NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
Paint bubbling and rusting alone the car even though it’s washed and is no where near salt never even been hit there are tons of issues with GM paint yall need to fix these and recall every gm car with this issue and wipers are very rough scratching windshield
Car is currently not drivable due to strong smell of gas coming from under the hood. Findings, gas is leaking into the engine and car will not crank. Diagnostic machine indicates poor fuel to fuel injector causing a gas leak within the engine.
My 2017 Chevy Cruze had the throttle body replaced by STG Auto Group in Montclair, CA. A few months after the repair, my car began shaking violently and then shut off in the middle of the street while I was driving on 11/17/2025 This created a serious safety hazard for me and other drivers. When I took the vehicle to a local auto zone once the vehicle turned on , they told me the throttle body “needs cleaning,” but a new throttle body should not get dirty within a few months. This suggests improper installation or a defective part. The problem returned even though the part was recently replaced. I immediately called the dealership who fixed it and the manager stated I’d have to wait to the following week for another inspection and that I can not be squeezed in . The vehicle is still unsafe to drive because it shakes and can stall unexpectedly. I am concerned because this issue has happened more than once and could have caused an accident. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Apparently there is a TSB from GM regarding the end for updated/replacement of parts concerning the hydraulic piping, slave cylinder and accumulator. My clutch became spongy then stuck on the floor. This happened unexpectedly (reservoir full) while driving and almost caused an accident. Apparently GM doesn't take enough accountability to update the failure before or after failure. Reporting this hoping it will eventually force a recall!
My head lights stopped working except the day time running lights. The high beams don’t work nor the actual head lights. They just went out.
My turbocharger is failing. My car has 83,000 miles, but had to get a completely new engine at 37,000 miles. So the engine is less than 50,000 miles old. My check engine light has turned on and it’s is the turbo charger. General Motors has a Special Coverage Adjustment N232395330 that covers models with the same engine as the Chevy Cruze. However, because the model is not listed they are refusing coverage under this adjustment. The adjustment specifically covers the turbocharger, a component or the engine. But since my model is not listed it is not covered despite having the same engine. My turbocharger began failing while I was driving on the grapevine in California. Luckily I was able to make it to my destination but had it failed over the grapevine that would have put me and my passengers in an unsafe situation. It is unacceptable that an engine with less than 50,000 miles on it which has been maintained with frequent oil changes be having this issue yet not be covered under an SCA that acknowledges the issue just doesn’t list the model.
The 3rd brake light is known to leak on Chevy cars, which I found out when searching up the issues, which allows water inside trunk without your knowledge and does water damage to the battery and other electrical components that are located in the trunk that controls the dashboard, a/c, radio, power steering and probably even more. Safety risk: makes your dashboard stop working along with the power steering, while driving. There is another vehicle at the same dealer as mine right now with water in the trunk, it’s an impala. When you search up on the internet about dashboard not working along with radio and a/c there are quite a few different people pointing to the leaking 3rd brake light and water in the trunk damaging the electrical components in the trunk. The vehicle is at a Chevrolet dealer right now being fixed. No warning messages before it happened. I have only owned the car for 1 year bought it used June 2024. The bill I included is so far what they are saying needs to be fixed but I’m sure more to come as they get some components working.
The Cruze has always been slow to accelerate which made passing a problem. In May 2025 we were driving on [XXX] in Detroit and the engine light came on the dashboard. We were able to drive the car without propulsion to Lansing, a distance of 90 miles. Feldman Chevorolet said the code for the light was engine turbo-charger. That's a $3K repair. We have no choice but to drive the car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Check engine light say turbo charger problem code is P0299, i have googled this issue and its pretty common on this vehicle as well as prior years of chevy cruzes. There should be an investigation as to why this issue is so common.
The catalytic converter on my Chevy Cruze has failed several times over the course of almost 2 (two) years and required replacement. The most recent replacement was 3/17/2025. The vehicle had diagnostics performed each time. It is my understanding that the life of a catalytic converter is 10 years or more. So being replaced several times seems excessive in such a short amount of time. The safety of myself and others were at risk because issues with a catalytic converter can lead to engine problems, which could indirectly lead to an accident or injury. I received warning messages each time and took the vehicle in for diagnostics and repair. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the door latches independently unlocked and locked. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure had occurred with all four doors. The contact stated that the RPM occasionally increased unintendedly. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer twice; however, the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 16,994.
