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2016 Chevrolet Cruze problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
63% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 84% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 27 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 56%).
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 140 of 223 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (63%), and the largest group is filed under engine (102). For comparison, the 2015 scores 58% and the 2017 scores 58%. 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.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
The rest of the picture on the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Every owner quote, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 140 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 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 4 in total. 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.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Cruze LS vehicles, equipped with a gasoline engine and a tire inflator kit instead of a spare tire. The vehicles may leak gasoline following a rear-impact crash and a rollover. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
Risk: A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a lock-ring on the fuel tank that will shield the fuel tank vapor pressure sensor from damage in a rear-impact crash, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2018.…
3 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 17, 2026.
Checking one particular 2016 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 2016 Chevrolet Cruze
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 140 of 223 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (63%). 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 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 4 in total: 18V304000 (fuel system, gasoline). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
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 2016 (63%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.
Should I buy a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze?
That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2016 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 VINExperimental 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. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.