2018 Chevrolet Cruze Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cruze years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 8th of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 109 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze. That ranks 8th out of 10 Cruze model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (27 complaints, 25%), typically at around 13,000 miles. Complaints mention 17 crashes, 3 fires, 7 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 109owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 17complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Chevrolet Cruze problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 27 | 25% | 13,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 24 | 22% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 23 | 21% | 51,864 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 14 | 13% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 12 | 11% | 26,531 | — | — |
| Steering | 9 | 8% | 30,400 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 8 | 7% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 6 | 6% | 19,150 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 5% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 5% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 5% | 9,250 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 4% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 4% | 13,500 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 4% | 1,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 3% | 42,909 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 3% | 43,775 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 2% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1% | 51,200 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Chevrolet Cruze recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
Fuel system, gasoline
Problem: 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. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18159.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My 2018 Chevy Cruz has developed a sticky or tacky surface discovered when I was cleaning my interior. I used warm water and soap to clean all plastics. Tried to dry off my dash with paper towels and discovered the issue . My car has been garage kept since its purchase so I have no idea as my…
Coming to a stop sign or red light the car wonât accelerate or will go in traction control making it difficult to move or not accelerate. Had 2-3 fuel leaks this year also having problems to keep the car going sometimes the max speed it will go is 20-40 miles n wonât go up unless u keep letting…
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the windshield wiper compartment inadvertently opened. There was a failure with the seat belts. The contact stated that the driverâs side seat belt was excessively loose, and the front…
Unknown. The car seems to stall or slip when accelerating as is misfiring. It cuts off in the middle of the streets after coming out of auto stop mode. Pcv valve keeps popping up as issue. I had the pcv changed o2 sensors checked cleaned throttle body and air filter changed. The car still gives…
-The engine experienced internal failure resulting in low compression in cylinder 1. The failure has rendered the vehicle inoperable. The vehicle and engine are currently available for inspection upon request. The issue was diagnosed and confirmed by both an independent mechanic and an authorized…
Other Chevrolet Cruze years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Cruze | 23 | 2 |
| 2018 | 109 | 3 |
| 2017 Cruze | 201 | 2 |
| 2016 Cruze | 250 | 4 |
| 2015 Cruze | 252 | 4 |
| 2014 Cruze | 702 | 10 |
| 2013 Cruze | 587 | 5 |
| 2012 Cruze | 865 | 7 |
| 2011 Cruze | 732 | 7 |
| 2010 Cruze | 2 | 0 |
See all Chevrolet Cruze problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze?
Owners most often report engine, unknown or other, power train problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 27 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cruze model years, the 2018 has far fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.