The shutoff feature that shuts the engine? down while at a full stop/red light, is defective. I was stopped at a red-light and the engine shutdown as a gas-saver feature and stalled and I had to put my car in park and restart it in mid traffic. I was rear-ended by the person behind me, who was a hit n run. This is an unsafe feature that has been put in many Chevrolet vehicles. I called the Chevrolet # and she told me, I had to pay for the $250 diagnostic test at a Chevy dealership and I told her, Chevrolet should be responsible for the failure to restart my engine car as it is a an unsafe feature installed by them and that that they should turn off that feature for free as I was hit from behind when the vehicle did not restart. I want Chevrolet to pay to have this unsafe feature removed without charging my for an expensive diagnostic system test. I as a consumer, should have that choice! I want that flawed feature turned off in my vehicle. IT'S UNSAFE.
There has not been any specific incident, but I have noticed a gasoline odor while driving my car. The smell is particularly strong when I open the trunk. I have had the issue inspected and inquired about the cause, as the odor began suddenly and without any apparent reason.
In a rear end collision to my Chevrolet Cruze my driver seat back broke on the left side causing my torso to twist in the accident. This caused disc protrusions in my lumbar and thoracic spine. Vehicle was totaled
We believe the auto stop is malfunctioning. When stopping at a light the car will go into auto stop and then die. It won't restart without getting out of the car, alarming and locking it, then unlock and get back in. This is our second 2017 cruze hatchback, both purchased brand new. The first one was doing the same thing less than 2 months after we bought it. Dealership couldn't figure it out, we caused enough of a scene for them to put us in another brand new one. Obviously, a car randomly dying on the road is a safety issue. We did have our first one checked out by the dealership, Autonation Chevrolet Gulf Freeway in Houston, and they couldn't find anything wrong and couldn't recreate the issue, which is why they got us in a second one. This one didn't start doing this until a couple months ago, at at 8 years old. No warranty, and we haven't had it checked out by anyone yet. It's worth mentioning that we also had this issue with our 2017 Traverse, 3 years in. Same dealership, couldn't recreate the issue, we ended up trading it in. No lights or warning lamps of any kind appeared.
The radio screen stopped working, and now the backup camera will not display on the screen at all. This is a definite safety issue.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving 55-60 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal banging sound. The contact then noticed through the rearview mirror, that the rear bumper had detached and was hanging on the passenger's side of the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and noticed that an unknown control module had detached along with the bumper. The contact stated that only one rear bumper screw remained attached while the others were missing. The vehicle was taken to the dealer parts department and was provided the screws to temporarily re-attach the bumper. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.
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When it’s cold outside the air induction signal comes on and comes off. This is the second time I had this service within a year. Mechanics advised me that there is nothing wrong with my vehicle and drives smooth that the code P1101 maybe a recall because they have been seeing it much frequent on Chevy Cruze 2017,2018
My 2017 Chevrolet Cruze LT (VIN: [XXX] 1.4L turbo, ~85,000 miles) is inoperable due to cracked pistons, a known issue in 2016–2017 models causing misfires and power loss (TSB 18-NA-171). I seek GM goodwill assistance for repair costs (~$3,877–$10,500) and am exploring legal options, as no recall or class-action lawsuit currently exists. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while attempting to reverse, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated while attempting to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
My 2017 Chevy Cruze engine failed with only 38,000 miles on it (Case [XXX]). After it happened, I read that this is a known problem (see link below). I hope that GM will consider a recall on this item in order to save others from this experience. When I contacted GM and Chevy about this in late August, I was hoping that GM would take full responsibility for what clearly appears to be a manufacturing defect in Cylinder 1. I was deeply disappointed that it took GM so long to respond to this request, and that the compensation was no more than the cost assistance that I was offered at the dealership originally. I will never buy a GM vehicle again, and will be sure to tell my friends and family about my dissatisfaction with owning a 2017 Chevy Cruze. [XXX] Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The slave cylinder failed in the manual transmission. When it failed, the petal went to the floor and did not return. In a panic I was trying to engage it, the vehicle was rolling without control of the drivetrain. I pulled into a driveway and rolled out into traffic when trying to put it in reverse and was not able to move the vehicle. Yes you can inspect it currently being repaired for $1500
At just over 70k miles the engine began running rough. Diagnostic showed cylinder 1 pressure issues from cracked piston requiring engine replacement. This vehicle has had all recommend service since owning it.
The vehicle has been struggling off and on to accelerate from a stopped position or a need to suddenly increase in speed (merging onto an expressway). I have replaced several parts of the car, there are no codes available to the technicians but it is reported in several forums and a common issue. I have almost been t-boned making a left turn onto major roads where there are cars going 55-70 or above mph because the car suddenly stops working even when pressing the acceleration pedal all the way to the floor.
