The Lane Check

Cars › Chevrolet › Cruze › 2015

2015 Chevrolet Cruze problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
58%
132 of 229 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

58% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 77% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 23 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 52%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
Share this car

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 132 of 229 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (58%), and the largest group is filed under engine (99). For comparison, the 2014 scores 53% and the 2016 scores 63%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
132
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
252
this model year
Fires reported
4
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
20 crashes · 13 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE99 · 39%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM49 · 19%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER46 · 18%
POWER TRAIN37 · 15%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)30 · 12%
STEERING24 · 10%

The years either side

2010
too few complaints
2011
64%
443 of 732
2012
50%
412 of 865
2013
61%
326 of 587
2014
53%
323 of 702
2015
58%
132 of 252
2016
63%
140 of 250
2017
58%
106 of 201
2018
52%
49 of 109
2019
too few complaints
2020
no data
2021
no data
2022
no data
2023
no data

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze

What one owner reported

STEERING,POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES09/28/2024CRASH1 INJURED
I have been up there date for fixing this vehicle for the last 4 years when i bought it with 60k miles , I have replaced multiple parts so far from foil pump , wheel, coolant pipes and the container many times from constant leaking in the fuel pump, I have replaced the alternater twice by 70k miles , ABS system failed …

One of 132 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
electrical system: ignition16V502000 · Jul 2016
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…
seat belts: front: anchorage15V876000 · Dec 2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured September 24, 2014, to May 29, 2015. In the affected vehicles, one of the driver-side seat belt…
steering15V442000 · Jul 2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured November 8, 2013, to March 12, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Volt vehicles manufactured April 11,…
parking brake15V113000 · Feb 2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured February 4, 2015, to February 9, 2015. The left-rear or right-rear parking brake cable brackets may…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2015 Chevrolet Cruze? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze

Does the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 132 of 229 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (58%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze?

No. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Chevrolet Cruze years are better?

Among the Chevrolet Cruze years we track, the 2012 (50%), the 2018 (52%) and the 2014 (53%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2015 (58%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2015 Chevrolet Cruze?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2015 Chevrolet Cruze has an elevated engine complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing engine work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the engine. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

Check a VIN

Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.