Car · Chevrolet problems

2012 Chevrolet Cruze problems

865 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (36% of them). NHTSA also lists 587 service bulletins and 7 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 30. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 865 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling308 · 36%
• Electrical system196 · 23%
• Service brakes150 · 17%
• Power train (transmission and drive)137 · 16%
• Stability control108 · 12%
• Steering103 · 12%
• Other or unknown84 · 10%
• Fuel system52 · 6%

16 smaller areas not shown (204 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 587 repair bulletins from Chevrolet for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. PIT3271QReceived April 7, 2026

   Information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

2. 25-NA-156Received December 4, 2025

   Wheels

   Information on Tire Sidewall Irregularities.

3. 00-06-01-026RReceived December 3, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   Information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.

4. PIT5214GReceived November 28, 2025

   This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer's vehicles that exhibit...

5. PIE0877Received November 5, 2025

   Air bags

   Process for a GM engineering study on curtain Takata Airbag Steering Wheel Modules and needs the used Takata airbags to be returned to GM.

6. 23-NA-153Received October 25, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is...

7. PIC5650MReceived August 12, 2025

   This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on.

8. PIT5074RReceived June 4, 2025

   This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. Recall repairs are free at a Chevrolet dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 12V288000June 22, 2012

   Engine and engine cooling

   Spilled or dripping oil (such as after an oil change) may collect in the engine shield (bellypan) near hot engine or exhaust system surfaces.

2. 16V502000July 5, 2016

   Electrical system

   As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

3. 13V360000August 15, 2013

   Service brakes, hydraulic

   In the affected vehicles, the pump may not activate, resulting in an intermittent reduction or loss of brake assist.

See all 7 recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Cruze will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

This model year has an engine recall in NHTSA's data. Before you pay for an engine repair, check the recalls and ask the dealer about warranty extensions for your VIN. Those repairs can be free.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 308 complaints · 36%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 196 complaints · 23%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Service brakes 150 complaints · 17%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

Power train (transmission and drive) 137 complaints · 16%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

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Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2012 Chevrolet Cruze: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze?

Of the 865 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, 308 (36%) name engine and engine cooling, and 196 (23%) name electrical system. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 62 of the 865 complaints as involving a crash and 18 as involving a fire. They also reported 30 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze have?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. Recall repairs are free at a Chevrolet dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 587 repair bulletins for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze.

More

• 2017 Cruze problems
• 2016 Cruze problems
• 2015 Cruze problems
• 2014 Cruze problems
• 2013 Cruze problems
• 2011 Cruze problems
• 2012 recalls
• All Chevrolet recalls
• Chevrolet problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.