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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:
13 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
10 / 0
Average Mileage:
35,376 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.

2011 Chevrolet Cruze seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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2011 Chevrolet Cruze Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #37

Oct 012021

Cruze

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Due to OnStar 2G sunsetting their services at the end of this year, all makes of General Motors vehicles did not comply to any of the customers requests to upgrade their module to 4G services, although upon researching, all Canadian GM vehicles did get the upgrade well over 7 years ago. This is well beyond a concern with GM and OnStar customers. With the NHTSA as a safety liaison and protecting the consumer, if a module upgrade can be applied in a vehicle that is on the same assembly parts, platform, electrical components...and be denied from the United States? The NHTSA should realize that this will be frivolous law suits because of neglect and safety concerns with GM and OnStar in the United States.

- Syracuse , NY, USA

problem #36

Oct 022020

Cruze

  • miles
Real bad oil leak my oil been leaking for months and a intake manifold code P2076 I really need this problem fix. I done spend a lot of money getting this car repaired everytime I get this Chevy Cruze out the shop something else wrongs I can-??t out no more money into this car too many car problems I haven-??t drove this car in 3 weeks because I was driving somewhere and white smoke started coming out the tailpipe bad somebody called the fire department and police on me that-??s how bad the smoke was coming out the tailpipe mind you I had just got the car out the shop i had got code P0303 fix this car cost me alot of money I got alot of repairs done on this car

- Cleveland , OH, USA

problem #35

Nov 302020

Cruze

  • 95,000 miles
I leased a 2011 Chevy Cruze and had it less than 1 month. Deer were in the rd, so I slowed down, then brakes locked, I went over an embankment into a lightpole. Total loss, transported via ems to mmmhc hospital, unconscious for half hour my memory is now horrible, I have bad headaches, my back is horrible and im without a vehicle. I wasnt driving above speed limit. No collision warning and I've been to er and my dr many times

- Stuart, VA, USA

problem #34

Aug 132020

Cruze

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Air bag light stays on.

- Nippa, KY, USA

problem #33

Aug 112020

Cruze

  • 61,500 miles
In a front impact crash going 60 mph the Cruze hit a guardrail cable destroy the front of car and no airbags went off.

- Oswego, KS, USA

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problem #32

Jun 202020

Cruze 4-cyl

  • 142,101 miles
Me and my boyfriend were driving in calcutta Ohio we went to pull out of a parking lot to go to mcdonald's and we looked both ways and we were clear to go and by the time we hit the center turning lane and started to turn into mcdonald's and a Jeep came flying out of no where and our vehicles collided causing front end damage. The air bags failed to deploy in the car.

- East Liverpool, OH, USA

problem #31

Apr 142019

Cruze

  • 118,900 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. While driving between 25 to 50 mph, the air bag and service air bag warning indicators illuminated. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 118,900.

- Union City, TN, USA

problem #30

Nov 162018

Cruze

  • 80,000 miles
Direct impact with 1200 pound cow while driving on a state highway, the airbag did not deploy. Entire car engulfed in flames as the engine immediately started fire. Totalled. Why didn't the airbag deploy? serious injury. Serious safety issue. I have purchased 2 Cruze's because of the safety features. This is so not safe and so unacceptable

- Surprise, AZ, USA

problem #29

Nov 152017

Cruze

  • miles
Set up the airbag and the car mileage does look

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #28

Jan 152017

Cruze

  • 83,000 miles
Accident, on Jan 15 2017, vehicle was turning into a restaurant parking lot from a highway and hit by a F150 pickup on the front end and whole passenger side, going about 15 mph and other vehicle was traveling 50mph, none of the 10 air bags deployed, have shoulder injury 3 days following accident, vehicle was towed to collison, shop & was made aware that the frame of the vehicle from front end to rear was shattered, the vehicle was moving and turning into a business, the insurance company deemed that the vehicle was totaled. No air bags ever deployed, if there were a passenger they would have died.

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #27

Aug 292016

Cruze

  • 100 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Picked up car from shop after paying over $800 and the car stated to smell the car act as if it will catch a fire. Smoke coming out of the vents and under the hood. Called the dealer and no help the service manager will not return my call. I'm out of town two hours from my home. I will have to get a hotel room and I paid for rental car for two days already.

- Brunswick, GA, USA

problem #26

Jul 042016

Cruze

  • 35,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. While driving 25 mph, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle accelerated independently. As a result, the contact crashed into a fence. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic after the crash. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000.

- Manassas, VA, USA

problem #25

Dec 202015

Cruze 4-cyl

  • 43,000 miles
Takata recall - my car was involved in an accident, in motion, on a city street. My air bag did not deploy. My seat belt did not hold me. I took a hit to the head, having to have stiches, along with both eyes turning black/blue.

- Little Rock, AR, USA

problem #24

Apr 012015

Cruze

  • miles
I took my car to the kaspar dealer and sandusky, oh and was told the passenger airbag sensor was bad and the repair costs would be $800. This is odd because at least 95% of the time no one sits in that seat. This car is not our family car. It is strictly for me to use for work. This seems to me more likely to be a defect than something I should be at fault for.

- Norwalk, OH, USA

problem #23

Oct 232014

Cruze 4-cyl

  • 86,000 miles
Passenger side airbag is not working. With all the faulty air bag recalls--why isn't mine being recalled? GM wants $700 to repair it, and the car is only 3 years old.

- Raleigh, NC, USA

problem #22

Oct 082014

Cruze 4-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
I noticed Chevy Cruze from 2013 and 2014 have recalls for this very item! the car is only 3 years old and I have to pay $669 for a sensor?

- Raleigh, NC, USA

problem #21

Mar 032014

Cruze

  • 53,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that the passenger side air bag light malfunctioned. The air bag light failed to illuminate when a passenger was occupying the seat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnostic testing. However, they could not duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 53,000.

- Wellington, OH, USA

problem #20

Aug 012013

Cruze 4-cyl

  • 15,000 miles
Front passenger air bag "off light" comes on intermittently on my 2011 Cruze when an adult is sitting in the front passenger seat -- indicating the air bag system is off. I've taken it to my GM dealership twice and both times they say that everything checks out ok and there is nothing they can do. The car air bags have never been deployed. There is a flaw with this safety system and GM should step forward and come up with a fix.

- Bristol, TN, USA

problem #19

Aug 072014

Cruze 4-cyl

  • 39,953 miles
When a passenger is sitting in the sit, the airbag system will read "off". I shouldn't have to pay for an airbag failure on GM fault. I documented a video of the airbag system.

- Fayetteville, NC, USA

problem #18

Jul 282014

Cruze 4-cyl

  • 38,000 miles
Hit a deer head-on going approixately 50 mph causing severe damage to the front end of the vehicle. Air bags never deployed, but could smell the air bags and hear them in the steering wheel making noise. The crash was enough that on star was alerted of the crash and called 911.

- Woodville, WI, USA

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