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#BS-2016-CHECRU-1A1D

2016 Chevrolet Cruze

Based on reports from 383 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
383
Crashes
28
Fires
11
Recalls
4
TSBs
1,326
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 383 complaints, 28 crashes, 11 fires, and 4 recalls. Complaint rate is 1.8x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

check engine light on

8 complaints • Severity 6.2/10

$X,XXX
2

dies while driving

5 complaints • Severity 8.8/10

$X,XXX
3

premature clutch wear out

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

102 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 57K miles.

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

Failure Timeline by Mileage

69
0–30K
57
30–60K
82
60–90K
20
90–120K
7
120–150K
3
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (82 reports) • Median: 57K 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 (102 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

Engine102 (27%)
Electrical58 (15%)
Other41 (11%)
Fuel System34 (9%)
Drivetrain29 (8%)
Airbags21 (5%)
Brakes18 (5%)
Steering17 (4%)

2016 Chevrolet Cruze: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 27% of all reports filed for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, with 102 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 56,639 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 57K-mile mark.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 15% of all reports filed for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, with 58 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Fuel System Issues

Fuel System complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, with 34 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to fuel system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, with 29 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

32
16
23
17
52
18
69
19
68
20
46
21
42
22
29
23
18
24
4
25

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. Recent trend: decreasing.

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

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Recall History (4 recalls)

16V498000Aug 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 with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Assoc. Equipment."

16V502000Oct 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, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

17V057000Feb 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 not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 202a, "Head Restraints."

18V304000Jun 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 comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."

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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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.

2016 Chevrolet Cruze vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)

This vehicle

383

Class avg

213

1.8x 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. 383 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

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

Other Chevrolet Cruze Model Years

2019201820172016201520142013201220112010
View all Chevrolet Cruze years →

2016 Chevrolet Cruze: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze is related to the engine, with 102 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze reliable?
The 2016 Chevrolet Cruze has 383 complaints, 28 crash reports, and 11 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 1.8x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2016 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 2016 Chevrolet Cruze have any recalls?
Yes, the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze has 4 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 238 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 56,639 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
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 383 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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