2011 Chevrolet Cruze Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 40about this part
- Share
- 5%of 733 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 39,953miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 40 complaints about the air bags of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, 5% of the 733 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 39,953 miles. 15 of these say a crash was involved and 1 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Me and my boyfriend were driving in calcutta ohio we went to pull out of a parking lot to go to mcdonald's and we looked both ways and we were clear to go and by the time we hit the center turning lane and started to turn into mcdonald's and a jeep came flying out of no where and our vehicles collided causing front end damage. The air bags failed to deploy in the car.”
NHTSA complaint #11330084, filed 2020-06, 142,101 miles“Picked up car from shop after paying over 800.00 and the car stated to smell the car act as if it will catch a fire. Smoke coming out of the vents and under the hood. Called the dealer and no help the service manager will not return my call. I'm out of town two hours from my home. I will have to get a hotel room and I paid for rental car for two days already.”
NHTSA complaint #10899317, filed 2016-08, 100 miles“My complaint is the side airbag. My 12 year daughter and myself were in a t-bone type accident when another car ran a stop sign. $9000.00 damage to my 2011 Cruze and the airbags did not deploy on the side.she was injured in the accident I feel due to the airbags not deploying. I have called GM and the will investigate but act as if its no big deal...it is a big deal.”
NHTSA complaint #10421229, filed 2011-08, 9,600 miles“Front passenger air bag off light comes on intermittently on my 2011 Cruze when an adult is sitting in the front passenger seat -- indicating the air bag system is off. I've taken it to my GM dealership twice and both times they say that everything checks out ok and there is nothing they can do. The car air bags have never been deployed. There is a flaw with this safety system and GM should step forward and come up with a fix.”
NHTSA complaint #10626438, filed 2014-08, 15,000 miles“In sept of 2013 after just a few months of owning the car I was rear-ended at a speed of 25-30 MPH. The airbag didn't deploy and my head bounced from the steering wheel to the headrest where I suffered a severe concussion leaving me out of work for a month. …”
NHTSA complaint #10606194, filed 2014-06, 43,354 milesRelated service bulletins
- 11024955Oct 31, 2025This engineering informational bulletin provides process for a GM engineering study on curtain Takata Airbag Steering Wheel Modules and needs the used Takata airbags to be…
Air bags: other model years
Other parts of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
257 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
193 complaintsElectrical system
96 complaintsOther or unknown
80 complaintsBrakes
75 complaintsElectronic stability control
75 complaintsVehicle speed control
70 complaintsSteering
48 complaintsFuel system
43 complaintsEngine cooling
39 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
30 complaintsBody and structure
14 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology