2016 Chevrolet Cruze Recalls, Complaints & Specs
4 safety recalls list the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, and owners have filed 250 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
4 safety recalls for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Fuel system, gasoline
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…
Remedy: 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.…
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Head restraint (seats)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. A bracket used in the driver or front passenger seat-back recliner mechanism may have been incorrectly welded to the seat-back frame, as a result, in the event of a crash, the head-restraints may not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front passenger seats, replacing any with seat-back frames that are incorrectly welded, free of charge. The recall began on February 28, 2017. Owners may contact…
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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…
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Headlights (exterior lighting)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Cruze vehicles manufactured November 5, 2015, to May 26, 2016. The headlight assemblies are not marked with a three-digit identifier code used to properly aim the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard…
Remedy: GM will mail owners instructions and adhesive labels, with the correct code, to install on their headlight assemblies. Owners may also bring the vehicle to a GM dealership for any assistance with applying the label,…
250 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze have filed 250 complaints with NHTSA; 19 describe a crash and 6 describe a fire. Reports cite 14 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 51,686 miles. Complaints peaked in 2020 with 44 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“I am filing this complaint due to repeated mechanical and safety problems with my 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. The vehicle has had ongoing acceleration problems, including times when it would not accelerate”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 17, 2026 · Structure
“car has been overheating run while i take the keys out doors will lock with keys in the ignition lots of lights will come on car will slow way down constantly adding antifreeze in it heat and air will”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 27, 2026 · Service brakes
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze (Cruze Limited, Cruze Limited Eco, Cruze Premier). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 26–34 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 22–30 / 34–40 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Compact Cars, 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 2016 Chevrolet Cruze
How do I know if my 2016 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. 4 campaigns currently list the 2016 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 16V498000).
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.