There are 50 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruzein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I bought my car used. I have replaced the Brake Pedal Position Sensor 3 times on my own and 1 time by Anderson General Tire. Sometimes when I go to brake, there is no brake and I have to push real hard with my foot and finally the car will brake. It feels as if my brakes go out and sometimes I have to pump the brake pedal. It happens also when I start my car after it's been sitting and I brake to shift into drive. My car says it doesn't have any recalls but I have been having this problem. My car has been serviced numerous times by Chevrolet immediately after buying it. I only had to stop taking it there because my warranty ran out and then they wouldn't cover the costs anymore. Codes that come up are P057D and U0140-71: Brake Pedal Position Sensor Circuit High and Brake Pedal Position Sensor Circuit High Voltage and Anti-lock Brake System (although this does not show on the dash).
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, extra effort was needed to depress the brake pedal while stopping the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the mechanic stated that the microswitch in the power brake vacuum pipe assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V360000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The failure mileage was 210,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was firm and difficult to depress. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed as brake pump failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer, awaiting the brake pump part for replacement. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was over the 100,000 miles warranty and that the recall for the brake pump had expired in 2018. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while reversing the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard before the vehicle came to a complete stop. The contact's wife had also informed him of the brake failure while she was driving. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was a recall repair for the vehicle under NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V360000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and that the manufacturer only guaranteed a one year or 20,000 miles for the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that only a free one time repair would be performed. The failure mileage was 99,178.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER SON WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN THE BRAKES BEGAN TO LOCK. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER OF THE VEHICLE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE BY KICKING THE DOORS TO FORCE THEM TO OPEN. ONCE THE PASSENGER WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED TOTALED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NEEDED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH FORT DODGE FORD TOYOTA LINCOLN (2723 5TH AVE S, FORT DODGE, IA 50501 PHONE: (515) 576-7505) WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT OF A RECALL FOR THE BRAKES AND LOW OIL LEAKING CAUSING A FIRE. THE VEHICLE'S VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V36000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICS) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 188,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS REVERSING THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE TAPPED THE VEHICLE PARKED BEHIND HER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO STEWART CHEVROLET (780 SERRAMONTE BLVD, COLMA, CA 94014, (415) 570-7351) TO BE INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT AN INSPECTOR WOULD BE SENT TO THE DEALER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH A FAULTY BRAKE BOOSTER, VACUUM PUMP, AND BRAKE PADS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS INITIALLY STARTED, THE POWER BOOSTER FOR THE BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE. THE POWER BOOSTER BEGAN TO WORK AFTER APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE. QUIRK CHEVROLET MANCHESTER (1250 S WILLOW ST, MANCHESTER, NH 03103, (603) 263-4530) STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER ASSIGNED A CASE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,600.
I WAS DRIVING IN A 25 MPH SPEED LIMIT ZONE AND WHEN COMING TO A STOP SIGN I WAS UNABLE TO APPLY THE BRAKES AS THEY WOULD NOT GO DOWN AND RODE COMPLETELY THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO A STOP AFTER AND APPLY THE BRAKES WITH NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION, NEUTRAL GEAR AND EMERGENCY BRAKE ALWAYS USED WHEN PARKING THE CAR. NOTICED THAT WHEN REMOVING THE E-BRAKE ON A HILL, THE CAR ROLLS SLIGHTLY BACKWARDS AND IT SEEMED AS IF THE E-BRAKE ENGAGED EVEN AFTER IT BEING REMOVED. THERE WAS ALSO FRICTION WHEN USING THE BRAKES, ALMOST LIKE THE BRAKE PADS WERE GETTING LOW, HOWEVER THEY HAD JUST BEEN REPLACED. TOOK THE CAR INTO THE MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THE E-BRAKE CABLE RUNNING FROM THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO THE BACK TIRES IS MALFUNCTIONING TO WHERE IT FAILS TO RETRACT FULLY WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS DISENGAGED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS PART IS ON A 4 WEEK BACK ORDER THROUGH GM BECAUSE IT IS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM, AND IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE ACCORDING TO GM. HOWEVER, HAVING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PARTIALLY ENGAGED IS DEFINITELY A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, SINCE IT CONFLICTS WITH NORMAL BRAKING WHEN DRIVING, CAUSING FRICTION IN THE BRAKES. NOT SAFE TO DRIVE ON, AND CAN'T EVEN BE FIXED SINCE IT IS ON BACK ORDER DUE TO A FAULT PART! MECHANIC SAYS HES SURPRISED MY BRAKES WERE NOT SMOKING. I DRIVE LONG DISTANCES BETWEEN STATES FREQUENTLY, AND IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AND CANNOT FIX THE PART UNTIL THE BACK ORDER IS CAUGHT UP THROUGH GM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE REVERSING AT 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL REQUIRED EXTRA FORCE TO DEPRESS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING 8 MPH PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO DEPRESS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME STIFF AS IF IT WERE MANUAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V360000 (SERVICE BRAKES). THE DEALER (CLASSIC CHEVROLET, 500 LINCOLN AVE, PITTSBURGH, PA, 15202, 412-451-8962) AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 24,000. ..UPDATED 08/22/17 *BF *CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AFTER CONTINUALLY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.
