# A list of problems identified by GM



## kfr291 (Aug 11, 2012)

i will note that some of these were identified by GM. the engine fire problem had more to do with poor service by mechanics who were sloppy in their work and GM had the call back to prevent any further problems.

I will add to this that i have had my car for over a year and HAD NO ISSUES WITH IT, it is running perfectly for the last 11,200 miles and only goes in for oil change and tire rotation. For any buyers looking at this thread understand this is a small sample of people.


Thank you for posting this so people have a easy place to see if any problems are occurring


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

And other than an attempt to scare off potential Cruze buyers - your point is ???

Other than a couple of major recalls most Cruzen will never have any of these issues. All car manufacturers have hundreds of TSBs for their vehicles. Many of them only apply to a handful of cars. My Pontiac Montana even had a one vehicle TSB filed.

By the way you missed the complaint from one idiot who decided they couldn't see well enough during a test drive so they filed a NHTSA complaint about visibility.


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

For everyone - here's the gist of my reply to 70AARCUDA and I do appreciate the PM.

TSBs exist because the manufacturing process for a car is not perfect. What we cannot tell from most TSBs is how many cars are potentially impacted. In some cases even the car manufacturer may not know. Even if every single component in a car is manufactured and installed within engineering specs, it is still possible for a problem to occur. This is because many of these specs have overlap areas. A perfect example of this is the fuel rails rubbing against the firewall. Both are probably located within the engineering specs for the car but the specs themselves overlap just enough that a very small number of cars will have this issue. In addition, as soon as a GM engineer gets involved a TSB is filed with the NHTSA documenting both the symptoms and the solution. Two years after the TSB for my Montana was filed it still had my Montana's VIN number associated with it, which is how I know it was a single vehicle TSB. The problem descripton and solution on my paperwork matched word for word what was in the TSB.

===================
Not in my reply and why I questioned the purpose of posting these TSBs.

The NHTSA database is useful for helping resolve issues. The problem is that cars are probably the most complex single piece of consumer technology most of us will ever have to deal with and self diagnosis using this repository is somewhat like self diagnosis of medical issues; problematic at best and outright dangerous at worst. Your best solution is to find a good dealership service department and develop a good working relationship with your service adviser and his boss. Then if you have an issue that's perplexing them they'll be more willing to listen to what you find on-line and look further into the results of your research.


----------



## Snoball (Mar 30, 2012)

No! I had no intention in preventing future or current owners of the Cruze! 

I own a Cruze, and have since Feb.2012, with no incidents! Everything works the way it's suppose to, a truly great car, I love my CruzeR, I highly recommend it!

My intention here was to provide a refrence list for owners that may have a quirk or two with there car and that GM is capable of resolving their issues!

No offence was meant in posting this list! Sorry if it was!


----------



## Bohdan (Apr 28, 2012)

This looks very strange to me. We have a power steering pump with oil inside. Something is very wrong with this one.I thought we have electric/cable assist power steering.


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

That is a strange TSB for a electrically controlled power steering. However, the steering gear needs some lubricant so I suspect there is a small oil reservoir inside the power steering system and this is what the TSB is referring to.


----------



## smorey78 (Apr 8, 2012)

you should see the list of tsb's for the toyota corolla and honda civic both of which are in the cruze class


----------



## kfr291 (Aug 11, 2012)

you should look at the Volkswagen future issue list, family had one... everyother week it had a check engine light BUT never had any codes once at the dealer ... their electronics have more problems then a teenager in highschool


