING OUT. IT WOULD GO OFF AND ON SEVERAL TIME WITH THE RADIO SOMETIMES WORK AND OTHER TIMES NOT. THIS WOULD HAPPEN UP TO 4 TIMES WITH IN A 1/2 HOUR OF DRIVING. MY DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT IN THE DASH WILL GO ON AND OFF. THE BLINKER WOULD GO ON AND OFF. AND AFTER READING ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE POSTINGS I SOON WILL BE HAVING MORE ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRICAL/RADIO/DASH ISSUES AND THE CAR SHUTTING DOWN AND POSSIBLE STEERING PROBLEMS..... THAT'S JUST GREAT! WHY HASN'T GM DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? WHY IS IT THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE A RECK AND POSSIBLY DIE BEFORE GM FIXES THIS.....WE PAY A LOT A MONEY FOR THIS CARS AND THEY SHOULD LAST A LOT LONGER WITH OUT ISSUES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2017
Jan 2017

WHILE DRIVING MY 012 CHEVY CRUZE, A MESSAGE CAME UP STATING 'SERVICE STABILITRAK' AND THE RADIO SHUTS OFF AND TURNS BACK ON RANDOMLY. ALSO, WHEN AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE AC WILL STOP BLOWING AND THEN PICK BACK UP.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2017
Sep 2016

WHEN I START MY CAR, THE FOUR WAY FLASHERS TURN ON, MY TRUNK OPENS, WIPERS GO OFF, INTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKER, AND SERVE POWER STEERING APPEARS. I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER, THEY REPLACED THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE FOR A SECOND TIME, AND RAN AN ELECTRICAL DIAGNOSIS. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE BATTERY CABLE, THE ISSUES ARE STILL OCCURRING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2016
Aug 2016

THIS IS THE SECOND COMPLAINT THAT OUR GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE FOR THE GOVERNMENT MOTORS CHEVROLET CRUZ VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING, THE RADIO WILL START TO POWER CYCLE AND THE DASH BOARD INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL ALSO START FLASHING ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE WILL ALSO SHUT COMPLETELY OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL YOU REMOVE BATTERY TERMINALS AND THEN REATTACH. THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY CHEVY CRUZ'S AND THE NHTSA REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I WOULD UPLOAD VIDEOS BUT THIS ANTIQUATED GOVERNMENT SITE DOESN'T WANT TO SEE REAL FACTS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2016
Aug 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE KEY FOB FRACTURED. THE KEY FOB WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE ISSUE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2016
Jul 2016

THE CAR WILL NOT TURN OFF WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED OFF AND REMOVED. IT WILL JUST SIT THERE AND RUN UNTIL IT DECIDES TO QUIT ON IT'S OWN. I WOULD REALLY HATE TO HAVE TO SHUT IT DOWN IN AN EMERGENCY AND NOT BE ABLE TO. THAT COULD GET SOMEONE SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED! ALSO, THE VAPOR CANISTER VENT/PURGE VENT VALVE IS DEFECTIVE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR AND IF THAT IS THE CASE, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2016
Mar 2016

THE TURN SIGNALS QUIT WORKING INTERMITTENT, RADIO DISPLAY GOES OUT LIKE IT IS SWITCHED OFF , DIGITAL SPEEDOMETER CHANGES SETTINGS, THESE CONDITIONS OCCUR WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. THE SERVICE THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM COMES ON WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2016
Dec 2015

MY 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE STARTING IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR 2015 THE CAR HAD 75,000 MILES ON IT WHEN IT STARTED WITH THE DASH LIGHTS, FAN, RADIO AND DISPLAY ALL RANDOMLY SHUTTING OFF AND TURNING ON. SOMETIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE STABILITRACK DISPLAY WILL COME ON AND THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANYTIME BUT USUALLY WHEN THE CAR IS GOING SLOW OR STOPPED, I FIRST NOTICED IT WHEN APPLYING THE BREAKS. THIS HOWEVER IS NOT THE EXTENT OF IT AS NOW WHEN I SHUT THE CAR OFF IT HAS KEPT MY KEYS AND WOULD NOT START EITHER. EVENTUALLY WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED FORTUNATELY IT CAME BACK TO LIFE AND DISPLAYED A THEFT PROTECTION DISPLAY. I CALLED THE LOCAL GM DEALER WHO SERVICES MY CAR AND I WAS TOLD THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM HOWEVER WHEN I GO ONLINE THERE ARE DOZENS IF NOT HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS RELATED DIRECTLY TO THESE TYPE OF ISSUES WITH THE CHEVROLET CRUZE. I ALSO POSTED A COMPLAINT ON A CAR WEBSITE TO TRY TO HELP COMMUNICATE THIS ISSUE WITH OTHER CHEVROLET CRUZE OWNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2015
Oct 2015

