2012 Chevrolet Cruze Driver assistance Problems

Coolant leaking , engine knock sound , turbo issue

NHTSA ID

11650936

Incident

Nov 14, 2024

Check engine light, traction control light, tire pressure light came on. Message on dash reported reduced engine power, service stabilitrak, and car slowed to 16 no more than 20mph and would not go any higher.

NHTSA ID

11566301

Incident

Jan 16, 2024

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle lost motive power after 45 minutes. The RPM increased, and the vehicle failed to accelerate. The driver was able to pull over. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact stated that after driving for 45 minutes, the vehicle lost power and went into LIMP Mode. The transmission had seized in fifth gear. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the speed control sensor had failed. The contact was informed that the speed valve and transmission control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ID

11541594

Incident

Aug 6, 2023

Mileage

90,000 mi

The car began to shake uncontrollably on the freeway at 55/MPH . The car then marked "Engine Power is Reduced", causing the car to no longer accelerate more than 5-7/MPH. This is a very dangerous situation because it can cause a terrible accident on the road since it's a random inconvenience. I have heard that many of these types of cars "Chevy Cruze" seem to experience the same type of problem. With that being said it's safe to say that as an owner this situation is far out of my control and it's definitely a collective problem with the type of car and make that it is. I ask for this to be immediately looked into.

NHTSA ID

11482259

Incident

Aug 31, 2022

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WOULD COME ON ENGINE WOULD START TO JERK AND THEN LOST POWER

NHTSA ID

11407139

Incident

Apr 7, 2021

Mileage

104,033 mi

THE CAR HAS HAD ISSUES SINCE I BOUGHT IT. EVERYTHING FROM THE TRANSMISSION TO THE SEATBELTS TO THE ENGINE TO THE BRAKES THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG. MY VIN NUMBER DOESNT MATCH THE RECALLS BUT TEVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG IS RECALLED ON THE 2012 AND 2013 BUT I MISSED THE RECALL BY A WEEK? SOUNDS LIKE TO ME GM KNEW THE MOST ISSUES WERE ON THE CAR MANAUFACTURED WHEN MINE WAS AND DIDNT WANT TO FIX THE PROBLEM

NHTSA ID

11365131

Incident

Dec 20, 2018

LESS THAN 30 DAYS I HAVE PURCHASE A CAR FROM GALLIMORE MOTORS STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER, WHO DID NOTHING. IT WAS LIKE OH WELL. THEN NOW THE STABILITRAK IS COMING ON, I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD THIS CAR FOR 30 DAYS UNTIL YESTERDAY.

NHTSA ID

11365110

Incident

Oct 16, 2020

Mileage

100,000 mi

MY SON WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD LAST WEEK AND DASH FLASHED STABILINK AND HE LOST ALL POWER AND FORCES HIM TO TRY TO PULL OVER WHICH HE COULD BECAUSE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND BRAKES GOT HARD TO PUSH. A WEEK LATER STABILINK FLASHED AGAIN AND THEN WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD HE HAD TO SLAM ON BRAKES FOR A STOPPED VEHICLE AND BRAKES WOULD WORK AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AGAIN RESULTING IN HIM REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11320365

Incident

Apr 5, 2020

DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE DOING 70-80MPH AND THE CAR STARTS DINGING-STABILITRACK, TRACTION CONTROL, AND REDUCED POWER ALL COME ON AND THE CAR LOSES POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND COULDN'T DRIVE FASTER THAN 5 MPH AND HAD TO GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD WITHOUT GETTING HIT BY OTHER VEHICLES DOING THE SAME SPEED. THIS VEHICLE WITH THIS ISSUE THAT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN ON THE ROAD. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE AND CEL LIGHTS ON BUT NOTHING THAT ALMOST COMPLETELY STOPS VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING AND ALMOST KILLS EVERYONE IN THE CAR! I GET THEY ARE TRYING TO SAVE THE ENGINE OR WHATEVER FROM FURTHER DAMAGE BUT I AM PRETTY SURE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO LIVE AND NOT KILL ANYONE ELSE IN THE PROCESS OF THIS SO CALLED SAFETY PRECAUTION THE VEHICLE TAKES ON.

