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2012 Chevrolet Cruze Recalls, Issues & Maintenance

The 2012 Chevrolet Cruze carries 7 open NHTSA recalls — most recently covering ignition and air bags. Owners report 6 recurring issue clusters, led by “Automatic transmission hard shifting and failure.” Chevrolet vehicles use the GM Oil Life System (OLS) — a percentage-based monitor that calculates oil life from driving conditions, not fixed mileage. When the OLS drops to 0%, oil and filter are due. The schedule below reflects GM's Normal Use intervals for everything else.

7 Open Recalls

Source: NHTSA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

Campaign #16V502000 · May 7, 2016

Issue: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Risk: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

AIR BAGS

Campaign #14V300000 · Jun 6, 2014

Issue: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured December 5, 2011 to August 2, 2012, and Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 1, 2011 to June 11, 2012. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Risk: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at 1-800-222-1020. Buick owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. Note: This is an expansion of recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING

Campaign #12V289000 · Jun 22, 2012

Issue: GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH MAY 14, 2012. ATTACHMENT WELDS FOR THE FUEL TANK STRAP SECONDARY BRACKETS MAY HAVE BEEN OMITTED.

Risk: THE FUEL TANK COULD COME LOOSE IN A CRASH, POSSIBLY ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE TANK. A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Fix: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR MISSING WELDS. IF THE VEHICLE IS MISSING WELDS, DEALERS WILL SECURE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENTS WITH FASTENERS. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 9, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE CHEVROLET OWNER CENTER AT 1-866-694-6546.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Campaign #12V288000 · Jun 22, 2012

Issue: GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH MAY 31, 2012. SPILLED OR DRIPPING OIL (SUCH AS AFTER AN OIL CHANGE) MAY COLLECT IN THE ENGINE SHIELD (BELLYPAN) NEAR HOT ENGINE OR EXHAUST SYSTEM SURFACES. AS A RESULT, THE OIL AND THE ENGINE SHIELD MAY IGNITE AND BURN.

Risk: EITHER CONDITION COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.

Fix: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ENGINE SHIELD TO PREVENT FLUID FROM CONTACTING THE SHIELD. ALSO, ON VEHICLES WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, DEALERS WILL APPLY A PROTECTIVE TAPE TO THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING WIRE HARNESS. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE TO THE OWNER. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 10, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE CHEVROLET OWNER CENTER AT 1-866-694-6546.

AIR BAGS

Campaign #12V522000 · Oct 31, 2012

Issue: General Motors is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Risk: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal airbag, that airbag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Fix: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel airbag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

AIR BAGS

Campaign #13V023000 · Jan 24, 2013

Issue: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic, and model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Risk: If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on February 13, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST

Campaign #13V360000 · Aug 15, 2013

Issue: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with 1.4L DOHC gasoline turbo engines and 6T40 front wheel drive automatic transmissions and equipped with an electric vacuum pump to provide supplemental vacuum for brake assist, when needed. In the affected vehicles, the pump may not activate, resulting in an intermittent reduction or loss of brake assist.

Risk: A loss of braking assistance will require extra pedal force and/or distance to bring the vehicle to a stop, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace a microswitch in the power brake vacuum pipe assembly, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020. GM's recall number is 12213.

Recall data refreshed Sep 6, 2026.

Known issues for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze.

Reported to NHTSA

Automatic transmission hard shifting and failure

POWER TRAIN

15 NHTSA complaints · 2019-05 → 2025-04

“Had a 3-5-R wave plate failure. Symptoms started at around 87,000 miles. Bouncing/jerking when put into reverse. 5th gear slams hard into gear when upshifting and downshifting, making it feel like I have been rear ended”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11655044
“TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 46,942 MILES IN 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE ON 10/14/19. I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK AT NIGHT. LUCKILY I WAS ON A SMALL, EMPTY ROAD IN TOWN CLOSE TO HOME. THE ENGINE REVVED BUT WOULD NOT UP SHIFT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11281651
“The transmission is a known issue, so much so they issued a service bulletin. The transmission will give out or shift very abruptly or shift in to neutral without warning and at various speeds”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11428065

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Windshield defroster and heater actuator failure

VISIBILITY/WIPER

7 NHTSA complaints · 2019-06 → 2021-12

“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”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11384107
“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”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11439256
“The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that the windshield defroster would not operate as needed without warning. The vehicle had yet to be diagnosed or repaired”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11443373

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Valve cover gasket and oil cooler leaks

ENGINE

23 NHTSA complaints · 2019-04 → 2025-10

“My son just purchased this car and nearly hit 100,000 miles. It started leaking oil in the engine area the valve cover gasket. It's drips all over the car causing it to smoke and smell”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11693383
“I am wondering when GM is gonna admit fault on these Chevy Cruzes? My mechanic father owns one. He's had to replace Valve cover gasket on his 3x. Mine at least 4-5x now”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11512592
“THE OIL COOLER NEEDS REPLACED. IT IS SOMEHOW LEAKING. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE CARS, THAT ARE THE SAME AS MINE, THAT HAVE COME INTO THE SAME DEALERSHIPS THAT HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. IN THE LAST WEEK, ONE OF THE DEALERSHIPS SAID 14 PEOPLE CAME IN BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11388722

