CarComplaints.com Notes: What’s that smell – it’s a tad sweet with a tinge of chemical toxicity? If you own a 2011 Cruze it’s probably a coolant leak. It’s a widespread and notorious problem for the car and is the subject of a class-action lawsuit filed in the state of New York. And that’s not the only problem 2011 owners face…
Many say the 2011 model year suffers from a throttle lag that is probably due to a fauly electronic throttle control. The problem is signifigant enough that some owners say they are too scared to drive their cars. Those that do get behind the wheel often say their transmission isn’t shifting properly and problems start occuring as early as 15,000 miles.
All of this leads us to say you’re probably better off without this car’s headaches (they’re probably chemically-induced anyway).
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
71,759 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. While driving approximately 25 mph, the vehicle stalled and the esp warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.
This exact same thing has happened 2 times. While driving normally 'service esp' and 'service traction control' warnings come on along with the engine light and the 'stabilitrak' light. The engine remains running but does not supply power to the wheels resulting in a total loss of power to the car. The first time it happened, I took it to a certified Chevy dealer who told me it was a battery issue and replaced the battery. Didn't work. Happened again within a week. This situation is very unsafe as the vehicle could be stuck powerless in the middle of a turn or a number of other dangerous situation. The car is not on GM's recall list for any of the ongoing recall issues.
Driving and the stabilitrak needs to be serviced comes on. Nothing the dash controls works correctly. The speedometer goes from 0-the speed your are going and back down to 0 every thirty seconds. Cruise will not work. RPM does the same. When driving there is a slight hesitation in speed each time. Had to stop on the way home and it continued whether I turned vehicle off or not. Went away the next day. Took it to a certified tech he ran the codes and nothing came back on the computer. This has happened two more times with no luck. Please take the time to look into it.
Radio flashes on and off an instrument cluster is flashing warning light. Engine runs rough sometimes and ac blower motor turned on and off sometimes and turn signal indicator continue flashing but does not make it usual but clicking and then resumes clicking noise.
I bought my Cruze in November at 11000 miles. I had no issues with it at all until March 21 at 21000 miles. I was driving on the highway it had been a long trip and my car lit up service stabilitrak and service traction control warning lights and power steering. Along with my dash (speedometer, odometer going haywire) no engines problem just that light I called the dealer who said they never heard of it and it was probably a flute. About a month later it happened again then about may it was happening once a week not even on long drives no more on my morning commute to work and a couple of times the check engine light came on not all the time. On June 5 at 22000 miles my cars controls came on this time though my ABS light came on along with my parking break and check engine light. Then my car in the middle of the downtime dallas on the highway my car just stops accelerating and slowly came to a complete stop and I barely made it to the side of the road! it was so scary. I turned my car off and back on all the lights were off except the check engine light I went to autozone and they gave me the codes it was reading. On my way home it did the same thing and it is just the scariest thing. I went to the dealership and they don't know why it's doing it and want me to pay over 600 just to find out not to even fix it just to see why! this is there issue not mine I feel like ima crash everytime I drive it. I even told them driving it I feel like my life is in danger and they pretty much said that's my issue now when I was sold the car the warranty was out and they didn't offer me a extended I don't know what to do! this needs to be a recall I've read online of others reporting this and they agree it is something that could potentially kill someone.
- Royse City, TX, USA
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On April 30 2014, around 11:00 am the car was taken for service to a Chevrolet dealer for a wheel alignment, steering and suspension system inspection and air pressure condition check, the Chevy Cruze was at the service dealer for aprox four hours, we then came home, around 5:30 we went to a shopping center to buy something and on the way back home, aprox six blocks from our home we stop on a stop sign on a curb/angle street divider by a small curb with trees, we then try to proceed and bare right but the car made some kind of a noise and went left going over small curb and hitting a tree, we where going aprox 15 to 20 mph at the time of impact the police came and made a report, no summons where issue because the police officer look at the scene and comment that it looks like the car loss power/ control of the steering, brakes and could not be control. The car was a total loss since it was damages in front/engine/air bags/etc. We know for facts that this 2011 Chevrolet Cruze have many recalls including steering shaft separations/brakes/steering problems.etc.
I was driving and all the sudden my car slowed down, a message came up that said "engine power reduced". I could not drive and had no acceleration ability. This has happened several times, and now it is happening frequently and completely stalls out.