NHTSA ID

11308303

Incident

Feb 2, 2020

Mileage

100,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING IN SUBDIVISION AT 20MPH AND VEHICLE WENT INTO LIMP MODE. IT HAD A MESSAGE SAYING ENGINE POWER REDUCED, SERVICE STABILITY TRACK AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE MORE THAN 5MPH. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! LUCKILY I WAS NOT GOING 70 ON THE FREEWAY. I'VE BEEN READING ON CHEVY FORUMS AND GM FORUMS OF THIS HAPPENING TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. MANY GOT IN ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF REDUCED ACCELERATION TO 3 OR 5 MPH. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IT HAS A P2135 CODE AND IS DIE TO A BAD THROTTLE BODY AND THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR. THE CHEVY MANUFACTURER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT ALTHOUGH IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE TO CHEVY AND GMC CARS FROM MANY YEARS OF VEHICLES, FROM WHAT I'VE READ 2009 TO CURRENT YEAR. MINE IS A 2012 CHEVY CRUZE LT. THERE IS A SPECIAL COVERAGE OF PEDAL ACCELERATOR FRACTURE BUT THE DEALER SAID IT'S NOT RELATED TO MY ISSUE, I HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING THIS. HERE IS A NOTE OF WHAT THE DEALER LOOKED AT AND DIAGNOSED.

NHTSA ID

11302576

Incident

Jan 15, 2020

Mileage

93,900 mi

I WAS DRIVING AND THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER, SERVICE STABILI TRACK, CHECK ENGINE WARNINGS CAME ON. MY CAR WOULD ONLY ACCELERATE TO 5MPH. LUCKILY I WASN'T ON THE FREEWAY, WAS ONLY GOING 20 MPH AND ALMOST HOME. VERY DANGEROUS. I PUT AN END CODE READER ON IT AND IT'S A P2135 CODE, THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR. I HAVE BEEN READING CHEVY CRUZE FORUMS AS WELL AS IN CHEVY FORUMS IN THE PAST WEEK, A MINIMUM OF 1000 PEOPLE THAT I CAN SEE HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE. MANY HAVE BEEN IN ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS. ITS OCCURED IN MAINLY CHEVY CRUZE BUT ALSO IMPALAS, GMC VEHICLES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND I NEED A NEW THROTTLE BODY, THERE IS NO SPECIAL COVERAGE ALTHOUGH ITS OCCURED IN THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES IF NOT 10S OF THOUSANDS! IT'S DANGEROUS! THERE IS A SPECIAL COVERAGE FOR PEDAL ACCELERATOR FRACTURE BUT THEY SAY MINE IS FINE AND NOT RELATED TO THROTTLE BODY. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH CHEVY AND IT SHOULD BE RECALLED OR HAVE SPECIAL COVERAGE. HERE IS A READOUT FROM THE MECHANIC.

NHTSA ID

11302553

Incident

Jan 15, 2020

Mileage

93,900 mi

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHILE CAR IS DRIVING, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AND CAR WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. (ALSO HAPPENED ONCE AFTER CAR HAD BEEN PARKED) IT ONLY LASTS ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE CAR CAN ACCELERATE AGAIN AND THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL EVENTUALLY TURN OFF. ALSO, CAR FEELS ROUGH SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS AND HAS TROUBLE ACCELERATING OFTEN.

