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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.

About this comparison →

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

Unknown Or Other complaints

43 reports
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10,000 miles · Nov 29, 2016
EngineUnknown Or Other

RECEIVED FIRST INSPECTION, LEAVING THE DEALER, THE CAR SMELLED OF POSSIBLY A BURNING OR SOMETHING UNKNOWN. I DID NOT ASSUME THIS WASN'T NORMAL AS THEY HAD TO CHECK SEVERAL THINGS FOR THE INSPECTION. I HAD TO DRIVE VEHICLE WITH OPEN WINDOWS FOR A FEW DAYS. BUT I THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS WHILE CHECKING THE OIL THEY MAY HAVE GOTTEN S…

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RECEIVED FIRST INSPECTION, LEAVING THE DEALER, THE CAR SMELLED OF POSSIBLY A BURNING OR SOMETHING UNKNOWN. I DID NOT ASSUME THIS WASN'T NORMAL AS THEY HAD TO CHECK SEVERAL THINGS FOR THE INSPECTION. I HAD TO DRIVE VEHICLE WITH OPEN WINDOWS FOR A FEW DAYS. BUT I THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS WHILE CHECKING THE OIL THEY MAY HAVE GOTTEN SOME ON THE ENGINE OR SOMETHING. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE CAR WAS MAKING A CLANK SOUND WHEN DRIVE GEAR ENGAGED FROM FULL STOP. 11 DAYS LATER, STARTED THE CAR AND IT HAD REVVED OVER 4000 RPM. STOPPED ITSELF WITHIN SEVERAL SECONDS. FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE. DROVE 5 MILES, STOPPED AND PARKED VEHICLE. RETURNING HOME, ON A HIGHWAY, MY CAR SUDDENLY WENT OVER 4000 RPM AGAIN WHILE NOT ACCELERATING EXCESSIVELY, FLAT AND STRAIGHT ROADWAY, OVERCAST DAY, MID AFTERNOON. WAS DOING @54 MILES MPH. AT THE HIGH REV, THE CAR HAD STOPPED ITS MOMENTUM AND WAS SLOWING DOWN, BUT THE RPM DID NOT. THE CAR WENT THROUGH SEVERAL GEARS THEN ORIENTED ITSELF MANY SECONDS LATER. RECOVERY SPEED WAS 42 MPH. IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALER AND SCHEDULED A DROP OFF. HAS @10,000 MILES ON IT. MOSTLY HIGHWAY DRIVING, A FEW DAYS A WEEK. OTHERWISE IT IS PARKED. MY FEAR WAS FAILURE TO CONTINUE MOMENTUM RESULTING IN ANOTHER VEHICLE COLLIDING WITH MINE AND THE INABILITY TO TAKE ANY STEPS TO PREVENT THAT FROM OCCURRING DUE TO LOSS OF MOBILITY AND CONTROL OF ACCELERATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10928655

1,000 miles · Oct 18, 2016
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or OtherFire

VEHICLE PROVED TO BE SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTIVE THUS THE CAR BURNED UP IN A FIRE DUE TO ELECTRICAL HARNESS CATCHING FIRE AS STATED FIRE FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRE INSPECTOR. NO SIGNS SHOWED ANY IMMINENT DANGER, THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE BARELY ESCAPED BEFORE CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION BEING DRIVEN ON A CITY STREET.

NHTSA ODI #10917216

2,000 miles · Jul 11, 2016
Unknown Or Other

2016 CHEVY CRUZE LMTD LTZ, DRVG DOWN HWY MIDDLE OF NO WHERE 5 HOURS FROM HOME 1T 1AM DRVG 70 MPH, TMS SUDDENLY SHOWS RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER TIRE WITH A TIRE PRESSURE OF 12LBS, NEAREST GAS STATION 10 MILES DOWN HWY, AS DRIVE THERE TIRE PRESSURE SLOWLY CREEPS UP TO 25 LBS BUT GOES NO HIGHER. GET TO GAS STATION, TIRE IS NOT DEFLATED…

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2016 CHEVY CRUZE LMTD LTZ, DRVG DOWN HWY MIDDLE OF NO WHERE 5 HOURS FROM HOME 1T 1AM DRVG 70 MPH, TMS SUDDENLY SHOWS RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER TIRE WITH A TIRE PRESSURE OF 12LBS, NEAREST GAS STATION 10 MILES DOWN HWY, AS DRIVE THERE TIRE PRESSURE SLOWLY CREEPS UP TO 25 LBS BUT GOES NO HIGHER. GET TO GAS STATION, TIRE IS NOT DEFLATED, PURCHASE MANUAL TIRE GAUGE SHOWS TIRE PRESSURE AT 32LBS, TMS STILL SHOWING 25LBS EVEN AFTER RESTARTING CAR SEVERAL TIMES. GET BACK ON HWY AFTER DRVG FOR ANOTHER HOUR, TIRE PRESSURE GOES BACK TO 32LBS.

NHTSA ODI #10884177

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.