Operating vehicle on German autobahn, 90mph, brake assist light came on, check engine light came on, vehicle loss turbo power, felt a shift in the transmission feeling, without notice as a slowly pulled into the gate guard at 30mph, I had zero brakes, loud metal noise and/vibration applying the brakes hard, I almost impacted the vehicle in front of me, vehicle was parked, vehicle would not start afterwards, had the brake assist light only come on when I backed out the driveway with a little noise riding the brake out the driveway but the light disappeared the same day. Vehicle was towed to the GM dealer in Pirmasens, was told that the brake booster failed, the cam, timing chain, and brake booster needs to be replaced and that my car was not under any recall yet research on the internet shows that others had te same problem with the Cruze.
Periodically the dash cluster board and information center goes black and will stay blank for about a minute or two and then comes back on
To whom it may concern, I am writing to express my deep disappointment and frustration regarding my recent experience with my 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. It has come to my attention that there is a known issue with the piston in the engine of this model, and unfortunately, I have fallen victim to it. This issue has caused significant inconvenience and expense for me. As a loyal Chevrolet customer, I expect better quality and reliability from your vehicles. I urge you to address this matter promptly and take responsibility for the faulty piston in the engine of the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. I trust that you will take appropriate action to rectify this situation and restore my confidence in your brand. Case # 9-12557961076
Several times during ownership (Bought used in 2021 with 13,000 miles at purchase, currently 35,000 miles on car. Entire instrument cluster including center screen and center console shifter selector goes completely dark. This includes both speedometer indicators. No apparent cause, no advance warning, screen(s) just "black out". After some time...30-40 seconds to as long as 2-3 minutes all console and instruments lights come back on. Happens during daytime and nighttime usage, with heater and/or air conditioning in use.
I want to know if there is a recall on GM cars with standard transmissions that have the shared master cylinder. That is when the clutch master cylinder and the brake master cylinder are the same part. When the clutch release cylinder leaks, you also lose brake fluid, and when the leak is bad enough, you lose your clutch and brakes.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that a faulty High Mount Stop Lamp gasket allowed water to leak into the trunk and fill the rear compartment battery tub, resulting in water damage to the Multifunction Power Supply Converter, Fuel Pump Power Control Module, and Fuse Block. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program 16147, but the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Car stops running unexpectedly and without warning. Just driving along and suddenly no power. Usually necessary to restart the car although occasionally it restarts on its own. Very dangerous when it happens at highway speed. Per my mechanic no codes show up for this problem. I looked up this issue online and see that plenty of other Chevy Cruze owners have had the same problem.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was a clunking sound, and the sound was more prominent while driving over small bumps or dents in the roadway. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a bent sway bar. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.
1st cylinder misfire with only 60,000 miles on it. Research shows this is an issue yet GM Chevy has not recalled it. Not a simple fix it requires new engine
The piston in my front cylinder cracked while traveling causing safety issues including, inconsistent speeds, poor acceleration, engine cutting off while driving. While no accident/injury occurred while driving in this instance, it would have been easy for something to happen. The garage I took it took recommended against driving it as it could shut down at any time on the road.
The seat will not move forward. Being that it is an electric motor, it has become increasingly difficult to reach the pedals, especially the brakes.
The engine failed and needs replacement due to low compression and constant misfire on cylinder #1, according to the dealership. I sold the vehicle because of the repair costs that were required. The vehicle’s mileage was 47,664 at time of inspection. A Chevrolet dealer confirmed the issue, and GM acknowledged that the issue occurred. The check engine light turned on a few weeks before the failure was diagnosed, and the light began flashing about a week before it was diagnosed. The Service Stabilitrak light also turned on at the same time as the check engine light.
Car spontaneously stops accelerating. Sometimes a restart is needed. It jerks as you're trying to gain acceleration. Sometimes it stalls after non acceleration. Safety is compromised due to traffic behind me going speed limit or worse. First appeared 2 months ago. Mechanic could not detect anything on diagnostics. Then we took it to the Chevy dealer where purchased and after 5 days could not diagnose. They took it out 3x but could not duplicate symptoms. No lights flash, no warnings. I'm at a loss, I'm a senior citizen who needs her vehicle. I no longer feel safe driving it. Please advise.
