What's Wrong with the 1st Generation Cruze?

Front 3/4 view of a Chevrolet Cruze

The 1st generation Cruze spans the 2011 to 2015 model years.

It has accumulated 940 owner complaints over those year and ranks dead last in reliability out of 80 eligible Chevrolet generations.

Our reliability rank is based on our PainRank™ system. A higher number means you can expect more significant problems. The average Chevrolet score is 10.56 while this generation comes in at 48.27.

Compare With Other Cruze Generations

The Worst 2011-2015 Cruze Problems

  1. Engine Power is Reduced

    Defects with Chevy's accelerator pedal sensor and electronic throttle control system are triggering a sudden and dangerous 'Engine Power is Reduced' warning message which can lead to the car suddenly losing power and having limited accelera…

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  2. Delayed Acceleration Problems

    Many Chevrolet generations suffer from delayed acceleration due to a slow response in the drive-by-wire electronic throttle system. The throttle lag can be frustrating at best, but can also leave drivers in dangerous situations. Unfortunate…

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  3. Cruze Coolant Leaks

    After years of Chevy Cruze owners complaining about antifreeze leaks along with an overwhelming smell in the cars, a class-action lawsuit was filed against General Motors in New York federal court.

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What Owners Complain About

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Worst Issues

What Breaks

Years to Avoid

1st Generation Cruze Key Numbers

  1. 5 model years

    Grouping all models by their year can reveal some baddies.

  2. 940 complaints

    Running tally of owner grievances filed to CarComplaints.com.

  3. 80th in reliability

    Overall reliability rank out of 80 eligible generations.

Recent 1st Generation Cruze News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. Have you heard about the lawsuit that says the side blind zone alert system in the 2013-2018 Chevy Cruze is defective?

    The lawsuit claims that the system fails because the sensors are poorly sealed and over-exposed to elements like debris and road spray.

    GM has filed a motion to dismiss the case saying the plaintiffs are blind to the fact that of 250,000 Cruze vehicles with the Enhanced Safety Package, only 40 (0.016%) needed service during the warranty period according to the lawsuit.

    The decision is pending.

    keep reading

  2. Chevy started offering an optional "blind zone alert" safety upgrade with the 2013 Cruze. However, they placed the system's sensors on the rear bumper which, according to a new lawsuit leaves the system suceptible to spray from the rear wheel wells.

    The sensors and wiring are allegedly sealed poorly and allow water and debris to affect the systems, leaving owners with non-working systems they paid for.

    Because of the defective design, dealers allegedly can't effectively repair the systems and any damaged sensors are installed in the same problematic locations. The plaintiffs in the case said replacement sensors were on back-order when they brought their car in for service.…

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  3. Your steering wheel could get stuck while driving and GM doesn't think that's enough of a safety hazard to warrant a recall.

    Owners have complained that if they drive with their steering wheel in one position for a long enough, it can suddenly stick and become impossible to turn. The problem eventually remedies itself but not before making the driver sweat it out like Richard Simmons:

    "At highway speeds the steering sticks, making it scary to drive and dangerous” the owner of a 2013 Cruze wrote to the the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).…

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What Cruze Owners Say About This Generation

A/C Condenser Leaking

Very irritating, nauseating smell when using heat setting. First time I took it in the service tech said "oh, that's BAD, smells like antifreeze" and also noted the film on the windshield. Said it needed a new heater core. We couldn't get the part, had to pull it off an assembly line and it took about 2 weeks. They changed it and didn't help at all.