YearToAvoid

2011 Chevrolet Cruze Airbags Problems

NHTSA lists 40 airbag complaints for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, 5% of that year's 732 total complaints. These complaints involve 15 crashes, 12 injuries, and 1 fire, with a median mileage at failure of 39,953 miles, and no related recall is listed for this component.

Airbags complaints
40
5% of 732
Crashes reported
15
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
12
Median mileage
39,953 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical airbag symptoms owners report

  • Owners report frontal collisions, including hitting a cow and other vehicles at moderate speed, where the airbags did not deploy at all.
  • Several complaints describe rear-end crashes where neither the driver's nor the passenger's airbags fired despite visible front-end damage.
  • Side-impact and T-bone collisions were reported where side airbags failed to deploy, with owners noting injuries to occupants.
  • Some owners describe smelling or hearing airbag powder or noise after a crash even though the airbags never visibly deployed.
  • One owner linked the non-deployment to a Takata-related recall issue after a crash caused a head injury.
  • A low-speed parking lot collision was also reported where the airbags failed to deploy despite front-end damage.

When 2011 Chevrolet Cruze airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 22, 2011, latest Jan 29, 2025.

2011 Chevrolet Cruze airbags complaints: complaints filed per month3Feb 2011Jan 2012Jul 2013Aug 2014Dec 2015Nov 2018May 2021
40 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2011 to Jan 2025; peak Jul 2012 (3).

Airbags recalls for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Airbags complaints by Cruze model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20101 (50%)
  2. 201140 (5%)
  3. 201234 (4%)
  4. 201349 (8%)
  5. 201477 (11%)
  6. 201520 (8%)
  7. 201621 (8%)
  8. 20177 (3%)
  9. 20188 (7%)
  10. 20193 (14%)

Frequently asked questions

How many airbag complaints does the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze have?
NHTSA lists 40 airbag complaints for the 2011 Cruze, which is 5% of the 732 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for airbag problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for the airbag component on the 2011 Cruze.
What do owners report about airbag problems on the 2011 Cruze?
Owners most often report that airbags failed to deploy during frontal, rear-end, or side-impact crashes, sometimes resulting in injuries.
At what mileage do airbag problems typically occur on the 2011 Cruze?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 39,953 miles at the time of the reported airbag failure.
How serious are the airbag complaints for the 2011 Cruze?
Of the 40 airbag complaints, 15 involved crashes, 12 involved injuries, and 1 involved a fire, according to NHTSA.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.