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2016 Chevrolet Cruze

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 250.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

149 reports with mileage · 100 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 102 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 58 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

19 crash reports6 fire reports12 injury reports

Engine complaints

102 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 30, 2022
Engine

Vehicle is leaking coolant I've had it fixed and continue to have issues with it. When I go to add coolant it sounds like it is boiling in the motor and car is becoming very hot and smokes from the motor. Was driving through town heard a hissing noise and somehow coolant had sprayed all over the hood and windshield of my car.

NHTSA ODI #11466625

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2022
Engine

The car started smoking from under the hood and completely stopped and the mechanic I took the vehicle to told me that the engine is done and needs to be replaced at an estimated cost of $3,700.00. Luckily, this did not happen on the highway and I was able to get the car pulled into a retail space parking lot and get it towed to…

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The car started smoking from under the hood and completely stopped and the mechanic I took the vehicle to told me that the engine is done and needs to be replaced at an estimated cost of $3,700.00. Luckily, this did not happen on the highway and I was able to get the car pulled into a retail space parking lot and get it towed to the mechanic. Wile driving, the low oil light flashed on for a moment a couple of times. Not long after that, the vehicle stalled. The mechanic changed the oil but the car was smoking with white smoke billowed out the exhaust. The vehicle has just under 114,000 miles and we have already put much money into this car to get the check engine light fixed.

NHTSA ODI #11461448

Mileage unknown · Mar 21, 2022
Engine

The engine and engine parts of my vehicle malfunctioned and caused excessive oil leakage. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The safety of my family is put at risk because: - The vehicle engine sputters while driving. - The engine leaks oil excessively, smokes, and lets off an oil burning odor. - The radio s…

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The engine and engine parts of my vehicle malfunctioned and caused excessive oil leakage. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The safety of my family is put at risk because: - The vehicle engine sputters while driving. - The engine leaks oil excessively, smokes, and lets off an oil burning odor. - The radio screen blanks out frequently. All of the issues combined worry me because I have had the vehicle serviced multiple times and the safety issues still exist. The vehicle was serviced by the manufacturer. The problems found were: engine concern for squeaking drive belt, front timing cover leaking oil, and camshaft cover leaking. The vehicle had special coverage warranties with the manufacturer for some of the parts that needed to be repaired. There were not any warning lamps, messages, or indicators for the engine issues. I encountered the engine smoking, the vehicle sputtering, a strong odor of oil burning, and excessive oil leakage spots in my driveway. These issues made me take the vehicle in. The engine light did not light up for the issues. No indicator light(s) were on when the vehicle was taken in to be serviced. The vehicle was serviced and the faulty parts were replaced. However, the same issues are present and have not subsided after being serviced, replaced, and or repaired. I worry that the engine issues for my vehicle can not be corrected and that select engine parts should be recalled.

NHTSA ODI #11457569

Mileage unknown · Feb 22, 2022
Engine

Cracked Thermostat Housing Unit. No sensors went off, and smoke started pouring out from under the hood obscuring vision. Vehicle is already under repair so not available for inspection. The Thermostat Housing Units, after first repair taking the one that came with the vehicle, have also all cracked, and has had to be replaced m…

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Cracked Thermostat Housing Unit. No sensors went off, and smoke started pouring out from under the hood obscuring vision. Vehicle is already under repair so not available for inspection. The Thermostat Housing Units, after first repair taking the one that came with the vehicle, have also all cracked, and has had to be replaced multiple times.

NHTSA ODI #11453444

Mileage unknown · Dec 15, 2021
EngineService Brakes

1st of all the motor was running g great! Then all of a sudden it started running rough and shaking. Was driving on the highway at 65 mph.no warni g lights or anything. Then a warning light came on for the brakes and it was hard to stop. The vacuum pump went out for the brakes and almost ended up in the ditch. Well put a vacuum …

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1st of all the motor was running g great! Then all of a sudden it started running rough and shaking. Was driving on the highway at 65 mph.no warni g lights or anything. Then a warning light came on for the brakes and it was hard to stop. The vacuum pump went out for the brakes and almost ended up in the ditch. Well put a vacuum pump on it and that fixed that problem but it was missing like crazy. Had it checked out and here the #1cylinder piston broke apart. Now it needs a motor. Almost cost me my life on that one.Motor is not cheap and don't know if it is worth it. I have been reading alot on them and people are having to change motors at 8,000 miles and sometimes twice in the same car before 18,000 miles. Don't you think there is something wrong with that?

