66 complaints reported

2012 Chevrolet Cruze Power Train

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

Reports
66
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jan 2015

I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR AN THE CAR WAS JERKY. I THE CAR FINALLY MOVED AND THERE WAS A LOUD BANG FROM THE REAR AND IT FELT LIKE I HAD BEEN HIT IN THE REAR. THE CAR JERKED, SPUTTERED AND THEN STOPPED MOVING. THIS WAS A FEW DAYS AFTER TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND TELLING THEM THE CAR WAS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. THEY FIXED MY BROKEN TRANNY BUT IT STILL DOES NOT DRIVE SAFELY. IT DOESN'T ACCELERATE, THE GEARS GET STUCK MERGING ON THE HIGHWAY IS A NIGHTMARE. ALMOST TWO YEARS TO THE DAY MY CAR IS ONCE AGAIN AT THE DEALER FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM. I WAS DRIVING UP A SMALL INCLINE, PUSHED THE GAS THE CAR STRUGGLED TO GO. THERE WAS A LOUD HARSH JERK THE CAR FINALLY MOVED. IT SPUTTERED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2013
Jan 2015

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE APPROXIMATELY DRIVING 60 MPH, THE TRACTION STABILITY, REDUCE ENGINE POWER AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,653.

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

I TURNED MY CAR ON ONE MORNING AFTER I JUST HAD IT IN THE SHOP TO GET THE RECALLS FIXED ON IT. IM SEEING SERVICE STABILITRAK AND SERVICE TRACTION AND ABS LIGHTS. I CAN NO LONGER TURN ON OR OFF MY TRACTION CONTROL. MY BRAKES ARE NOW GRABBING REALLY BAD AND IM GETTING A REALLY WEIRD FEEL WHEN I HAVE MY FOOT IN THE GAS AND TURN MY WHEEL. MY CAR IS NOT THE SAME AFTER THE RECALLS WERE DONE. *TR

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED AND JERKED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

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

I HIT THE GAS PEDAL HARD TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC, THE CAR DID NOT GO. I HEARD SQUEALING TIRES, TURNS OUT IT WAS MY TIRES SQUEALING. THE TURBO KICKED IN AND CATAPULTED MY CAR INTO TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO STEER TO THE RIGHT, TO AVOID HITTING ANYONE OR GETTING HIT, BUT I WAS FORCED UP AGAINST CONSTRUCTION BARRELS TO AVOID A COLLISION. *TR

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

TRANSMISSION?? I NOTICED WHEN DRIVING FROM ANYWHERE FROM 30-60 MPH, THAT THE CAR DOES NOT SEEM TO SHIFT RIGHT. IT VIOLENTLY SHAKES BEFORE REACHING THE SHIFT POINT AND THE TACHOMETER WILL SURGE BOTH ON CRUISE AND REGULAR ACCELERATION. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER 3X AND THEY TEST DROVE IT, CONFIRMING THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, NO LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS THEY DID WERE INCONCLUSIVE. THEY TOLD ME UNLESS THERE IS A RECALL FOR THAT REASON OR A LIGHT COMES ON FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE, THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE, BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR. IT IS PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE AND I AM ALMOST SCARED TO DRIVE IT TO MY JOB (AN HOUR AWAY) FOR FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN... WILL IT CATCH ON FIRE, WILL THE TRANSMISSION FALL OUT, ETC??? I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, SO IT CAN BE FIXED. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME THING WITH CRUZES AROUND THAT YEAR, ESPECIALLY WITH TURBO, AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT YOU TO SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU CAN DO AS AN INVESTIGATION ON THE MATTER. I DID GET A RECALL NOTICE ON THE VACUUM PUMP, BUT NOT THE AIR BAG COIL, AS OF YET. I'M STILL WAITING TO SEE IF THAT APPLIES TO ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2013
May 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD REVERSE AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION PRESSURE THERMOSTAT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,100.

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE INTO THE SECOND GEAR. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR ONLY WHEN SHIFTING INTO THE SECOND GEAR FROM THE FIRST GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2012
Sep 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHED 35 MPH, IT WOULD JERK AND HESITATE TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE ACCELERATOR FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT AFTER 16,000 MILES THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 600. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,100.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2012
Aug 2013 Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY IN REVERSE AS THE CONTACT WAS EXITING THE VEHICLE AND CLOSING THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE THEN CRASHED INTO A TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2013
Aug 2013

I WHEN TO THE DEALER TO GET A NEW OIL DRAIN PLUG I GIVE THEN MY VIN AND THEY TELL ME MY OIL BRAIN PLUG PART NUMBERS WAS 55568037 WHEN I INSTALL THE OIL PLUG BACK I DAMAGE MY OIL PAN BECAUSE THE IS THE WRONG PART MY CAR HAS THE OIL PLUG PART NUMBER 96041864 BUT WHEN THEY CHECK ON THE COMPUTER IT SHOWS A DIFFERENT PART NUMBER NOW I MY TO REPLACE MY OIL PAN. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2013
Jul 2013 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CLUTCH FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED GEARS. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT STEERING THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT AND A BURNING ODOR WAS SMELLED. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES AND THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FLY WHEEL, CLUTCH, AND BEARINGS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 2013
Oct 2012

