2011 Chevrolet Cruze Problems Cover Hard-to-Diagnose Engine and Electrical Issues, and Recalls for Fire Hazards - VehicleHistory (2024)

Absolute Trash Car

Bought this car used, was in great condition, safetied and certified. Within a day of getting it, engine light popped up. Took it back to the shop to get some sensors cleaned, ended up spending $800 to get air intake and sensor replaced. Wheel bearing went within a week, then misfiring began happening. Replaced PCV valve, MAF sensor. Now the car won’t start and costs $800 for a new starter. Put over $1000 into this car, and ended up not working in the end. I’ve been able to fix most of it myself, but if you don’t know anything about cars I suggest getting a car that doesn’t need a trip to the shop every week. I usually pick my cars well and really check them out before purchasing, but judging by the other reviews I know GM cars are c**p. I’d rather walk everywhere for the rest of my life than own another Chevy Cruze.

My favorite part about this car is the burning smell it makes.

Every time I turn it on or have it in park there's a burning smell. Also, the other day I was stopped and waiting for a gate to open and for no reason at all it just stalled. We've done so much work on this car and put so much money into it, but it seems like every time something gets fixed another thing breaks. When I first bought it (used, 20,000 miles) it was fine, but as soon as I hit around 60,000 miles there started to be issues. I also wish this car had cruise control (c'mon, it's a Chevy CRUZE). And for being a 2011 car it should also have more Bluetooth capability than just phone features. You also wouldn't want to take this thing far, the seats will really hurt your bottom.

Horrible piece of junk, worst car I have ever had!

It is a complete piece of junk, I have had it for 4 months and have put 100s in it and now I need to put several hundred more, garbage, worst car I have ever had. It is needing a ignition coil, spark plugs, a wheel bearing, the traction control is all screwed up, it has a gas leak, and an oil leak, and god only knows what else. The whole car is garbage, it is misfiring and is stalling all the time. It only has 138, 000 miles on it and is the worst purchase I have ever made. The speakers for the radio are junk, the Bluetooth hookup is garbage and the cruise control never worked. I have always bought Chevrolet's, but after this experience, never again. It is a complete pile of junk.

Don't buy one. They are not put together very well and have to many problems and recalls. When you press on the accelerator it tends to jerk at times to the point where you think the car is going to stall. Their just not worth the money.

It turned out to be a lemon. I bought it brand new in 2011 and have constantly had to put money in it for repairs. It has had a lot of recalls and it jerks a lot when you press on the accelerator at times. When you turn on the heat or air it has a horrible smell which is a known issue that gmac can't seem to fix. Will never buy another Chevy again because of this. The sad thing is that Chevy is the only cars I have ever own.

Decent-sized vehicle with many issues as first model of its kind.

Is small enough that you do not feel like you are going to run over other drivers on the road. The alignment is definitely off, and I always have issues with the engine and oil containers. I would never recommend a 2011 Cruze because it was the first year this model came out so there were a ton of kinks that had to be figured out first. There were a ton of recalls and I still had to pay over $5, 000 to fix engine issues.

An older model, outdated features.

It is an older model, so a lot of the features are out of date. I like to listen to music from my phone, but it does not hook up through Bluetooth; I need to use an auxiliary cord, and when I go over a bump, it decides to shut off and switch to playing the CD. This is very annoying. One of the things that squirts the windshield wiper fluid fell off, and now it will not spray the entire right side of my windshield.

2011 Chevy Cruze is the worst.

I have had the Chevy Cruze for almost 2 years and have had so many problems with it. Everything seems to break in it one after the other. It has overheated. It gives false reads for low tire pressure. My brakes have been checked and are fine yet it keeps telling me something is wrong. The volume will randomly cut down and will not go back up when I am driving. Overall this car is the worst I have ever had.

Battery {new} goes down every day or two

2011 cruze bought used 4years ago for wife she drives around town only maybe less than 4000 miles annually.battery goes dead every couple days.starts with a jumper,new battery again dealer has no clue .trunk can only be opened with key fob.check engine light back on again overnight battery now reads 4.2 volts. This car is a large pain in my butt i .live with the hood up.

Is high mileage the issue?

It is not too bad on gas mileage, however, as soon as it hit 150k, the car itself started to deteriorate rather quickly. 1 thing specifically, is that it has started to stall out {especially when the temperature is hot} @ stop lights, etc. Also, when I get out of the car after having driven it, I am noticing a 'hot' smell if that makes sense.

I would never buy a Cruze

I have had nothing but problems with my Cruze. The heat has stopped working, the engine has overheated, have had to replace multiple parts in the engine and hoses have cracked. The pcv valve went bad and I had to replace it twice. I've only had the car since 2013 and now my car will not even start.

Great make, horrible model.

I don't recommend this model. Every time I get something fixed, something else breaks. The transmission keeps overheating. The performance is horrible. When I hit the gas it does not want to go anywhere. There is no get up and go. I wish I had done my research on this model before I purchased it.

I wish I looked more into my car!

I feel like there is always a problem with it. Ever since I got it the check engine light has been on and I have had trouble with the traction because it has more than one part that had to be fixed and it gets frustrating when you constantly have to go to the shop.

Runs very poorly.

Leaks oil. Poor gas mileage. Poorly made. So many issues. So many recalls. Gm is not helpful when you have issues. Really a car I regret purchasing. I will never buy another Chevrolet again. Not worth the money when you spend more to fix it than anything.

Gaskets/valve problems in under 79,000 miles. Dealer cannot properly fix it. Not sure if it is mechanics training or they are trying to make money.

Small interior especially the rear seating. Large trunk which some of this space could be used in the rear seating. Lots of engine problems at 79,000 miles. Dealer stated they fixed them but some returned in less that 5o miles.

It is a piece of junk and I wish I would've searched better.

Having major issues with possible ignition coil and spark plugs along with traction control issues. Have to get it diagnosed and fixed.

Many problems that should have been fixed while the car was was under warranty.

Many miscellaneous problems and strange noise. I took it in many times when it was under warranty but they always tried to charge me.

Window issues.

Window systems break and unable to use them. Driver side has broken twice within two years. This model does not have cruise control.

Never loved this car.

It runs hot, so the fan turns on a lot and it's loud. It doesn't drive very smoothly, it's always felt rough while driving.

Chevy Cruzes are lemon cars.

To many recalls. Constantly having to bring the car in for unexpected issues. Will never get a car like this again.

Who to bring it to so that it can get fixed without getting screwed over.

Started breaking down the minute I got it more problems than anything just not pleased with my first purchase.

The transmission doesn't shift like other cars because it is both manual and automatic.

It's too small. It shifts weird. I really dislike where the AC knob sits as everyone hits it with their knee.

Smaller components are very breakable.

My 2011 Chevy Cruze has a lot of problems under the hood due to the flimsy, plastic components.

FAULTY TRANSMISSION THAT WILL COST YOU MORE THAN THE CAR

I hate my car's transmission, which has had to be rebuilt 4 times.