RoadVitals

2012 Chevrolet Cruze Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
43
Latest Dec 10, 2021
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
5%
of 864 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 43 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming visibility

The 25 most recent of 43, in the owner's own words

Visibility
Filed Dec 10, 2021

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that the windshield defroster would not operate as needed without warning. The vehicle had yet to be diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ID
11443373
Incident
Dec 10, 2021
Mileage
100,000 mi
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Nov 3, 2021

The problem I have is a very, very common problem and a huge safety issue to my life or anyone with the same car within around 2011 to 2015. The cheap plastic levers for the mode actuator for my defrost and vents do not work. They have broken and this I barely have any heat coming out of the front vents and absolutely none coming from the defrost. This is a huge issue and highly affects my driving in the cold and snowy, or even rainy, weather. I’m so upset there has not been a recall thus far. No one wants to spend 1000 dollars for a five dollar part when it’s not their fault that the levers are faulty! This is Chevrolets and thus, GMCs problem. My safety is highly threatened when I can’t defrost the ice nor the fog over my windshield meaning I cannot see!! I scrape it and as soon as I drive it gets worse I had to pull over today because I couldn’t see at all! It’s scary and not okay! Please admit to the mistake and fix the problem. Please!

NHTSA ID
11439256
Incident
Nov 3, 2021
Visibility
Filed Dec 18, 2020

THE HVAC BLENDER DOOR MECHANISM ( HEAT MODE DOOR LEVER) BROKE WHICH DISABLES THE DEFROST MODE IN THE CAR. THIS HAPPENED DURING A WINTER STORM AND I COULD NOT SEE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND ONLY PARTIAL VISION OF THE ROAD. VERY VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND GOING FORWARD. VERY EXPENSIVE FIX, SO I AM DEBATING WEATHER TO SPEND THE MONEY TO FIX MYSELF.

NHTSA ID
11384107
Incident
Dec 11, 2020
Mileage
96,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 30, 2019

VEHICLE FAILS TO TURN ON WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER CAUSING LIMITED TO NO VISIBILITY.

NHTSA ID
11277208
Incident
Dec 31, 2018
Visibility
Filed Oct 24, 2019

ON MY WAY HOME, MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY DURING HEAVY RAIN. I WAS SO TERRIFIED DIDNT NOTICE THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG TILL I PULLED OVER. THE LEFT WINDSHIELD WIPER HAD STOPPED WORKING. I HAD TO WAIT TILL THE RAIN HAD STOPPED TO GO HOME.

NHTSA ID
11270662
Incident
Oct 21, 2019
Mileage
65 mi
Visibility
Filed Jul 11, 2019
Crash reported

BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT IN A NON-REGULATED PRIVATELY OWNED PARKING AREA VISION IS IMPAIRED AND ANYONE MOVING IN ANY DIRECTION TOWARD YOU CANNOT BE SEEN OR NOTICED UNTIL IMPACT.

NHTSA ID
11230942
Incident
Nov 17, 2018
Mileage
52,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 15, 2019

PASSENGER WIPER BLADE QUIT WORKING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DURING A BLIZZARD.

NHTSA ID
11220378
Incident
Jan 31, 2019
Mileage
165,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 11, 2019

THE DEFROST QUIT WORKING WHILE WE HAD -50 DEGREE TEMPERATURES THIS WINTER. MY CAR COULD NOT KEEP THE WINDSHIELD CLEAR TO SEE. IT WAS IN MOTION WHEN IT BEGAN GETTING MORE AND MORE FOGGY. NOW HEAR A GEAR WENT OUT IN THE VENT SYSTEM

NHTSA ID
11185924
Incident
Jan 30, 2019
Mileage
142,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 3, 2019

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE WIPER STOPPED WORKING ON THE CENTER

NHTSA ID
11173851
Incident
Feb 3, 2019
Mileage
11,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 31, 2018

MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER STOPPED WORKING.I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IT A FEW DAYS UNTIL I COULD AFFORD TO FIX MY PASSENGER WIPER AND MY DRIVER SIDE STOPPED WORKING ON MY WAY TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE I WAS IN MOTION. WHEN THIS HAPPENED I HAD TO HANG MY HEAD OUT THE WINDOW TO SEE WHERE I WAS DRIVING UNTIL I COULD GET TO A SAFE LOCATION TO PULL OVER.

