CarComplaints.com Notes: In many ways, the 2012 Cruze continues the legacy of its predecessor. It's a legacy of sluggish transmissions and coolant leaks, but it's still a legacy.
On the flip-side, there's more concerns about brake problems.
However, there were far more Cruze vehicles sold for the 2012 model year so we'll give it our "Beware of this Clunker" badge rather than the "Avoid Like the Plague."
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
25 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
45,366 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Started the purchase June 2022 when dealer said everything is good, Carfax no accidents, good car, nothing wrong. Dealers had me drive MI to CT to get the car, had 5-y.o. kid w/me. Brought car to mechanic when finally delivered July 6, ebrake almost gone; dealers had me drive w/my kiddo CT to MI with no ebrake on 6 speed turbo manual, wonderful. In writing said they would fix & some extras for all the issues they caused such as selling a vehicle w/o having title. Made it home in one peice. Next few weeks, car started shaking and stalling out losing complete power while driving, stopping at lights/signs, it hasn't stopped. Different smells of fluids coming inside ever since. Clouds of smoke coming from exhaust. Fuel seems to slip like sputtering/jolting, more smells coming in car. Check engine light on, went to Advanced Auto, showed me code has to do w/fuel/fuel tank & it showed dealer cleared out check engine without repairing. More research, they fraudulently passed the car for inspections/emissions & said it was good & passed, never received copies. They passed brakes when in writing they were to repair at no cost due to deceptive practices. No, nothing has been fixed; no, they never transferred title/registered vehicle. Now May 2023. Drove it now/then keep it going; MI awful winters. This winter heater went out for 3 days, no blower, no noise, magically started working. Roughly a dozen times when I shut it off, theres noises from front by grille like a ticking, no clue. I've drivien car 5,000 mostly from trip to get it. Dealers never provided the 3 special 10 yr warranties that car had. I found out, they were all expired, nothing I could do. They didn't disclose issues & 3 wks after purchase, accident on Carfax. So much fraud, it is sickening. One of the dealers violated their FTC Orders. Lies & lies, also @3 times stabilization/traction both need repairs then disappears 2 days. Loses power, definitely does not feel turbolike. Issues 7.6.22 & continue
When the ac on the brake pad will lock and there no brakes you can't push it down it gets hard but when you turn the ac turns off the brake pad goes back to normal but it's damage to be driving and this happen.. Also the trac control light comes on along with the sailablzie light
The contact owned a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal failed to respond causing another vehicle to crash into the rear of the vehicle. The contact did not recall whether there were warning lights illuminated. The contact was unsure whether the air bags deployed. The contact stated that she was unconscious for a moment. The contact also sustained back injuries and sought medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was totaled. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 123, 000.
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving 55 mph, several unknown warning lights illuminated and the vehicle intermittently stalled. The contact also stated that the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road; then drove the vehicle to her residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that they could not determine the cause of the failure since the unknown warning lights were no longer illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer for diagnosis once the warning lights were again illuminated. The approximate failure mileage was 56,000.
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. I believe Chevy needs to recall more than the 300,000. Brakes work fine driving forward, but again no brakes in reverse. This is not ok! Could definitely cause vehicle to crash. Not safe at all!
- Green Bay, WI, USA
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Almost every time I start my car and turn on the ac and then put my car in forward/reverse I have no brake assistance at all. It will also do this while sitting in a drive through for fast food as well. It has only occurred after first start up with ac running and after coming to a complete stop at a light, stop sign, drive through etc. With ac running. It started doing this approximately 3 months after I purchased in 2015 and has happened more frequently since then.
My car has started to get hard to brake. Even going forward or reverse slowly the car does not want to brake. I try to brake and the car still slides forward or reverse. I sometimes have to pump the brake multiple time and it does not always help. I heard there was a recall for this issue but my car's VIN is not apart of the recall with the same issue. I bleed the brakes and put new fluid and not much has really changed. I have a Chevrolet Cruze eco 1.4L, any help would be appreciated.