Has happened multiple times starting about a month ago, either when idle at a light, driving around town or on the freeway (I have not been at full hwy speed when this has occurred) the stabilitrak warning comes on and engine power is reduced to practically nothing, I can't travel other than at a snail's space, with absolutely no acceleration to help get out of the way. Drive train shakes a little. Very dangerous position to be in. I tried to shut off the stabilitrak and that seemed to work until the last incidence when the issue occurred with stabilitrak turned off. The only way I can get the car to reset is to shut it off for a few seconds and turn it back on. Might go a few days without any concerns, then all of a sudden, it starts up again. Engine light stays on for a few on/off cycles then goes away.
While parked in a parking lot waiting for the snowy conditions to slow down, I waited about 15 minutes with my car on idle. I pulled out of the parking spot to go to my destination. As I was on drive, my car slowed down to 5 mph and couldn't accelerate, message pulled up on my screen saying "engine power is reduced". took it to the dealership and quoted me $500 to fix the valve body system. I've read on a forum that this is a common problem for this model.
My 2011 Chevy Cruze ltz went in to reduced engine power mode and said to service stabilitrak and traction control. This happened in below freezing temperatures with frozen precipitation on the ground. Research online indicates this is a common problem with Chevy Cruze vehicles. The car was drive able after powering down for a few seconds, but a few miles down the road it would go into reduced engine power mode again. This has happened multiple times over the last week. Likely throttle body problem.
Driving home from work on busy tollway, after it snowed all of a sudden my service stabilitrak-reduced engine power lights came on. The car cut to 20 miles per hour.I couldn't go any faster and nowhere to pull over since the tollway was under construction.got off the tollway called the dealer to take it in.the Chevy dealer told me to shut the car off wait 5 min. It will reset. Ok it did, took it the next day to Chevy, they cant find anything wrong, took it home. Went to work 3 days later it did it again I brought it back to Chevy still cant find out what is wrong.this car has continued to do this 15 more times.the reason why I am telling you this is because there is a problem with these cars there have been more Chevy Cruze with the same problem.I am afraid to drive this car I have borrowed a car to get to work, the first time this happened to me on the tollway I thought my life was over it could have caused a serious accident im glad im here to tell someone about my problem and hope someone takes some action with it.
While driving 2011 Chevrolet Cruze the service lights for ABS and stabilitrak begin intermittently illuminating at the same time, remaining on for random periods of time.
2-10-12 - 15422 mileage car towed to dealership - would start / shifter would go into gear / car would not drive - check engine, traction control & stabilitrak light were on. - shaft detent lever switch replaced. 3-12-12 - 16471 mileage - brought to dealership car would not engage from the stop position to acceleration & poor gas mileage since 2-10 repair - caused to roll into intersection. - control solenoid valve & transmission control module replaced. Could not duplicate gas mileage problem 4-25-12 - brought into dealership for loud popping & jolting into gear from the stop position to acceleration - dealer ship could not duplicate/ no repair 5-5-12 17661 mileage car towed to dealership - driving on highway 65mph / burning smell coming through A/C vents/ transmission hot (overheat) /traction control & stabilitrak light appeared. Dealer ship could not duplicate/ no repair ( opened case with GM [xxx]) 5-18-12 18165 mileage car towed to dealership - driving on highway 65mph / burning smell coming through A/C vents/ transmission hot (overheat) /traction control & stabilitrak light & transmission light appeared. Plus continued poor gas mileage since 2/12 fix. Transmission control module replaced (again) 6-6-12 18800 mileage brought to dealership ( currently there) transmission light appeared upon starting the engine after sitting for 8hrs. - intermittent burning smell from engine noticed after 15-20 mile drives parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Car would not accelerate while at a stoplight, with cars behind me. Radio readout said, "stabilitrak turned off"; dash readout said, "engine power reduced!". I could not accelerate past 1st gear. I had aaa tow the vehicle to a local dealership, and I was told the throttle body needed to be replaced because the throttle would not open.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that the stability track warning light illuminated and the steering wheel would suddenly become loose. The vehicle was inspected by an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the stability track needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure continued. The manufacturer was notified and they offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 800.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Council Bluff, IA, USA