2011 Chevrolet Cruze Electrical System Problems
NHTSA lists 100 Electrical System complaints for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, 14% of its 732 total complaints, with 5 crashes, 4 fires, and 1 injury reported. Median mileage at failure was 59,000 miles. No recall directly targets the 2011 Cruze's electrical system.
- Electrical System complaints
- 100
- 14% of 732
- Crashes reported
- 5
- Fires reported
- 4
- Injuries reported
- 1
- Median mileage
- 59,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical electrical symptoms owners report
- Owners report smoke or burning odor from under the dash or hood, sometimes escalating to a fire while driving at low speed.
- Some describe the vehicle shutting down completely on the highway, with dashboard lights flashing and warning systems activating before the shutdown.
- Several owners report the speedometer jumping to a high reading while stopped at a light, then slowly falling back to zero.
- A burning smell was noted coming through the heating and air conditioning vents.
- Some owners report trouble starting the car, with the engine cranking intermittently or requiring a jump start.
When 2011 Chevrolet Cruze electrical complaints were filed
First complaint May 18, 2011, latest Jun 19, 2026.
Electrical System recalls for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
- NHTSA 16V502000Jul 5, 2016Electrical System8,367 vehicles
Electrical system:ignition
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 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
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 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
Electrical System complaints by Cruze model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many electrical complaints does the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze have?
- NHTSA lists 100 Electrical System complaints for the 2011 Cruze, which is 14% of the 732 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze electrical system?
- The related recall in the data, campaign 16V502000, covers the electronic park lock lever on 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, not the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze.
- Did the electrical problems cause fires or crashes?
- NHTSA data shows 4 fires, 5 crashes, and 1 injury linked to Electrical System complaints on the 2011 Cruze.
- At what mileage do electrical problems typically appear?
- The median mileage at failure for Electrical System complaints on the 2011 Cruze is 59,000 miles.
- How does the 2011 Cruze compare to other years for electrical complaints?
- The 2011 Cruze had 100 electrical complaints (14% share); later years like 2012 (201 complaints, 23%) and 2014 (197 complaints, 28%) show a higher share of complaints in this area.