2012 Chevrolet Cruze
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 865 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 10 Cruze model years with reports.
Of the 2012 reports, 62 involved a crash and 18 involved a fire. 30 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Electrical system, ignitionJul 5, 2016
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."
If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 16V502000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsJun 6, 2014
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 14V300000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, power assistAug 15, 2013
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 13V360000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsJan 24, 2013
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 13V023000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsOct 31, 2012
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 12V522000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assembly, mountingJun 22, 2012
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 12V289000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine coolingJun 22, 2012
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.
EITHER CONDITION COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.
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.
Campaign 12V288000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
84 reports, newest first. Show all
Other or unspecified, May 21, 2015
STRONG SICKENING COOLANT SMELL INSIDE CAR WHILE HEATER SYSTEM IS ON. MAY 7,2015 DEALER PRESSURE CHECKED FOUND NO LEAKS. CAN'T FIND PROBLEM. NO LEAKS VISIBLE. SMELL STILL EXISTS WHILE HEATER IS ON.
Electrical system, Structure, Other or unspecified, May 20, 2015
THE ELECTRICAL PAD THAT YOU PUSH TO OPEN THE TRUNK IS FAULTY AND DOES NOT WORK ANYMORE. ONLY WAY TO GET INTO TRUNK IS TO PUSH KEY FOB. IF A CHILD OR ADULT GOT TRAPPED INSIDE IT COULD BE HARMFUL DUE TO FACT THAT THE PUSH PAD FOR THE TRUNK OPEN IS FAULTY.
Other or unspecified, May 5, 2015
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITH MY SUNROOF RAISED I HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND FELT PIECES OF GLASS FALLING. WHEN I PULLED OVER I NOTICED MY SUNROOF GLASS EXPLODED FROM THE INSIDE OUT. NOTHING HIT MY CAR. I DID NOT HEAR A THUD OR SEE ANYTHING ROLL OFF MY CAR. THERE IS NO DENT. JUST A HOLE WHERE THE GLASS EXPLODED.
Other or unspecified, Oct 21, 2014
AIR BAG INDICATOR CAME ON 1 MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR AND CALLED TO SEE IF IT WAS CPVERED BY THE MILLION RECALLS BUT WAS TOLD MY VIN NUMBER ISNT ON THE RECALL LIST. HOW IS IT THAT MY CAR IS DOING THE VERY THING THE OTHER 40,000 RECALLS FROM CHEVY BUT MINE ISNT COVERED. WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CHEVY AND I AM COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS TIL I CAN TRADE IT IN!!!!
Structure, Wheels, Other or unspecified, Sep 25, 2014, crash
VEHICLE TURNED OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TAKING A LEFT TURN. CAUSED THE CAR TO GO OFF THE ROAD INTO A GRADED LOT. AT THIS POINT CAUSING MY TIRE TO GO FLAT AND DAMAGING THE FENDER AND PASSENGER DOOR. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE CAR HAS TURNED OFF ON ME. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES IN THE 4 MONTHS THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE AND STILL NOTHING IS RESOLVED. *TR
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 10, 2014
WHEN THE SPEED OF THE CAR STARTS TO REACH 50 MILES A HIGH PITCH SOUND OCCURS. I CANNOT DETERMINED IF IT IS RELATED TO WHEN AIR CONDITIONER IS TURNED ON. THE NOISE WILL DIMINISH WHEN SPEED IS LOWERED TO ABOUT 45 MILES. I CANNOT RECALL IF THIS HAPPENS IN THE COLDER MONTHS BUT IT DOES SEEM TO HAPPEN IN THE SUMMER. *TR
Other or unspecified, Jul 23, 2013, fire
DRIVING BACK HOME CAR STARTED TO JERK AND ALL LIGHTS ON DASH BEGAN TO FLICKER. PULLED OVER AND WITHIN A MINUTE CAR STARTED TO SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD THEN BEHIND DASH. STATE TROOPER PULLED BEHIND ME AND ASSISTED SEE WHAT WAS THE TROUBLE. LIFTED UP THE HOOD AND SAW ENGINE WAS ON FIRE AT THE REAR OF ENGINE. TROOPER BEGAN TO HELP REMOVE PERSONAL ITEMS BUT CAR WAS IN FLAMES VERY QUICKLY FROM AROUND REAR OF ENGINE. CONTACTED THE CHEVY DEALER IN VIRGINIA BEACH FROM WHICH THE CRUZE WAS PURCHASE. NEVER GOT A RETURN CALL. CONTACTED THEIR FINANCE MANAGER ONCE A WEEK. NO REPLY. CONTACTED MAIN MANAGER LEFT MESSAGE. AGAIN NO REPLY. THE ONLY CALL I GOT FROM CHEVY WAS THEIR GM FINANCIAL WHERE THE LOAN IS.. THEY WANTED THE PAYOFF QUICK AND VERY LITTLE ASSISTANCE IN HELPING TO GET INFO ON WHAT TO DO NEXT.. WOULD HAVE LEFT IT ALONE BUT SON IS IN NAVY AND NEEDS A CAR. THE ONLY HELP WE GOT WAS FROM THE TROOPERS THAT REFER US TO THIS SITE. ALSO SAW THAT THE CRUSE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE FIRES AND DASH FIRES. WANT SOMETHING DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT FROM THIS. MY SON RECOGNIZED A PROBLEM AND PULLED OVER. SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT NOT BE SO LUCKY.
Other or unspecified, Mar 23, 2013
SQUEAK IN LEFT REAR WHEEL AREA WHEN BRAKING AT AND UNDER 20MPH. DEALER COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM.
Other or unspecified, Jul 30, 2012
RECALL 2012081 WAS SOLD A BRAND NEW VEHICLE WITHOUT THIS RECALL BEING DONE FROM CHAPMAN CHEVROLET 6925 ESSINGTON AVE.PHILADELPHIA PA 19153 ... PURCHASED ON SAT JULY 28TH 2012.. INFORMED OF RECALL ON JULY 29TH BY ON-STAR AND CONFIRMED BY DEALERSHIP ON MON. 7-30-2012 AND FEEL DEALERSHIP MISLED ME AND HID RECALL IN ORDER TO COMPLETE SALE. *TR