2017 Chevrolet CRUZE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2017 Chevrolet CRUZE has 295 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.7x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (26% of all complaints), specifically: was traveling approximately 62 mph i pressed the gas pedal to the floor and the power stopped from the engine and the transmission down shifted causing a loud thud noise in the dash board area. the vehicle never increased speed it dropped down to approximately 50 mph until i exited, upon exiting i c. ⚠️ 7 fire reports filed.

7 fire reports 6 crash reports 6 injuries

295

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.7x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

77 complaints

26%

• WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 62 MPH I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THE POWER STOPPED FROM THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED CAUSING A LOUD THUD NOISE IN THE DASH BOARD AREA. THE VEHICLE NEVER INCREASED SPEED IT DROPPED DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH UNTIL I EXITED, UPON EXITING I C
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER (BRYNER CHEVROLET 1750 THE FAIRWAY, JENKINTOWN, PA 19046) FOR REPAIRS BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER W
• THE STEERING STARTED MOVING UP AND IN A LOCKED POSITION NOW THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN WILL COME ONLY TO YOUR KNEES. I ALMOST CRASHED THE CAR WHEN PUTTING ON THE BRAKES BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL GOES TO THE LEFT. NOT SYRE IF THE AIR BAG WILL GO OFF AS NEEDED.STEERING WHEEL WHEN PUTTING ON THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 62 MPH I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THE POWER STOPPED FROM THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED CAUSING A LOUD THUD NOISE IN THE DASH BOARD AREA. THE VEHICLE NEVER INCREASED SPEED IT DROPPED DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH UNTIL I EXITED, UPON EXITING I C”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

39 complaints

13%

• ALMOST NEW VEHICLE (304 MI WHEN RENTED FROM HERTZ IN SAN ANTONIO, TX, 751 WHEN RETURNED). ON FREEWAY NEAR LIMIT SPEED (70 AND 75 MPH), COASTING DECELERATION (TO 60-65?) FOR SLOW TRAFFIC AHEAD, TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED ON ITS OWN, CAUSING RAPID DECELERATION (EST. 10 MPH MORE), ACCELERATOR NOT EFFECT
• I WAS TEST DRIVING A NEW 2017 CHEVY CRUZE...WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC FROM THE ON RAMP OF THE INTERSTATE, THE CAR JUST REVS UP FOR LIKE 5 SECS BEFORE FINALLY ACCELERATING INTO TRAFFIC....THIS IS A *****MAJOR FLAW***** I THOUGHT THE CAR HAD SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL....THE LAG
• WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 62 MPH I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THE POWER STOPPED FROM THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED CAUSING A LOUD THUD NOISE IN THE DASH BOARD AREA. THE VEHICLE NEVER INCREASED SPEED IT DROPPED DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH UNTIL I EXITED, UPON EXITING I C

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“ALMOST NEW VEHICLE (304 MI WHEN RENTED FROM HERTZ IN SAN ANTONIO, TX, 751 WHEN RETURNED). ON FREEWAY NEAR LIMIT SPEED (70 AND 75 MPH), COASTING DECELERATION (TO 60-65?) FOR SLOW TRAFFIC AHEAD, TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED ON ITS OWN, CAUSING RAPID DECELERATION (EST. 10 MPH MORE), ACCELERATOR NOT EFFECT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

33 complaints

11%

• THE RADIO/CAMERA PANEL GOES COMPLETELY OUT.. NO VOLUME, NO ABILITY TO TURN ON/OFF, NO CAMERA, NO SOUND FROM ON'STAR NAVIGATION, NO SOUND FROM BACKUP ASSIST OR LANE ASSIST. I'M BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE ON OCTOBER 1,2016. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS ONE WEEK LATER ON OCTOBER 8, 2016 WHILE DRIVING. THE SECOND
• CPSP: ON 10/3/2017 MY DAUGHTER INFORMED ME THAT SINCE SHE ACTIVATED HER DRIVEWISE DEVICE ON HER 2017 CHEVY CRUZE THE PREVIOUS DAY, HER BRAKES SUDDENLY SEEMED TO BECOME EXTREMELY SENSITIVE, ALMOST TO THE POINT OF LOCKING HER WHEELS UP WHEN APPLIED GENTLY. *BF .UPDATED 11/09/17 *BF THE CONSUMER S
• WHEN THIS PROBLEM FIRST OCCURED IN MY CAR, NONE OF THE GAUGES ON THE CAR WORKED. ALL WERE INACTIVE INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER, GAS METER, CAR TEMP, AND RPM METER. THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS NOT WORKING AND THE RADIO WAS NOT WORKING EITHER. AT THIS TIME THE CAR WAS RUNNING, AND I WAS ON A HIGHWAY. THE ENGIN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“THE RADIO/CAMERA PANEL GOES COMPLETELY OUT.. NO VOLUME, NO ABILITY TO TURN ON/OFF, NO CAMERA, NO SOUND FROM ON'STAR NAVIGATION, NO SOUND FROM BACKUP ASSIST OR LANE ASSIST. I'M BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE ON OCTOBER 1,2016. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS ONE WEEK LATER ON OCTOBER 8, 2016 WHILE DRIVING. THE SECOND”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

