Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2015 Chevrolet Cruze owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The car was a total loss due to a MVA which involved this car only. The car hydroplaned, it spun and the traction control light was blinking. The front of the car hit the guardrail, spun, and then the back end hit the guardrail. At this point, all the dash lights were blinking and the car dead in the road. The flashers were turned on but due to the car dead, there were no flashers on and the car was stuck in the fast lane of a three lane highway in the dark and pouring rain. The air bags never deployed nor did the seatbelt tighten up. Components that failed: flashers, airbags, seatbelts, etc. Safety: could not alert other drivers that the car was in the road and was almost struck by a tractor trailer and other cars. Problem was reported to the insurance company who claimed it as a total loss. The police were called to the scene of the accident so there is a police report. …
My car was stopped at the red light in traffic waiting for the light to turn green when my vehicle was rear ended car dashboard registered that the airbags went off along with smell of the airbag ignition powder however no airbags actually were released
I was driving down the hill and my car came out of gear the road was slick so I couldn't hit my breaks I had to crash into the ditch to keep from going over the mountain. My airbags did not come out my car is not drivable.
My husband was traveling at approximately 50 m.p.h. He was looking in the rearview mirror. When he looked ahead, the SUV in front of him was stopped for the vehicle ahead to turn. By the time he saw the SUV was stopped, there was about 10-15 feet between our car and the SUV. He braked and tried to swerve to the side to miss the SUV but was unsuccessful. He slammed into the rear of the SUV. The SUV suffered minor damage. Our vehicle suffered significant front end damage and was later totaled. No airbags deployed in our car.
Tl* the contact owned a 2015 Chevrolet Cruze. The VIN was not provided. The contact stated that while her husband was driving about 45 MPH, the vehicle rear-ended another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. There was no warning. There was no injury. A police report was filed. The vehicle was damaged and was towed away by the insurance company. The insurance company had not made a decision on the status of the vehicle. The dealer and the manufacturer were not called. The failure mileage was 55,593.
Major front and side impact--no airbag deployment. Entered intersection properly and another driver ran through red light and hit the car in right front, cracking the windshield, and spinning the car around and hitting the right rear side, breaking the right rear wheel off and resting on it sideways. Right front passenger received mild concussion from hitting head on right door glass. Driver and passenger have bruises. Both had seat and shoulder belts on.
I was rear ended on the freeway at a very high rate of speed. I was traveling at 65-70 MPH... The car that hit me was approximately traveling 85-90.. The impact sent me across the 2 and 1 lane in traffic.. No air bags deployed anywhere in the vehicle. However smoke from the bag filled the passenger space and the dash indicator lights , display a deployment had taken place. Again no bags deployed.
I was rear ended by a driver traveling over 45mph while I was at a full stop. This impact slammed my vehicle into the truck infront of mine, and should have caused the airbags to deploy. Despite the onboard computer alerting me that they had, no airbags in the car deployed. There was however a distinct odor and white powder present, leading me to believe they May have attempted to.
Driving from ski area in line of cars at 15mph when cars ahead started to stop. Had "snowflake" button pushed. Brakes appeared not to engage, progressively pushed on brake harder but no effect, fortunately by the time of impact car had slowed to 5mph and airbags did not deploy. Damage to front grille. Turning off "snowflake" (ABS) returned braking to normal.
After I had stopped at a red light, I began to start a left turn, when I was impacted by a distracted driver on the driver's side. The other car hit me directly on the driver side front panel, crushing both doors, bending the front axle, and totaling my car. As a result of the impact, my head hit the window, and caused it to shatter, giving me a concussion.
Airbag complaints in other Cruze years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the air bags of the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze, 8% of the model year's 252 complaints. The component named most often is side/window (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Chevrolet Cruze airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze, though it has 4 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 2015 Chevrolet Cruze airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles, and 21% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 15 crashes, 0 fires and 8 injuries to air bags 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.