Problems · by component
2011 Chevrolet Cruze engine problems
257 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze cite engine, 35% of all 733 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
257
35% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
13
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“i’m unsure if the person i bought this vehicle from had the codes wiped before selling to me, but there were NO lights on dash for 3 days after minimal driving only to work and back, then all of a sudden the check engine light came on, and in the info box it would pop up saying “service stability system” - i took to o’reiley’s to see what it was for, apparently it was the ECM (electronic computer module) which essentially controls like everything. days go by i don’t do anything more about it and drive as usual to work, and it starts overheating, and smoking like crazy, but doesn’t say it’s hot on my dash, so i had no idea how hot it got or anything. i got to work, worked my shift, and went to put coolant in before returning home- just to find that it was full and i didn’t need to put any in. weird, right? ok well on my way home i’m going about 55mph on the highway and it suddenly just wouldn’t let me accelerate anymore and behaved as if i ran out of gas but i had over half a tank. when i came to a stop i turned the car off, and tried to turn it back on when it wouldn’t even turn over. i sat about 15 mins on the side of the highway before it actually started and…”
“I purchased my car in 2020 and have had this issue recently come up. I have coolant that is vanishing from my car but not dripping to the floor. I've learned since then that there was a recall on my car for my water pump which causes this exact issue which has caused a related check engine light to appear. It seems unfair to me that there's a recall on my car that was taken away after one year despite it still not being replaced, and purchasing my car not knowing of this recall not being done and the window closing I feel should be rectified. I will be notifying GM about this matter as well. Thank you for your time and consideration on this matter”
“The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the traction control warning light was illuminated. The check engine warning light illuminated shortly after the vehicle was purchased. The contact stated that the vehicle was shaking erratically, and the engine was abnormally loud. In addition, the RPM was elevated. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power and the engine seized. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that there was electrical power to the vehicle; however, the engine failed to crank. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer where it was purchased, and diagnosed with a computer system failure. The contact was informed that the computer system needed to be replaced. In addition, the contact was informed that the computer system was being replaced with a used computer system. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.”
“The primary failure is a total loss of engine power and electrical systems while the vehicle is in motion. The dealership (Ray Skillman Southside Mitsubishi) has diagnosed this as a failed engine/body control computer system. The vehicle is currently located at the dealership's service center and is available for inspection. The vehicle has stalled/shut off completely while driving on four separate occasions. This resulted in an immediate loss of power steering and motive power, nearly causing collisions in traffic. A vehicle that loses all power without warning is a severe safety hazard to the driver, passengers, and other motorists on the road. Yes. The problem has been confirmed by the Ray Skillman service department. They have attempted to repair the issue 3 times without success and currently state that the vehicle is inoperable while they search for a used replacement computer component. The vehicle has been inspected multiple times by the Ray Skillman dealership technicians. To date, no representative from the manufacturer (General Motors) or insurance has performed an independent inspection, though a formal complaint has been initiated with the…”
“The vehicle continues to overheat. The fan has been changed, the thermostat has been changed, the coolant reservoir has been changed, the cadilatic converter has been changed. Still running over hot. We continue to check oil and coolant levels, making sure they are where they need to be. Occasionally smoking.”
“The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving 25-35 MPH, the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear and then stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the residence. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.”
Showing 6 of 257 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.