2017 Chevrolet Cruze: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 201 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine (28% of complaints); the 2019 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall May 2018
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 201 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The engine has excessive blow by from the oil filler cap. Having a misfire on cylinder number 1 and idling rough. There are several threads online concerning this issue being caused by worn pistons and piston rings.”Owner report · Engine · May 2026
“My airbag light came on. My vehicle has less than 100K miles on it. I took it to the Chevy Dealership that I purchased it from. The dealership indicated that the passenger side rail air bag is the issue. Apparently, that airbag is no longer available. If I wanted to repair it, they can't, because there is no airbag. As long as the airbag light remains on, NONE of my airbags will deploy. My car is now a useless lemon. I don't feel comfortable driving it in the condition it's in, but I have to commute to work.”Owner report · Air Bags · Mar 2026
“Paint bubbling and rusting alone the car even though it's washed and is no where near salt never even been hit there are tons of issues with GM paint yall need to fix these and recall every gm car with this issue and wipers are very rough scratching windshield”Owner report · Structure · Jan 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“Car is currently not drivable due to strong smell of gas coming from under the hood. Findings, gas is leaking into the engine and car will not crank. Diagnostic machine indicates poor fuel to fuel injector causing a gas leak within the engine.”Owner report · Engine · Jan 2026
“Apparently there is a TSB from GM regarding the end for updated/replacement of parts concerning the hydraulic piping, slave cylinder and accumulator. My clutch became spongy then stuck on the floor. This happened unexpectedly (reservoir full) while driving and almost caused an accident. Apparently GM doesn't take enough accountability to update the failure before or after failure. Reporting this hoping it will eventually force a recall!”Owner report · Power Train · Nov 2025
“My head lights stopped working except the day time running lights. The high beams don't work nor the actual head lights. They just went out.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Oct 2025
“The Cruze has always been slow to accelerate which made passing a problem. In May 2025 we were driving on [XXX] in Detroit and the engine light came on the dashboard. We were able to drive the car without propulsion to Lansing, a distance of 90 miles. Feldman Chevorolet said the code for the light was engine turbo-charger. That's a $3K repair. We have no choice but to drive the car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”Owner report · Seats · May 2025
“Check engine light say turbo charger problem code is P0299, i have googled this issue and its pretty common on this vehicle as well as prior years of chevy cruzes. There should be an investigation as to why this issue is so common.”Owner report · Engine · May 2025
“The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the door latches independently unlocked and locked. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure had occurred with all four doors. The contact stated that the RPM occasionally increased unintendedly. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer twice; however, the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 16,994.”Owner report · Electrical System · Mar 2025
“There has not been any specific incident, but I have noticed a gasoline odor while driving my car. The smell is particularly strong when I open the trunk. I have had the issue inspected and inquired about the cause, as the odor began suddenly and without any apparent reason.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Feb 2025
When filing, owners marked a crash in 8 of these complaints and injuries in 5 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 2 campaigns
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."
Remedy: 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. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18159.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. A bracket used in the driver or front passenger seat-back recliner mechanism may have been incorrectly welded to the seat-back frame, as a result, in the event of a crash, the head-restraints may not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 202a, "Head Restraints."
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front passenger seats, replacing any with seat-back frames that are incorrectly welded, free of charge. The recall began on February 28, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17035.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
How other years compare
Check your exact Cruze by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze reliable?
NHTSA has 201 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. The most complained-about area is engine (28% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2017 Chevrolet Cruze problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 30,000 miles or less.
Does the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning fuel system, gasoline. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.