CHEVROLET CRUZE · model year

2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE

383 NHTSA complaints, 28 crash reports, and 4 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

4 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2016CHEVROLETCRUZE carries 383 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 28 crashes, 11 fires, 19 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 4/5 rating, with 5/5 front crash, 4/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2016 CRUZE is engine with 98 filings, followed by electrical system (58) and unknown or other (40). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 4 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 2016 CRUZE, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

383
Complaints
28
Crashes
11
Fires
19
Injuries
0
Deaths
2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE. Overall composite: 4.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 4.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 5.0 ★
  • Side Crash 4.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 4.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

383 filings

Crashes Reported

28 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 4/5 — Strong NCAP rating · Front: 5/5 · Side: 4/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE98
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM58
UNKNOWN OR OTHER40
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM32
POWER TRAIN29
AIR BAGS21
STEERING17
SERVICE BRAKES17
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)16
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL10
STRUCTURE:BODY7
EXTERIOR LIGHTING6
WHEELS5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING4
SEATS4

Recalls (4)

17V05700026/01/2017

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. A bracket used in the driver or front passenger seat-back recliner mechanism may have been incorrectly welded to the seat-back frame, as a result, in the event of a crash, the head-restraints may not function properly.

18V30400010/05/2018

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

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 requirem

16V50200005/07/2016

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

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, 201

16V49800001/07/2016

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Cruze vehicles manufactured November 5, 2015, to May 26, 2016. The headlight assemblies are not marked with a three-digit identifier code used to properly aim the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements o

Recent Complaints

20251024SERVICE BRAKES

The rear brakes lights have a crack causing water to leak through. The water caused damage to the converter output

20250818ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that upon returning to the parked vehicle, while attempting to unlock the doors with the key fob, the doors failed to open. The contact was able to open the door manually using the key. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle and closing the front driver's side door, the doors locked and failed to unlock. The contact depressed the brake pedal and pressed the Push to Start button, but the vehicle failed to start or unlock. The message "No Key Fob Detected" was displayed. The contact disassembled the key fob and wiped the battery; however, the failure persisted. The contact called his wife, who arrived with another key fob. The vehicle was able to restart after several attempts. The message "Theft Alarm" was displayed. The contact was trapped inside the vehicle for 5 minutes and was sweating due to the temperature inside the vehicle. The contact drove to the residence; however, the instrument panel was partially inoper

Mileage: 56,639

20250415UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My husband was driving and noticed smoke coming from the engine so we pulled over and he lifted the hood and when he did we clearly saw a part of the Bosch manifold absolute pressure map sensor had come off and appeared to have melted off. I have taken it to a mechanic and have photos to show the exact parts.

20250305ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal burning odor was coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was hot(H). The contact pulled over, added water to the coolant reservoir, and the vehicle returned to normal operation. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.

Mileage: 104,000

20241226ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My tire pressure sensor keeps coming on even after I had it worked on. 3 of them shows the pressure level but one shows 2 lines but no pressure level but there’s air in the tire. The other problem I’m having is the check engine light is on. Please advise if any issues are recalls or do I need to take my car to a service center. Thank you

20241122ENGINE

The turbo has gone out twice, it was replaced under an extended warranty policy and it has gone out again and is out of warranty, also the plastic intake manifold has gone bad again. also there is a plastic piece that comes off the engine and distributes coolant to the heater core etc...it has gone bad as well and is common on all 1.4 turbos..

20241006FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I was driving the car, stopped at a light took my foot off the brake started to move and the car completely shut off. No warning lights went on. I had to start the car again. I took the car to a local dealership to be looked at. They pulled the codes, nothing showed up. I did an internet search for a possible cause, sent my search results to the dealership and I asked them to check the fuel system, they found a bad injector. They then cleaned the fuel system and replaced the bad injector.

20240827ENGINE

Purchased a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze on [XXX]. [XXX]. As of July 26th I paid $862 on repairs for the car to be smoking this morning on my way to work [XXX]. In total I’ve spent Almost or close to $2,000 in car repairs. This purchase was for my 17 year old daughter as a graduation present and for college. She was driving and car started to run hot and cut off in a busy intersection. She was unable to take the car to North Carolina. The owner blocked me and the staff haven’t been accommodating since this process. Nor will they look at the car. This has put me in a financial burden and the safety conditions this vehicle is under. And damage this could have cause my daughter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20240827WHEELS

Purchased a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze on [XXX]. [XXX]. As of July 26th I paid $862 on repairs for the car to be smoking this morning on my way to work [XXX]. In total I’ve spent Almost or close to $2,000 in car repairs. This purchase was for my 17 year old daughter as a graduation present and for college. She was driving and car started to run hot and cut off in a busy intersection. She was unable to take the car to North Carolina. The owner blocked me and the staff haven’t been accommodating since this process. Nor will they look at the car. This has put me in a financial burden and the safety conditions this vehicle is under. And damage this could have cause my daughter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20240827FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Purchased a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze on [XXX]. [XXX]. As of July 26th I paid $862 on repairs for the car to be smoking this morning on my way to work [XXX]. In total I’ve spent Almost or close to $2,000 in car repairs. This purchase was for my 17 year old daughter as a graduation present and for college. She was driving and car started to run hot and cut off in a busy intersection. She was unable to take the car to North Carolina. The owner blocked me and the staff haven’t been accommodating since this process. Nor will they look at the car. This has put me in a financial burden and the safety conditions this vehicle is under. And damage this could have cause my daughter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20240814ENGINE

