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Exterior lightingPart report

2012 Chevrolet Cruze Exterior lighting Problems

Complaints
15about this part
Share
2%of 865 total for the year
Median mileage
67,000miles
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 15 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, 2% of the 865 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 67,000 miles.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“The rear center brake light stays lite even after taking foot completely off the brake pedal. I have to manually with my foot lift /push up the brake pedal lightly in order to have the brake light turn off. This happens very frequently when driving in heavy stop and go traffic on the highway.”

NHTSA complaint #11019853, filed 2017-08, 34,500 miles

“When I try and start my car sometime it stalls like it doesn't want to crank up and when I finally do get it crank the emergency lights flash, power steering comes on the screen and then windshield wipers come on. I had this problem previous a couple months again to where when I crank it the trunk came open and the stabilitak and jerk and other things would pop up. They put it on the machine and it said it was misfires so I went and got it fixed now it's happening again.”

NHTSA complaint #11020084, filed 2017-08, 134,882 miles

“When starting my car, my windshield wipers start going along with windshield wiper fluid coming out, my four ways start blinking, and my trunk opens up and will not shut. I have not touched anything that would cause any of this to happen. This has happened multiple times and it puts me in a huge inconvenience. I was driving today and it's 14 degrees outside, yet my car started to overheat and a warning came up on my dash saying something about the A/C being shut off due to overheating.... Why would I be using my A/C at all?”

NHTSA complaint #11056953, filed 2017-12, 67,000 miles

“Since march 30, 2015, I have been experiencing issues with and I have video evidence while in failure mode, of what I believe to be failures of the body computer(s) in this vehicle. The dashboard displays have been going on and off under a wide variety of driving situations, and while sitting at idle. They fault when the vehicle is simply driving down the highway. During these faults, the center information display for the HVAC and entertainment will frequently turn off. This kills the radio. …”

NHTSA complaint #10734176, filed 2015-07, 5,000 miles

“We have video of the radio display area going blank then coming on then going blank continually, it takes out all sound I.e., radio, navigational instructions, blinker sound .. While throwing multiple error codes in the area for odometer reading I.e., service stabila track, service traction control. The users manual tells you that if something like this happens to shut off the car to reset the car. If you do shut it off or stall out the car (manual transmission) everything goes dead. …”

NHTSA complaint #10566386, filed 2014-02, 9,000 miles

Related service bulletins

Exterior lighting: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
201855%
2017126%
201662%
201521%
2014183%
2013112%
2012152%
201171%

Other parts of the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze

Engine
268 complaints
Electrical system
196 complaints
Brakes
150 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
137 complaints
Electronic stability control
108 complaints
Steering
103 complaints
Other or unknown
86 complaints
Fuel system
52 complaints
Vehicle speed control
51 complaints
Engine cooling
44 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
43 complaints
Air bags
34 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2012 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