MY NEW 2012 CHEVY CRUZE ECO WAS PURCHASED ON 05/15/2012 AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 8000 MILES AND THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUTCH IS ALREADY INOPERATIVE. THE BILLY NAVARRE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY STATING THAT A GM FIELD SERVICE REP HAS INSPECTED THE CAR AND HAS DETERMINED THAT THE CLUTCH FAILURE WAS DUE TO OPERATOR ABUSE/MISUSE. IN ADDITION, THE DEALERSHIP STATES THAT THE CLUTCH IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE FACTORY WARRANTY AND SUBJECT TO FAIR WEAR AND TEAR ALTHOUGH I PURCHASED THE GM EXTENDED WARRANTY AS WELL. IS IT NORMAL FOR A CLUTCH TO FAIL AT 8000 MILES? CERTAINLY NOT! THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN ABUSED AND HAS BEEN OPERATED WITHIN NORMAL OPERATING LIMITS BUT RESULTING IN THE CLUTCH DISC BEING FUSED TO THE FLYWHEEL - AS REPORTED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO ME. THE SPECULATION IS THAT THE OPERATOR, MY DAUGHTER, 'RIDES' THE CLUTCH AND HAS CAUSED THE CLUTCH TO WEAR OUT PREMATURELY AND FUSING THE CLUTCH TO THE FLYWHEEL. MY DAUGHTER HAS NEVER 'RIDDEN' THE CLUTCH NOR ABUSED THE VEHICLE AS SPECULATED BUT HAS DRIVEN THE CAR IN A SAFE AND PROPER MANNER USING NORMAL OPERATING PROCEDURES IAW THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL. A BURNING SMELL WAS REPORTED BY MY DAUGHTER TO ME AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS (10/06/12) THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WOULD NOT SHIFT AT ALL. MY DAUGHTER IS THE ONLY OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WITHIN A WEEK THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED TO ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MY ONLY REQUEST HAS BEEN AND REMAINS THAT THE CAR BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT NO COST TO ME AS THE PROBLEM IS A DEFECT INDUCED PROBLEM AND NOT DUE TO OPERATOR ABUSE OR MISUSE. *TR

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

BACK IN JANUARY 2012, I BOUGHT A CHEVY CRUZE 2012 WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. AFTER TWO MONTH USING THIS VEHICLE, I FOUND OUT IT HAS A PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING UP/DOWN HILL. DRIVING UPHILL, ONCE I PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE AND RELEASE THE BRAKE PEDAL THIS CAR ROLLS BACK AND THE ENGINE CUT OFF. DRIVING DOWNHILL, ONCE I PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO REAR AND RELEASE THE BRAKE PEDAL THIS CAR GOES DOWN AND THE ENGINE CUT OFF. I WENT TO A CHEVROLET DEALER, THEY TESTED MY CAR AND ANOTHER 2012 CRUZE FROM THEIR INVENTORY AND BOTH CARS DID THE SAME AS I DESCRIBE ABOVE. HOWEVER, THEY TOLD ME THE CAR IS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED AND NO PROBLEMS FOUND AT THIS TIME. THEN, I CONTACTED GM, GM CONTACTED ITS DEALER, AND THREE DAYS LATER GM CALLED ME BACK TELLING ME THE SAME 'NO PROBLEMS FOUND'. SO, I REQUESTED A LETTER WHERE GM TELLS ME THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG AND THEY WILL COVER ANY FUTURE ISSUES WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BUT GM TOLD ME THAT THEY CANNOT PROVIDE ME ANY DOCUMENT. AS A CUSTOMER, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION BECAUSE IN MY OPINION THOSE ISSUES ARE DESIGN DEFECTS. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP. *TR

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN WHICH THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO CHANGE GEARS WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING TO SPECIFICATIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100. UPDATED 07/06/12 *BF

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2011
Oct 2011

MY 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE ECO WITH THE 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION HAS OCCASIONALLY REFUSED TO GO INTO 4TH GEAR, AND GRINDS OCCASIONALLY WHEN GOING INTO 2ND GEAR. I GET THE GRIND AT ABOUT 1200 RPM AND UP. MOST OF MY SHIFTING IS DONE AT OR BELOW 2500 RPM FOR FUEL ECONOMY REASONS. THE CLUTCH PEDAL CAN BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR, THE ENGINE REV-MATCHED, AND IT WILL STILL BALK/GRIND IN THOSE GEARS.THIS IS MY SECOND MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR AFTER PUTTING 70,000 MILES ON MY FIRST ONE, SO I KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION WITHOUT GRINDING THE GEARS. THE CAR PRESENTLY HAS 4700 MILES ON IT, AND THE PROBLEM STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES. I'M WORRIED THAT I MIGHT NEED TO DO A QUICK SHIFT TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION AND BE UNABLE TO DO SO THANKS TO THE BALKINESS OF THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2011

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Chevrolet Cruze has 66 Power Train complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.