Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 Chevrolet Cruze owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that the vehicle was designed with the Auto START/STOP feature; however, while at a complete stop, the engine turned off but failed to restart. The contact shifted into park (P) and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving between 35-65 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jolted and hesitated to respond. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. The contact also stated that the check engine warning light illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed but no issues were found. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while shifting from first to second gear, the clutch was depressed and remained on the floorboard. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to drive without shifting gears to his residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
I should have filed a complaint here after the catastrophic failure. The next time I may not be so lucky and it could cause loss of life. I was driving at approx. 65 MPH on the frwy when bang! An explosion under my hood that caused my car to jump over a lane, I slammed on the breaks, swerved but couldn't push the brake pedal down anymore. It felt hard and would barely move. i had no way to slowdown or stop! And traffic infront of me was slowing fast. I put all my weight on that pedal even tried pumping it, but it would only move alittle. Luckily the car in front sped up just enough for me to swerve onto the shoulder. As I slowed i could depress pedal alittle if I stood up on it out of my seat but stopping distance was like 15ft while maybe going 15 mph. This all happened in a matter of minutes i still dont know how I was able to avoid an accident. The engine sounded really rough. …
Cylinder 1 experienced cracking due to Low Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI, commonly referred to as "Knock") just after exiting the highway in a 70 mph zone and produced a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) code of P0301. As evidenced in Attachment 1, this caused damage to the Antilock Braking System due to loss of vacuum on the system and possible fouling due to foreign object damage to the vehicle ABS. Later assessment by trained mechanics determined the root cause was due to insufficient structural capability of engine pistons to withstand brief periods of LSPI. As evidenced by attachment 18-NA-171 and PIP5490, the vehicle manufacturer (General Motors) is aware of the insufficient design of the pistons, has re-designed them to withstand LSPI, however has not made an effort to notify me or replace the existing part to prevent damage to the vehicle powertrain and ABS. …
Based off my mechanic's assessment and that of a Chevrolet dealership, one of the cylinders in my Chevy Cruze is no longer firing. The dealership believes at least one of the pistons needs to be replaced. The car is available for inspection. The car is unreliable to drive, as I drove up a freeway incline it slowed to a dangerously low speed for freeway driving. The dealership has confirmed they believe it is an issue with the piston but will not confirm without charging $2800 to dismantle the car and are not able to guarantee they will be able to fix the issue. Diagnostics were run on the car at Putnam Chevrolet in Burlingame CA. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to a major issue with the cars functionality. The issue first appeared June 15, 2023 without any warning. …
My 2017 Chevy Cruze had the throttle body replaced by STG Auto Group in Montclair, CA. A few months after the repair, my car began shaking violently and then shut off in the middle of the street while I was driving on 11/17/2025 This created a serious safety hazard for me and other drivers. When I took the vehicle to a local auto zone once the vehicle turned on , they told me the throttle body "needs cleaning," but a new throttle body should not get dirty within a few months. This suggests improper installation or a defective part. The problem returned even though the part was recently replaced. I immediately called the dealership who fixed it and the manager stated I'd have to wait to the following week for another inspection and that I can not be squeezed in . The vehicle is still unsafe to drive because it shakes and can stall unexpectedly. …
Slave cylinder failure. At approximately 125,000 miles, the slave cylinder began to fail. Clutch pedal would only come back up about half way, and would need to be pulled the rest of the way up. Associated problem is difficulty putting car into gear. Took vehicle to dealership for other warranty work and asked to investigate. Dealership ignored request. Took back separate time for other faulty parts and was ignored again. Other part failure was turbo waste gate. Internal spring failure caused turbo waste gate to become stuck open, not allowing boost to build. Caused check engine light and severe lack of power. Replaced part with aftermarket, and problem disappeared. Investigation into cause revealed low quality spring that broke internally. …
Car very suddenly started having slow acceleration, and vibration felt during acceleration. Check engine light on with StabiliTrak warning message on dashboard. Rough idle and vibration felt in cabin. Difficulty accelerating at traffic light and car seemed to almost stall at one point. Diagnosed at the dealer with cracked pistons in engine with code P0300 for random misfire. 2017 Chevy Cruz has passed the power train warranty by 1 year. Mileage odometer reading is about 58200. GM is not willing to replace without charging $4700 for replacing the faulty piston components in the engine even though this poses safety hazard for regular driving. After some research, this seems to be a widely known problem of this generation Chevy Cruz and GM has even changed the part number of the piston assembly to replace the faulty pistons in engine. This needs to be a recall!
While driving down the Interstate my clutch failed and remained on the floor and I was unable to shift. Luckily there was an open lane next to me and I was able to pull off the highway. I checked the fluid reservoir it was full and no air bubbles I managed to limp it home after manually hand pumping the clutch to get it back up and I would get two or three shifts out of it maybe and then have to do it again once I was forced to stop at a light or a stop sign. I just have not been able to get the car in as it is out of warranty and I'll have to pay for tow and for it to be fixed. I just had the engine replaced (under extended warranty) roughly 5000 miles ago. There was no accident but there certainly could have been a Harry Chapin type situation. There were no warning lights or messages that appeared and the clutch is currently inoperable on the floor.
Chevy Cruze 2017 manual transmission clutch pedal stuck to the floor while driving preventing changing of gears. Was able to lift pedal with toe, but was still not fully able to then depress clutch to get the car in gear. Pumping the pedal helped loosen and eventually allowed it to work normally temporarily. For the past year, occasionally the clutch would be slow to return after depressing, but did not cause any safety issue and since it could not be reproduced for dealer, no repairs were made. Having an experience of not being unable to change gears in traffic caused a significant safety issue, which will need to be remedied. Appointment for service is scheduled for tomorrow and will find out more what the problem is, but based on online forums, it likely is a faulty slave cylinder which has been reported in other Chevy Cruze cars of this year.
Transmission complaints in other Cruze years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze?
NHTSA has 39 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze, 19% of the model year's 201 complaints. The component named most often is clutch assembly (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2017 Chevrolet Cruze transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze, though it has 2 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 2017 Chevrolet Cruze transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 33,000 miles, and 42% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries 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.