54 complaints reported

2013 Chevrolet Cruze Power Train

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

Reports
54
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jul 2024

Transmission messed up only own the car for 7 months

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2024
Jan 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while her daughter was exiting a parking lot at approximately 5 MPH, and making a right turn, she heard a sharp cracking sound from the passenger’s front side of the vehicle. The contact stated that her daughter drove only a few feet more when the front-end lowered down to the right. The contact’s daughter stated that the passenger’s side front wheel had detached from the vehicle and was laying on the roadway. The contact stated that her daughter was not aware of any warning light being illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed and determined that the half shaft had fractured, causing the passenger’s side front wheel to detach from the axle. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign: 14V151000 (Power Train). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2023
Aug 2021

MY VEHICLE STARTED LOSING PRESSURE UPON HAVING IT CHECKED I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TURBINE IN THE ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE AND BLOWING OUT THE OLD FROM MY INJUN MY CAR IS RENDERED USELESS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS TURBINE WAS PART OF CHEVY'S RECALL IN MY CAR HAVING BEEN AT CHEVY DEALERSHIPS IT WAS NEVER ADDRESSED. I NEED MY CAR FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IT IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2021
Mar 2020

A/C OFF DUE TO HIGH ENGINE TEMP WARNING ON THE DASH. TRIED RESETTING ECU, DIDN'T WORK. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. CHANGED BOTH COOLANT SENSORS AND STILL BROKEN. REPLACED OLD BROKEN THERMOSTAT WITH A NEW FACTORY SENSOR, AND 4 MONTHS LATER IT'S ALREADY BROKEN.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2020
Oct 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED, JERKED, AND FAILED TO MOVE BEFORE SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOB BELL NISSAN (7900 EASTERN AVE, BALTIMORE, MD 21224, (410) 288-2500) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2018
Oct 2019

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 70,000 MILES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2019
May 2019

THE TURBO BOOSTER MALIFUNCTION THE CAR WILL NOT PICK UP SPEED AND TIME WOULD STOP ALL WILL YOU ARE ACCELERATING ON THE GAS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2019
Dec 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE TRANSMISSION JERKED WHEN IT SHIFTED GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (SYMDOM CHEVROLET, 369 N UNION RD, EVANSVILLE, WI 53536, (608) 882-4803) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. *TT *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2018
Oct 2018

CAR IS HAVING TURBO PROBLEMS. NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, BUT IT SHOWS A TURBO UNDERBOOST DEFECT. SAYS ONLINE IT IS COMMON AMONGST CHEVY CRUZES

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2018
Jun 2018

TAKATA RECALL VERY HARD SHIFTING AND CLUNKING NOSE WHEN SHIFTING

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2018
Sep 2017

AT FIRST, I STARTED THE CAR ONE DAY AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME UP AND AS I TRIED TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN D THE "D" LIGHT STARTED FLASHING (NOT STEADY AS NORMAL) AND THERE WAS SOME NOISE FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I PUT IT BACK TO "P" AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AND STARTED IT AGAIN. THEN IT ACTED NORMALLY. LATER ON, IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY WHILE I WAS DRIVING (THE TRANSMISSION SNAPPED AND THE "D" LIGHT STARTED FLASHING). I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS, AND THEY FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM) WAS DEFECTIVE. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THERE WERE MANY RECALLS ON THE TCM FOR 2012 & 2013 CHEVY CRUZE, BUT MINE WAS NOT IDENTIFIED IN THOSE RECALLS AS PER THE DEALER. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT GM WILL INVESTIGATE THE CASE AND FEED ME BACK, BUT I FOUND OUT TODAY THAT THEY DO NOT DO INVESTIGATIONS UNLESS IT COMES FROM THE NHTSA.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2017
Nov 2016

MY TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH. THE CAR GAVE ME 2 WARNINGS, ONE FOR THE TRACTION CONTROL NEEDING SERVICED AND ONE FOR THE TRANSMISSION NEEDING SERVICED. I DROVE THE CAR TO MY DEALER EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER AND STATED THAT I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT TO THEM. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER LET THE CAR SIT FOR A FEW HOURS AND THEN CHECKED FOR CODES AND MYSTERIOUSLY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM ALWAYS STARTS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS GOING UP HILL, THE TRANSMISSION LIGHTS STARTS BLINKING, THE CAR STARTS SPUTTERING AND I LOSE SPEED VERY UNSAFE IN TRAFFIC! WHEN SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL MASHED TO THE FLOOR THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD. I HAVE SEARCHED ONLINE FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND HAVE FOUND THAT MANY CRUZE OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND GM REFUSES TO HELP THERE DOES SEEM TO BE AN ASSOCIATED RECALL BUT IT DOESN'T STATE THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IN THE DISCRIPTION. (NHTSA 16V502000) POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM). THE SERVICE CENTERS CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAR IS NOT SHOWING ANY CODES WHEN THEY CHECK AND I'M ALWAYS SENT HOME.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2016
Oct 2016

