2016 Chevrolet Cruze Problems, Recalls & Reliability
391 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 31/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 66,445 miles.
Typical
Where 2016 sits among all Cruze years
What owners report
“Was at a red light and my car shut off. It started back up and I was able to get home. I am now afraid my car will just stop while driving and I will crash and die”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Cruze
“Door ajar sensor goes off while driving, parked cause alarm system to go off. Door locks go back and forth while driving. Dome lights go off and on.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Cruze
“I live in colorado, and ever time its cold in the morning when i start up my car it gives me hard time and then does an ant theft system lock. When im home, okay its durable but now its done it while im driving, and when i was at the car wash. Complete lock, steering wheel, key is locked in the…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Cruze
“Check engine light came on. Took car to dealership to get checked. The purge valve, water pump, and cam actuator seals all went bad.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Cruze
“Overheating, speed drop when i driving, engine make weird noise dealer can't fix it this is safety issue”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Cruze
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 229 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 59,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 28,000 and 71,600 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Cruze LS vehicles, equipped with a gasoline engine and a tire inflator kit instead of a spare tire. The vehicles may leak gasoline following a rear-impact crash and a rollover. As such, these…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a lock-ring on the fuel tank that will shield the fuel tank vapor pressure sensor from damage in a rear-impact crash, free of charge. The recall began…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. A bracket used in the driver or front passenger seat-back recliner mechanism may have been incorrectly welded to the seat-back frame, as a result, in the event of a crash, the…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front passenger seats, replacing any with seat-back frames that are incorrectly welded, free of charge. The recall began on February 28, 2017.…
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…
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…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Cruze vehicles manufactured November 5, 2015, to May 26, 2016. The headlight assemblies are not marked with a three-digit identifier code used to properly aim the headlights. As such, these…
Fix: GM will mail owners instructions and adhesive labels, with the correct code, to install on their headlight assemblies. Owners may also bring the vehicle to a GM dealership for any assistance with…
Technical service bulletins
1,329 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze reliable?
The 2016 Chevrolet Cruze drew 391 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 31/100, scored against the model's worst year (2012).
What are the most common 2016 Chevrolet Cruze problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze are engine (106 complaints), electrical (64), and other (61).
At what mileage do 2016 Chevrolet Cruze problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Chevrolet Cruze problems around 59,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 28,000 and 71,600 miles.
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.