2018 Chevrolet Cruze Safety Report
2018 Chevrolet Cruze Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | High (3) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | High (106) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 20 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Power Train | Compare power train issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2019 | Compare against the 2019 Chevrolet Cruze with 18 complaints and 2 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2015 | Check the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze before buying across this generation. |
Chevrolet Cruze Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Chevrolet Cruze years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Chevrolet Cruze | 18 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2017 Chevrolet Cruze | 198 | 2 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2016 Chevrolet Cruze | 242 | 4 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2015 Chevrolet Cruze | 250 | 4 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
2018 Chevrolet Cruze Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Power Train
16 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train issues Chevrolet onlyUnknown Or Other
12 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Chevrolet onlyEngine
10 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine issues Chevrolet onlyService Brakes
6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Service Brakes issues Chevrolet onlyExterior Lighting
4 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Exterior Lighting issues Chevrolet onlyVisibility/Wiper
4 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Visibility/Wiper issues Chevrolet onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze
Reliability Score
The 2018 Chevrolet Cruze receives a reliability score of 45 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates average reliability — some notable concerns exist that prospective buyers should be aware of.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic Transmission Recall General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 models due to issues with the automatic transmission. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Engine Misfire Engine misfires and stalling have been reported, leading to recalls for 2016-2018 Chevrolet Cruze LS vehicles. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Airbag Deployment Failure The service safety restraint system has been recalled due to airbags potentially not deploying in an accident. |
High | Rare | 30k-60k miles |
| Clutch Pedal Sticking A hydraulic clutch line failure has been reported, causing the clutch pedal to stick and preventing clutch actuation. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze:
The infotainment touchscreen system has frozen and become unresponsive, causing safety concerns.
The service safety restraint system has been recalled due to airbags potentially not deploying in an accident.
Recalls have been issued for automatic transmission issues, particularly in the GM-9T50 9 speed automatic.
Recall Details for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze
The following 3 recalls have been issued for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze by NHTSA:
Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Consequence: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this r...
Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Consequence: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
Summary: 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."
Consequence: A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
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.
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 5 complaints involved crashes. 4 reported injuries or fatalities.
Unknown. The car seems to stall or slip when accelerating as is misfiring. It cuts off in the middle of the streets after coming out of auto stop mode. Pcv valve keeps popping up as issue. I had the pcv changed o2 sensors checked cleaned throttle body and air filter changed. The car still gives same problem and engine power reduction keeps popping on dashboard.
-The engine experienced internal failure resulting in low compression in cylinder 1. The failure has rendered the vehicle inoperable. The vehicle and engine are currently available for inspection upon request. The issue was diagnosed and confirmed by both an independent mechanic and an authorized Chevrolet dealership. Both identified low compression in cylinder 1 due to internal engine failure. ...
The steering started to shake. The car seat started to shake as well. It felt very unsafe, but there was no serious injury. John from Feldman Chevrolet in New Hudson, Michigan said that there is a "Cylinder 1 misfire code". After the car started shaking, the engine light came on. John told us that the engine should be replaced.
Hesitate to change gears properly. Engine stalling. RPM will rive up. Sounds like the transmission wants to slip.
My vehicle would jerk while driving and sometimes not want to even go at a stop light when it turned green. Check engine light has been on. Even when I was at a stop light it would just start jerking forward. I took it to an automotive repair shop after replacing multiple parts on the vehicle. Automotive shop ran a compression test and said it failed. Internal cylinder issue. So the vehicle barel...
The car is making a whistling sound, the check engine light is on and it has low power. Also wanting to stall
I own a 2018 Chevrolet Cruze, and the infotainment touchscreen system has completely frozen with the same error screen that many other Cruze owners have reported online. This is not simply a case of an unresponsive touchscreen — the system locks up with an identical error screen across multiple Cruze vehicles (different years and trims). The issue disables all touchscreen functions, including Blu...
The infotainment touchscreen on my 2018 Chevrolet Cruze has become unresponsive and frozen on the startup warning screen. Because of this, I am unable to access basic functions such as Bluetooth, CarPlay, and Android Auto. The radio (FM) still works, but I cannot connect my phone for calls, navigation, or music. This issue is widely reported by many other Cruze owners, yet there is no recall or o...
P0325 knock sensor multiple occurrences of sluggish performance causing safety risk when entering into traffic. This is the 3rd time I’ve replaced this sensor. And it’s very dangerous when it happens. This happens at the exact same time last year at the end of June beginning of July 2024 as well which made Chicago driving very dangerous.
Service safety restraint system. Airbags are potentially at risk to not deploy if a wreck was to occur. This failure has caused the airbags to be shut off despite anyone sitting in the seats that is supposed to activate them on when weight is applied to the seat. Has not been inspected but I would like for it to be inspected on behalf of the Chevy dealership at their cost.