31 complaints

11%

• I PULLED INTO MY CAR PORT AND NOTICED THAT MY CAR HAD ALREADY SHUT OFF, NOT KNOWING THAT IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE. I LEFT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, TOOK OFF MY SEAT BELT AND OPENED MY DOOR TO EXIT. THE CAR STARTED AND LURCHED FORWARD AS I WAS PARTIALLY OUT OF THE VEHICLE. MY WIFE WAS STILL IN THE VEHICLE A
• WHILE DRIVING A VERY DISTRACTING 'WARNING MESSAGE' WILL APPEAR ON THE INFORMATION SCREEN WHICH TAKES THE DRIVERS FOCUS AWAY FROM THE ROAD FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DISTRACTING AT NIGHT SINCE THE MESSAGE WILL LIGHT UP THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE TO THE POINT OF AFFECTING VISIBILITY. TH
• ALMOST 6 MONTHS TO THE DAY OF PURCHASE, I WAS PLANNING A TRIP THAT REQUIRED 3.5 HOURS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING. THE DAY BEFORE MY TRIP, I HAD AN UNFAMILIAR ALERT, SO I TOOK IT TO AUTONATION UNDER WARRANTY. THEY FOUND THE CAR HAD BEEN IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT WHERE THE FRONT END HAD BEEN "STRAIGHTENED" AND AD

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“I PULLED INTO MY CAR PORT AND NOTICED THAT MY CAR HAD ALREADY SHUT OFF, NOT KNOWING THAT IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE. I LEFT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, TOOK OFF MY SEAT BELT AND OPENED MY DOOR TO EXIT. THE CAR STARTED AND LURCHED FORWARD AS I WAS PARTIALLY OUT OF THE VEHICLE. MY WIFE WAS STILL IN THE VEHICLE A”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

19 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LAMP FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BUCHANAN AUTOMOTIVE INC (1035 E MAIN ST, WAYNESBORO, PA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WASHERS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF
• ISSUE> EBRAKE WARNING LIGHT ON I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND ABOUT 20 MILES INTO MY DRIVE THE SYSTEM ALERTED ME OF THE PARKING BRAKE OR E BRAKE NEEDED TO BE RELEASED. I HAVE NOT USED THIS BRAKE, BUT I STOP PRESS IT ALL THE WAY IN AND PRESS AGAIN TO RELEASE. START DRIVING AND LIME 100FT IT DIN
• FIRST THE CAR SHAKED WHILE WE WERE WAITING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON A CITY STREET. THEN WE WENT TO DRIVE INTO A TUNNEL AND I COULD NOT ACCELERATE, WE HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE HILL TO KEEP MOVING. THEN THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE CAR SAID SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST, I HAD TO STEP VERY HARD ON THE BRAK

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LAMP FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BUCHANAN AUTOMOTIVE INC (1035 E MAIN ST, WAYNESBORO, PA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WASHERS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 295 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 62 MPH I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THE POWER STOPPED FROM THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED CAUSING A LOUD THUD NOISE IN THE DASH BOARD AREA. THE VEHICLE NEVER INCREASED SPEED IT DROPPED DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH UNTIL I EXITED, UPON EXITING I C
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: ALMOST NEW VEHICLE (304 MI WHEN RENTED FROM HERTZ IN SAN ANTONIO, TX, 751 WHEN RETURNED). ON FREEWAY NEAR LIMIT SPEED (70 AND 75 MPH), COASTING DECELERATION (TO 60-65?) FOR SLOW TRAFFIC AHEAD, TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED ON ITS OWN, CAUSING RAPID DECELERATION (EST. 10 MPH MORE), ACCELERATOR NOT EFFECT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: THE RADIO/CAMERA PANEL GOES COMPLETELY OUT.. NO VOLUME, NO ABILITY TO TURN ON/OFF, NO CAMERA, NO SOUND FROM ON'STAR NAVIGATION, NO SOUND FROM BACKUP ASSIST OR LANE ASSIST. I'M BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE ON OCTOBER 1,2016. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS ONE WEEK LATER ON OCTOBER 8, 2016 WHILE DRIVING. THE SECOND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: I PULLED INTO MY CAR PORT AND NOTICED THAT MY CAR HAD ALREADY SHUT OFF, NOT KNOWING THAT IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE. I LEFT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, TOOK OFF MY SEAT BELT AND OPENED MY DOOR TO EXIT. THE CAR STARTED AND LURCHED FORWARD AS I WAS PARTIALLY OUT OF THE VEHICLE. MY WIFE WAS STILL IN THE VEHICLE A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)