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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
49,339 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.

2013 Chevrolet Cruze electrical problems

electrical problem

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2013 Chevrolet Cruze Owner Comments (Page 4 of 6)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #51

Mar 202017

Cruze

  • 69,500 miles

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

While I was driving in my community the car shut itself off and turned back on. This locked my steering wheel almost causing an accident.

- East Stroudsburg, PA, USA

problem #50

Feb 112017

Cruze

  • miles
While driving radio cuts in and out for 5-10 seconds, the infotainment screen goes blank, the service stabilitrak light flashes, other warning lights flash, and you have to raise the driver's window down and back up for the information screen to show your speed and mileage when starting the car. Apparently this is a common problem with this vehicle and its ashamed that GM has not recalled this vehicle to fix these issues. Hopefully they will soon before something awful happens to innocent people. Bought the car used from a car dealership at a good deal, guess I know why now.

- Clarksville, TN, USA

problem #49

Jan 132017

Cruze 4-cyl

  • 3,200 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and the key failed to release from the ignition switch. The failure recurred twice. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 3,200....updated 03/08/17

- Killen, AL, USA

problem #48

Dec 292016

Cruze

  • 130,000 miles

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

At random car will idle up and down and rpms will jump. This happens when just cranked and after driven and sitting still in idle. Also, at random when trying to crank the car it seems to get stuck and I will have to return the ignition in order to get the motor to fully turn over.

- Randleman, NC, USA

problem #47

Jun 202016

Cruze

  • 25,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that the stability control warning indicator flashed, the radio shorted, and various warning indicators flashed. The steering wheel seized each time the failures occurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to replicate and diagnose the failures. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 25,000.

- Milwaukee, WI, USA

problem #46

Sep 142016

Cruze

  • 38,000 miles
Roughly 6 weeks after purchasing this vehicle, I started having incidents where the radio would cut out for 2-3 seconds and the infotainment screen would go blank. At the same time, the "service stabilitrak" message momentarily appears on the instrument panel. There isn't a trend to when this happens. Sometimes it won't happen for a week, other times it will happen multiple times in a single drive. Last week, this happened and I also lost power steering and could not steer for what felt like a couple seconds. Based on the Chevrolet Cruze customer forum, this is a fairly common problem and other's have also lost power steering pulling out of a parking lot. There is not a recall for my specific vehicle or a permanent corrective action that I've found. It has become a safety concern and GM should take responsibility and recall the affected vehicles before power steering is lost at higher speeds.

- Livonia, MI, USA

problem #45

Sep 072016

Cruze

  • 74,000 miles

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

While driving the vehicle power stability flashes the electrical system resets and if driving you lose control of the vehicle.

- Snellville, GA, USA

problem #44

Sep 062016

Cruze

  • 42,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. While the vehicle was parked with the key removed from the ignition, it rolled away twice within 24 hours. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, but was not diagnosed nor repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 16V502000 (electrical system, power train). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

- Woodstock, GA, USA

problem #43

Aug 132016

Cruze

  • 99,000 miles
This is a recurring issue that has been going on with my car since the lights came on the fist time. The dealership acts as if I don't know what I am talking about. I have wasted so much gas and I Transport children with autism at times in va DC and md. I have consistently complained about the sticking throttle or engine misfire. Please I fear for the safety of my clients and my family.

- Copley, OH, USA

problem #42

Aug 152016

Cruze

  • 22,000 miles
Less than 2 months after the warranty expired the window regulator center piece on the drivers side broke when using the power window control to roll the window back up. This vehicle has no circumstances that would cause this part to fail besides it being a faulty part. The window is stuck in the down position and the part has to be ordered from out of state. The repair cost is in excess of $300 which I should be reimbursed for. The vehicle was stationary at a drive through window at the time of failure.

- Cartersville, GA, USA

problem #41

May 012013

Cruze

  • 4,000 miles

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

When starting my car from any stationary position, 0 mph (flat parking, on a hill or at an angle) the starter will engage and continue to run and run without starting the engine. In order to start the car, I have to turn off the ignition and try again. The second time the car will start (so far). Also, when I use the air conditioner (car in motion, any speed 0-65mph, on city streets and on highways) there is a coolant smell that comes out or the vents. It is a strong smell and I cannot figure out a pattern for when it happens. It happens when I have the car running, sometimes when I first turn on the air conditioner and them it will happen randomly as I am driving and the air conditioner has been on for a while. I have never tried to see if it happens when I don't have the engine running (don't know if the air conditioner can run without the engine running).

- Goleta, CA, USA

problem #40

Apr 292016

Cruze

  • 60,050 miles
Car's engine stopped running unexpectedly due to blown fuel pump fuse while traveling at 30 M.P.H in clear weather, during the day, on paved downtown orlando street. When engine died, lost power steering and power breaks, very difficult to control and almost got into an accident. Dealer diagnosed the issue as a coil pack problem and replaced the coil pack at a cost of $534. I am not sure how the coil pack that holds the spark plugs would cause the fuel pump fuse to blow.

