2011 Chevrolet Cruze Recalls, Complaints & Specs
7 safety recalls list the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, and owners have filed 732 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
7 safety recalls for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
-
Ignition (electrical system) and power train: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
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…
Remedy: 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…
-
Power assist (service brakes)
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with 1.4L DOHC gasoline turbo engines and 6T40 front wheel drive automatic transmissions and equipped with an electric vacuum pump to provide supplemental vacuum for brake assist, when needed. In the affected vehicles, the pump may not…
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace a microswitch in the power brake vacuum pipe assembly, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020.…
-
Engine and engine cooling
General motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011 and 2012 chevrolet cruze vehicles manufactured from october 2, 2009, through may 31, 2012. Spilled or dripping oil (such as after an oil change) may collect in the engine shield (bellypan) near hot engine or exhaust system surfaces. As a result, the oil and the engine shield may…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will modify the engine shield to prevent fluid from contacting the shield. Also, on vehicles with a manual transmission, dealers will apply a protective tape to the electronic power…
-
Mounting (fuel system)
General motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011 and 2012 chevrolet cruze vehicles manufactured from october 2, 2009, through may 14, 2012. Attachment welds for the fuel tank strap secondary brackets may have been omitted.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle for missing welds. If the vehicle is missing welds, dealers will secure the bracket attachments with fasteners. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The…
-
Shaft sector (steering)
General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 chevrolet cruze vehicles manufactured from october 2, 2009, through april 21, 2011. The bolt attaching the intermediate steering shaft to the steering gear input shaft may not have been properly installed.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and if required, repair the intermediate shaft/steering gear assembly to assure the bolt is fully seated and the shaft properly assembled. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety…
-
Gear position indication (prndl) (power train)
General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 chevrolet cruze vehicles manufactured from october 6, 2009, through april 27, 2011 and equipped with an automatic transmission for failing to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 102, 'transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the transmission shift linkage for correct installation and adjust the shift linkage system free of charge. The safety recall began on may 23, 2011. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438,…
-
Column (steering) and steering
General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 chevrolet cruze vehicles. During manufacturing the steering wheel could have been improperly fastened and may detach from the steering column.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect to ensure that the steering wheel is assembled properly. This service will be performed for you free of charge. The safety recall began on april 7, 2011. Owners may contact chevrolet at…
732 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze have filed 732 complaints with NHTSA; 38 describe a crash and 20 describe a fire. Reports cite 39 injuries and 2 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 60,179 miles. Complaints peaked in 2014 with 121 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and raising the foot off the accelerator pedal, the vehicle decelerated drastically. Additionally, the”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 9, 2026 · Vehicle speed control
“i’m 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 sud”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 19, 2026 · Electrical system
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze (Cruze Eco). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 26–32 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 22–28 / 34–40 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.4/1.8 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S6); Automatic 6-spd; Manual 6-spd |
Compare Chevrolet Cruze model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Chevrolet Cruze model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 Chevrolet Cruze | 0 | 2 |
| 2011 Chevrolet Cruze | 7 | 732 |
| 2012 Chevrolet Cruze | 7 | 865 |
| 2013 Chevrolet Cruze | 5 | 587 |
| 2014 Chevrolet Cruze | 10 | 702 |
| 2015 Chevrolet Cruze | 4 | 252 |
| 2016 Chevrolet Cruze | 4 | 250 |
| 2017 Chevrolet Cruze | 2 | 201 |
| 2018 Chevrolet Cruze | 3 | 109 |
| 2019 Chevrolet Cruze | 2 | 23 |
Checking a specific 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
How do I know if my 2011 Chevrolet Cruze has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 7 campaigns currently list the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Chevrolet dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 11V221000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Chevrolet models
- Malibu19,364 complaints
- Silverado 150018,029 complaints
- Impala10,434 complaints
- Tahoe10,032 complaints
- Equinox9,161 complaints
- Silverado8,799 complaints
- Blazer8,192 complaints
- Suburban8,164 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.