I HAVE A 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE AND THE TURBOCHARGER INTERCOOLER HOSE BASICALLY BROKE FROM WHERE THE END OF THE HOSE STARTS AND A LITTLE BIT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE AREA OF THE END PART OF THE HOSE. AND THIS CAUSED MY ENGINE'S POWER TO BE REDUCED INMENSLY. TO THE POINT THAT I HAD MY FOOT PRESSING ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR AND IT COULD NOT GO ANY FURTHER DOWN, AND MY CAR WAS MOVING SLOWER THAN A TURTLE, AND THIS IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION! AND ALSO, AT TIMES WHEN I HAVE BEEN AT A RED LIGHT MY CAR TURNS OFF. ONE TIME MY CAR TURNED OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE STREET WITH CARS BEHIND ME. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A SHOPPING CENTER. AND THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ALSO FAILING BECAUSE I KEEP PUTTING FREE ON SO IT CAN BE COLDER AND ALL THAT COMES OUT IS HOT AIR. I DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS INTERCOOLER HOSE WAS A MAJOR PART OF MY VEHICLE'S FUNCTION. ALSO, THE TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON, WHEN I ALREADY HAD IT OFF. IF CHEVROLET CRUZE OWNERS DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE, THEY NEED TO KNOW. BECAUSE

20240814WHEELS

I HAVE A 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE AND THE TURBOCHARGER INTERCOOLER HOSE BASICALLY BROKE FROM WHERE THE END OF THE HOSE STARTS AND A LITTLE BIT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE AREA OF THE END PART OF THE HOSE. AND THIS CAUSED MY ENGINE'S POWER TO BE REDUCED INMENSLY. TO THE POINT THAT I HAD MY FOOT PRESSING ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR AND IT COULD NOT GO ANY FURTHER DOWN, AND MY CAR WAS MOVING SLOWER THAN A TURTLE, AND THIS IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION! AND ALSO, AT TIMES WHEN I HAVE BEEN AT A RED LIGHT MY CAR TURNS OFF. ONE TIME MY CAR TURNED OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE STREET WITH CARS BEHIND ME. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A SHOPPING CENTER. AND THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ALSO FAILING BECAUSE I KEEP PUTTING FREE ON SO IT CAN BE COLDER AND ALL THAT COMES OUT IS HOT AIR. I DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS INTERCOOLER HOSE WAS A MAJOR PART OF MY VEHICLE'S FUNCTION. ALSO, THE TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON, WHEN I ALREADY HAD IT OFF. IF CHEVROLET CRUZE OWNERS DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE, THEY NEED TO KNOW. BECAUSE

20240814FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

I HAVE A 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE AND THE TURBOCHARGER INTERCOOLER HOSE BASICALLY BROKE FROM WHERE THE END OF THE HOSE STARTS AND A LITTLE BIT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE AREA OF THE END PART OF THE HOSE. AND THIS CAUSED MY ENGINE'S POWER TO BE REDUCED INMENSLY. TO THE POINT THAT I HAD MY FOOT PRESSING ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR AND IT COULD NOT GO ANY FURTHER DOWN, AND MY CAR WAS MOVING SLOWER THAN A TURTLE, AND THIS IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION! AND ALSO, AT TIMES WHEN I HAVE BEEN AT A RED LIGHT MY CAR TURNS OFF. ONE TIME MY CAR TURNED OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE STREET WITH CARS BEHIND ME. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A SHOPPING CENTER. AND THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ALSO FAILING BECAUSE I KEEP PUTTING FREE ON SO IT CAN BE COLDER AND ALL THAT COMES OUT IS HOT AIR. I DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS INTERCOOLER HOSE WAS A MAJOR PART OF MY VEHICLE'S FUNCTION. ALSO, THE TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON, WHEN I ALREADY HAD IT OFF. IF CHEVROLET CRUZE OWNERS DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE, THEY NEED TO KNOW. BECAUSE

20240718ENGINE

Defouw Chevrolet was negligent in performing the proper repairs per a GM service bulletin and special coverage. They refused to provide service, falsely claimed that I refused diagnostic, misdiagnosed the vehicle, replaced the wrong part, and were extremely rude and misogynistic. Additionally, they claim the issues were pre-existing while lacking any evidence. As a result, the vehicle now needs $6,400 in repairs, and neither GM nor Defouw will compensate us. Additionally, we have incurred $1,000 in towing costs, among other expenses.

