2013 Chevrolet Cruze Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
67/100
#4 most-complained of 10 Cruze years
The 2013 Chevrolet Cruze has 586 NHTSA complaints and 5 recalls, with a complaint index of 67 and rank 4 of 10 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Engine problems dominate at 43% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 75,000.
- Complaints
- 586
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes / fires
- 54 / 8
- Injuries / deaths
- 32 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 30
- 26 city / 36.5 hwy
Top 2013 Chevrolet Cruze problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine254 (43%)
- Electrical System126 (22%)
- Transmission & Powertrain112 (19%)
- Brakes107 (18%)
- Other77 (13%)
- Steering74 (13%)
- Airbags49 (8%)
- Fuel System32 (5%)
- Visibility & Wipers28 (5%)
- Structure & Body16 (3%)
What owners report
- Engine compartment fires reported after minor impacts, sometimes with airbags failing to deploy even in a crash.
- Sudden loss of engine power along with engine leaks and smoking, described by one owner as making the car unsafe to drive with family aboard.
- Unintended acceleration while parking or backing up, with brakes unable to stop the vehicle before hitting an object.
- Brake pedal feels hard to push and does not respond, sometimes twice in a short period, with dealers unable to duplicate the issue.
- Oil filter housing leaking oil into the engine compartment shortly after an oil change, leading to fire and melted wiring harnesses.
- Airbags failing to deploy in low-speed rear-end crashes, resulting in injuries such as concussion.
2013 Chevrolet Cruze recalls
5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- NHTSA 14V417000Jul 2, 2014Other2,990 vehicles
Equipment:electrical
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured August 7, 2012, to August 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured May 10, 2011, to August 16, 2012 equipped with a Calix oil pan/block heater. In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed.
Risk: Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14257.
- NHTSA 14V372000Jun 26, 2014Airbags29,019 vehicles
Air bags
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the driver's front air bag inflator may have been manufactured with an incorrect part.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's air bag, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike and potentially seriously injure the vehicle occupants. Additionally, if the air bag does not inflate, the driver is at an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side air bag, free of charge. The recall began on June 28, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14305.
2013 Chevrolet Cruze fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 26 MPG
- Highway
- 36.5 MPG
- Combined
- 30 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,150
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2013 compared with other Cruze years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2013 Cruze a complaint index of 67 and a rank of 4 out of 10 model years, with a Caution verdict. It has fewer complaints and recalls than the 2011, 2012, or 2014 model years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze?
- Engine issues make up 43% of complaints, followed by electrical system problems at 22% and transmission and powertrain issues at 19%. The median mileage at failure for engine complaints is 75,000.
- Does the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 5 recalls linked to the 2013 Cruze, covering airbags, transmission half shafts, an oil pan heater cord, an electrical park lock lever, and related transmission issues. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2013 Cruze compare to other Cruze model years?
- The 2013 Cruze's complaint index of 67 is lower than the 2011 (78), 2012 (100), and 2014 (89) model years, all rated Avoid, but higher than the 2015-2019 model years, most of which are rated Good or Best.
- Were there any fires reported in the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze?
- NHTSA lists 8 fire-related complaints for the 2013 Cruze, several tied to engine compartment fires including one linked to an oil filter housing leak.