2018 Chevrolet Cruze
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 109 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 8th highest complaint count among 10 Cruze model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 17 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 7 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Power train, automatic transmissionOct 29, 2020
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
Campaign 20V668000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, disc, caliperAug 30, 2018
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
Campaign 18V576000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasolineMay 10, 2018
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Cruze LS vehicles, equipped with a gasoline engine and a tire inflator kit instead of a spare tire. The vehicles may leak gasoline following a rear-impact crash and a rollover. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a lock-ring on the fuel tank that will shield the fuel tank vapor pressure sensor from damage in a rear-impact crash, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18159.
Campaign 18V304000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
109 reports, newest first.
Other or unspecified, Jun 18, 2026
My 2018 Chevy Cruz has developed a sticky or tacky surface discovered when I was cleaning my interior. I used warm water and soap to clean all plastics. Tried to dry off my dash with paper towels and discovered the issue . My car has been garage kept since its purchase so I have no idea as my previous vehicles never had this issue.
Suspension, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, May 9, 2026
Coming to a stop sign or red light the car won’t accelerate or will go in traction control making it difficult to move or not accelerate. Had 2-3 fuel leaks this year also having problems to keep the car going sometimes the max speed it will go is 20-40 miles n won’t go up unless u keep letting it slow down slowly n then accelerating n even after that it won’t make it above 60-70 miles it usually goes with no problem if its down hill since ur not pressing the gas or anything. Turning the air on also makes the car slow down other problems also is the gas running fast could just fill the tank n by the second day it will almost be over. Today the transmission gave up on me now I have no car to move around making it hard for me to go anywhere especially work since that’s how I make my money for living but with no car it’s a big problem.
Seat belts, Mar 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the windshield wiper compartment inadvertently opened. There was a failure with the seat belts. The contact stated that the driver’s side seat belt was excessively loose, and the front passenger’s side seat belt was overly tight. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the driver’s and front passenger’s seat belt assemblies had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 66,550.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 15, 2026
Unknown. The car seems to stall or slip when accelerating as is misfiring. It cuts off in the middle of the streets after coming out of auto stop mode. Pcv valve keeps popping up as issue. I had the pcv changed o2 sensors checked cleaned throttle body and air filter changed. The car still gives same problem and engine power reduction keeps popping on dashboard.
Engine, Feb 19, 2026
-The engine experienced internal failure resulting in low compression in cylinder 1. The failure has rendered the vehicle inoperable. The vehicle and engine are currently available for inspection upon request. The issue was diagnosed and confirmed by both an independent mechanic and an authorized Chevrolet dealership. Both identified low compression in cylinder 1 due to internal engine failure. The vehicle has been inspected by an independent mechanic and an authorized Chevrolet dealership at the request of General Motors. The vehicle became undrivable due to the engine issue. There were no significant prior warnings that would have indicated imminent internal engine failure. The check engine light turned on 2/9/26 and was first taken into a shop the next day, 2/10/26.
Power train, Engine, Feb 16, 2026
The steering started to shake. The car seat started to shake as well. It felt very unsafe, but there was no serious injury. John from Feldman Chevrolet in New Hudson, Michigan said that there is a "Cylinder 1 misfire code". After the car started shaking, the engine light came on. John told us that the engine should be replaced.
Other or unspecified, Jan 24, 2026
Hesitate to change gears properly. Engine stalling. RPM will rive up. Sounds like the transmission wants to slip.
Engine, Aug 26, 2025
My vehicle would jerk while driving and sometimes not want to even go at a stop light when it turned green. Check engine light has been on. Even when I was at a stop light it would just start jerking forward. I took it to an automotive repair shop after replacing multiple parts on the vehicle. Automotive shop ran a compression test and said it failed. Internal cylinder issue. So the vehicle barely runs and I just got it close to three years ago.