While sitting at a stop light the hydraulic clutch line failed causing the clutch pedal to stick to the floor. This issue prevents the clutch actuation preventing the the transmission from being disconnected from the engine. General Motors Bulletin number: PIP5558C was found and appears to be the issue.
EGR Cooler issues. Has been confirmed by dealer. CEL light on. I’ve been told GM “has issues” with these…GM should issue recall.
Purchased new in 2019 – 32k miles - Oil changes every 6 months. Lightly driven, no modifications, all original engine components and tune. Engine developed a significant miss. Several warnings on Stabilitrak, ABS, and P0300. Significant oil leak at front of engine, oil is splashed all over the passenger side of the engine compartment. There is significant ‘chugging’ of air and oil from the dipstic...
Transmisson losing 9th gear, torque converter, front pump failing and wiping out valve body on the GM-9T50 9 speed automatic. many owner experiencing same problems with no solution or upgrade from GM
The rear brakes are gouging the rotors on both wheels. The car has less than 26,000 miles on it. Front brakes are still in excellent condition and and car is having no problem with braking except there is noise. Have not yet talked with anyone at a dealer. There is no indication of any problem except for the noise. However rear brakes and rotors will need to be replaced or braking will become...
My transmission started acting up around 70,000 miles. I noticed symptoms like stalling when backing up, trouble coming to a stop from higher speeds, and an occasional stutter. My local transmission shop couldn’t replicate the issue, as it was intermittent, and recommended an oil change. At 100,000 miles, the transmission began slipping, so I changed the oil again, only to find it was black and bu...
9/28/2024 abs light and traction control light came on my 2018 chevy Cruze LT along with steering assist reduced while driving home making car hard to steer above 50 mph and coming into curves Chevrolet needs to be made to recall and repair this problem, I have noticed a lot of Cruze owners having the same problem could be dangerous while driving without some previous indication or prior warrantin...
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the Auto START/STOP failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that when the vehicle was restarted, there was a slightly shuddering noticeable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the vehicle was not repaired because the failure was related with an unknown recall; however, th...
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Cruz. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the ECM. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Product Emission Recall 18239. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but ...
tpms light 3 tirees affected to expensive to replace Chevrolet needs to inquire about the life of the tpms system on their vehicles should last longer than 5 years.
Showing 20 of 106 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze
Has the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE been recalled?
Yes, the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE has 3 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE have?
The 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE has 106 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 17 involved crashes. 7 injuries and 1 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE?
The 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE received an overall NHTSA safety rating of excellent (5/5). Frontal crash: 5/5. Side crash: 4/5. Rollover: 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE involve power train (16 complaints), unknown or other (12 complaints), engine (10 complaints). Other affected components include service brakes, exterior lighting, visibility/wiper.
How many crash reports does the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE have?
There are 17 crash reports associated with the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE out of 106 total complaints (16.0% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE have?
There are 3 fire reports for the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE out of 106 total complaints. Fire reports are among the most serious safety concerns tracked by NHTSA.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE?
Yes, 1 death has been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE. These are self-reported by complainants and do not imply the vehicle caused the death.
How many injuries are reported for the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE?
7 injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE is acceptable with caveats. It has 106 complaints, 3 recalls, and a excellent (5/5) safety rating. Note: 1 death(s) have been reported. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE?
The components with the most failures on the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE are: 1. POWER TRAIN (16 complaints), 2. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (12 complaints), 3. ENGINE (10 complaints), 4. SERVICE BRAKES (6 complaints), 5. EXTERIOR LIGHTING (4 complaints). POWER TRAIN is the single most-reported problem area with 16 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE?
Be cautious of power train and infotainment system issues. Check for recalls and address any reported problems promptly. The 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE has 106 NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it excellent (5/5).
How reliable is the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE?
The 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE receives a reliability score of 45/100, indicating average reliability. This is based on 106 owner complaints, 3 recalls, and 20 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Automatic Transmission Recall and Engine Misfire.
What are the known issues with the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE?
Known issues with the 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE include: Automatic Transmission Recall, Engine Misfire, Airbag Deployment Failure, Clutch Pedal Sticking. These are based on patterns found across 106 NHTSA complaints. 3 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
What are the most common issues with the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze?
Common issues include power train problems, infotainment system malfunctions, and airbag deployment failures.
Are there any recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze?
Yes, there are recalls for automatic transmission issues, engine misfires, and airbag deployment failures.
What should I do if I experience clutch pedal sticking?
Check for recalls and have the clutch system inspected by a professional mechanic.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be cautious of power train and infotainment system issues. Check for recalls and address any reported problems promptly.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2018 Chevrolet Cruze
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze. The data includes 106 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 3 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 17 reported crashes, 3 fire incidents, 7 reported injuries, and 1 fatalities associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2018 Chevrolet Cruze an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 5 stars, a side crash rating of 4 stars, and a rollover rating of 4 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-14