Chevrolet Cruze
Registered from 2008 to 2017.
About this model
The Chevrolet Cruze is a compact car produced by General Motors from 2008 through 2023. It was designated as a globally developed, designed, and manufactured four-door compact sedan, complemented by a five-door hatchback body variant from 2011, and a station wagon in 2012. The Cruze replaced several compact models, including the Chevrolet Optra which was sold internationally under various names, the Chevrolet Cobalt sold exclusively in North America, and the Australasian-market Holden Astra.
From the Wikipedia article Chevrolet Cruze, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The manufacturer has told owners of one of these to stop driving until the repair is done.
- The propellant in the driver airbag may deteriorate over time. If the airbags deploy, it can result in fragments from the inflator injuring the vehicle's occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2012 1.6 petrol. 223 of 1,016 tests failed, 22%.
Better than 43% of 2012 cars. The typical one fails 21%, across 925 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 43% | 95 |
| Lights and electrics | 38% | 85 |
| Brakes | 27% | 60 |
| Exhaust and emissions | 22% | 50 |
| Tyres and wheels | 22% | 49 |
| Visibility | 18% | 41 |
The defects inspectors cite
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
- Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
- Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
Where it stands out against its peers
- Exhaust and emissions: failed more often than 91% of 2012 cars — 22% of its 223 failed tests, where an ordinary 2012 car has 8%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Suspension — 43% of its failures
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
- Brakes — 27% of its failures
- A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
- Exhaust and emissions — 22% of its failures
- Tyres and wheels — 22% of its failures
- Lights and electrics — 38% of its failures
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
- A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
- Visibility — 18% of its failures
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
- Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
When it starts failing
At 120–140k miles this one fails 27% of its inspections, against the 25% an ordinary car of the same age fails.
| Odometer | Failure rate | Rate | Its age | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–40k miles | 20% | 13% | 88 | |
| 40–60k miles | 17% | 17% | 220 | |
| 60–80k miles | 22% | 21% | 313 | |
| 80–100k miles | 24% | 23% | 209 | |
| 100–120k miles | 27% | 25% | 109 | |
| 120–140k miles | 27% | 25% | 49 |
988 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.
Half of these have more than 60k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 1.7 diesel · 123 hp · 1560 kg · 2685 mm wheelbase · 4.3 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2013 | 1.6 petrol · 122 hp · 1446 kg · 2679 mm wheelbase · 6.5 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2012 | 1.6 petrol · 121 hp · 1455 kg · 2697 mm wheelbase · 6.5 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2011 | 1.6 petrol · 120 hp · 1431 kg · 2559 mm wheelbase · 6.7 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2010 | 1.6 petrol · 1391 kg · 2669 mm wheelbase · 6.7 L/100km (NEDC) |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
- Do not drive
SR/03055/25
The propellant in the driver airbag may deteriorate over time. If the airbags deploy, it can result in fragments from the inflator injuring the vehicle's occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Request to stop driving
A12/0086/14
There is a possibility that the transmission will break and the vehicle be left with no traction leading to the risk of an accident.
Recall of the product from end users
A12/02858/24
The propellant in the inflator of the driver airbag may deteriorate over time. If the airbags deploy, it could result in fragments of the inflator injuring the vehicle's occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Recall of the product from end users
A12/0315/15
The front brake hose might be misassembled/twisted. This could increase the stress on the brake hose, eventually leading to a leak of brake fluid. If this happens, the vehicle may experience an increased braking distance and potential degradation of braking performance.
Recall of the product from end users
A12/0949/16
Fretting corrosion of an Engine Control Unit (ECU) terminal, caused by the insufficiently tight fit of the ECU bracket and battery trays, may cause the engine to stall intermittently without early warning.
Recall of the product from end users