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CarComplaints.com Notes: What’s that smell – it’s a tad sweet with a tinge of chemical toxicity? If you own a 2011 Cruze it’s probably a coolant leak. It’s a widespread and notorious problem for the car and is the subject of a class-action lawsuit filed in the state of New York. And that’s not the only problem 2011 owners face…

Many say the 2011 model year suffers from a throttle lag that is probably due to a fauly electronic throttle control. The problem is signifigant enough that some owners say they are too scared to drive their cars. Those that do get behind the wheel often say their transmission isn’t shifting properly and problems start occuring as early as 15,000 miles.

All of this leads us to say you’re probably better off without this car’s headaches (they’re probably chemically-induced anyway).

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 4
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
46,889 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.

2011 Chevrolet Cruze electrical problems

electrical problem

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2011 Chevrolet Cruze Owner Comments (Page 2 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #64

May 192018

Cruze

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

"takata recall" my car is shutting off then powering back up by itself.. seems like something is stuck reading a code of P0234

- Sylvania, GA, USA

problem #63

Feb 172018

Cruze

  • 120,000 miles
Smells like it's burning, smokes into the inside. It's been numerous times in the shop but it keeps doing the same. Electrical problems with the driver seat and lighting also

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #62

Nov 152017

Cruze

  • miles
Set up the airbag and the car mileage does look

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #61

Oct 012017

Cruze

  • 90,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My car just went out. No warning no nothing. The dashboard wend haywire and was unable to read anything at all (speed, RPM, fuel or temp). The ignition downshifted on its own almost causing an accident while I was on the highway. Once safely off of the highway I tried to park the car in a proper parking space so that I could inspect the issue and it wouldn't reverse and shortly after would no longer go forward.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #60

Sep 142017

Cruze

  • 110,000 miles
After starting the vehicle and driving forward the dash screen started to show different "check" warnings. Check stability control, check power steering. The check engine light came on as so did most of the dash indicator lights. The power steering stopped and the engine temporarily quit. The engine responded again and while driving the dash went dark and the car died. I had to turn the ignition off and restart the car. This is the third time this has occurred. The last event was while driving through a parking lot.

- San Tan Valley, AZ, USA

problem #59

Aug 102017

Cruze

  • 92,800 miles
Powering down also ac.some times stop runing.the pvc was not made right had to replace it was cauesing a vac. Leak with no recall.now there is a posting about the intake exioes manfold broken down may have to replace mother and canylt ventor.a again no recall.

- Sun City, AZ, USA

problem #58

Nov 142016

Cruze

  • 50,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The car has a burning electrical smell. Sometimes we can smell the odor in the cabin, but mostly coming from the engine after we have finished driving the car and walk around the front of the car. The odor has been present since we purchased the car in November 2016.

- Elmira, NY, USA

problem #57

May 022017

Cruze

  • miles
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that the gears failed to properly change over from park. Also the vehicle jerked and stalled several times without warning. The dealer diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 11V273000 (power train) and 16V502000 (electrical system, power train). The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was not available.

- Middletown, PA, USA

problem #56

Apr 052017

Cruze

  • 134,699 miles
Coolant leaking under pressure from water outlet & water pump. Causes check engine light to malfunction as well as engine coolant temperature sensor & radiator control temperature sensor.

- Akron, OH, USA

problem #55

Sep 012016

Cruze

  • 10 miles
I smell gasoline when the heat is on, and we cannot use the heat cause of the smell of course the car is in motion, is there a recall for this problem ? and also there is a leak from the engine, I think

- Bridgeport, CT, USA

problem #54

Jan 262017

Cruze

  • 66,107 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving on my way to work in my 2011 Chevy Cruze with my precious 1 year old daughter on the highway going the speed limit (60mph) when all of a sudden my transmission goes out just out of no where luckily im a good driver and know how to drive otherwise me and my daughter would be absolutely dead right now! I contacted Chevy and the dealership they didn't care they seem to think it's absolutely normal for 2011 Chevy Cruze for this to happen with only 66,107 miles. I bought this car brand new in 2011 and I have taken it to the dealership where I bought the car for oil changes services etc every 3 months their is no neglect on this car it was properly taken care of. They have no sympathy for the situation. Faulty electrical parts were put in my transmission when it was assembled in their factory but this is somehow my problem now lol what a joke.