NHTSA ID

11291752

Incident

Dec 28, 2019

Mileage

115,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING MY VEHICLE (2012 CHEVY CRUZE) ON THE HIGHWAY (I-75 NORTH BETWEEN AUBURN HILLS AND CLARKSTON), THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS, RPM'S FLUCTUATE AND THE AUTOMOBILE LOSES ACCELERATION EVEN THOUGH THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED. THE DASHBOARD CLUSTER LIGHT (P, R, D) BLINKS RAPIDLY. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT ACCELERATE AND THE ENGINE SEEMS TO LOSE POWER. THE VEHICLE DID THIS MULTIPLE TIMES AS POWER AND ACCELERATION WAS LOST. UPON RECEIVING A DIAGNOSTIC READING, THE CODE INDICATED A TRANSMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM OR OUTPUT SHAFT SPEED SENSOR. I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT DUE TO THE UNSAFE DECELERATION OF SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE POTENTIAL FOR A FATAL ACCIDENT IS GREAT. ADDITIONALLY, THIS MODEL SEEMS TO HAVE AN ISSUE DUE TO SEVERAL ON-LINE INQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS.

NHTSA ID

11270714

Incident

Oct 23, 2019

Mileage

129,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 CHEVY CRUZE, MY RADIO WILL SHUT OFF RANDOMLY FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS, AND WHEN IT DOES, I LOSE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE STEERING. IT IS LIKE THE CAR SHUTS OFF BUT WHEN THE RADIO TURNS BACK ON, THEN THE CAR WILL RESTORE POWER. VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY!!! AND YET, THERE IS STILL NO RECALL FOR MY SPECIFIC VIN. ALSO, FOR TWO MORNINGS IN A ROW, I HAVE NOTICED A SMELL AND SOME SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IT WILL ONLY DO IT FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND THE CAR WILL NOT OVERHEAT. I SWEAR IT IS ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER WITH THIS CAR.

NHTSA ID

11232210

Incident

Jun 3, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CONSUMED OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CHUCK HUTTON CHEVROLET (LOCATED AT 2471 MT MORIAH RD, MEMPHIS, TN 38115, (901) 318-3703) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TURBO HEAD FAILED INTERNALLY AND WAS PUSHING EXHAUST FUEL INTO THE ENGINE CRANKCASE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TURBO HEAD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

NHTSA ID

11228940

Incident

May 10, 2019

Mileage

83,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE MUSIC WILL SHUT OFF AND THE DASHBOARD WHICH PROJECTS THE SPEED FLASHES ON AND OFF. MY HEADLIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS ARE ALSO EFFECTED BY THE ISSUE AS WELL; AT ONE POINT WHILE DRIVING IT OCCURRED AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE TRYIN G TO MAKE A TURN ON A CITY STREET.

NHTSA ID

11208311

Incident

May 17, 2019

Mileage

130,000 mi

5/1/2019 MY RADIO STARTED GOING ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING HOME THEN ON 5/2/2019 IT STARTED BLINKING "STALIBITRAK" ON MY GAUGE PANEL ALONG WITH THE RADIO GOING ON AND OFF. IS THIS SOMETHING I NEED TO BE CONCERNED WITH AS MY CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND I'M NOT RAKING IN THE DOUGH TO HAVE THIS ON MY PLATE ALONG WITH THE OTHER ISSUES WITH THE CAR. I'VE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR A YEAR AND A HALF.

