Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Chevrolet Cruze owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that soon after she purchased the vehicle while driving at an undisclosed speed, she noticed a white cloud of smoke coming from the hood of the vehicle. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed smoke by the reservoir tank. The contact also noticed a leak coming from engine. The contact then stated that she noticed a burning odor throughout the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that anti-freeze leaked from two separate unknown parts of the hose and at the same time, there was a burning odor at the rear passenger's side tire. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear passenger's side brake failed and needed to be replaced. The rear passenger's side brake was replaced however, the failure recurred three times. …
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact coasted to the side of the road and stopped the vehicle. The contact stated restarted the vehicle after several attempts. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated there was white smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact stated that the failure had become a recurring failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the water pump failed again and was replaced; however, recently the water pump failed again. Additionally, the contact stated that there were electrical failures with the vehicle and the doors failed to lock as needed. …
The contact leased a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, an alert appeared on the instrument panel indicating that the engine had overheated and to stop the vehicle. The contact stopped the vehicle and waited for approximately 10 minutes; however, after starting to drive, the warning light returned. The contact stated that smoke started coming from under the hood. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the thermostat housing and coolant hose needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall and advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Hi, I have had my car for a total of 8 years so far. It was bought used, in perfect condition in the beginning. Years passed and I have gained many problems down the road. First, the valve had to be replaced, spent a little under $1K, car worked well, until it started leaking coolant. Second, the car started to jerk back if you were passing at least 60mph. You go above 65-70, the car would jerk back to where it felt as if the whole bottom of the car fell off. You could press the gas pedal and it would barely go, it felt as if you were pushing the car with your own hands from the back, as if it lost power to move forward. Third, why does my coolant leak? Why is it that I have to put coolant in it at least every other week? The fan is EXTREMELY loud as well, as if it's overheating.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, she noticed smoke coming out from underneath the hood of the vehicle. A message indicating that coolant was overheating was displayed. The contact veered to side of the road. The contact stated that her friend's father, an independent mechanic, met her on the side of the road and upon inspecting under the hood, he noticed that coolant was leaking, and the coolant hoses were fractured. The contact was able to drive to her residence, where the coolant hoses were replaced; however, the failure reoccurred three months later. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving at various speeds on several occasions, the vehicle started shaking and the engine overheated. The contact veered to the side of the road and antifreeze was added to the reservoir. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was leaking antifreeze while parked or while driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated and cleared independently when the engine cooled down. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that an unknown part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated the vehicle was overheating and suddenly stalling. The contact had to wait a while for the vehicle to cool down before being able to restart the vehicle to continue driving. The contact stated that the overheating alarm and idle engine chime was audible. The contact stated that the message to turn off the A/C was displayed even though the A/C was not activated. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who replaced the thermostat and 3 coolant temperature sensors and the housing. The failure persisted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 144,813.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the Engine Control Module (ECM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 139,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the steering wheel seized, and the vehicle also lost motive power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the electronic control unit module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,212. The VIN was not available.
The car overheated constantly and was taken to a mechanic everytime. Mechanic tried a few things and to no avail. Warped head replaced and it continued to do it. Replaced the entire motor and the second motor now wont even start after it overheated. We had many people look at it and no one could figure out what the problem was. The car would turn off at times or lock up and you would have to pull off road https://www.cruzetalk.com/threads/engine-overheating-coolant-engine-not-starting.123329/ https://repairpal.com/have-2013-chevy-cruze-car-overheated-last-night-wont-start-help-please-593 https://www.vehiclehistory.com/questions/what-are-some-of-the-2013-chevy-cruze-overheating-problems-230053 https://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/cruze/2013/consumer-reviews/ According to a ranking of 87 Chevrolet generations by their reliability ratings on ChevroletProblems.com, the first-generation Chevy …
Engine complaints in other Cruze years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze?
NHTSA has 233 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze, 40% of the model year's 587 complaints. The component named most often is engine › engine control module (ecu/ecm) (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Chevrolet Cruze engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2013 Chevrolet Cruze engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 77,000 miles, and 20% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 8 crashes, 7 fires and 2 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.