AutoUtility currently tracks 249 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. Engine & Cooling issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 89 complaints (35.7% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 19 filings cite a crash, 6 cite a fire, 12 report one or more injuries.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
89 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
58 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
37 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
35 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
5 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"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 stop working i have had trouble ever since i bought this a year ago"
"Manufacturer: General Motors / Chevrolet Vehicle: 2016 Chevrolet Cruze LT (VIN: [XXX]) Corporate Case Number: XXX Nature of Dispute: Premature mechanical failure of a major drivetrain assembly and administrative bad faith. Factual Timeline: Initial Failure & Prior Liability: At 51,490 miles, the..."
"After 3 years of having this car it’s overheating each summer requiring the coolant system, hoses, thermostat, and water pump to be replaced each summer. As well as major oil leaking after full tune ups."
"Coolant system and engine fan"
"My engine needed oil I checked the dip stick added the oil the next day my engine started leaking and over heating come to find out there’s a pcv issue the valve cover gasket along with multiple other seals need replaced I was unaware of anything wrong no indication of over heating I just smelled..."
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2019)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Chevrolet Cruze | 251 | 20 | 4 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Chevrolet Cruze Current Page | 249 | 19 | 4 | Current |
| 2017 Chevrolet Cruze | 201 | 8 | 2 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 Chevrolet Cruze | 109 | 17 | 3 | View 2018 Problems → |
| 2019 Chevrolet Cruze | 20 | 4 | 2 | View 2019 Problems → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 80 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 15 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,WHEELS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,WHEELS,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| EQUIPMENT,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEATS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires NHTSA category: TIRES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| WHEELS,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WHEELS,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze is Engine & Cooling, appearing in 89 records (35.7% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Electrical System (58) and Fuel & Propulsion System (37).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 249 consumer defect complaints and 4 safety recall campaigns for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze.
Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.
Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 19 filings cite a crash, 6 cite smoke or fire, and 12 report one or more injuries.
Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.