Power train, Electrical system, Aug 23, 2025
The car is making a whistling sound, the check engine light is on and it has low power. Also wanting to stall
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Aug 22, 2025
I own a 2018 Chevrolet Cruze, and the infotainment touchscreen system has completely frozen with the same error screen that many other Cruze owners have reported online. This is not simply a case of an unresponsive touchscreen — the system locks up with an identical error screen across multiple Cruze vehicles (different years and trims). The issue disables all touchscreen functions, including Bluetooth connectivity, media, phone integration, and certain vehicle settings. While FM radio may continue to play, the rest of the infotainment system is unusable. This creates both a safety concern and a defect pattern, because many modern vehicle functions are tied to the infotainment system. This is not a random failure — dozens of other Cruze owners have posted identical photos of the exact same frozen error screen on forums and complaint boards. That suggests a common underlying software or hardware defect, not isolated damage. The fact that it fails in the same way for so many vehicles indicates a systemic flaw that should qualify for a recall or manufacturer fix. General Motors has not provided any support or recall notice for this issue. Owners are being told to replace the entire infotainment unit at high personal cost, even though it is clearly a widespread design or programming defect. Approximate date of incident: [Insert when your screen froze first] Mileage at the time of incident: ~[Insert your odometer reading, e.g., 121,000 miles] Additional Notes: •Disconnecting/reconnecting the battery does not resolve the issue. •The error persists across resets, and no software update is available. •This is well-documented online, and the failure is identical across different Cruze vehicles, pointing to a recall-worthy defect.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Aug 22, 2025
The infotainment touchscreen on my 2018 Chevrolet Cruze has become unresponsive and frozen on the startup warning screen. Because of this, I am unable to access basic functions such as Bluetooth, CarPlay, and Android Auto. The radio (FM) still works, but I cannot connect my phone for calls, navigation, or music. This issue is widely reported by many other Cruze owners, yet there is no recall or official fix from the manufacturer. The problem is a safety concern because I cannot use hands-free calling or navigation as intended. The dealer quoted me a $190 diagnostic fee and several hundred dollars for replacement, which feels unfair for what appears to be a common defect. I believe Chevrolet should address this issue through a recall or warranty support. Please investigate as this affects driver safety and usability.
Electrical system, Engine, Jun 26, 2025
P0325 knock sensor multiple occurrences of sluggish performance causing safety risk when entering into traffic. This is the 3rd time I’ve replaced this sensor. And it’s very dangerous when it happens. This happens at the exact same time last year at the end of June beginning of July 2024 as well which made Chicago driving very dangerous.
Electrical system, Air bags, Seat belts, May 14, 2025
Service safety restraint system. Airbags are potentially at risk to not deploy if a wreck was to occur. This failure has caused the airbags to be shut off despite anyone sitting in the seats that is supposed to activate them on when weight is applied to the seat. Has not been inspected but I would like for it to be inspected on behalf of the Chevy dealership at their cost.
Power train, Mar 25, 2025
While sitting at a stop light the hydraulic clutch line failed causing the clutch pedal to stick to the floor. This issue prevents the clutch actuation preventing the the transmission from being disconnected from the engine. General Motors Bulletin number: PIP5558C was found and appears to be the issue.
Engine, Mar 11, 2025
EGR Cooler issues. Has been confirmed by dealer. CEL light on. I’ve been told GM “has issues” with these…GM should issue recall.