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Coolant leak and engine overheating

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

29 NHTSA complaints · 2019-03 → 2026-03

“The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine started overheating, and a coolant leak was discovered”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11728123
“MY CAR OVERHEATS EVERY TIME THE SEASONS CHANGE. ONE DAY IT WILL BE RUNNING FINE WITH NORMAL TEMPERATURE READINGS, I KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE TEMPERATURE DUE TO IT'S TENDENCY TO OVERHEAT, AND THEN THE NEXT MOMENT IT IS SMOKING AND IDLING MY ENGINE SECONDARY TO "HIGH ENGINE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11322727
“SIGNIFICANT COOLANT LEAK CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11197291

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Sudden stall and loss of power while driving

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ENGINE

16 NHTSA complaints · 2019-05 → 2026-04

“The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH and accelerating over a speed bump, the key slid out of the ignition switch. An independent mechanic was contacted”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11733293
“I WAS DRIVING IN SUBDIVISION AT 20MPH AND VEHICLE WENT INTO LIMP MODE. IT HAD A MESSAGE SAYING ENGINE POWER REDUCED, SERVICE STABILITY TRACK AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE MORE THAN 5MPH. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS!”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11302576
“The car's theft deterrent is not able to be turned off and is causing the car to stop working. I was driving my car on the highway and all of a sudden it completely shut off. I had it towed home”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11554508

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Brake assist failure when reversing

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

18 NHTSA complaints · 2019-06 → 2026-06

“My breaks do not work in reverse. Pump valve seems to be bad”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11741926
“Brake assist, no brakes when backing up. This was recalled on almost 300,000 Chevy cruzes but not all. Recall number 12213. My vehicle being one that was not included”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11421382
“THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION GOING 55 MPH ON THE TURNPIKE AND TRAFFIC AHEAD WAS SLOWING DOWN. THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED AND IT FAILED TO WORK. MY SON, THE DRIVER, PUSHED THE BRAKE AGAIN AND IT STILL WAS NOT BRAKING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11194780

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Note: NHTSA also opened 3 defect investigation(s) on this vehicle that closed without action.

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 11, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 11, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter (per Oil Life System)

Every 7,500 mi

Change oil when the Oil Life System reaches 0% or every 12 months — whichever comes first. dexos1-approved synthetic oil required on all gas engines since 2011.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 7,500 mi

Rotate tires every 7,500 miles. Silverado 4x4 and Tahoe owners benefit from earlier rotations to even out drivetrain wear.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 7,500 mi

Inspect brake pads, rotors, and parking brake at each tire rotation. Equinox and Malibu front pads typically last 40,000-50,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 45,000 mi

GM specifies brake fluid replacement based on contamination testing. Test every 30,000 miles; replace if moisture content exceeds 3% or fluid appears dark.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Engine Air Filter

Every 45,000 mi

GM long-life cellulose air filters are rated 45,000 miles. Direct-injection engines are sensitive to airflow restriction; inspect at every oil change.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Automatic Transmission Fluid

Every 45,000 mi

Severe service (heavy towing, frequent stop-and-go, dusty conditions): replace every 45,000 miles. Normal service: 97,500 miles. Use Dexron-VI on 6L80/8L90 transmissions.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

Transfer Case Fluid (4WD)

Every 45,000 mi

Silverado 4WD and Tahoe 4WD: replace transfer case fluid every 45,000 miles, sooner if towing or off-roading. Use GM Auto-Trak II fluid.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$105–$140

Shop

~$75–$100

DIY

~$15–$40

AWD/4WD vehicles only. Easy drain-and-fill on most platforms.

Spark Plugs

Every 100,000 mi

GM iridium spark plugs are rated 100,000 miles on most LS and LT engines. The 5.3L V8 in Silverado 1500 commonly fouls plugs early under heavy idling.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Dex-Cool Engine Coolant

Every 50,000 mi

GM Dex-Cool (orange): first change at 150,000 miles or 5 years, then every 50,000 miles. Mixing with green coolant creates a sludge that destroys the cooling system.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Rear Differential Fluid

Every 50,000 mi

Silverado and Tahoe: replace rear axle fluid every 50,000 miles, or 25,000 miles if towing. Limited-slip differentials require GM friction-modifier additive.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$150–$195

Shop

~$105–$135

DIY

~$20–$50

Drain plug + fill plug — straightforward DIY. AWD vehicles have two; budget for both.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 22,500 mi

Replace the cabin air filter every 22,500 miles. Silverado and Tahoe owners in dusty climates should replace earlier.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

241 crashes 2010–2024

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

62

complaints mentioning a crash

18

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle·Open recalls for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze reflects Chevrolet's published service intervals and the Oil Life System system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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