WHILE DRIVING THE ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS SUCH AS RADIO AND INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL START TO FLASH ON AND OFF WITH THE RADIO DISPLAY REBOOTING AT INTERMITTENT TIMES, AND SOMETIMES CONSTANTLY. POWER HAS ON OCCASION BEEN LOST COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING. SOMETIMES THE SYMPTOMS ARE ONLY THE RADIO AND CONSOLE BELOW IT LOSING POWER, BUT WHEN IT GETS REALLY FREQUENT, A COUPLE OF THE INSTRUMENT WARNING LIGHTS REGARDING ABS AND ANOTHER ONE I CANNOT REMEMBER OFF HAND FLASH, AND THE STABILITRAC WARNING IS DISPLAYING "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL". THIS CAN LAST FOR 5 MINUTES OR AS LONG AS A DAY OR MORE. I NOTICED ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS, THE PROBLEMS STARTED ON VERY HUMID DAYS AT BOTH EARLY MORNING AND EVENING TIME FRAMES, AND NECESSARILY WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN. WHEN PROBLEM GETS EXTREMELY BAD, I USUALLY PULL OVER SOMEWHERE AND TAKE OFF THE "NEGATIVE" BATTERY CABLE FOR ABOUT 20 SECONDS USING A WRENCH I MUST CARRY IN THE VEHICLE, FORCING THE CONTROL MODULE OF THE VEHICLE TO RESET. THIS TEMPORARILY FIXES THE PROBLEM FOR AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE CHEVY DEALER AND THEY CLAIMED THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING NOR HAVE THEY EVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS WHILE VEHICLE IS MOVING OR STATIONERY. THIS PROBLEM ALSO OCCURS ON EXPRESSWAYS OR CITY STREETS. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURED IN MULTIPLE STATES(NORTH CAROLINA ALONG THE COAST AND IN CHICAGO AREA. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS . THE LAST TIME WAS ON SEPT. 30, 2015. I DO HAVE VIDEOS THAT I CAPTURED WITH MY PHONE BUT IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT YOUR WEBSITE CAN SUPPORT THEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2015
Oct 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2015
Jul 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE CAME IN CONTACT WITH WATER AND FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2015
Jul 2015

2012 CHEVY CRUZE 6-SPEED ECO. AFTER DRIVING APPROX 15 MILE IN CITY TRAFFIC, CAME TO A STOP AND PARKED. APPLIED THE PARKING BRAKE AND THE CAR STARTED BEEPING. I LOOKED AT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND NOTICED SPEEDOMETER WAS PEGGING AT AROUND 90MPH AND THE DISPLAY FLASHED THAT THE HAND BRAKE WAS ON. AT THE SAME TIME THE RADIO VOLUME RAISED. AFTER I RELEASED THE PARKING BRAKE, WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE GAUGE RETURNED TO NORMAL BUT THE RADIO VOLUME STAYED HIGH. I TURNED THE CAR OFF. *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2015
Jan 2015 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF A FIRE OR POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE WAS 42,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2015
Nov 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE EXITING A FREEWAY AT 30 MPH, A LOUD CLUNK NOISE EMITTED AS THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. AFTER SAFELY PARKING, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE, SERVICE AIR BAG, SERVICE POWER STEERING AND EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS DOOR LOCKS, HAZARD LIGHTS, AND WINDOWS FAILED TO WORK AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE WIRING TO THE POWER BOX HAD TO BE REWIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,715.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2014

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Chevrolet Cruze has 49 Electrical System complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.