Problems · NHTSA complaints

2013 Chevrolet Cruze problems

Owners filed 587 complaints about the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze with NHTSA between Feb 2013 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is engine (212).

Complaints
587
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
54
Reported by owners
Fires
8
Reported by owners
Injuries
32
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine212
  2. Electrical system122
  3. Power train113
  4. Steering74
  5. Electronic stability control (esc)62
  6. Air bags49
  7. Service brakes45
  8. Vehicle speed control39
  9. Fuel/propulsion system29
  10. Engine and engine cooling24
  11. Visibility/wiper22
  12. Structure13
  13. Exterior lighting11
  14. Visibility11

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
201329
2014108
201548
201647
201754
201880
201954
202047
202129
202230
202329
202417
202511
20264

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine

212 reports8 crashes7 fires
“I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH MY STUDENT FINANCIAL AID MONEY AS SOON AS I GOT 5 CAR A FEW BLOCKS AWAY AND THE CAR STARTED BOILING.THEN THE KEY IGNITION SYSTEM SAID USE POCKET TRANSMITTER THAT DIDN'T WORK .I PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY I HAVE A MECHANIC THAT'S WHY I PURCHASED THE CAR I WAS CONFIDANT JE COULD FIX IT NO MATTER WHAT THE CAR WAS3 VERY UNSAFE NO WARMING ABOUT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE THEN WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE CAR IT STOPPED SUDDENLY AND I CHECKED THE FLUIDS PUT ANTIFREEZE AND OIL THE CAR ENGINE WAS SO HOT IT DAMAGED THE HEATER BYPASS HOSE.I REALLY NEEDED MY TRANSPORTATION I GO SCHOOL WAS A OUT TO GET A JOB I'M HOMELESS I WAS GOING TO A SHELTER FOR HELP BUT IF I GET A JOB I CAN AFFORD RENT.I AM GOING THROUGH IT. I AM DEPRESSED THE DEALER SAID HE DON'T KNOW WHY THE CAR KEEPS GETTING HOT THEN MY MECHANIC SAID THE WASN'T COMING ON IN TIME . THERE WERE No leaks but antifreeze disappeared.THEN WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE ENGINE AND IN SECONDS THE CAR VINDICATES IT WAS OVER HEATING WHEN THE CARS FLUID WERE CHECKED I PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY THE LUGHTS AND RADIO WORKED BUT THE KEY IGNITION SYSTEM WAS DEAD AND SAID USE POCKET TRANSMITTER.THE DEALER SAID CAR IS SOLD AS IS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 1, 2026Power train, Electrical system, EngineODI 11768211

Electrical system

122 reports4 crashes2 fires1 related recall
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 157,454. The contact later discovered that the title mileage was 189,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 14, 2025Electrical systemODI 11680644

Power train

113 reports1 crash2 related recalls
“I own 3 Chevy Cruze, a 2012, 2013 and 2016. They all partial power down or decelerate while driving. The local Chevy dealers has no recalls for this issue or any other for that matter. Please advise”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 7, 2024Power train, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11593075

Steering

74 reports4 crashes1 fire
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 9, 2025Steering, Vehicle speed controlODI 11698432

Electronic stability control (esc)

62 reports5 crashes1 fire
“MY CAR KEPT SAYING "AC OFF DUE TO HIGH ENGINE HEAT" EVEN THOUGH MY CAR WAS NOT READING HOT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THEN THE CAR WOULD START SMOKING AND BLOW A HOSE AND LIQUID WOULD BE EVERYWHERE. I HAD A BRAND NEW THERMOSTATE PUT IN AND IT STILL DOES THE SAME THING. ALSO A PREVIOUS RECALL ABOUT HOW THE TIRE COULD SEPRATE "TIRE ROD" IS STILL DOING IT AGAIN. I HAD 3 TRANSAXLE SEALS AND A TRANSMISSION SEAL, A MOTOR BLOWER FOR THE A.C ALL REPLACED WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR (STILL UNDER WARRENTY) OF OWNING THIS CAR. THE STABILITY TRACK WILL SHOW UP ON THE SCREEN. BUT I'M TIRED OF WORRYING WHEN MY CAR WILL WANT TO JUST RANDOMLY BLOW HOSES AND START SMOKING AND LEAVE ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD! I BOUGHT A CHEAP CAR TO GET ME TO WORK AND MY CRUZE IS SITTING!!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2020Power train, Electronic stability control (esc), EngineODI 11365663

Air bags

49 reports32 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“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 stop light. Before dying - half tank. August 6th they just scanned it with their computer I got no paperwork from them. On the 15th I didn’t get any paperwork either. I will include the shop’s number.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 20, 2025Air bags, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11681926
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.