2011 Chevrolet Cruze Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 96 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, 13% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 59,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “service traction” (6% of reports).
- 96electrical system complaints
- 59,000median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 40%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Service traction: mentioned in 6 of 96 complaints (6%)
- Engine power: mentioned in 6 of 96 complaints (6%)
- Negative battery: mentioned in 5 of 96 complaints (5%)
- Shuts off: mentioned in 5 of 96 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 71 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 96 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 4 a fire.
Chevrolet Cruze electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Cruze | 4 | 17% | — |
| 2018 Cruze | 14 | 13% | 40,000 |
| 2017 Cruze | 33 | 16% | 27,876 |
| 2016 Cruze | 59 | 24% | 40,500 |
| 2015 Cruze | 49 | 19% | 50,450 |
| 2014 Cruze | 187 | 27% | 59,000 |
| 2013 Cruze | 122 | 21% | 45,000 |
| 2012 Cruze | 196 | 23% | 50,000 |
| 2011 Cruze | 96 | 13% | 59,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system:ignition; power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Problem: 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, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
iâm unsure if the person i bought this vehicle from had the codes wiped before selling to me, but there were NO lights on dash for 3 days after minimal driving only to work and back, then all of a sudden the check engine light came on, and in the info box it would pop up saying âservice…
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private in April 12th 2026. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 135,000 The contact stated that the next day when retrieving the title they noticed…
The primary failure is a total loss of engine power and electrical systems while the vehicle is in motion. The dealership (Ray Skillman Southside Mitsubishi) has diagnosed this as a failed engine/body control computer system. The vehicle is currently located at the dealership's service center and…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2011 Chevrolet Cruzes have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 96 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze (13% of the 732 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 59,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze?
The most frequent phrase is “service traction”, in 6 of 96 complaints, followed by “engine power” (6).
Other 2011 Chevrolet Cruze problems
See all 2011 Chevrolet Cruze problems or electrical system problems across all Cruze years.