THE VEHICLE HAS NO OPEN RECALLS, AND THE RECALL ADDRESSING THE BRAKE PRESSURE, (MICRO SWITCH PROBLEM) HAS BEEN COMPLETED. ON OCCASIONS INCLUDING THIS MORNING, WHEN THE VEHICLE SITS OVERNIGHT, THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOSS OF BRAKE PRESSURE, THAT IS YOU CAN PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN WITH SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE, AND THE VEHICLE BARELY STOPS. I FIRST NOTICED IT BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, AND COMING TO THE FIRST STOP SIGN AT THE END OF OUR SIDE STREET. ONCE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, AND AFTER AT LEAST ONE ATTEMPTED STOP, THE PRESSURE GOES TO NORMAL. NOW THAT I AM AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL OF THIS HAPPENING, I NOTICED EVEN WITH THE CAR IS STATIONARY BEFORE BACKING OUT, THE BRAKE PRESSURE IS LOW. RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM IT SEEMS LIKE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS EXPERIENCE.
I BOUGHT THE 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZ IN 2014, I USED THE CAR PRIMARILY FOR WORK SO THROUGHOUT THE FIRST FEW YEARS I DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING STRANGE AS IT REMAINED PARKED MOST THE TIME. WHEN I DID START DRIVING IT AS A PRIMARY VEHICLE THE FIRST ISSUE I HAD WAS THE CLUTCH AND GEAR SYSTEM SEEMED TO BE TOUCHY WHEN THE CAR WAS IN PARK, RESORTING TO ME USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE EVERY TIME I WOULD PARK IT. AT THE TIME IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE A BIG ISSUE AS IT BECAME A HABIT. IN 2016 SHORTLY AFTER THIS MY OIL CONSUMPTION AND TURBO FAILED, AND THE VEHICLES EXHAUST STARTED BLOWING BLUE SMOKE AND THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. AS THIS WAS A NEW CAR I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HAD VEHICLES TURBO REPLACED. JUST OVER A YEAR LATER IN 2018 THE VEHICLE IS EXHIBITING THE EXACT SAME EFFECTS SUCH AS REMOVING AND REPLACING THE ECO,1.4L ENGINE, TURBOCHARGER, EVACUATE AND REPLACE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM, AND TRANSFER OF THE FUEL AND ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLIES AND ENGINE MOUNTS. I'M ALMOST CERTAIN THIS CAR IS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED.
TAKATA RECALL'' A WHOLE BURN INTO MY AIR CONDENSOR CAUSING MY FLUIDS TO LEAK OUT AND CAUSING A BAD SMELL
THE BRAKE IS HARD TO PUSH DOWN , BUT IF YOU TAP IT AGAIN IT WILL WORK. IT DOES NOT DO THIS AT LOW SPEED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RELEASE TO THE NORMAL POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER PUSH ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND AND EXTENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES TO GET THE BRAKE PEDAL TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM PIPE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V360000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,136. UPDATED 09/10/15*LJ
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE. SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE PEDAL FELT SOFT AND WOULD NOT ACTIVATE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC VACUUM PUMP WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V36000 (SERVICE BRAKES). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,400.
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED TO GET IT INSPECTED AND HAVE THE CODE READ. THEY SAID THAT THE CODE WAS DUE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL POSITION SENSOR AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED FOR APPROXIMATELY $500. THE VEHICLE WAS JUST BARELY OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED. MANY TIMES, WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND IN THE IDLE STATE WITH THE BRAKE DOWN, THE ENGINE WILL LURCH FORWARD AS IF IT HAD A JOLT OF ENERGY. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AND ON DIFFERENT ELEVATIONS AND LOCATIONS WHILE THE CAR IS STOPPED. IT WORRIES ME THAT THE CAR WILL LURCH FORWARD WHILE STOPPED AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, WHICH IS WHY IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. I FEEL AS THOUGHT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTS TO REPAIR THIS BRAKE SENSOR AND IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. I HAVE READ OF MANY OTHER CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE ON THE VEHICLE MODEL AND YEAR.
TRAVELING BEHIND PASSENGER CAR; CAR IN FRONT APPLIED BRAKES. I APPLIED MY BRAKES BUT CAR DID NOT STOP. STRUCK BACK OF VEHICLE.
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026