Model year guide

2012 Chevrolet Cruze

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 1,304 on record.

2012 Chevrolet Cruze — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2012 Chevrolet Cruze at a glance

Safety recalls7
Owner complaints865
Overall safety5 / 5 ★
Combined29 mpg
Typical price$9,247

Free: specs, open recalls for that exact car, build sheet and fair price.

2012 Chevrolet Cruze recalls 7

Electrical System:ignition NHTSA Campaign #16V502000 · 05/07/2016

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 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…

Fix: 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…

Air Bags NHTSA Campaign #14V300000 · 06/06/2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured December 5, 2011 to August 2, 2012, and Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 1, 2011 to June 11, 2012. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may …

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at 1-800-222-1020. Buick owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. Note: This is an expansion of recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023.

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting NHTSA Campaign #12V289000 · 22/06/2012

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH MAY 14, 2012. ATTACHMENT WELDS FOR THE FUEL TANK STRAP SECONDARY BRACKETS MAY HAVE BEEN OMITTED.

Fix: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR MISSING WELDS. IF THE VEHICLE IS MISSING WELDS, DEALERS WILL SECURE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENTS WITH FASTENERS. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 9, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE CHEVROLET OWNER C…

Engine And Engine Cooling NHTSA Campaign #12V288000 · 22/06/2012

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH MAY 31, 2012. SPILLED OR DRIPPING OIL (SUCH AS AFTER AN OIL CHANGE) MAY COLLECT IN THE ENGINE SHIELD (BELLYPAN) NEAR HOT ENGINE OR EXHAUST SYSTEM SURFACES. AS A RESULT, THE OIL AND THE ENGINE SHIELD MAY IGNITE AND BURN.

Fix: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ENGINE SHIELD TO PREVENT FLUID FROM CONTACTING THE SHIELD. ALSO, ON VEHICLES WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, DEALERS WILL APPLY A PROTECTIVE TAPE TO THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING WIRE HARNESS. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE TO THE OWNER. T…

Air Bags NHTSA Campaign #12V522000 · 31/10/2012

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Fix: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel airbag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

Air Bags NHTSA Campaign #13V023000 · 24/01/2013

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic, and model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on February 13, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist NHTSA Campaign #13V360000 · 15/08/2013

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with 1.4L DOHC gasoline turbo engines and 6T40 front wheel drive automatic transmissions and equipped with an electric vacuum pump to provide supplemental vacuum for brake assist, when needed. In the affected vehicles, the pump may not activate, resulting in an intermittent reduction or loss of brake assist.

Fix: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace a microswitch in the power brake vacuum pipe assembly, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020. GM's recall number is 12213.

Source: U.S. NHTSA. A recall applies to a model year, but only a VIN check shows whether a specific car has had the repair done.

2012 Chevrolet Cruze common problems

The most-reported problem areas from 865 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Engine
Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.
Power Train
Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Service Brakes
Brakes should feel firm and quiet — no grinding, pulsing or pulling. Check for an ABS light and uneven pad/rotor wear.
Engine And Engine Cooling
Check coolant level and color, look for leaks, and confirm the engine reaches normal temperature without overheating.
Fuel/propulsion System
Check for fuel or battery warnings, hard starts and stalling. On a hybrid/EV, confirm charging and range behave normally.

2012 Chevrolet Cruze safety ratings

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze 4 DR FWD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.

2012 Chevrolet Cruze MPG & running costs

Combined29 mpg
City25 mpg
Highway36 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$2,138

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov, averaged across trims.

What's a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze worth?

Low
$7,100
Typical price
$9,247
High
$11,300

From 1,292 comparable 2012 Chevrolet Cruze listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$10,690
Fuel only$10,690
Per mile$0.14

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2012 Chevrolet Cruze trims & engines on record

Trims
1LT · LS · 2LT · Eco · LTZ · LT Fleet · 2LS · 1FL
Engines
1.4L 4-cyl · 1.8L 4-cyl

2012 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles on record

Other Chevrolet Cruze model years

2012 Chevrolet Cruze — frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze have any safety recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze?

Based on 865 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are engine, power train, electrical system.

What is the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze safety rating?

NHTSA gives the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze an overall crash-test rating of 5 out of 5 stars (frontal 5★, side 5★, rollover 4★).

What gas mileage does the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze get?

The U.S. EPA rates the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze at about 29 mpg combined (25 city / 36 highway).

How much is a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze worth?

Comparable 2012 Chevrolet Cruze listings run roughly $7,100–$11,300, typically around $9,247 (from 1,292 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.