The Service Stabilitrak light came on at the same time as the check engine light. When this happened the first time I had it checked, it gave the Code P1101. I payed to having the Massive air flow sensor fix, than a few days after having massive air flow sensor replaced.The Service Stabilitrak and engine light came back on. The engine started to misfire I took it back to the car dealer shop and I was told that it was a Cylinder in the engine. The dealers shop at first couldn't tell me why it was doing this. After the car dealer ship opened up the engine they said that engine needed to be replacement.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated and was slow to accelerate. The stabili-trak control warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was slow to respond while driving uphill. There was an abnormal popping sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel injector needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the coil pack, turbo boost, spark plugs, an oil change, ABS, brake booster, and air flow sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the failure was due to the low turbo boost. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
Noticed the roof seems to be separating from the body and rusting.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that the vehicle was designed with the Auto START/STOP feature; however, while at a complete stop, the engine turned off but failed to restart. The contact shifted into park (P) and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving between 35-65 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jolted and hesitated to respond. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. The contact also stated that the check engine warning light illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed but no issues were found. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.
Car very suddenly started having slow acceleration, and vibration felt during acceleration. Check engine light on with StabiliTrak warning message on dashboard. Rough idle and vibration felt in cabin. Difficulty accelerating at traffic light and car seemed to almost stall at one point. Diagnosed at the dealer with cracked pistons in engine with code P0300 for random misfire. 2017 Chevy Cruz has passed the power train warranty by 1 year. Mileage odometer reading is about 58200. GM is not willing to replace without charging $4700 for replacing the faulty piston components in the engine even though this poses safety hazard for regular driving. After some research, this seems to be a widely known problem of this generation Chevy Cruz and GM has even changed the part number of the piston assembly to replace the faulty pistons in engine. This needs to be a recall!
Seal on rear break lights malfunctioning causing water to leak into light and trunk causing mold and mildew buildup and possible electrical issues.
Based off my mechanic's assessment and that of a Chevrolet dealership, one of the cylinders in my Chevy Cruze is no longer firing. The dealership believes at least one of the pistons needs to be replaced. The car is available for inspection. The car is unreliable to drive, as I drove up a freeway incline it slowed to a dangerously low speed for freeway driving. The dealership has confirmed they believe it is an issue with the piston but will not confirm without charging $2800 to dismantle the car and are not able to guarantee they will be able to fix the issue. Diagnostics were run on the car at Putnam Chevrolet in Burlingame CA. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to a major issue with the cars functionality. The issue first appeared June 15, 2023 without any warning. The engine light came on and the car was not functioning properly, plus a notification to "service Stabilitrek". I have found mention of the same problem on consumer forums. Cracked pistons are a KNOWN issue on this make and model but there are no recalls and the car is just outside of the warranty.
Slave cylinder failure. At approximately 125,000 miles, the slave cylinder began to fail. Clutch pedal would only come back up about half way, and would need to be pulled the rest of the way up. Associated problem is difficulty putting car into gear. Took vehicle to dealership for other warranty work and asked to investigate. Dealership ignored request. Took back separate time for other faulty parts and was ignored again. Other part failure was turbo waste gate. Internal spring failure caused turbo waste gate to become stuck open, not allowing boost to build. Caused check engine light and severe lack of power. Replaced part with aftermarket, and problem disappeared. Investigation into cause revealed low quality spring that broke internally. Dealership visits within extended warranty period were ignored/ told could not replicate issue, despite suggestions of potential causes, including waste gate failure.
The clutch pedal got stuck while driving. There is a factory defect with this vehicle's Clutch Slave Cylinder and it's a huge safety hazard since it can happen at any time on all the manual transmission models. This is a known issue that hasn't been addressed by GM
I was at a stop light. The cars feature that shuts off the engine when stopped at a light failed as it completely would not start again. This has happened to me a few times now. One of those times it was at a busy intersection and I was almost hit. I had to shut off the car and turn it back on again to get it to move. I spoke to someone at Chevrolet and I was told this feature can not be turned off in this model and there have been known issues. I do not know why with this being known that nothing has been recalled on the vehicle. I can not remember if lights turned on as it was extremely stressful to go through.
Vehicle had a cracked piston. Now the vehicle is very sluggish while accelerating from a stop. Burns a tremendous amount of fuel. Vehicle is also stalling frequently. It’s been to Chevrolet twice and a mom and pop shop and nobody can figure out what the problem is.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the engine started to misfire. The contact stated that the vehicle was hesitating while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while driving into the driveway; however, the vehicle was able to restart. The contact stated that she attempted to call a local Chevrolet dealer however, her calls were not returned. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 35,000. The VIN was not available.