- Leesport, PA, USA

problem #53

Nov 012013

Cruze

  • 36,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that a burning odor emitted into the vehicle through the heating and air conditioning systems. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer several times; however, the diagnosis was unknown. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 36,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Flint, MI, USA

problem #52

Oct 222016

Cruze

  • 94,724 miles
This vehicle safety complaint is in regards to my 2011 Chevrolet Cruze lt, which was serviced at ourisman Chevrolet of bowie, a General Motors (GM) authorized dealer, for the repair of my vehicle. I incurred charges for unwarranted maintenance repairs on the following dates September 26-October 5, 2016 ($134.95 and $139.07 (cost for a new battery)), April 26, 2016 (warranty covered repairs), April 11, 2016 ($590.92), and April 14, 2015 ($382.14) that never addressed the safety complaints I made, all of which were handled by service advisor buddy reio. On these dates, I took my vehicle to be serviced for experiencing hazardous issues with its electrical systems and reduced engine acceleration while I was driving between 40-55 miles per hour. Without warning, my vehicle's speed would decelerate (both on the highway and residential roads) and my car doors would begin to lock and unlock uncontrollably with error messages 'service stabilitrac, ' 'service parking assist, ' and 'service airbag' displaying on my dashboard. After about 30 seconds of this condition, my car would resume normal functioning. I incurred $1,247.08 in unwarranted repairs for my vehicle, which was never properly diagnosed, leading to my vehicle shutting down while I was driving it on October 22, 2016. On October 22, 2016 at 3:20 P.M., while driving on a busy thoroughfare, my car decelerated and error messages displaying 'service stabilitrac, ' 'service parking assist, ' and 'service airbag' showed. After approximately 30 seconds, the car began to shut down and I managed to steer it out of the way of oncoming traffic. I immediately contacted Chevrolet's roadside service and informed the representatives that my engine would not start and I was stuck on the side of the road.

- Upper Marlboro, MD, USA

problem #51

Sep 232016

Cruze

  • 61,000 miles
Hello. My complaint is about the keys on my 2011 Chevrolet Cruze ls manual model. The metal key separates from the key fob. It has done this on three separate occasions, on two different fobs. The first two times my Chevrolet dealer covered it under warranty and fixed it. The warranty is over now. At any rate, this shouldn't happen to car keys! it is a safety issue, and a nuisance as well! if this should happen to somebody in an area where it's unsafe, or the weather is bad, etc, it could turn out to be unsafe...because the key is broken off from the fob and it's unlikely one would be able to rig it up to get the car started...and should not have to because it should not break in the first place! thank you! hope I can make a difference. Ps: vehicle was stationary when this has occurred. Still...not good!

- Richeyville, PA, USA

problem #50

May 022016

Cruze

  • 115,000 miles
Possible electrical problems. Dash board randomly lights up; radio has gone completely off; steering wheel difficult to turn; security lock out engaged once; traction control came on and hard to steer and several occasions. This incidents are happening randomly and had near miss on highway not expecting the steering to lock up or become extremely difficult. This has happened over last several months. Independent car repair shop could not find anything, but still happens.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #49

Jul 252016

Cruze

  • 79,560 miles
I was driving when my car starting beeping saying my door was open while in motion and also my locks kept locking and unlocking while driving also my windows kept opening and closing without the button being pushed.

- Falls City, TX, USA

problem #48

Jul 202016

Cruze

  • 121,000 miles
My car hesitate sometime during driving at low speed or high speed and the stabili trak light appear, the check engine light stays on even when I have replaced the part needed..

- Rocky Mount, NC, USA

problem #47

May 032016

Cruze

  • 97,000 miles
Loss of power steering during driving, radio flickers on and off while driving, while pressing brake while stopped the car continues to jump forward - city driving on highway and streets. Began happening one month after I purchased car on 4/3/2016.

- Miami, FM, USA

problem #46

Mar 112016

Cruze

  • 85,000 miles
The radio/HVAC display turns off and on; the antilock brake system, service traction system, service stabilitrac and steering vehicle messages comes on and off; the turn signal sound may not be heard; 'battery saver active' and 'service steering' displays in the driver information center (dic); and the interior and exterior lighting may flicker. Power steering assist is also lost, and greater effort may be needed to turn the steering wheel at low speeds or while the vehicle is stopped. This only happens in the summer. Doing speeds of 65mph. The car loses power and then the dash board and radion flickers on and off. The cars sometimes shuts off and I will have to put my hazards marker on the let the car pull over to the side of the road. And im not able to take the key out the ignition. The key will get stuck and about 3 minutes later I trying again and the key will come out. I try to start it up again and the car will start up. The steering will lock up while im trying to turn or is turning the it will go back to regular state. It only does this in the summer or when the car gets hot. So I took I to the dealership and they said it was my negative battery cable. This is unsafe. This has been going on for almost a 1 year it starts and stops when it wants too. Also when im stopped or sitting at a stop light the matters are even worser

- Colorado Springs, CO, USA

problem #45

Feb 052016

Cruze

  • 59,000 miles
From a stopped position, I would accelerate through 1st gear, just before I change gears to 2nd. The whole car's electrical system goes haywire. All systems reset, most of the time this means I can a very bad jerk in between gears 1 and 2. a few times the car turned off. If the car does die, I am unable to start the car or jump it for at least 15 minutes. The longest I had to sit was over 30 minutes. Chevy's dic system tells me to check a variety of things, not always all of them. But usually check power steering and airbag systems. A few times it told me to check traction control systems. The check engine light has never come on in any of these instances. Chevy says this is due to a faulty ground wire, which they replaced and it continues to do this. This is a very dangerous situation, where if I was in a busy intersection I could easily be caught in an accident. Luckily, this has happened mostly in residential areas.

- Sycamore, IL, USA

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