NHTSA ID

11205529

Incident

May 1, 2019

Mileage

93,000 mi

A WEEK OR SO AGO WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE INTERSTATE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT DARK AND THE DISPLAY IN THE CENTER OF IT COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. I FINISHED THE REMAINING 30 MINS. OF MY DRIVE WITHOUT IT RETURNING TO NORMAL(LIGHTS OFF DISPLAY REMAINED OFF). I DIDN'T HAVE ANY MORE ISSUES UNTIL TODAY. THIS AFTERNOON I DROVE TO A FAMILY GET TOGETHER AND WHILE STILL IN THE CITY MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PLUS MY RADIO DISPLAY STARTED TO RANDOMLY SHUT OFF THEN COME BACK ON AFTER A SECOND OR TWO SOMETIMES CONTINUOUSLY FOR 10-20 SECONDS AND ONCE FOR AROUND 30 SECONDS. EACH TIME THEY WENT OFF THE SPEAKERS WOULD SHUT OFF TOO AND I'M NOT SURE IF THE TURN SIGNALS WORKED DUE TO THE LACK OF A DISPLAY AND AUDIO. ONE INSTANCE I ALSO ENCOUNTERED EITHER REDUCED POWER STEERING OR COMPLETE LOSS OF IT FOR SEVERAL SECONDS WHILE LOSING POWER TO THE DISPLAYS AND REGAINING IT APPROXIMATELY 15 TIMES OVER ABOUT A 30 SECOND TIMEFRAME. AFTER THAT I GOT A STABILITRAK MESSAGE BUT STEERING WAS NORMAL FOR THE REST OF THE DRIVE. HOWEVER THE CLUSTER, RADIO DISPLAY, SPEAKERS, ETC. CONTINUED TO RANDOMLY TURN OFF FOR A SECOND OR TWO THEN COME BACK ON. WHEN WE LEFT THE GATHERING WITHIN A MINUTE OF STARTING THE CAR(HADN'T EVEN MADE IT OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY) EVERYTHING STARTED SHUTTING DOWN THEN COMING BACK ON JUST LIKE EARLIER BUT STEERING WASN'T EFFECTED AGAIN AND NO STABILITRAK MESSAGE ON THE WAY HOME EITHER. TODAY THE DRIVE STARTED IN A CITY THEN WAS OPEN HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT 20 MINS. AND THE GATHERING WAS AT A HOUSE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF A TOWN. THE LOSS OF POWER TO THE THINGS I MENTIONED ABOVE SEEMED TO BE COMPLETELY RANDOM AND WERE NOT EFFECTED BY SPEED, STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, OR OPEN HIGHWAY. THE ONE TIME STEERING WAS EFFECTED I WAS TAKING OFF AT A STOP LIGHT BUT IT'S HARD TO SAY IF THAT WAS A FACTOR SINCE NONE OF THE OTHER STOPS WERE.

NHTSA ID

11202716

Incident

Apr 20, 2019

Mileage

75,000 mi

MY VEHICLE WILL SAY THE DRIVERS DOOR IS OPEN WHEN IT IS NOT, IT WILL SHUT OFF AND ON. THE ALARM SYSTEM GOES OFF WHEN EVER IT FEELS LIKE IT EVEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THERE IS NOTHING TO DO WHEN IT DOES THIS YOU JUST HAVE TO LET IT GO OFF UNTIL IT STOPS. THE SPEED GAUGE CHANGES FROM WHAT THE NON DIGITAL ONE SAYS. AND THE ENGINE LIGHT SHUTS OFF AND ON WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP.

NHTSA ID

11193057

Incident

Apr 1, 2019

Mileage

109,000 mi

TURBO CHARGER VALVE FAILED CAUSING MULTIPLE OTHER ISSUES. CAR SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY. STABILITY TRACK KEEPS COMING ON EVEN AFTER THE WIRE TO THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

11176229

Incident

Jan 20, 2019

Mileage

113,350 mi

MY BRAKES KEEP GOING "HARD" AND NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. ABOUT A YEAR AGO I HAD MY MASTER CYLANDER, BRAKE BOOSTER, MICROSWITCH IN THE BRAKE VACUUM LINE, MAF SENSOR AND AIR INTAKE HOSE REPLACED BECAUSE THE MECHANIC SAID THOSE WERE THE ISSUES, I WENT 2 WEEKS WITHOUT MY VEHICLE, INCLUDING BREAKING DOWN FOR MULTIPLE DAYS OUT OF STATE. NOW HERE I AM WITH THE SAME ISSUES. BEFORE I HAD THEM REPLACED I WAS TOLD THAT THE MICROSWITCH IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS ALREADY RECALLED AND REPLACED. BUT SINCE THEN IT HAS FAILED AGAIN. I WAS TOLD BY CHEVY THAT THEY ONLY DO THE RECALL ONCE, BUT IF THEY ARE REPLACING IT WITH A FAULTY PART SHOULDN'T THAT BE RECALLED AGAIN? I HAVE TWO TODDLERS IN MY VEHICLE REGULARLY AND LOSING THE POWER BRAKES COULD END VERY BAD. THE POWER BRAKES FAIL ALMOST EVERY DAY, USUALLY THE FIRST TIME I HIT THE BRAKES AFTER STARTING TO VEHICLE. WITCH MAKE ME THINK THAT ITS GOING TO COMPLETELY FAIL AGAIN SOON.

