AI Damage2017 Chevrolet Cruze: common problems
Owners of the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze filed 201 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and powertrain. The maker issued 843 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 201
- involving a crash
- 8
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 843
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 36% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 19% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 16% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 8% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 7% of all complaints
- 7 Exterior lighting 6% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 5% of all complaints
- Engine: 73 complaints (36% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 90.
- Powertrain: 39 complaints (19% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 71.
- Electrical system: 33 complaints (16% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 167.
- Service brakes: 19 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 13.
- Structure: 16 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 35.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.4 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- 1.6 L · diesel · turbo · 4 cylnamed in 5 complaints
- automatic, 6-speed
- automatic, 9-speed
- manual, 6-speednamed in 15 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 201 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 73 | 1 | 90 |
| Powertrain | 39 | 0 | 71 |
| Electrical system | 33 | 0 | 167 |
| Service brakes | 19 | 1 | 13 |
| Structure | 16 | 1 | 35 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 15 | 0 | 6 |
| Exterior lighting | 12 | 1 | 10 |
| Vehicle speed control | 10 | 0 | 3 |
| Air bags | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| Electronic stability control | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 6 | 0 | 15 |
| Visibility | 5 | 0 | 16 |
| Seats | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 136 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
In a rear end collision to my Chevrolet Cruze my driver seat back broke on the left side causing my torso to twist in the accident. This caused disc protrusions in my lumbar and thoracic spine. Vehicle was totaled
However the steering wheel airbag did not deploy in the first impact involving a culvert in the drainage ditch.
This vehicle was in an accident at night due to the "automatic" lighting system either was non operations, not focused in the correct direction or not bright enough. The cruze vehicle was driving south bound to a lighted intersection from a stop sign a block away.
Recently my car's check engine light and the message "Service Stabilitrak" started coming up on my car, then my car started shaking while idling. I quickly took the car to my mechanic who assessed it, replaced my spark plugs, which did not solve the issue, and recommended I go to the dealership.
My airbag light came on. My vehicle has less than 100K miles on it. I took it to the Chevy Dealership that I purchased it from. The dealership indicated that the passenger side rail air bag is the issue. Apparently, that airbag is no longer available. If I wanted to repair it, they can't, because there is no airbag.
Paint bubbling and rusting alone the car even though it’s washed and is no where near salt never even been hit there are tons of issues with GM paint yall need to fix these and recall every gm car with this issue and wipers are very rough scratching windshield
Car is currently not drivable due to strong smell of gas coming from under the hood. Findings, gas is leaking into the engine and car will not crank. Diagnostic machine indicates poor fuel to fuel injector causing a gas leak within the engine.
A few months after the repair, my car began shaking violently and then shut off in the middle of the street while I was driving on 11/17/2025 This created a serious safety hazard for me and other drivers.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 325 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Cruze has 146 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 201, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it
- This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance
- PI to help diagnose A/C concern
- This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size…
- This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a…
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
- This service bulletin provides information on Tire Sidewall Irregularities
- This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced…
This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.
- This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have…
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions…
- This service bulletin provides procedures to correct customer concerns of Poor Engine Performance in…
This service bulletin provides procedures to correct customer concerns of Poor Engine Performance in Extremely Cold Weather Conditions, Charge Air Cooler (CAC) Icing - Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Illuminated with…
- The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle…
The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal for the delay.
- New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
- This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have…
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may…
NHTSA lists 843 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, powertrain, electrical system. Total complaints: 201. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (24%), stalls while driving (10%), vibration (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze?
NHTSA lists 843 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2017 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.