WHILE ACCELERATING ON CITY STREETS, THE TRANSMISSION WENT INTO THE FOURTH GEAR AND HESITATED TO GO ANY FASTER. I THEN STOPPED ACCELERATING BUT THEN THE TRANSMISSION SLAMMED INTO THE THIRD GEAR AND REVVED HIGH UNTIL I PUSHED ON THE BRAKES AND THE TRANSMISSION SLAMMED BACK INTO THE FOURTH GEAR. THIS ISN'T THE FIRST OCCURRENCE. I HAVEN'T TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2016
Sep 2016

STOPPED ON HILL CAR IN DRIVE AFTER A FEW SECONDS STARTS ROLLING BACKWARDS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2016
May 2016

MY 2013 CHEVY CRUZE ALMOST GOT ME IN A REALLY BAD ACCIDENT. IT STARTED WHEN DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH (TRANSMISSION IS IN D) THE CAR STARTED TO LOOSE POWER FELT LIKE ITS STALLING, RPM DROPPED THEN SUDDENLY STARTED GOING INTO REVERSE WHILE THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL ON D I ALMOST HIT THE CAR BEHIND ME. I STEPPED ON MY BREAKS AND I PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK BUT THE CAR SURGED FORWARD IN WHICH I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I'VE TAKEN THIS CAR SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEMS BUT I FELT THAT IT WAS NOT COMPLETELY FIXED. THE DEALER ALWAYS TELLS ME THAT THERES NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. BUT NOW THAT I'VE ALMOST HIT 2 CARS YESTERDAY WITHOUT ANY REASON, I FEEL THAT THE CAR IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND MY WIFE EVEN TOLD ME THAT SHE WILL NEVER DRIVE THIS CAR AGAIN. IT'S JUST SAD TO BE HAVING THIS MANY PROBLEMS ON A CAR WITH LESS THAN 50K MILESYESTERDAY MY 2013 CHEVY CRUZE ALMOST GOT ME IN A REALLY BAD ACCIDENT. IT STARTED WHEN DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH (TRANSMISSION IS IN D) THEN THE CAR STARTED TO LOOSE POWER FELT LIKE ITS STALLING THE RPM DROPPED THEN SUDDENLY STARTED GOING INTO REVERSE WHILE THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL ON D I ALMOST HIT THE CAR BEHIND ME. SO I STEPPED ON MY BREAKS THEN TRY TO SWITCH GEARS ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STARTED TO GO FORWARD EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS IN PARK IN WHICH THIS TIME I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I'VE TAKEN THIS CAR SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEMS BUT I FELT THAT IT WAS NOT COMPLETELY FIXED. THE DEALER ALWAYS TELLS ME THAT THERES NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. BUT NOW THAT I'VE ALMOST HIT 2 CARS YESTERDAY WITHOUT ANY REASON, I FEEL THAT THE CAR IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND MY WIFE EVEN TOLD ME THAT SHE WILL NEVER DRIVE THIS CAR AGAIN. IT'S JUST SAD TO BE HAVING THIS MANY PROBLEMS ON A CAR WITH LESS THAN 50K MILES