I've noticed this problem getting worse over the last month. When I'm backing up, I have to push really hard on the break peddle to get the car to come to a stop. Then today I started having the same problem while in drive and coming to a stop at a stop sign. I think the break booster or some component in the breaking system is faulty. Ive heard of a lot of other people having the same problem.
Let me list all that is wrong with my car: Stabillitrack traction control purge valve tire sensor transmission lights flicker when I come to a stop and use my turn signal intake manifold brake booster car stalls and sometimes doesn't even want to start. All of these things are part of the recall for my 2012 Chevy Cruze but for some reason it says my VIN # isn't part of the recall. How is that??
My son was driving down the road last week and dash flashed stabilink and he lost all power and forces him to try to pull over which he could because steering wheel locked up and brakes got hard to push. A week later stabilink flashed again and then while driving down the road he had to slam on brakes for a stopped vehicle and brakes would work and steering wheel locked up again resulting in him rear ending the vehicle.
When backing my daughters car out of our driveway, the brake pedal became hard and the car would not stop. There was a recall for her car for this exact same issue, but when I put the VIN number in for her car, it was not included in the recall. I am afraid to let her drive the car due to this issue.
Started to have noise. Ask mechanic to check what is it. Turned out it is vacuum pump for the brake system. Looked up information and this issue is under the campaign #13V360000. Contacted local GM dealership asking can they fix it at no cost. They refused because this recall does not listed under my VIN. Why I should pay for recall issue and other owner do not.
Started to have noise. Ask mechanic to check what is it. Turned out it is vacuum pump for the brake system. Looked up information and this issue is under the campaign #13V360000. Contacted local GM dealership asking can they fix it at no cost. They refused because this recall does not listed under my VIN. Why I should pay for recall issue and other owner do not.
Brakes will occasionally not respond to normal pressure when stepping on the brake pedal. I notice that the issue happens sporadically, whether I am on the freeway or surface streets. There seems to be pressure built up and I have to step a lot harder on the brake pedal. I know from looking up forums that there was a recall on the 2012 automatic Cruze, but mine is a 6 speed manual. I know the recall was for a microswitch on the brake vacuum booster. The NHTSA recall number is 13V360000. I am worried for my families safety seeing that I have 2 teenage sons, my wife and I who are able to drive the car.
I was backing out of my driveway and when I went to press the brake pedal to stop the car and put it into drive the car did not stop moving. I had my foot all the way down on the brake and the car still did not come to a complete stop. Eventually it came to a stop but had there been another car in the street I would have hit them and been at fault for an incident that wasn't completely my fault. This is not the first time this has happened but I finally decided to look into this issue and found out about a recall on the Cruze due to brake assistance. I entered my VIN number and it said it was not affected but I am positive that my car is having the same issue that over 300,00 other Cruze sedans are having.
When I use the brakes and the air is on the car will not stop like it should. It keeps moving. I looked this up and it shows there is a recall on the brake booster vacuum pipe but because my VIN number doesn't match what you have predetermined that will have faulty parts Chevy says my car doesn't have a recall. How exactly do you predict what cars will have faulty parts?
Vacuum assist for power brakes sometimes does not work. You must push as hard as you can on brake pedal to get the car to stop. Some Chevy cruse were recalled for this problem but mine was not. This is a very dangerous problem that can cause a serious accident in an emergency braking situation.
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. Out of desperation, he pushed the brake as far as it could go and the vehicle swerved toward the median. He turned the steering wheel and then it swerved toward the shoulder. This action made the vehicle slow down, but the brakes still did not work.there were no other vehicles involved, but he was very close to crashing into another vehicle. I checked to see if there were any recalls or safety issues for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. There was one recall that described what he experienced, but the recall was not for the engine type of my Cruze. It was bulletin #12213-brake vacuum micro switch. He has an appointment with the Chevrolet dealer to check out the vehicle. By the way, the vehicle passed state inspection less than a month ago. Frankly, I am afraid to have him drive the vehicle.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Menominee, MI, USA