2014 Chevrolet Cruze Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2014 Cruze report a wide spread of problems, with engine and cooling issues (coolant loss, overheating, turbo and PCV/valve-cover faults) and intermittent electrical glitches (warning lights, flickering displays, power steering dropouts) appearing most often in the sample. Many complaints come in around 50,000-100,000 miles, and several describe symptoms that return after a first repair or that a dealer could not reproduce.

1. 1
   Engine

   Coolant loss and overheating (water pump, reservoir)

   • 87 complaints (12%)
   • median 61,468 mi at 5.9 yrs old (42 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2014–2026

   Complaints describe coolant disappearing with no obvious puddle, the engine temperature gauge climbing into the red, and a message that the air conditioning is off due to high engine temperature. Owners report the water pump being replaced, sometimes more than once, and hoses or gaskets that leaked again after repair. Some say the dealer or mechanic could not find where the coolant was going even with dye added. Reported from roughly 14,000 to 169,000 miles, with many between 30,000 and 100,000 miles, often after highway or steady driving.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check the coolant reservoir level when the engine is cold, look for crusty residue or staining around the water pump and hoses, and ask whether the water pump or coolant hoses have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While idling at a traffic light I notice the engine overheated - idle engine came on. This has happen on a numerous of occasions. I've taken it in to be checked but everything works fine. It continues to do this at least once a week now. There has to be a recall for because I've researched and found that many other chevy Cruze owners have the same problem happening to them.”

   NHTSA complaint #11395043, filed 2021-02, 121,000 miles

   “My car continuously loses coolant in a short amount of time. It begins to smoke and the engine overheats. This happened while I was making a 30 minute trip across town. I was on a city street not exceeding more than 50 MPH. I had the air conditioning on and I had all of my fluids filled a few days prior.”

   NHTSA complaint #11324772, filed 2020-05, 37,625 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Intermittent electrical faults, flickering displays and

   • 139 complaints (20%)
   • median 66,819 mi at 5.2 yrs old (104 state mileage)
   • 14 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $800 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2014–2026

   Complaints describe the radio and climate display switching off and on, interior and exterior lights flickering, and multiple warning messages (stability control, traction control, TPMS) appearing and clearing at random. Some owners report the car stalling or losing power mid-drive, or a no-start condition that came back after the dealer reprogrammed the engine control module and serviced wiring. Scattered across the sample from about 21,000 to 177,000 miles, with no single mileage band standing out.

   Recall 16V502000

   What to check: Ask about any history of no-starts, dead electrical systems or flickering lights, check battery cables and grounds, and ask whether any modules were reprogrammed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When I drive the lights on the inside with go off and my car stops while driving or taking turns. One time I opened the hood and touch a hose or hire and it came back on. Sometimes I have to try and turn the key while it stops while driving and restart it in the middle of a highway or turn.”

   NHTSA complaint #11327072, filed 2020-06, 58,000 miles

   “This has occur more than a handful of times. This is the most recent one, I stopped at the gas station turned off my car and when I went to start it nothing was working no lights, no power anywhere. I wiggled the battery cable and it came back on but, I had to turn the key on and off multiple times for it to finally start. As I'm leaving the gas station I turn to the left and I have no power steering none whatsoever. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11400094, filed 2021-03, 120,000 miles
3. 3
   Steering

   Power steering cuts out (Service Steering message)

   • 104 complaints (15%)
   • median 55,745 mi at 4.6 yrs old (87 state mileage)
   • 17 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2014–2025

   Owners describe the steering assist dropping out without warning, so the wheel becomes much harder to turn at low speed or while stopped, sometimes accompanied by a Service Power Steering message. Several say restarting the car brought assistance back, and that the dealer either could not duplicate it or quoted a substantial repair, with the problem returning afterward. Reported from about 49,000 to 135,000 miles, typically while driving, turning, or at a stop.

