2018 Chevrolet Cruze Problems, Recalls & Reliability
166 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 16/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Engine leads the reports, typically around 16,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2018 sits among all Cruze years
What owners report
“While driving my 2018 chevy cruze the oil light came on, the engine locked up, and the vehicle caught fire. The dealership said that it was due to a fuel line spraying fuel on the engine.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Cruze
“Went to stop and pedal got hard to push down this has happened on 3 separate occasions the first time it was under warranty the 2nd time it happened i had amechanic fix it the 3rd time i took it to a chevrolet dealer this shouldn't happen to a vehicle 15 months old”— owner report to NHTSA, 2018 Cruze
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 92 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 24,600 miles. Half of those reports fall between 13,500 and 51,200 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac…
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…
Technical service bulletins
989 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2018 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 2018 Chevrolet Cruze reliable?
The 2018 Chevrolet Cruze drew 166 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 16/100, scored against the model's worst year (2012).
What are the most common 2018 Chevrolet Cruze problems?
The top reported problems for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze are engine (29 complaints), other (27), and transmission & drivetrain (23).
At what mileage do 2018 Chevrolet Cruze problems show up?
Owners most often report 2018 Chevrolet Cruze problems around 24,600 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 13,500 and 51,200 miles.
Does the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2018 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.