Car · Chevrolet problems

2013 Chevrolet Cruze problems

587 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (40% of them). NHTSA also lists 616 service bulletins and 5 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: 32. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 587 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 cooling233 · 40%
• Electrical system122 · 21%
• Power train (transmission and drive)113 · 19%
• Other or unknown75 · 13%
• Steering74 · 13%
• Stability control62 · 11%
• Service brakes50 · 9%
• Air bags49 · 8%

16 smaller areas not shown (157 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 616 repair bulletins from Chevrolet for the 2013 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. PIT5698FReceived September 30, 2026

   This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.

2. PIT3271QReceived April 7, 2026

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

3. 25-NA-156Received December 4, 2025

   Wheels

   Information on Tire Sidewall Irregularities.

4. 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.

5. 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...

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. PI0281LReceived June 12, 2025

   Steering

   This preliminary informational (PI) bulletin provides information to dealership personnel that may be helpful when addressing underbody component corrosion with customers.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. Recall repairs are free at a Chevrolet dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 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."

2. 14V151000March 31, 2014

   Power train

   On the affected vehicles, the right front half shaft may fracture and separate.

3. 14V417000July 2, 2014

   Equipment

   In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed.

See all 5 recalls for the 2013 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.

Start with a diagnosis

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

Engine and engine cooling 233 complaints · 40%

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

Electrical system 122 complaints · 21%

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

Power train (transmission and drive) 113 complaints · 19%

• 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

Steering 74 complaints · 13%

• Tie rod end replacement (one side)$130 to $380
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

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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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2013 Chevrolet Cruze: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze?

Of the 587 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze, 233 (40%) name engine and engine cooling, and 122 (21%) 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 2013 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 54 of the 587 complaints as involving a crash and 8 as involving a fire. They also reported 32 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze have?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2013 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 616 repair bulletins for the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze.

More

• 2017 Cruze problems
• 2016 Cruze problems
• 2015 Cruze problems
• 2014 Cruze problems
• 2012 Cruze problems
• 2011 Cruze problems
• 2013 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.