Home › Cars › Chevrolet › Cruze › 2016
2016 Chevrolet Cruze problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
63% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 84% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 27 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 56%).
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 140 of 223 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (63%), and the largest group is filed under engine (102). For comparison, the 2015 scores 58% and the 2017 scores 58%. 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 2016 compares with other Chevrolet Cruze years
Of the 8 Chevrolet Cruze years with enough complaints to score, the 2016 is the 2nd-worst on engine and transmission share (63%). The worst is the 2011 (64%), the best the 2012 (50%). By volume, the 2016 drew 250 complaints (140 drivetrain), against 252 for the 2015 and 201 for the 2017.
Chevrolet Cruze years to avoid and best years →
2011 Cruze problems · 2012 Cruze problems · 2013 Cruze problems · 2014 Cruze problems · 2015 Cruze problems · 2016 · 2017 Cruze problems · 2018 Cruze problems
The rest of the picture on the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2016 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 140 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2016 Chevrolet Cruze fuel system recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 4 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 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."
Risk: A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a lock-ring on the fuel tank that will shield the fuel tank vapor pressure sensor from damage in a rear-impact crash, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2018.…
3 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2016 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 2016 Chevrolet Cruze
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 140 of 223 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (63%). 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 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze is engine: 102 of 250 complaints (41%) name it, followed by electrical system (59) and fuel/propulsion system (35). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 63% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 84% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 8 Chevrolet Cruze years we score, it ranks 2nd-worst. 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 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 4 in total: 18V304000 (fuel system, gasoline). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Chevrolet Cruze years are better?
Among the Chevrolet Cruze years we track, the 2012 (50%), the 2018 (52%) and the 2014 (53%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2016 (63%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. 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. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.