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #39

Mar 012016

Cruze

  • 30,000 miles
2013 Chevrolet Cruze electrical hazard which happens mostly during the rain or wet roads occasionally while dry. Main problem radio power and dash power cut in and out and or fluctuate while driving and or applying brakes. The electronic power steering will, most of the time, cut in and out also while turning turning key off and on again while stationary may for a short time fix this problem however it is not a perm any soulution only temporary and my also result in a total no power/ no start condition for the vehical possible cause is leak in the car or shield is not properly protection electronics/wiring on the vehical

- New Caney, TX, USA

problem #38

Mar 022016

Cruze

  • 36,200 miles
While driving, the radio screen shuts off and on, service stabilitrak warning comes on for 2 seconds then goes away. While parked, the trunk opened automatically twice. Dealership reset the electrical and the problem is still occurring. Based on many other complains and the problem has not been resolved, this vehicle is a lemon. I want my money back!

- Yakima, WA, USA

problem #37

Feb 012016

Cruze

  • 66,000 miles
Intermittently the anti-theft light goes on, without warning at an high speeds or when parked and shuts down all systems, immobilizing the car. This includes the radio, steering, motor. Two days ago I was driving and this happened, the car shut down, I couldn't steer or drive the car, a very dangerous situation. This has also happened when trying to start the car, the ant-theft system shuts down the car. There is no way to know when this will happen. When taken to auto dealer, the car works fine. The car has 66,000 miles. This has happened at least 6 times, but the last one was the worst, travelling at high speed and losing control of the car. What happened is similar to what happened with the ignition switch in cobalts where the car just stopped, that is pretty much what happened with me.

- Seabrook, TX, USA

problem #36

Dec 302015

Cruze

  • 65,000 miles
In a conversation with the service department at steve rayman of smyrna, ga he said the negative battery cable caused the problems with the instrument panel, gauges, and the steering wheel jerking to the left. I chose to contact General Motors because I just could not believe a negative cable could cause such problems. As mentioned earlier, GM personnel told me that three remedies made up special coverage 14311' 1, negative battery cable needs replacement. 2. voltage regulator needs adjustment 3. a screw needs to be tightened. In a second conversation with steve rayman personnel and GM, both said it was the cable and not the voltage regulators. The car had been in my garage for the last few days with a dead battery. This morning I jump-started the vehicle; so, we can assume the alternator was working properly because the car continues to run after disconnecting the battery cables. I drove to the store in order to purchase and replace the battery I noticed the battery voltage was reading 15.1 volts. After replacing the battery, I was returning home and noticed the battery voltage fluctuated from 14.7 while idling to 14.8 while driving. My question to you the alternator appears to working correctly by providing electrical power to operate the car while using a dead battery. If there were a power fluctuation, would it be reasonable to assume the voltage regulator could be the problem. Could erratic voltage cause the instruments to go haywire and could lead to the car's engine turning off" could such an occurrence cause a catastrophe accident and risk the live of all vehicle occupants"

- Woodstock, GA, USA

problem #35

Dec 242015

Cruze

  • 36,200 miles
The computer system goes on and off at random, which causes malfunctions in other areas, particularly the power steering and security system. My power steering has gone out multiples times, causing near accidents. The security system also locked up due to the computer, and it took 15 minutes to get it started in the Arizona heat. The power steering issue is incredibly dangerous.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #34

Nov 042015

Cruze

  • 53,529 miles
Engine overheated. Tech found cooling fan not coming on. Tech found cooling fan connector melted. Tech used power probe to send 12 volts to cooling fan motor. Blew the circuit breaker in the probe. Motor faulty. Tech suggest new cooling fan motor & pigtail assembly to repair. The above description is word for word from the repair invoice. The repair shop also told us this was a pretty serious defect and could have caused the vehicle to catch on fire.

- Cibolo, TX, USA

problem #33

Mar 042014

Cruze

  • 47,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. While at a stop light and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed, but the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 47,000.

- Lakewood , CO, USA

problem #32

Jul 312015

Cruze

  • 28,098 miles
I had an issue starting the car a week after purchasing it in February. Random warning lights would turn on and off. I read through the owners manual and it said it may be a security issue if the key isn't clean. I cleaned the key it seemed to have fixed the problem but after a few months it came back briefly and I'd clean the key and it would be fine. On the morning of July 30th the car grinded the gears and then had trouble starting as if the battery were dead. The key was clean. After a couple tries it started. Later that day the power steering alert came on and the engine bogged down and I lost control of the vehicle for a brief moment. The light went back off and it worked fine for the rest of the day. The next day after running fine all day while on an exit ramp of a highway multiple alerts began going off and all the warning lights came on and a moment later the car stalled. It would not even crank to restart. The rear caution lights would not work unless the key was turned. The radio and dash work and light up but the power windows wouldn't operate.

- Akron , OH, USA

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