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#BS-2012-CHECRU-1A1D

2012 Chevrolet CruzeProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 1,354 owners and 7 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·checked October 21, 2026 · NHTSA complaints through October 19, 2026

Complaints
1,354
Crashes
104
Fires
26
Recalls
7
TSBs
1,817
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 1,354 complaints, 104 crashes, 26 fires, and 7 recalls. Complaint rate is 4.4x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

transmission failure

25 complaints • Severity 9.3/10

$X,XXX
2

coolant leak

18 complaints • Severity 7.2/10

$X,XXX
3

antifreeze smell in car

15 complaints • Severity 7.7/10

$X,XXX
4

various electrical issues

13 complaints • Severity 7.4/10

$X,XXX
5

sluggish performance

11 complaints • Severity 7.5/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

307 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 55K miles.

!Inspect the ElectricalMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

283
0–30K
329
30–60K
248
60–90K
145
90–120K
78
120–150K
19
150K+

Peak failure range: 30–60K miles (329 reports) • Median: 55K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine (307 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine307 (23%)
Electrical196 (14%)
Brakes151 (11%)
Drivetrain135 (10%)
Stability Control108 (8%)
Steering103 (8%)
Other86 (6%)
Fuel System51 (4%)

2012 Chevrolet Cruze: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 23% of all reports filed for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, with 307 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 54,778 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 55K-mile mark.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 14% of all reports filed for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, with 196 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Brakes Issues

Brakes complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, with 151 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, with 135 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

6
11
70
12
101
13
266
14
151
15
142
16
140
17
131
18
113
19
62
20
56
21
31
22
46
23
19
24
8
25
12
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (7 recalls)

12V288000Jul 2012

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH MAY 31, 2012. SPILLED OR DRIPPING OIL (SUCH AS AFTER AN OIL CHANGE) MAY COLLECT IN THE ENGINE SHIELD (BELLYPAN) NEAR HOT ENGINE OR EXHAUST SYSTEM SURFACES. AS A RESULT, THE OIL AND THE ENGINE SHIELD MAY IGNITE AND BURN.

12V289000Jul 2012

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH MAY 14, 2012. ATTACHMENT WELDS FOR THE FUEL TANK STRAP SECONDARY BRACKETS MAY HAVE BEEN OMITTED.

12V522000Jan 2013

AIR BAGS

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

13V023000Feb 2013

AIR BAGS

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic, and model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

13V360000Oct 2013

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with 1.4L DOHC gasoline turbo engines and 6T40 front wheel drive automatic transmissions and equipped with an electric vacuum pump to provide supplemental vacuum for brake assist, when needed. In the affected vehicles, the pump may not activate, resulting in an intermittent reduction or loss of brake assist.

+ 2 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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2012 Chevrolet Cruze NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Frontal crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Side crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Rollover

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.

NHTSA Defect Investigations (3)

All closed. Investigations are how NHTSA decides whether a defect needs a recall.

AQ12002ClosedOpened Oct 2012 · closed Oct 2014

Chapman Chevrolet / Cruze Engine Recall

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

PE12010ClosedOpened Mar 2012 · closed Jul 2012

Engine compartment fire

ENGINE

RQ13002ClosedOpened May 2013 · closed Jul 2014

Air Bag Non-deployment

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

The worst model year for the Chevrolet Cruze is the 2017 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2012 Chevrolet Cruze vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)

This vehicle

1,354

Class avg

307

4.4x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,354 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 7 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated (checked October 21, 2026). NHTSA complaints received through October 19, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.

Other Chevrolet Cruze Model Years

201920182017201620152014201320122011
View all Chevrolet Cruze years →

2012 Chevrolet Cruze: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze is related to the engine, with 307 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze reliable?
The 2012 Chevrolet Cruze has 1,354 complaints, 104 crash reports, and 26 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 4.4x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How safe is the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze?
NHTSA rates the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 5 stars in frontal crash tests, 5 stars in side crash tests, 4 stars for rollover resistance. Where NHTSA tested more than one version, the lowest rating is shown.
How much does it cost to fix 2012 Chevrolet Cruze problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze have any recalls?
Yes, the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze has 7 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Chevrolet Cruze problems start?
Based on 1102 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 54,778 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 30–60K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 21, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 19, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins. Its numbers last changed on October 4, 2026.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,354 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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