NHTSA ID
11164164
Incident
Dec 17, 2018
Mileage
160,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Nov 22, 2018

LET ME START BY SAYING THIS ISSUE WAS THE NOT THE FIRST ISSUE THAT'S CAUSE ME TO TOW MY CAR FIRST WAS MY ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO COOLANT LINES RIPPING WHILE DRIVING. AND THIS ISSUES IS ABOUT DEFROST AND HEATING IN THE GENERAL I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH ME HEAT ON THE WINDSHIELD BUT IT DIDN'T HEAT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD INSTEAD IS WAS HEATING MY FACE THE WINDOWS WERE ALREADY A LITTLE FOGGY BUT I EXPECTED IT TO BE CLEAR WHILE DRIVING BUT INSTEAD WHILE GOING 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY MY WINDOWS COMPLETELY BECOME FOGGED COMPLETELY WHITE I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING LUCKY FOR ME I WAS ON THE RIGHT LANE SO I PULLED OVER AND WAS SAFE HOWEVER IF IT HAPPENED EVEN 5 SECONDS LATER I WOULD OF MOST LIKELY HIT OR BEEN HIT AS THE HIGHS HAD SOME RENAVATIONS AND THE NEW TURN HAD NO PULL OVER AND HAD A LONG AND TIGHT TURN. ANYWAYS IF YOUR ALSO HAVING THIS ISSUES AND KNOW A FIX PLEASE INFORM ME.

NHTSA ID
11153222
Incident
Nov 1, 2018
Mileage
132,650 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 31, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER STOPPED WORKING. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

NHTSA ID
11144403
Incident
Oct 30, 2018
Mileage
108,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 18, 2018

WHEN YOU TURN THE DIAL TO USE THE WIPERS. IT DOES NOT WORK. YOU CAN PUSH IT, TO SPRAY THE WIPER FLUID, BUT THE WIPERS DONT MOVE. MY VECHILE ONLY HAS 51000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID
11073449
Incident
Nov 5, 2017
Mileage
51,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 12, 2018

HVAC DOOR ACTUATOR DOES NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY. CAR WILL NOT BLOW AIR ON TO THE WINDSHIELD TO DEFROST THE WINDOW. RESULTS IN POOR TO NO VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING DUE TO INTERIOR FOG ON THE WINDOWS AND SPRAY FROM OTHER TRAFFIC FREEZING TO THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ID
11072444
Incident
Jan 24, 2018
Mileage
88,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 5, 2018

ALL HVAC FUNCTIONS WORKING EXCEPT DEFROSTER (WINDSHIELD) NOT FUNCTIONING. SNOW AND ICE WON'T THAW

NHTSA ID
11067081
Incident
Dec 8, 2017
Mileage
72,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 14, 2018

MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAD STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY NO MOVEMENT AT ALL, THEY WERE MAKING A NOISE WHENEVER YOU TOGGLED THE WIPER CONTROL INSIDE THE CAR. SO I MAD AN APPOINTMENT FOR JAN 5TH, 2018 SO THAT IT COULD BE LOOKED AT AND FIXED. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS TRANSMISSION THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN WHICH I KNEW I HAD BEEN RESEARCHING BEFORE HAND NEEDED TO BE SURE . AUTO SHOP TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD BE $149 FOR THE PART THAT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, AND THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE LABOR AND, THEN SHE SAID NO IT WOULD BE $74.00 FOR PART AND I TOLD THEM TO GO AHEAD. THEY SAID THEY NEEDED TO ORDER THE PART AND IT MAY NOT BE THERE THAT DAY. SO I THEN MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THEM MONDAY JANUARY 8,2018 WHEN THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE PART DROPPED MY CAR OFF ON THAT SUNDAY JANUARY 7,2018 AND THEY CALLED ME MONDAY@9:30 TELLING ME MY CAR WAS READY SO I PICKED IT UP AFTER WORK.. SKIP FORWARD TO FRIDAY JANUARY 12,2018 I GET READY TO LEAVE FOR WORK AND GO OUTSIDE I CLEAR MY CAR OFF AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS AREN'T WORKING.. I SPRAY DE-ICER ON THEM PUT MY DEFROST ON REMOVE ICE AND ALL AND THEY ARE NOT WORKING... IT HAS ONLY BEEN 3 DAYS THAT I'VE HAD MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS TRANSMISSION REPAIRED AND I'M STILL HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE.... I NEED ANSWERS.

NHTSA ID
11062665
Incident
Jan 8, 2018
Mileage
102,460 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 10, 2018

I WAS DRIVING IN A RAINSTORM AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY WINDSHEILD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO PEOPLE!!!

NHTSA ID
11062053
Incident
Jan 10, 2018
Mileage
120,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 21, 2017

WIPERS STARTED STOPPING WHEN ON. IF YOU TURN THEM OFF AND THEN ON THEY WORK FOR A VERY SHORT TIME THEN STOP AGAIN. WHEN THE WIPERS ARE IN THE OFF POSITION THEY STOP RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE DRIVERS VIEW. TOOK TO DEALER, DEALER STATED THE BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS GOING OUT AND WOULD AFFECT MORE AND MORE OF THE CAR AND COULD POSE A SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA ID
11018746
Incident
Aug 14, 2017
Mileage
62,000 mi
Visibility
Filed May 18, 2017

WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION (LINKAGE) FAILED DURING OPERATION OF VEHICLE DURING A RAIN STORM, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER TO STOP WORKING AND VISABILITY TO BE COMPROMISED AT HIGH SPEED.

