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).
I have been up there date for fixing this vehicle for the last 4 years when i bought it with 60k miles , I have replaced multiple parts so far from foil pump , wheel, coolant pipes and the container many times from constant leaking in the fuel pump, I have replaced the alternater twice by 70k miles , ABS system failed many times and no one can fix it , Lastly , my daughter was driving to school and while she was driving on the roundabout in the outer lane . She tried to turn the steering wheel t take the exit and everything got locked on her immediately from steering wheel and the break paddle caused he car shift to the curb and hit the side walk because it went out if control because the tire split out the wheel along with another piece from wheel behind the tire , almost killed my daughter on the seen . …
My engine light has been randomly coming on then off leaving many history codes. It's normally a diesel particulate filter code and I have paid hundreds replacing each sensor or part. So this time, Carroll Buick of Venice Fla says the embedded code is saying I need an engine control module , same code. I'm still driving it they say it's safe to drive because the part $900.00, plus labor, is backorder. I'm a bit over 100,000 miles and I have a lifetime power train warranty but it won't cover any electrical parts only greased literal parts of engine or transmission. I'm not certain it's true anymore they replaced everything so far over 2 years but I'm at theor mercy. Zurich warranty is not covering this and I'm shocked it went just b4 100k miles and now I'm at 107k. I feel chevy should own this issue since I've been told to keep driving it with the engine light on. …
It shakes and stutters while driving off and on. If it's super cold outside it may not even start. When sitting idle it'll spit and sputter and periodically backfire. When going to take off from a stop sign there's lag or it won't take off at all even floored. I'm getting milky oil so I'm getting condensation from somewhere. This trickle effect all starts off my MAF sensor and has progressively gotten worse. I've had the MAF, o2 sensor, turbo valve , spark plugs, battery(s) changed all trying to fix this issue and 2 years later I'm still fighting with it. …
When i turn the A/C on, it appears a message on the screen that says A/C off due to high engine temperature. The car is losing coolant without external leak. A mechanic performed a cold pump test to the cooling system and no external leak was found. After that it was performed a compression test at a shop to each cylinder, finding that there's a bad head gasket. My car only has 70.000 miles and it has a bad head gasket already. This can cause an accident because when your engine is overheating, you should pull over your car as soon as possible to avoid any serious damage on your car. Besides that, the losing of coolant should cause a fire on the engine. There are recalls for the same vehicle but not for the 2015 Cruze and I have read lot of complaints about the same issue.
Water pump failed and car began to overheat. The car advised that it was turning off my heat due to the car getting too hot and then advised to stop the car due to overheating. When i took it to a certified chevy dealership the mechanic stated that this car maker and model was well known to leak liquids from many locations under the hood. He said that this car alone has kept them in service with as many repairs they have to do for these cars. My car was the fourth Chevy Cruze there that day that had some type of liquid leaking from under the hood. If this is that well known an issue with these type of cars then chevy should have a recall to fix this obvious malfunction so i wanted to make sure i Made a complaint on this in case others had not.
The check engine light came up, after having the code read it was discovered that the turbo charger was bad. My vehicle was fixed by the dealer. Prior to being fixed my vehicle was running rougher and accelerating at a slower speed.
Sometimes when slowing to a stop, the car engine accelerates. I have to step on brakes very hard to keep the car from going forward. On November 5, 2015, I was slowly pulling into a parking space and the car accelerated, I stepped on brakes really hard but the car went forward...into a stone wall. No one can tell me what the problem is so I wind up still driving a car that May decide to lurch forward into traffic, a wall, another car. The vehicle is at the dealership now and I am waiting to hear about the status. I was told by the service center person to call GM and tell them that I have a potential product liability case. I am at a loss at what to do.
Car is in for service for 3rd time -- intermittent electrical problem causing loss of transmission (I.e. Revs then drops in and out of gear); driver display warnings include service stabilitrak, service power steering, service transmission. Power door locks also operate on their own. Instrument cluster gauges will drop towards their off position, then resume normal position during these events. If the car is shut off, sometimes a "no start" condition will occur when the key is turned to the start position, gauges will operate normal even with no start condition. After rapidly cycling the key off/on/start position for sometimes up to 30 times, car has always eventually started. Sometimes condition has cleared, other times transmission is stuck in a gear (3rd for previous dealership visit, 4th for current visit) but not in a limp home mode as full engine power is available. …
I just had work done on the engine for the 5th time in the last 2 years. All repairs are related to the engine overheating or not regulating properly. The first time there was smoke coming from the engine. The repairs to the engine have cost me almost $3000 and that is not including normal maintenance. The most recent issue is the turbocharger bypass valve. I had it replaced on 6/27/20 and the light came back on with the same code on 6/28/20. When I had work done at the Chevy dealership in August/September of 2019 I was told that this is a common problem they are seeing in almost all Chevy cruzes. I've been told this at 5+ different device centers while getting repairs done on the engine or general maintenance done. The car hasn't even reached 100,000 miles and I'm being told I probably need a new engine. This is not OK. I've bought and repaired this car at Chevy dealerships. …
Bought 2015 Cruze lt used in 2017 from lhm used car supermarket. 3 months later I'm returning to dealership as there is a large quantity of dexcool on the ground. Still under warranty they replace the water pump. 3 months later and the vehicle starts shaking and shuddering while at stop lights looses power and even stalls on the highway. Took it to mechanic outside the lhm perview and mechanic stated: leaking coolant on transmission housing and pooling there drain plug stripped out causing massive oil leak and pcv bad needs replaced. The new mechanic replaced the oil pan and gave estimates for the parts and labor for the pcv and the coolant leak. Now don't get me wrong I love my Cruze but I was told id be close to what I owe on the car to repair it as Chevrolet will not do a recall on the massive issue parts, there is only 59,213 miles on the vehicle. …
Transmission complaints in other Cruze years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze?
NHTSA has 37 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze, 15% of the model year's 252 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2015 Chevrolet Cruze transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain 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 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 59,000 miles, and 26% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain 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.