YearToAvoid

2013 Chevrolet Cruze Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 112 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze, 19% of its 586 total complaints. Two related recalls (14V151000 and 13V452000) cover half shaft failures, and median mileage at failure is 39,603 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
112
19% of 586
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
39,603 mi
Related recalls
2

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Vehicle lunges or surges forward while stopped with foot on the brake, sometimes at low mileage shortly after purchase.
  • Car jerks or clicks when shifting from reverse into drive, occasionally accompanied by a loud clicking sound.
  • Vehicle rolls backward on an incline after the brake pedal is released, even though dealers told owners this was normal.
  • At highway speed, check engine light comes on with a noise described as the transmission struggling to pull, along with drivetrain error codes.
  • Transmission makes a loud noise and fails to engage gear, leaving the car unable to shift into gear or park.

When 2013 Chevrolet Cruze transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Apr 5, 2013, latest Nov 7, 2024.

2013 Chevrolet Cruze transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter192013 Q22014 Q32016 Q12017 Q32018 Q42020 Q12021 Q42023 Q3
112 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q2 to 2024 Q4; peak 2014 Q2 (19).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze

  1. NHTSA 14V151000Mar 31, 2014Transmission & Powertrain174,046 vehicles

    Power train:axle assembly:axle shaft

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with a 1.4L turbo engine, and manufactured between November 28, 2012, and March 7, 2014. On the affected vehicles, the right front half shaft may fracture and separate.

    Risk: If the half shaft fractures and separates while driving, the vehicle would lose power and coast to a stop. If a vehicle with a fractured half shaft is parked without the parking brake applied, the vehicle could move unexpectedly. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the right half shaft, as needed, free of charge. Parts for the remedy are not currently available. GM will send an interim letter to owners in May 2014. A second owner letter will be mailed when parts are available. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-866-694-6546. GM's number for this recall is 14079. This is an expansion of recall 13V-452. NOTE: Some vehicles subject to this recall were subject to the recall campaign initiated in 2013. Some of those vehicles were repaired using defective parts. Those owners will be advised that they must have their vehicles remedied again under this campaign and that having the earlier recall completed did not remedy their vehicles.

  2. NHTSA 13V452000Sep 23, 2013Transmission & Powertrain3,161 vehicles

    Power train:axle assembly:axle shaft

    General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with manual transmissions (MF3/MR5) and manufactured January 24, 2013, through August 1, 2013. On the affected vehicles, the right front half shaft may fracture and separate.

    Risk: If the half shaft fractures and separates while driving, the vehicle would lose power and coast to a stop. If a vehicle with a fractured half shaft is parked without the parking brake applied, the vehicle could move unexpectedly. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: General Motors has notified owners. Dealers will replace the half shaft assembly, free of charge. The safety recall began on October 15, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300. This is General Motors campaign number 13276.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Cruze model year

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

  1. 20101 (50%)
  2. 2011193 (26%)
  3. 2012137 (16%)
  4. 2013112 (19%)
  5. 201497 (14%)
  6. 201537 (15%)
  7. 201631 (12%)
  8. 201739 (19%)
  9. 201823 (21%)
  10. 20196 (29%)

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission and powertrain complaints does NHTSA have for the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze?
NHTSA has logged 112 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2013 Cruze, which is 19% of the 586 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a transmission or powertrain recall for the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze?
Yes. Recall 14V151000 covers right half shaft replacement on turbo models, and recall 13V452000 covers half shaft assembly replacement on manual transmission models built between January 24, 2013, and August 1, 2013.
At what mileage do 2013 Cruze transmission problems typically show up?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 39,603 miles for Transmission & Powertrain complaints on the 2013 Cruze.
Did the 2013 Cruze transmission issues cause any crashes or fires?
NHTSA records show 1 crash and 0 fires linked to Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2013 Cruze, with 0 injuries reported.
How does the 2013 Cruze compare to other years for this issue?
The 2013 Cruze's 112 Transmission & Powertrain complaints and 19% share are lower than 2011's 193 complaints (26% share) but higher than 2014's 97 complaints (14% share).

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.