NHTSA ID
10986306
Incident
Apr 28, 2017
Mileage
98,000 mi
Visibility
Filed May 3, 2017

I BELIEVE THE GM RECALL 25302 ON CHEVROLET EQUINOX VEHICLES SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE CRUZE MODEL. I OWN EACH OF THESE MODELS AND HAVE NOT HAD AN ISSUE YET ON THE EQUINOX, BUT THE CRUZE HAD TO HAVE WIPER BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT THAT IS EXPLAINED IN THIS EXISTING RECALL. PLEASE CONSIDER EXPANDING THIS RECALL TO INCLUDE ALL MODULES OF CHEVROLET THAT UTILIZE THIS SAME WIPER BALL JOINT BECAUSE THIS DESIGN FAULT EXISTS ON THE CRUZE MODEL AS WELL. MY CRUZE WAS FIXED AT A GARAGE THAT IS NOT CHEVROLET DEALER AFFILIATED, SO I'M NOT SURE HOW THE NHTSA TRACKS THESE TYPES OF ISSUES. THE ISSUE WITH THE CRUZE WAS THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER BLADE WAS NO LONGER MOVING, THE BALL JOINT WAS BROKEN AND NO LONGER FUNCTIONING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
10983240
Incident
Jan 12, 2017
Mileage
126,989 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 6, 2017

THE MORNING OF 1/5/17 I NOTICED MY PASSENGER WINDSHIELD WIPER WOULD NOT MOVE, BUT THE DRIVERS SIDE STILL WORKED. NO CHANGE ON THE AFTERNOON DRIVE HOME. ON THE MORNING OF 1/6/17, THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER STILL DIDN'T MOVE, BUT THE DRIVERS SIDE WIPER MOVED UP AND THEN WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE DOWN POSITION. I MANUALLY MOVED IT DOWN, AND NOW NEITHER WIPER MOVES. VERY DANGEROUS AT ANY TIME TO NOT BE ABLE TO CLEAR MY WINDSHIELD, BUT WITH THE DIRT AND GRIME OF THE WINTER IN THE MIDWEST ALONG WITH THE CONSTANT FLECKS OF SNOW FROM THE CARS AROUND ME, I WAS STRUGGLING TO MAKE IT TO WORK SAFELY. I'LL HAVE THE ISSUE ADDRESSED WITH MY MECHANIC THIS EVENING/WEEKEND.

NHTSA ID
10940080
Incident
Jan 6, 2017
Powertrain (other)Visibility
Filed Dec 22, 2016

DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER BECOMES DETACHED FROM WIPER TRANSMISSION WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND SIMULTANEOUSLY USING WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THIS POSES SIGNIFICANT DANGER BECAUSE VISIBILITY IS DRASTICALLY REDUCED IN RAINY OR SNOWY CONDITIONS. CAR LURCHES FORWARD WHEN AT A STOP AND TRANSMISSION IS IN DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10936839
Incident
Feb 17, 2015
Mileage
67,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 15, 2016

DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREET. IT MOVED A QUARTER UP THE WINDSHIELD AND STOPPED WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10935496
Incident
Dec 15, 2016
Mileage
82,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 31, 2016

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES/HOUR, AFTER DARK IN HEAVY RAIN, THE DRIVERS WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM SUDDENLY STOPPED MOVING. THIS FAILURE MAY HAVE RESULTED IN PROPERTY OR PERSONAL INJURY OR BOTH, WHEN MY VIEW WAS OBSTRUCTED DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE WIPER ARM TO CLEAR THE RAIN. THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER ARM CONTINUED NORMALLY. A QUICK SEARCH INDICATED THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN MY VIEW, WHERE THE MANUFACTURER IS CULPABLE AND LIABLE TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIR SO THIS DOESN'T RESULT IN DAMAGE/PERSONAL INJURY. THE DEALER QUICKLY REPLACED THE 'WIPER TRANSMISSION' WHICH I HAD TO PAY FOR, AND FEEL THIS IS A MANUFACTURING SAFETY DEFECT THAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ASSESSED FOR RECALL AT NO COST TO THE OWNER (OR REIMBURSEMENT FOR THOSE ALREADY REPLACED). *TR

NHTSA ID
10920401
Incident
Oct 27, 2016
Mileage
83,613 mi
EngineVisibility
Filed Oct 20, 2016

IN 2014 MY CAR HAD AN ISSUE WHERE IT STARTED OVER HEATING. THE CAR WAS PREVIOUSLY PART OF A RECALL FOR THE WATER PUMP BREAKING. THIS CAUSED MY CAR HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM NOT TO WORK PROPERLY. THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS IF DRIVING AND IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I JUST HAD THE SAME ISSUE ON OCTOBER 20 OF 2016. *TR

NHTSA ID
10917469
Incident
Oct 20, 2016

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .