Problems · by component
2013 Chevrolet Cruze service brakes problems
45 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze cite service brakes, 8% of all 587 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
45
8% of all complaints
Crashes
11
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
What owners say about the service brakes
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The cars first started telling me randomly that it needed service to the stabilitrak and the. Would disappear, the next component was the anti theft activated and after turning car off..next time I tried to turn on, it acted as if battery was dead and locked my key in ignition. Fixed itself a couple hours later. Next time it gave me issues all of these components started to come on at same time while also causing power steering to come on and go out in the middle of driving which could have caused a horrible wreck (didn’t thank god) and also started flickering lights inside and outside of car, and the radio turned on and off as well…the car now will not turn on and acts as if battery is dead unless I use cables and have someone jump start my car…it definitely seems to be shorting out like the wiring isn’t working the way it should…I have now taken it to auto one and they tested battery and altinater and said both were in great condition, so I researched and have seen that my car make and model years from 2011-2015 have a recall on the negative battery cable not being crimped right enough but my car specifically isn’t included because it is past its…”
“When switching between drive and reverse, the brakes stop working/lock up. This mainly occurs when parking backward or backing out of parking spot. This has caused a very minor collision with a parked car and the need to use the E-brake on multiple occasions to stop from backing into cars. I have told the dealership about the issue when I first bought the car and they were either not able to reproduce or didn't test it. It has not been inspected that I know of. There was a recall for this exact problem but it is under different VIN numbers. There were no warning lamps or messages when this problem occurs.”
“Hi, I have had my car for a total of 8 years so far. It was bought used, in perfect condition in the beginning. Years passed and I have gained many problems down the road. First, the valve had to be replaced, spent a little under $1K, car worked well, until it started leaking coolant. Second, the car started to jerk back if you were passing at least 60mph. You go above 65-70, the car would jerk back to where it felt as if the whole bottom of the car fell off. You could press the gas pedal and it would barely go, it felt as if you were pushing the car with your own hands from the back, as if it lost power to move forward. Third, why does my coolant leak? Why is it that I have to put coolant in it at least every other week? The fan is EXTREMELY loud as well, as if it's overheating.”
“The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while at a complete stop with her foot depressed on the brake pedal, the vehicle would intermittently lurch forward without warning. The contact stated that the parking brake was activated to stop the vehicle from inadvertently moving forward. The vehicle was not taken to be serviced or diagnosed. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and informed her that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.”
“Check-engine light comes on and stays; after repairs, it keeps flashing. "Traction control" message comes on and stays on. The air conditioning system keeps warning to be turned off, and heats up the car when not turned off. The care drives and dies while driving. The transmission is not consistent, takes much more time to accelerate. Breaks and fan replaced after a year of purchased and about 1,500 dollars have just been spent in repairs and the car still gives a check-engine light, shaking and about to die. Presently not in use. The safety issues for me and my family are high. I recently had to drive it with safety lights on and below 25 miles/hr to and from the mechanic. I have taken the car before two mechanics and it is still not resolved. The car is available for inspection upon your recall.”
“When in reverse on brakes do not engage properly-no braking action.. This same issue was addressed by a recall of 2012 models but GM has not issued a recall for 2013 models even though online research shows this is a common problem.”
Showing 6 of 45 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.