Problems · by component
2012 Chevrolet Cruze visibility/wiper problems
35 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze cite visibility/wiper, 4% of all 865 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
35
4% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the visibility/wiper
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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!”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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”
“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.”
Showing 6 of 35 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.