RecallRepo

2012 Chevrolet Cruze Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2012 Chevrolet Cruze has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 806,269 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 1,353 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 16V502000 2016-07-05 8,367 affected
Defect

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…

Consequence

If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

AIR BAGS 14V300000 2014-06-06 31,520 affected
Defect

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured December 5, 2011 to August 2, 2012, and Chevrolet Camaro vehicles…

Consequence

If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at 1-800-222-1020. Buick owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. Note: This is an expansion of recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 13V360000 2013-08-15 292,879 affected
Defect

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,…

Consequence

A loss of braking assistance will require extra pedal force and/or distance to bring the vehicle to a stop, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace a microswitch in the power brake vacuum pipe assembly, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020. GM's recall number is 12213.

AIR BAGS 13V023000 2013-01-24 4,167 affected
Defect

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.

Consequence

If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on February 13, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

AIR BAGS 12V522000 2012-10-31 2,949 affected
Defect

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.

Consequence

If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal airbag, that airbag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.

Remedy

General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel airbag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 12V288000 2012-06-22 413,148 affected
Defect

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…

Consequence

EITHER CONDITION COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy

GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ENGINE SHIELD TO PREVENT FLUID FROM CONTACTING THE SHIELD. ALSO, ON VEHICLES WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, DEALERS WILL APPLY A PROTECTIVE TAPE TO THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING WIRE HARNESS. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE TO THE OWNER. THE SAFETY RECALL…

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 12V289000 2012-06-22 53,239 affected
Defect

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.

Consequence

THE FUEL TANK COULD COME LOOSE IN A CRASH, POSSIBLY ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE TANK. A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy

GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR MISSING WELDS. IF THE VEHICLE IS MISSING WELDS, DEALERS WILL SECURE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENTS WITH FASTENERS. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 9, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE CHEVROLET OWNER CENTER AT…

Complaints by component

ENGINE
267
10crashes13fires5injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
196
10crashes3fires1injuries
SERVICE BRAKES
142
25crashes1fires2injuries
POWER TRAIN
135
5crashes3fires3injuries
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
108
5crashes
STEERING
103
7crashes1fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
84
4crashes1fires3injuries
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
50
2crashes1injuries
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
48
2crashes
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
39
1fires
Total complaints1,353

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“Was driving and my car literally wouldn't go forward. Prior to I had an oil change and I would smell burning oil”

ENGINE · reported 2026-06-15

“My breaks do not work in reverse. Pump valve seems to be bad”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2026-05-28

“My breaks do not work in reverse. Pump valve seems to be bad”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2026-05-28

“My breaks do not work in reverse. Pump valve seems to be bad”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2026-05-28

“Have called about this starting 2020. Had 137000. Also previous owner since 99000mi. Drive train & turbo. Brake assist. Oil leaks, shutting off while driving. Now as of saturday april 25 2026 car shut off while driving and has been towed to dealership. Car deemed lemon by gm. In 2020 car to have…”

ENGINE · reported 2026-04-25

“Have called about this starting 2020. Had 137000. Also previous owner since 99000mi. Drive train & turbo. Brake assist. Oil leaks, shutting off while driving. Now as of saturday april 25 2026 car shut off while driving and has been towed to dealership. Car deemed lemon by gm. In 2020 car to have…”

POWER TRAIN · reported 2026-04-25

“Have called about this starting 2020. Had 137000. Also previous owner since 99000mi. Drive train & turbo. Brake assist. Oil leaks, shutting off while driving. Now as of saturday april 25 2026 car shut off while driving and has been towed to dealership. Car deemed lemon by gm. In 2020 car to have…”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2026-04-25

“The contact owns a 2012 chevrolet cruze. The contact stated that while driving at 40 mph and accelerating over a speed bump, the key slid out of the ignition switch. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic, and it was determined that the ignition…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2026-03-30

Defect investigations

Investigation AQ12002 Opened 2012-10-15 · closed 2014-10-20

Chapman Chevrolet / Cruze Engine Recall

NHTSA opened AQ12-002 to determine whether Chapman Chevrolet of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania complied with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, 49 U.S.C.Chapter 301 (Safety Act) and its implementing regulations.The Safety Act requires, among other things, that a manufacturer notify its…

Investigation PE12010 Opened 2012-03-28 · closed 2012-07-19

Engine compartment fire

In a June 21, 2012 letter to NHTSA, General Motors LLC. (GM) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) identifying a defect in approximately 413,148 model year (MY) 2011 through 2012 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured from October 2, 2009 through May 31, 2012 (Recall 12V-288). According to GM, engine oil change…

Investigation RQ13002 Opened 2013-05-31 · closed 2014-07-09

Air Bag Non-deployment

General Motors (GM) has initiated a safety recall of 31,520 model year (MY) 2012 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles to address a defect condition that could result in the primary or secondary stage air bag not deploying.These vehicles are a small percentage of all MY 2012 vehicles and were…

Investigation RQ13002 Opened 2013-05-31 · closed 2014-07-09

Air Bag Non-deployment

General Motors (GM) has initiated a safety recall of 31,520 model year (MY) 2012 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles to address a defect condition that could result in the primary or secondary stage air bag not deploying.These vehicles are a small percentage of all MY 2012 vehicles and were…

Investigation RQ13002 Opened 2013-05-31 · closed 2014-07-09

Air Bag Non-deployment

General Motors (GM) has initiated a safety recall of 31,520 model year (MY) 2012 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles to address a defect condition that could result in the primary or secondary stage air bag not deploying.These vehicles are a small percentage of all MY 2012 vehicles and were…

Investigation RQ13002 Opened 2013-05-31 · closed 2014-07-09

Air Bag Non-deployment

General Motors (GM) has initiated a safety recall of 31,520 model year (MY) 2012 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles to address a defect condition that could result in the primary or secondary stage air bag not deploying.These vehicles are a small percentage of all MY 2012 vehicles and were…

Investigation RQ13002 Opened 2013-05-31 · closed 2014-07-09

Air Bag Non-deployment

General Motors (GM) has initiated a safety recall of 31,520 model year (MY) 2012 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles to address a defect condition that could result in the primary or secondary stage air bag not deploying.These vehicles are a small percentage of all MY 2012 vehicles and were…

Investigation RQ13002 Opened 2013-05-31 · closed 2014-07-09

Air Bag Non-deployment

General Motors (GM) has initiated a safety recall of 31,520 model year (MY) 2012 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic vehicles to address a defect condition that could result in the primary or secondary stage air bag not deploying.These vehicles are a small percentage of all MY 2012 vehicles and were…

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.