NHTSA ODI #11443887

Mileage unknown · Oct 31, 2021
EnginePower TrainService Brakes

PCM failure Almost had numerous accidents. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center. It has been reproduced by other people after explaining the issue. Also has been reproduced on another Gm product around the same year. Vehicle has been inspected by an independent shop, the only thing that …

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PCM failure Almost had numerous accidents. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center. It has been reproduced by other people after explaining the issue. Also has been reproduced on another Gm product around the same year. Vehicle has been inspected by an independent shop, the only thing that was found was excessive brake wear in rear. Problem appeared when I first started driving the car. It is definitely a software issue. Software should be polling the wheel speed sensor while in engine off. There were no idiot lights. Recently, on a private road that had an inclination, I reproduce the problem. The vehicle obtained at least two miles an hour rolling backwards for about a minute. The speedometer did not register any speed. I did not want to test this any longer for fear of engine starting back up and damaging the transmission. Approaching a stop softly applying the brakes with an incline, whether at a controlled intersection or in traffic, when the auto engine shutdown activates, the vehicle rolls backwards.

NHTSA ODI #11438781

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2021
EngineUnknown Or Other

I have a Chevy Cruze LT 1.4 l turbo engine and it has an exhaust leak by the manifold or the Cadillac converter is not working, a mechanic we took it to has confirmed that one of the hoses going into the Cadillac converter burst due to the Cadillac converter not working properly today is October 2nd it happened three days ago fr…

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I have a Chevy Cruze LT 1.4 l turbo engine and it has an exhaust leak by the manifold or the Cadillac converter is not working, a mechanic we took it to has confirmed that one of the hoses going into the Cadillac converter burst due to the Cadillac converter not working properly today is October 2nd it happened three days ago from today I have talked to other Chevy Cruze owners and confirmed the day also had the same problem I heard there is a recall for this problem on 2016 Chevy cruise so I would like to know if my car is on that recall list so I can go and get it fixed I have $133,000 miles on my car so it's not under the manufacturer's warranty anymore it is a very pricey repair which I do not have the money for due to the pandemic as we all know so please contact me through my email you guys have onfile and also because of this problem I cannot work I use my car for work,My car is a 2016 Chevy Cruze LT with a 1.4 L turbo engine thank you

NHTSA ODI #11435247

Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2021
Engine

My car and 2 other Chevrolet Cruzes that I know of have had overheating problems with the engines.

NHTSA ODI #11428909

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2021
Engine

When slowing down car just dies out. Not check engine light on and no codes are being thrown. It’s very dangerous when your on the freeway In stop and go traffic and your car just dies with out warning. Everything freezes up the steering and brakes. Thankful car starts back up after a few minutes

NHTSA ODI #11426867

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2021
Engine

Coolant system. I had to pull over on a major I-70 coming into Kansas City. A major extremely dangerous and busy area. I had to get off on exit 69South. It was 100 degrees outside. was not able to let the car cool down all of the way. I would wait for 45 mins, drive two miles and have to pull over again. Check engine li…

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Coolant system. I had to pull over on a major I-70 coming into Kansas City. A major extremely dangerous and busy area. I had to get off on exit 69South. It was 100 degrees outside. was not able to let the car cool down all of the way. I would wait for 45 mins, drive two miles and have to pull over again. Check engine light came on. Overheating alarm came on with turn off ac. Which I did and turned on the heater. AGAIN, it was 100 degrees outside. I was without a vehicle in a dangerous part of town.

NHTSA ODI #11426786

Official recalls

4

18V304000 · Fuel System, Gasoline

May 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."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: 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.

17V057000 · Seats:front Assembly:head Restraint

Jan 26, 2017

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. A bracket used in the driver or front passenger seat-back recliner mechanism may have been incorrectly welded to the seat-back frame, as a result, in the event of a crash, the head-restraints may not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 202a, "Head Restraints."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In a crash, the seat-backs for the front seats may break, increasing the risk of injury to the occupants.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front passenger seats, replacing any with seat-back frames that are incorrectly welded, free of charge. The recall began on February 28, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17035.

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

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: 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)

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: 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.

16V498000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

Jul 1, 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Cruze vehicles manufactured November 5, 2015, to May 26, 2016. The headlight assemblies are not marked with a three-digit identifier code used to properly aim the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Assoc. Equipment."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Without the identification code, the headlights may be improperly aimed during service, reducing nighttime visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will mail owners instructions and adhesive labels, with the correct code, to install on their headlight assemblies. Owners may also bring the vehicle to a GM dealership for any assistance with applying the label, free of charge. The recall began on August 11, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet Customer Service Department at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 50190.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.