2012 Chevrolet Cruze problems, complaints and recalls
NHTSA data checked October 31, 2026 · counts are computed from NHTSA's public APIs, not estimated
Summary
NHTSA's public complaint database lists 865 owner complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, and its recall database lists 7 safety recall campaigns for it.
Leaving out "unknown or other", the component group owners named most often is engine (268 complaints, 31%), followed by electrical system (196) and service brakes (142). A complaint can name more than one group, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
62 complaints say a crash happened and 18 mention a fire; together the complaints report 30 injuries and 0 deaths.
Among Chevrolet Cruze model years 2010–2020 in NHTSA's data, 2012 has the most complaints (865, against a median of 250 for the other years).
The newest recall is 16V502000, received July 5, 2016, for electrical system.
865owner complaints
7recall campaigns
62complaints reporting a crash
18complaints reporting a fire
30injuries reported
0deaths reported
Complaints by component
Owners pick one or more component groups when they file. Share is the percent of the 865 complaints that name the group.
Latches/Locks/Linkagesdoor and hood latches, locks
2
<1%
Traction Control Systemtraction control
2
<1%
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility
1
<1%
Forward Collision Avoidanceautomatic emergency braking and collision warnings, including false braking
1
<1%
Interior Lighting
1
<1%
Recalls (7)
Newest first. Summary, risk and remedy are NHTSA's own recall text (a U.S. government record), shown as published. A recall applies only to the vehicles its notice names; your VIN lookup is the final word.
NHTSA campaign 16V502000
Received July 5, 2016 · Electrical System (ignition)
What's wrong: 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."
Risk: 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.
NHTSA campaign 14V300000
Received June 6, 2014 · Air Bags
What's wrong: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured December 5, 2011 to August 2, 2012, and Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 1, 2011 to June 11, 2012. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
Risk: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at 1-800-222-1020. Buick owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. Note: This is an expansion of recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023.
NHTSA campaign 13V360000
Received August 15, 2013 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic (power assist)
What's wrong: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with 1.4L DOHC gasoline turbo engines and 6T40 front wheel drive automatic transmissions and equipped with an electric vacuum pump to provide supplemental vacuum for brake assist, when needed. In the affected vehicles, the pump may not activate, resulting in an intermittent reduction or loss of brake assist.
Risk: A loss of braking assistance will require extra pedal force and/or distance to bring the vehicle to a stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace a microswitch in the power brake vacuum pipe assembly, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020. GM's recall number is 12213.
NHTSA campaign 13V023000
Received January 24, 2013 · Air Bags
What's wrong: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic, and model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
Risk: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on February 13, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.
NHTSA campaign 12V522000
Received October 31, 2012 · Air Bags
What's wrong: General Motors is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
Risk: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal airbag, that airbag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel airbag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.
NHTSA campaign 12V289000
Received June 22, 2012 · Fuel System, Gasoline (storage: tank assembly: mounting)
What's wrong: GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH MAY 14, 2012. ATTACHMENT WELDS FOR THE FUEL TANK STRAP SECONDARY BRACKETS MAY HAVE BEEN OMITTED.
Risk: THE FUEL TANK COULD COME LOOSE IN A CRASH, POSSIBLY ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE TANK. A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR MISSING WELDS. IF THE VEHICLE IS MISSING WELDS, DEALERS WILL SECURE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENTS WITH FASTENERS. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 9, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE CHEVROLET OWNER CENTER AT 1-866-694-6546.
NHTSA campaign 12V288000
Received June 22, 2012 · Engine and Engine Cooling
What's wrong: GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH MAY 31, 2012. SPILLED OR DRIPPING OIL (SUCH AS AFTER AN OIL CHANGE) MAY COLLECT IN THE ENGINE SHIELD (BELLYPAN) NEAR HOT ENGINE OR EXHAUST SYSTEM SURFACES. AS A RESULT, THE OIL AND THE ENGINE SHIELD MAY IGNITE AND BURN.
Risk: EITHER CONDITION COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.
Remedy: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ENGINE SHIELD TO PREVENT FLUID FROM CONTACTING THE SHIELD. ALSO, ON VEHICLES WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, DEALERS WILL APPLY A PROTECTIVE TAPE TO THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING WIRE HARNESS. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE TO THE OWNER. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 10, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE CHEVROLET OWNER CENTER AT 1-866-694-6546.
When the complaints were filed
By the year the complaint reached NHTSA. A late rise often means a part wearing out with age or a problem drawing attention after a recall.
How many complaints has NHTSA received about the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze?
865 owner complaints as of October 31, 2026, per NHTSA's complaints API.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze?
Engine is named in 268 of 865 complaints (31%); NHTSA's group covers the engine itself: stalling, oil use, knocking, failure.
How many recalls does the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze have?
7 recall campaigns in NHTSA's recall database, most recently 16V502000 (July 5, 2016). Check a specific car's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Is 2012 a bad year for the Chevrolet Cruze?
By complaint count, 2012 ranks 1st of 10 Cruze model years 2010–2020 in NHTSA's data. Raw counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how old they are.
How to read these numbers
Complaints are reports owners file with NHTSA. NHTSA does not confirm each one, and one problem can be reported more than once.
Counts are not adjusted for sales: a model that sold twice as many cars can collect twice the complaints without being worse per car.
Older model years have had more time to collect complaints.
A recall listed here may not cover every car of this model year. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.