Steering, Service brakes, Engine, Jan 4, 2025
Purchased new in 2019 – 32k miles - Oil changes every 6 months. Lightly driven, no modifications, all original engine components and tune. Engine developed a significant miss. Several warnings on Stabilitrak, ABS, and P0300. Significant oil leak at front of engine, oil is splashed all over the passenger side of the engine compartment. There is significant ‘chugging’ of air and oil from the dipstick tube and from the oil filler cap. This condition indicates excessive pressure leakage to the crankcase that is caused by a crack or failure to the #1 piston which is a very, very, very common failure with an extensive and indisputably documented history with the 1.4 engine throughout the history of the Chevrolet Cruze since its introduction. Compression test shows cylinder #1 at about 80 PSI while cylinders 2, 3, and 4 are at 190 PSI. This proves that there is a catastrophic compression leak down into the engine crankcase causing the misfire P0300 and the resulting excessive crankcase pressure causing the oil leak at the front of the engine and the expelling of air and oil from the dipstick tube and from the oil filler cap. This needs to be a warranty repair and the cost covered 100% by GM as it is a known defect with this engine since it has been first been used in their cars. Refer to: GM Bulletin: 18-NA-171 - [XXX] GM Bulletin: PIP5490D - [XXX] GM Bulletin: PIP5421 - [XXX] Reading through the extensive volume of posts on the #1 piston failure, GM/Chevrolet should have acknowledged this and a recall should have been issued and the warranty extended to cover an piston and/or piston ring failures with the 1.4 engine no matter what year or what vehicle it was installed in. I have additional links documenting the frequency of the piston and/or piston ring failure in the 1.4 engine: INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Jan 3, 2025
Transmisson losing 9th gear, torque converter, front pump failing and wiping out valve body on the GM-9T50 9 speed automatic. many owner experiencing same problems with no solution or upgrade from GM
Service brakes, Dec 7, 2024
The rear brakes are gouging the rotors on both wheels. The car has less than 26,000 miles on it. Front brakes are still in excellent condition and and car is having no problem with braking except there is noise. Have not yet talked with anyone at a dealer. There is no indication of any problem except for the noise. However rear brakes and rotors will need to be replaced or braking will become an issue.
Power train, Dec 6, 2024
My transmission started acting up around 70,000 miles. I noticed symptoms like stalling when backing up, trouble coming to a stop from higher speeds, and an occasional stutter. My local transmission shop couldn’t replicate the issue, as it was intermittent, and recommended an oil change. At 100,000 miles, the transmission began slipping, so I changed the oil again, only to find it was black and burnt. Now, at 139,000 miles, I changed the oil once more at 138,000 miles after experiencing issues with shifting into 8th and 9th gears and receiving a P2817 code. After speaking with several people on forums, I learned this is a common problem with these cars, and many recommend replacing the transmission as it often fails around this mileage. I also consulted another transmission shop, but they refused to service my car due to their past experience with these models.
Steering, Other or unspecified, Sep 29, 2024
9/28/2024 abs light and traction control light came on my 2018 chevy Cruze LT along with steering assist reduced while driving home making car hard to steer above 50 mph and coming into curves Chevrolet needs to be made to recall and repair this problem, I have noticed a lot of Cruze owners having the same problem could be dangerous while driving without some previous indication or prior warranting.
Electrical system, Jun 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the Auto START/STOP failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that when the vehicle was restarted, there was a slightly shuddering noticeable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the vehicle was not repaired because the failure was related with an unknown recall; however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Cruz. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the ECM. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Product Emission Recall 18239. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 99,000.
Electrical system, Apr 18, 2024
tpms light 3 tirees affected to expensive to replace Chevrolet needs to inquire about the life of the tpms system on their vehicles should last longer than 5 years.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Mar 22, 2024
UNKNOWN! I do not have much car knowledge but I do know that the transmission has blown in my 2018 Chevy Cruze two times and the shifter made a clicking noise that was very alarming. I have a video but the option to upload a file is only for pictures, I think the video is very crucial to understanding what I mean by clicking noise. The noise was would come randomly about 4 months after having the car. At the time I was [XXX] with no experience of even having my own vehicle and didn’t know I should have taken it back, now it’s too late because my warranty is up. This issue is common and many experts I’ve spoken to are aware that the Chevy cruzes have transmission issues. There was a recall for a “transmission bolt” I took my car to Chevy Cruze in Poughkeepsie New York for the recall and 18 days later my transmission blew. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 15, 2024
This is the second time the car will show reduced power and completely come to a slow speed without warnings. Previously GM had issues with the crude pedal and other systems related to the reduce I. Velocity. An investigation on either faulty parts is required as this is a major issue that can or could caused accidents. I had the issue looked and supposedly repair in December 2023 now the issues is back. I was driving in [XXX] and the speed reduced without warnings almost causing an accident. The repair has not even been 3 months and the car is faulty INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)