Engine. Review the 211 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 121 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 112 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

54 crash reports8 fire reports25 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

24 reports

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19,000 miles · Apr 28, 2014

Engine And Engine Cooling

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I LIVE IN A COLD CLIMATE. WHILE DRIVING I GET A VERY STRONG ODOR OF ANTI-FREEZE OR MOTOR FUMES THAT ARE INSIDE THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE HEATER FAN IS ON OR OFF, THE ODOR STILL GETS INSIDE THE CAR. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE CHEVY DEALER THAT I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM AND WAS FIRST TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THE SECOND TIME THEY REPLACED THE INSIDE CAB FILTER, WHICH ISN'T COVERED BY THE WARRANTY, AND IT STILL SMELLS. MY COMMUTE TO WORK IS 1 HOUR AND WITHIN 10 MILES I HAVE BEEN GETTING SICK TO MY STOMACH AND HEADACHES. THE CAR IS GOING BACK TO GARAGE AGAIN TODAY FOR THE 3RD TIME AND I AM PREDICTING THEY WILL AGAIN CHARGE US TO REPLACE SOMETHING THAT WON'T FIX THE PROBLEM OR SIMPLY TELL US THAT NOTHING IS WRONG. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10585189

Mileage unknown · Apr 21, 2014

Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingVisibility

LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN JOHNSON ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 2013 CHEVY CRUZE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS VERY LITTLE HEAT IN THE VEHICLE. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE FLUCTUATED, AND THE WINDOWS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD FOG UP. *JB UPDATED 04/28/14 *JB

NHTSA ODI #10583812

15,000 miles · Apr 4, 2014

Engine And Engine Cooling

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2013 CHEVY CRUZE 1LT WITH THE 1.4 TURBO ENGINE. I HAVE ACTUALLY OWNED TWO OF THESE CARS, THE FIRST WAS A 2011. THE COMPLAINT IS ABOUT BOTH AND I SUSPECT IS THE SAME IN EVERY ONE OF THESE CARS THAT HAVE THE 1.4 TURBO. MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT A POSSIBLE HEALTH HAZARD WITH THESE VEHICLES. THEY EMIT ANTIFREEZE FUMES CONSTANTLY AND GM IS NOW CLAIMING THAT THIS IS NORMAL AND THEY WILL NOT FIX IT. SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE 2011 MODEL I BEGAN TO NOTICE THE SMELL OF HOT ANTIFREEZE EVERY TIME I WOULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE, I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO FIX IT WITH NO LUCK. FINALLY AFTER ABOUT TWO YEARS OF DEALING WITH THIS I GOT TIRED OF IT AND TRADED IT OFF FOR A 2013 SAME MODEL. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS STUPID AND WAS BUT MY REASONING WAS THAT I LOVED THE CAR AND THOUGHT THAT SURELY GM HAD CORRECTED THIS ISSUE BY NOW(I WAS VERY WRONG). SHORTLY AFTER MY PURCHASE OF THE 2013 I BEGAN TO SMELL THE ANTIFREEZE AGAIN AND AGAIN BEGAN THE PROCESS WITH GM TO GET IT FIXED BUT AS BEFORE, NO LUCK. FINALLY AFTER FIGHTING WITH IT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS GM HAS CALLED ME BACK AND SAID THAT THE SMELL IS NORMAL OPERATION FOR THIS VEHICLE. ACCORDING TO THEM THE WATER PUMP IS DESIGNED TO LEAK A SMALL AMOUNT AND THE LEAKAGE IS CAUGHT IN A RETENTION CHAMBER BUILT INTO THE WATER PUMP THEM EVAPORATED OUT VIA THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE CAUSING THE CONSTANT SMELL. THIS IS RIDICULOUS! I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT SNIFFING THESE HOT ANTIFREEZE FUMES ALL THE TIME CAN'T BE GOOD FOR YOU AND WILL IN THE LONG TERM CAUSE HEALTH ISSUES. WITH THIS ANSWER I ASK GM TO TAKE THE CAR BACK OR AT LEAST LET ME TRADE IT FOR ANOTHER MODEL BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO HELP ME ANY MORE. I KNOW THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDE SPREAD, NOT JUST WITH MY VEHICLE. IF YOU GO TO CRUZETALK.COM AND RESEARCH THIS YOU WILL FIND HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. THANK YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THIS FOR US. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10577508

20,000 miles · Feb 6, 2014

Engine And Engine Cooling

NOTICED A COOLANT (ANTIFREEZE) ODOR WHEN THE HEAT IS ON. I DON'T NOTICE IT ALL THE TIME, SOME DAYS THERE'S A STRONGER ODOR THAN OTHERS. PLENTY OF INFO ON OTHER WEBSITES WITH SAME ISSUE. (CRUZETALK.COM) *TR

NHTSA ODI #10563258

Official recalls

16V502000 · Electrical System:ignition; Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Jul 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."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: 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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:ignition

Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: 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.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

14V417000 · Equipment:electrical

Jul 2, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured August 7, 2012, to August 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured May 10, 2011, to August 16, 2012 equipped with a Calix oil pan/block heater. In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14257.

14V372000 · Air Bags

Jun 26, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the driver's front air bag inflator may have been manufactured with an incorrect part.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's air bag, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike and potentially seriously injure the vehicle occupants. Additionally, if the air bag does not inflate, the driver is at an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side air bag, free of charge. The recall began on June 28, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14305.

14V151000 · Power Train:axle Assembly:axle Shaft

Mar 31, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with a 1.4L turbo engine, and manufactured between November 28, 2012, and March 7, 2014. On the affected vehicles, the right front half shaft may fracture and separate.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the half shaft fractures and separates while driving, the vehicle would lose power and coast to a stop. If a vehicle with a fractured half shaft is parked without the parking brake applied, the vehicle could move unexpectedly. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the right half shaft, as needed, free of charge. Parts for the remedy are not currently available. GM will send an interim letter to owners in May 2014. A second owner letter will be mailed when parts are available. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-866-694-6546. GM's number for this recall is 14079. This is an expansion of recall 13V-452. NOTE: Some vehicles subject to this recall were subject to the recall campaign initiated in 2013. Some of those vehicles were repaired using defective parts. Those owners will be advised that they must have their vehicles remedied again under this campaign and that having the earlier recall completed did not remedy their vehicles.

13V452000 · Power Train:axle Assembly:axle Shaft

Sep 23, 2013

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with manual transmissions (MF3/MR5) and manufactured January 24, 2013, through August 1, 2013. On the affected vehicles, the right front half shaft may fracture and separate.

Consequence & remedy

Remedy: General Motors has notified owners. Dealers will replace the half shaft assembly, free of charge. The safety recall began on October 15, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300. This is General Motors campaign number 13276.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.