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6.0

fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
30,250 miles
Total Complaints:
2 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (2 reports)
2016 Chevrolet Cruze engine problems

engine problem

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2016 Chevrolet Cruze Owner Comments

problem #2

Jun 032019

Cruze Limited Lt

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

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

I am writing to complain about my Chevy Cruse 2016 Limited Lt. I have nothing but problems with this turbo. The fan sounds like the car is going to take off. This happens when you run the air conditioner. The car surges and the car goes through a stage where it takes a minute to reset. The turbo has acceleration issues where it will be running OK them slow down to barley doing the spend limit.

I have had it in the dealership 3 times they always tell me everything is OK to have it back and it is doing the same thing all over again. I don't want a car with a turbo anymore too many problems. I feel that I can't get the answers I'm looking for. If I contact the dealership they will just tell me how everything is OK.

I pay good money for my vehicle and if it is going to continue to be a problem maybe they should let me trade it for another vehicle. I need to know who to talk to so I can get this problem fixed.

- Mellie B., Hyde Park, NY, US

problem #1

Aug 152016

Cruze LS 1.4L Turbo

  • Automatic transmission
  • 500 miles

engine surges during acceleration (sporadicly) Having done several reality checks on my 2016 Cruze LS, I can only throw this situation out to the public. There are only a few annoying things bugging the crap out of me.

I bought this car in mid-July of 2016. Most driving after the fact, was local. It wasn't until I put this car to work on a recent trip to Kingsland, Georgia, where speeds were 65 to 75 miles per hour for hours on end, that I encountered an issue of engine power dropping off during acceleration while merging back onto the interstate after fuel and rest stops. Since those "on" ramps are actually "acceleration" ramps, this is where this pain-in-the-ass "engine faltering" lurks in the unsuspecting shadows during merging into fast moving traffic. Note: My daughter's best friend bought an identical 2016 Cruze a month after I bought mine and her car has the same symptoms across the board.

My car has the 1.4L Turbo engine, which performs very well in most cases. Currently, I have only 2,500 miles logged. And frankly, I am reading some bad stuff about this car here. Scary.

To be more precise, I am noticing a lot of occasional engine power lose during mid-range RPM levels. I do not hammer it or go for maximum acceleration. My driving style is that of hard acceleration while merging, using torque versus screaming hammer-down stuff. The 1.4L Turbo, (when it works properly), delivers plenty of acceleration and torque for all driving conditions. However, and currently....once the automatic transmission shifts into 4th or 5th gear under a hefty load....the engine acts like it has turbo lag or computerized shifting/turbo spooling problems. It feels like the turbo isn't reading throttle input correctly and doesn't spin up quickly enough to provide the torque required in 4th or 5th gears while under heavy demand. But again, I use torque and not hammer-down throttle input. Point is, it sometimes delivers power as it should. The problem doesn't show up while putting around town....it's when I venture over to the four lane and get on a ramp that's uphill, that it's always there.

If a reader here can imagine having to accelerate quickly because a car is bearing down on them from the rear....like after a blind corner or turn situation....and then having to accelerate hard to get moving and out of the way? This is when the problem rears its' ugly head. The engine seemingly doesn't respond to throttle input or demand.

I took the car to the dealership over this issue and the tech said it had no codes to reflect upon the issues. Everything came back "normal". I beg to differ.....I know there's either a computer software problem or a mechanical issue concerning the turbo and/or transmission. I realize that the computer controls a lot of engine input code in any given transmission gear. Therefore, I feel the trouble starts in 4th gear and lives through 5th gear. 6th gear is great....no issues.

Having been an automotive and industrial mechanic all my life, I know there is something amiss here. I should also mention that this little guy gave me an average of 42.8 m.p.g. on my trip to Georgia. That's from actual math....not what the computer said. So. A pain-in-the-ass for sure....but not in top gear. And the turbo is working great in top gear as well. The car went through the mountains without ever downshifting to 5th gear, because the turbo torque was there.

IF any of you Cruze fans are having the same issues OR if you somehow have a remedy for my issues, please feel free to let me know?

Thanks for reading and be cool !!!

Update from Feb 22, 2017: A possible cause revolves around a turbocharger waste gate actuating rod being loose. That, in addition to the turbo mounting bolts being under-torqued, might possibly cause low-level concerns. GM is aware of this issues and currently discussing their options with their Drive Line engineers.

Have to give them credit! They're trying!

Update from Jul 7, 2018: Never did get a solution to this issue. Traded the car off for a Subaru.

- jhel, Weirton, WV, US

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