20240717POWER TRAIN

Component or System Failed/Malfunctioned: The turbocharger has been identified by a GM service center as the component that failed or malfunctioned. It is available for inspection upon request at the service center where the diagnosis was made. Safety Risk: The safety of myself and others was compromised due to the vehicle stalling unexpectedly while driving. This resulted in potential rear-end collisions, as well as the inability to accelerate, posing a risk in traffic situations. Confirmation by Dealer or Independent Service Center: Yes, the issue has been confirmed by a GM service center where the turbocharger was diagnosed as the problem. They provided a repair estimate of $2,170 for the turbocharger replacement. Inspections by Manufacturer, Police, Insurance, etc.: The vehicle has been inspected by a GM service center, but it has not been inspected by police, insurance representatives, or other independent parties beyond the GM service center. Warning Lamps, Messages, Symptoms

20240717STEERING

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the steering wheel pulled to the left forcibly. The contact also stated that the vehicle was oversteered, and the wheel made the vehicle move in a straight line. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the inner tie rod had separated from the steering gear and both inner tie rods and tires needed to be replaced. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V442000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 61,000.

Mileage: 61,000

20240708WHEELS

On [XXX], the right front passenger side control arm/ball joint broke as my daughters were driving home. The car was in motion on a major street in Kansas City, KS when the control arm/ball joint broke. My daughter was in the right-hand lane when it broke as the car was in motion. The front of the car forcefully propelled in the air, landed, and jerked my daughter into the side walk. Afterwards, she fought the car over to the left-hand turn lane to stop in a somewhat safer spot on a major street. My oldest daughter driving suffered neck injuries from the seatbelt and my youngest daughter bumped her head. Both were hurt. An independent mechanic diagnosed the issue as well as Hendrick Chevrolet in Shawnee Mission Kansas. The parts are available for inspection. Hendrick Chevrolet failed to properly diagnose this issue when my car was in their care and service department on 06/14/24. I paid for an inspection but Hendrick Chevrolet's technician failed to record play in the broken wheel and

20240604ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Water leak in trunk. Took car in 3 time to have it fixed after them doing the recall( 84279073 f-lamp kit). Every time it went in they found a leak in a different spot. 15Feb17 they found water leaking from right side of the spoiler retainer holes. Dealer removed spoiler applied double back tape and sealer. Reinstalled spoiler 02Mar17 found pin hole leak in weather strip. Dealer replaced weather strip. 01jan24 start having electrical issues. Hard starting/ running weird and finally dead battery. Had les swabs install battery and remove water in trunk. Car starts but shuts off when driving. 05mar24 Dealer finds leak coming from right side spoiler and now 1 licence plat bolt. Charged me 600.00 . to reseal. Here we go again They could never stop/find the leak before and will not warranty previous work. Isn't this a fire/safty issue? That started the recall in the 1st place. And why wasn't drain plugs required for this yr.car. I believe it was in the newer one. I would like to know how

20240604STRUCTURE:BODY

Water leak in trunk. Took car in 3 time to have it fixed after them doing the recall( 84279073 f-lamp kit). Every time it went in they found a leak in a different spot. 15Feb17 they found water leaking from right side of the spoiler retainer holes. Dealer removed spoiler applied double back tape and sealer. Reinstalled spoiler 02Mar17 found pin hole leak in weather strip. Dealer replaced weather strip. 01jan24 start having electrical issues. Hard starting/ running weird and finally dead battery. Had les swabs install battery and remove water in trunk. Car starts but shuts off when driving. 05mar24 Dealer finds leak coming from right side spoiler and now 1 licence plat bolt. Charged me 600.00 . to reseal. Here we go again They could never stop/find the leak before and will not warranty previous work. Isn't this a fire/safty issue? That started the recall in the 1st place. And why wasn't drain plugs required for this yr.car. I believe it was in the newer one. I would like to know how

20240604FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Water leak in trunk. Took car in 3 time to have it fixed after them doing the recall( 84279073 f-lamp kit). Every time it went in they found a leak in a different spot. 15Feb17 they found water leaking from right side of the spoiler retainer holes. Dealer removed spoiler applied double back tape and sealer. Reinstalled spoiler 02Mar17 found pin hole leak in weather strip. Dealer replaced weather strip. 01jan24 start having electrical issues. Hard starting/ running weird and finally dead battery. Had les swabs install battery and remove water in trunk. Car starts but shuts off when driving. 05mar24 Dealer finds leak coming from right side spoiler and now 1 licence plat bolt. Charged me 600.00 . to reseal. Here we go again They could never stop/find the leak before and will not warranty previous work. Isn't this a fire/safty issue? That started the recall in the 1st place. And why wasn't drain plugs required for this yr.car. I believe it was in the newer one. I would like to know how

Compare 2016CHEVROLETCRUZE to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE have?
The 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE has 383 NHTSA complaints, 28 crashes, 11 fires, 19 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE?
The 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 4/5, front crash rating of 5/5, side crash rating of 4/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE?
Yes, the 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE has 4 recall(s). The most common affected component is SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE?
The most-complained component for the 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE is ENGINE with 98 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2016 CHEVROLET CRUZE has an NHTSA safety rating of 4/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.