2016 Chevrolet Cruze: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 247 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 4 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
247
Complaints
4
Recalls
19
Crash reports
6
Fire reports
14
Injuries
90.7
Severity index
Severity index 90.7 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 140 2016 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze ranks 42 of 140 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 70% of its model-year peers. See the full 2016 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 100 | 40.5% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 58 | 23.5% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 43 | 17.4% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 34 | 13.8% |
| POWER TRAIN | 31 | 12.6% |
| AIR BAGS | 21 | 8.5% |
| STEERING | 18 | 7.3% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 18 | 7.3% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 100 of 247 complaints (40.5%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 21 |
| 2017 | 17 |
| 2018 | 32 |
| 2019 | 42 |
| 2020 | 44 |
| 2021 | 24 |
| 2022 | 27 |
| 2023 | 20 |
| 2024 | 11 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 5 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18V304000 | 10/05/2018 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 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 vehicles fail to comp |
| 17V057000 | 26/01/2017 | SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. A bracket used in the driver or front passenger seat-back recliner mechanism may have been incorrectly welded to the seat-back frame, as a result, in the event of a crash, the head-restraints may no |
| 16V498000 | 01/07/2016 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Cruze vehicles manufactured November 5, 2015, to May 26, 2016. The headlight assemblies are not marked with a three-digit identifier code used to properly aim the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply wit |
| 16V502000 | 05/07/2016 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-20 |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.