   Recall 15V442000

   What to check: Ask whether the steering has ever lost assist or shown a Service Steering message, and have a shop check for stored steering codes and inspect the tie rods; recall 15V442000 concerns an inner tie rod that may not be torqued to specification.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When driving the car flickers the radio in and out and then the radio gos completely out and service stability tracker and service service traction control pops up or the steering wheel locks and service power steering pops up and the car shut off right then and there.”

   NHTSA complaint #11308893, filed 2020-02, 68,159 miles

   “With this condition,the radio/HVAC display turns off and on; the antilock brake system, service traction system, service stabilitrac and steering vehicle messages may come on and off; the turn signal sound may not be heard; 'battery saver active' and 'service steering' were displayed in the driver information center (dic); and the interior and exterior lighting flickered. Recently power steering assist was also lost, and greater effort may be needed to turn the steering wheel at low speeds or while the vehicle is stopped.”

   NHTSA complaint #11318719, filed 2020-03, 84,365 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Turbo and catalyst faults with loss of power

   • 67 complaints (10%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (39 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,205 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2014–2026

   Complaints describe the car failing to accelerate, falling into a reduced-power mode, or refusing to go above highway speed, along with a check engine light. Owners report the turbocharger diagnosed as cracked or underboosting (code P0299) and catalytic converters replaced, sometimes more than once, with the fault returning. The turbo oil feed line is also mentioned as a leak or failure point. Mostly reported between about 28,000 and 140,000 miles, often during acceleration or at highway speed.

   What to check: On a test drive, confirm the car pulls cleanly through the rev range and above 40 mph, and ask whether the turbocharger or catalytic converter has been replaced and whether a check engine light has come back.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Faulty turbocharger, multiple owners that I spoke to have replaced their turbocharger twice only to know that it keeps failing. The turbocharger ruined my catalytic converter which had to be replace du to a crack in the turbocharger.”

   NHTSA complaint #11384898, filed 2020-12, 80,000 miles

   “Getting code p0299 turbocharger underbost. The turbo charger was found to have a crack in the housing. When the car had 45,000 miles it the oild feed line exploded and had to get replaced, this was about 2 years ago when the oil feed hose had to get replace. Now the Cruze has a code of p0299 and the car is under powered.”

   NHTSA complaint #11389578, filed 2021-01, 94,000 miles
5. 5
   Engine

   Valve cover and PCV oil leaks

   • 45 complaints (6%)
   • median 67,500 mi at 5.3 yrs old (30 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $800 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 2016–2024

   Owners report oil leaking from the valve cover and gasket, sometimes repeatedly after replacement, and note that the crankcase ventilation valve is built into the cover. Complaints mention oil smell and oil pooling around the engine, and in some cases rough running or shifting attributed to incorrect crankcase pressure. Reported from about 27,000 to 115,000 miles, with repeat repairs over several years.

   What to check: Look for oil residue and a fuel or burning smell around the top of the engine and ask whether the valve cover has been replaced and how many times.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The valve pan cover & gasket keeps leaking oil even after being replaced several times. I bought this car a year ago & was told nothing about this problem what do I need to do? I cant keep fixing this problem as it is rather expensive.”

   NHTSA complaint #11387055, filed 2021-01, 94,750 miles

   “This car has many problems. I am surprised it has no recalls. The problems start two years ago. The valve cover started leaking. Oil was everywhere. Got that replaced but it happened again, and then it happened again. Apparently the pcv valve is built into the valve cover. We are about to be on our 4th valve cover. It's currently inoperable. The water pump had to be replaced, the whole engine had to be replaced. This car is a money pit, and anyone who has ever bought it should be refunded for real. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11351998, filed 2020-08, 115,000 miles

Buying note. A 2014 Cruze can be a reasonable used buy if the cooling system, turbo and steering have been checked and the service history is clear, since those are the areas owners complain about most. Have a pre-purchase inspection look specifically for coolant loss, oil leaks around the valve cover, stored steering and emissions codes, and confirm which open recalls have been completed.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.