CSR

Chevrolet · NHTSA safety record

2013 Chevrolet Cruze

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

585

Complaints

54

Crashes

8

Fires

32

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze have filed 585 safety complaints with NHTSA between February 2013 and June 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 210 of them (36%). The typical failure was reported at 51,350 miles, the median across the 417 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 5 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (5)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

16V502000 · July 5, 2016

The defect
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."
The risk
If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
The 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.

General Motors LLC · up to 8,367 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

14V417000 · July 2, 2014

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured August 7, 2012, to August 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured May 10, 2011, to August 16, 2012 equipped with a Calix oil pan/block heater. In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed.
The risk
Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14257.

General Motors LLC · up to 2,990 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS

14V372000 · June 26, 2014

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the driver's front air bag inflator may have been manufactured with an incorrect part.
The risk
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's air bag, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike and potentially seriously injure the vehicle occupants. Additionally, if the air bag does not inflate, the driver is at an increased risk of injury.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side air bag, free of charge. The recall began on June 28, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14305.

General Motors LLC · up to 29,019 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

14V151000 · March 31, 2014

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with a 1.4L turbo engine, and manufactured between November 28, 2012, and March 7, 2014. On the affected vehicles, the right front half shaft may fracture and separate.
The risk
If the half shaft fractures and separates while driving, the vehicle would lose power and coast to a stop. If a vehicle with a fractured half shaft is parked without the parking brake applied, the vehicle could move unexpectedly. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the right half shaft, as needed, free of charge. Parts for the remedy are not currently available. GM will send an interim letter to owners in May 2014. A second owner letter will be mailed when parts are available. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-866-694-6546. GM's number for this recall is 14079. This is an expansion of recall 13V-452. NOTE: Some vehicles subject to this recall were subject to the recall campaign initiated in 2013. Some of those vehicles were repaired using defective parts. Those owners will be advised that they must have their vehicles remedied again under this campaign and that having the earlier recall completed did not remedy their vehicles.

General Motors LLC · up to 174,046 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

13V452000 · September 23, 2013

The defect
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with manual transmissions (MF3/MR5) and manufactured January 24, 2013, through August 1, 2013. On the affected vehicles, the right front half shaft may fracture and separate.
The risk
If the half shaft fractures and separates while driving, the vehicle would lose power and coast to a stop. If a vehicle with a fractured half shaft is parked without the parking brake applied, the vehicle could move unexpectedly. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
General Motors has notified owners. Dealers will replace the half shaft assembly, free of charge. The safety recall began on October 15, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300. This is General Motors campaign number 13276.

General Motors LLC · up to 3,161 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 585.

ENGINE 210 36%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 121 21%
POWER TRAIN 112 19%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 75 13%
STEERING 74 13%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 62 11%
AIR BAGS 49 8%
SERVICE BRAKES 45 8%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 38 6%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 29 5%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 24 4%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 22 4%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 108.

2013 2014 2026
2013 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

3 injured · crash · towed · 120,000 miles

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH ON A CITY STREET WHEN THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES THE FIRST TIME I HIT THE BRAKE AND THE CAR STOPPED THE NEXT TIME I HIT THE BRAKE IT WAS HARD AND DIDN'T STOP THE CAR CAUSING ME TO CRASH INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND I THINK IT SHOULD HAVE, CAUSING MY HEAD TO SLAM INTO THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSING ME TO BITE MY TONGUE IN HALF. I HAVE CONTACT CHEVROLET AND GM MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING THEY LITERALLY HAVE NOT CARED ONE BIT. I BELIEVE THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM OR THE VACUUM SYSTEM IN THE BRAKES AND I AM NOT THE FIRST PERSON THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO IN A CRUZE, I LOOKED IT UP AFTER

NHTSA complaint 11203353, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed · 90,000 miles

VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE - AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN ACCIDENT. DRIVER HIT HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL. (ALL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ON OTHER VEHICLE (AUDI S4.)) TOLD BY INSURANCE ADJUSTOR HE TYPICALLY DOES NOT SEE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT ON CHEVY CRUIZE AS THE SENSORS ARE HIGH ON THE INTERNAL FRAME.

NHTSA complaint 10884858. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · 6,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZ. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN A SECOND VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, BACK, NECK, LEFT GROIN AND LEFT SHOULDER. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BLURRED VISION AND NUMBNESS IN THE LEFT ARM. THE PASSENGER SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, BACK, NECK, RIGHT SHOULDER, NUMBNESS TO THE RIGHT ARM AND BLURRED VISION. BOTH THE CONTACT AND THE PASSENGER WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AT THE DEALER BUT NO INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint 10556868, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · 40,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CAUSING THE FRONT END TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF A THIRD VEHICLE. NEXT, A FOURTH VEHICLE MADE CONTACT WITH THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CAUSING THE FRONT END TO CRASH INTO THE VEHICLE A SECOND TIME. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE SEAT BELTS MALFUNCTIONED AND DID NOT SECURE THE OCCUPANTS. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END AND WAS DESTROYED. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE CHECK AIR BAG WARNING SENSOR ILLUMINATED AND A STRANGE ODOR WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION, HEAD, NECK, AND UPPER TORSO

NHTSA complaint 10703463, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
Hh

NHTSA complaint 11746413. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact felt ill and pulled over to the side of the road. The contact stated that a passerby stopped and found the contact unconscious inside the vehicle. The ambulance was called to the scene, and the contact was taken to the hospital. The doctor determined that the contact had 27% of carbon monoxide inside the body. The contact received oxygen to expel the carbon monoxide. The vehicle remained near the walking trail where the contact had pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. Prior to the

NHTSA complaint 11720805, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
When I accelerate my rpm goes up but car dosent move as speed says and takes for me to let off the gas to speed up , and my steering when I turn it pulls away n it keep popping up service traction and going off

NHTSA complaint 11698432. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
My car over heats at least over 300 degrees. Afraid that my vehicle is In danger of catching fire due to the high temperature causing tension belt and hose components to melt.

NHTSA complaint 11694002. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
I’ve had the thermostat housing fail twice now. And now it leaking again for the third time!! Now the service stabilitrak light is on, but it only happens when the car is idling. This happened to me before while driving and I replaced the spark plugs and the coil pack. I know on other models the valve cover failed as well but I don’t see a recall on that, or the thermostat housing issues…. I just don’t get whyyyyy if people are having all the same issues why not recall it!!???

NHTSA complaint 11684044. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
For the airbag the car was sold to me without a working airbag. It’s in the steering wheel (I have been told this by a Chevrolet dealership) and the part that is broken is the part that will make it inflate in case of crash. This is scary to me. I was just in my first (and hopefully only) accident a month before in a more steely car and while no airbags were deployed it still hurts. The second issue is with the fuel pump or sensor - the coding is very unsure but the dash (including the mechanical gauge) says the car will go from half tank to empty on an 8 mile drive. It has no leaks on the underside and I had it into the mechanic twice. The second time because it stumbled and stalled at a

NHTSA complaint 11681926, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Chevrolet Cruze

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2019 20 2
2018 109 3 1
2017 201 2
2016 247 4
2015 251 4
2014 701 10
2012 864 7
2011 731 7 2

Other 2013 Chevrolet models

Every Chevrolet on this site — 298 vehicles, 747 recall campaigns and 5 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

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