NHTSA ID

11173805

Incident

Feb 1, 2019

Mileage

103,000 mi

I WAS LEAVING WORK, ONTO A BUSY STREET AND THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED, THE CHECK ENGINE ICON APPEARED ON THE DASH, ALONG WITH ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL & SERVICE STABILI TRAK. MY CAR SLOWED DOWN TO ABOUT 5 MILES AND I WAS ALMOST HIT. I REVERSED BACK INTO MY COMPANY'S LOT. SOMEONE SCANNED MY CAR AND THE CODE WAS FOR P2135. DOING RESEARCH, I FOUND IT WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE BUT CAN'T FIND ANY NOW.

NHTSA ID

11170665

Incident

Jan 17, 2019

Mileage

73,139 mi

CAR WAS LIKE NEW FOR A FEW MONTHS, DRIVEN TO AND FROM ORLANDO MAYBE 4 TIMES, BUT MOSTLY USE IT FOR WORK TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL THEN IT STARTED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEING ON, THEN SHORTLY, CAR STARTED JERKING WHILE PARKED, OR ON BRAKE, AND THE "CHECK STABILI TRACK CONTROL" LIGHT COMES ON, AND THEN WOULD JUST TURN OFF. I WOULD START SMELLING A VERY STRONG BURNT SMELL BUT NO OIL WAS FALLING TO THE FLOOR, BUT ONCE I STOPPED DRIVING THERE WOULD'VE SMOKE EVERYWHERE. WAS TOLD THERE IS A VACUUM LEAK COMING FROM PCV WHICH IS BUILT IN VALVE COVER...HAVE HAD VALVE COVER CHANGED 3 TIMES IN 3 WEEKS AND EACH TIME, IT LOOKED LIKE SOMEONE DIED UNDER MY HOOD AND BLED OIL! AM TOLD THAT THERE IS TOO MUCH PRESSURE COMING IN AND SO CAUSES OIL TO FIND A WAY OUT AND LEAKS IT SPILLS IT SLASHES, AND IT'S A MYSTERY! ALSO, THERE IS ANOTHER LEAK THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN STRATED FROM THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE! WHEN DOING MY RESEARCH, THERE ARE SOOOOOO MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS! THIS NEEDS TO BE SOME SORT OF RECALL. PLEASE HELP!

NHTSA ID

11165933

Incident

Dec 10, 2018

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED IMPROPERLY BETWEEN THE THIRD AND FIFTH GEARS. FURTHERMORE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE FORWARD IN THE MIDDLE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S MANUAL TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AFTER IT WAS ENGAGED IN THIRD GEAR. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHEN NECESSARY. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. AUTONATION CHEVROLET LAUREL (500 WASHINGTON BLVD, LAUREL, MARYLAND 20707, (240) 294-5149) REQUESTED THAT A DIAGNOSTIC BE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,560.

NHTSA ID

11140587

Incident

Jan 8, 2018

Mileage

80,560 mi

THE VALVE COVER AND PCV VALVE LEAKS AIR BAD AND IS DEFECTIVE. IT CONSTANTLY CAUSES SURGING AND MULTIPLE OBD CODES AND THE STABILI/TRAC TO FLASH AND THE RADIO TO FLASH OFF AND ON. IT IDLES ROUGH AND SHUTS OFF ROUGH TOO. THE GAS MILEAGE ISN'T AS GOOD AS IT SHOULD AND THE POWER ISN'T AS GOOD AS IT SHOULD. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS KNOWN DEFECTIVE PCV VALVE COVER TO BE FIXED

NHTSA ID

11119521

Incident

Aug 11, 2018

Mileage

120,345 mi