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: May 2016
Mar 2016

SINCE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN 2013, CLUTCH HAS REPEATEDLY SMELLED LIKE BURNING CLUTCH AT RANDOM TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN 5TH AND 6TH GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE DEALERSHIPS CLAIM THIS IS NORMAL. AT ABOUT 50K MILES WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 60MPH IN 6TH GEAR FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT 30 MINUTES, I STARTED SMELLING THE CLUTCH BURNING EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T SHIFTING AND DIDN'T HAVE MY FOOT ON THE CLUTCH. WHEN IT CAME TIME TO EXIT THE FREEWAY AND SWITCH GEARS THE CLUTCH WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I COULDN'T SHIFT INTO OTHER GEARS. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BY SHIFTING WHEN THE GEARS SYNCED. THE DEALERSHIP, KEYS CHEVROLET, IN VAN NUYS, TOLD ME I WAS RIDING THE CLUTCH AND CAUSED IT TO MELT AND WOULDN'T LISTEN TO ME ABOUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED. MY LAST VEHICLE WAS A 1997 VW JETTA AND I TOOK THE ORIGINAL CLUTCH TO 157K MILES BEFORE TRADING IN FOR THIS CHEVY AND THE CLUTCH WAS STILL GOOD. I'VE BEEN A VALET FOR YEARS AND AN AUCTION COORDINATOR, I DON'T RIDE THE CLUTCH AND I CAN DRIVE ANY VEHICLE PROFESSIONALLY. THE 2013 CHEVY CRUZE LS HAS PROBLEMS. AFTER LOOKING ON THE CRUZETALK FORUMS, MANY MEMBERS HAVE FOUND THAT THE AMOUNT OF TRANSMISSION FLUID CHEVROLET PUTS INTO THEIR TRANSMISSIONS, ABOUT 2 QUARTS, IS NOT ENOUGH FOR 5TH AND 6TH GEAR AND THEY RECOMMEND PUTTING IN 2.5 QUARTS. CHEVROLET DENIES THERE IS A PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THEY CAUSED MY CLUTCH TO MELT AND COST ME $1,800 TO FIX IT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: May 2013
Dec 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP ON AN INCLINE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS ON AN INCLINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A SECOND GENERATION TRANSMISSION WHICH EXHIBITED THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WERE NORMAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2015
Dec 2015

2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE HAS SURGE. IT FEELS SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE IN HER VEHICLE AT 40,000 MILES. ..UPDATED 02/12/15*BF

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2015
Jul 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE PARKING, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2015
Jun 2015

EVEN WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY DEPRESSED, THERE IS OFTEN GRINDING BETWEEN GEARS, ESPECIALLY IN 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS SINCE AT LEAST AROUND 5K MILES AND HAVE TOLD CHEVY ABOUT IT SINCE THEN. THEY REFUSED TO INSPECT IT. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY UP A HILL IN 4TH, 5TH, OR 6TH GEAR I WILL SMELL THE CLUTCH. FINALLY AT 65K MILES WHILE DRVING ON THE FREEWAY WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE CLUTCH, DRIVING A SMOOTH 65 MPH FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, STARTED SMELLING THE CLUTCH, THEN THE CLUTCH STOPPED WORKING AND WOULD PUSH TO THE FLOOR AND I COULDN'T CHANGE GEARS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE CLUTCH MELTED BECAUSE I WAS RIDING THE CLUTCH. I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY BLAMED IT ON ME. I WASN'T EVEN USING THE CLUTCH. IT HAS ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW AND NOBODY WOULD LISTEN TO ME.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2013
Jun 2015

THE CAR BOGS DOWN IN FIRST GEAR, THIS IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, CAR HAS POOR POWER. THIS ALSO GIVES THE AUTOMATICS POOR POWER. THE SPARK PLUGS ARE NOT GAPPED OUT OF FACTORY. I JOINED CRUZETALK FORUMS AND MANY PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. 2013 CRUZE LS MT IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE .028 GAP SPARK PLUGS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM. THEY RETURNED IT IN AN HOUR AND SAID THEY REGAPPED THEM FOR ME. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. I BOUGHT THE TOOLS AND TOOK THEM OUT AND THEY WERE SET TO .025, .021, .023, .025. THE PLUGS ARE WAY OFF MARK AND THE DEALERSHIP LIED. I REGAPPED THEM TO .028 AND THE CAR NEVER RAN BETTER.

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

MY VEHICLE WAS NOT FILED IN THE RECALL LIST BUT HAS THE SAME ISSUE AS A DRIVE TRAIN RECALL (13V452000). MY VEHICLE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND NO LONGER GOES INTO 5TH OR 6TH GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP LIKE GM ASKED ME BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY CLUTCH WAS NOT COVERED. TO ME THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUES THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN MY FAMILY AND I BEING SERIOUSLY INJURED IF I WAS IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MY VEHICLE BE FIXED LIKE ALL THE OTHER VEHICLES THAT WAS RECALLED WITH THIS SAME ISSUES, I DON'T SEE WHY IF THE ISSUES ISN'T DIFFERENT WHY MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE EXCLUDED. *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2014
Nov 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V151000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. UPDATED 10/02/14*LJ UPDATED 3/9/15 *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2014
Nov 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND STALLED. ONCE RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V151000 (POWER TRAIN). WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. UPDATED 10/23/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. UPDATED 4/16/2015 *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2014

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2013 Chevrolet Cruze has 54 Power Train complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.