Home › Cars › Chevrolet › Cruze › 2012
2012 Chevrolet Cruze problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
50% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 66% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 43 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 48%).
Does the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 412 of 822 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (50%), and the largest group is filed under engine (268). For comparison, the 2011 scores 64% and the 2013 scores 61%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2012 compares with other Chevrolet Cruze years
Of the 8 Chevrolet Cruze years with enough complaints to score, the 2012 is the best on engine and transmission share (50%). The worst is the 2011 (64%). By volume, the 2012 drew 865 complaints (412 drivetrain), against 732 for the 2011 and 587 for the 2013.
Chevrolet Cruze years to avoid and best years →
2011 Cruze problems · 2012 · 2013 Cruze problems · 2014 Cruze problems · 2015 Cruze problems · 2016 Cruze problems · 2017 Cruze problems · 2018 Cruze problems
The rest of the picture on the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 412 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2012 Chevrolet Cruze engine recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 7 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.…
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.
Risk: EITHER CONDITION COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH.
Fix: 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…
5 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2012 Chevrolet Cruze? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.Questions people ask about the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
Does the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 412 of 822 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (50%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze is engine: 268 of 865 complaints (31%) name it, followed by electrical system (196) and service brakes (152). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 50% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (high signal). That is worse than 66% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 8 Chevrolet Cruze years we score, it ranks best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 7 in total: 12V289000 (fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: mounting), 12V288000 (engine and engine cooling). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Chevrolet Cruze years are better?
The 2012 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Chevrolet Cruze years we track (50%). The other years run higher. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/chevrolet-cruze
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.