----------



## chevycruze2012 (Nov 13, 2012)

I cant hold my tongue anymore and im going to make this clear to everyone thats saying this BS...I read this line of crap that shows the list of problems with the cruze...If its from GM themself thats one thing because they obviously know whats going on since they were the ones that made the car. However. Ive said it before and will say it again..Not every car is gonna be perfect, so everyone needs to get that out of their thick heads right now because it probably wont ever happen. I hear alot of these so called "good cars" that apparently ford, dodge, toyota and nissan make and im tired of seeing it and hearing it. No other company is better than another. GM to me is a really good company...better than ford and dodge by a long shot. I know gm isnt perfect and neither is anyone else, but to me gm has alot more success than everyone else has had. Ive had my cruze LT for 8 months now with 8K on it... NO ISSUES at all other than a faulty wheel stud. Went ahead and replaced all 20..which wasnt a big deal. It was easy. So my point here is...since there is sooo much drama and **** talking on here about the cruze and GM, then get rid of ur car and be done with it. All of us proud gm owners love our cars and dont seem to be having any issues with them and here "you" are ruining everything that has to do with us and our cars by putting ur 2 cents in that we dont really care to hear. Atleast i dont. Im not trying to be an ******* but this pisses me off. Theres a fine line between discussing an issue about a car and discussing problems with a car that includes bad comments that leads to other crap that dont need to be said on here.With me theres also a fine line between yankin my chain and straight up pissing me off and your straight up pissing me off. I get sick of seeing this **** on here and ive had it. The reason why i make this situation into what it is is because im passionate for chevrolet and GM because of everything they do for people. They dont just build cars...its more than that with GM. Their apart of so many cancer associations and charities to help others in need. So they earn the respect from customers like me because of everything they do. One in particular im proud of is the Breast Cncer Research Foundation. Thats a big thing to be sponsoring. So i really thank GM/Chevrolet for that.Now you have an idea why im a loyal customer to GM and Chevrolet. Next thing i see on here that is related to bashing GM, i will and am reporting you to The administrator a.k.a XtremeRevolution or another moderator. Im making this clear to you.So please stop this nonsense.


----------



## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

smorey78 said:


> you should see the list of tsb's for the toyota corolla and honda civic both of which are in the cruze class


Having driven both, I can say that the Cruze is at the top of the class!


----------



## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

You gotta read NHTSA complaints pretty closely. My fav is the one where the author was complaining to NHTSA that Progressive's Snap Shot was forcing them to drive on their highway commute at 30 mph, because the rubber banding of traffic during drive time was forcing them into too many hard braking events. The only way they could avoid the hard braking was to drive at 30 mph and that caused dangerous backups and irate passing drivers. It seems they were blaming the insurance company and not themselves for their stupidity.


----------



## iCruze2 (Dec 16, 2011)

This thread should be deleted! What a load of crap OP


----------



## iCruze2 (Dec 16, 2011)

70AARCUDA said:


> Wow, who put a cockle-burr in your shorts?
> 
> The OP merely provided NHSTA information; others, myself included, have strayed, but the OP isn't to be blamed for our wanderings!


I just feel that this is a slap in the face to 95% of Cruze owners who have had 0 issues!


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I considered deleting or locking this thread. However, anyone with a few minutes can search Home | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to get these TSBs. They are public record. I am a firm believer in keeping the truth out there, but it must also be put into correct context. If not in the correct context even truth is nothing more than propaganda. Thus my answers explaining just what TSBs are and how even the best made cars can have random problems. Others also pointed out the fact that other car makers have problems as well.


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

70AARCUDA said:


> ...let's see, 100% of the 400K+ 2011-2012 Cruzes were recalled. That's certainly not *0 issues.*


Actually the recall was the result of 25 confirmed fires. The heavy hand of the US legal system created this recall.


----------



## iCruze2 (Dec 16, 2011)

70AARCUDA said:


> ...let's see, 100% of the 400K+ 2011-2012 Cruzes were recalled. That's certainly not *0 issues.*


Maybe recalled but for a problem most don't have. Recalled because more than a few had the issue. We're not going to agree here, so I am stepping out of this debate


----------



## spaycace (Feb 9, 2012)

Wow ... I merely thought the original post was simply to bring to people's attention some of the POTENTIAL issues they MIGHT have with their vehicles, and not so much to sway prospective buyers from purchasing a Cruze if they so choose to or "bash" anyone or any car. Perhaps the OP should have started off with a "disclaimer" stating that he was trying to be HELPFUL with this information.

It's my opinion, chevycruze2012, that you were a little heavy on the post you put up. What if someone were to say they were offended by what YOU said in your post? I didn't see the OP as bashing anything at all. I'm actually thankful for the information, because that means someone else took the time to do the research and bring things to my attention that I might have never known existed! Since when has being educated on something and having knowledge about it ever been a bad thing? Especially when it comes to probably the 2nd most costly thing most of us will ever have next to buying a home? If there were recalls for your house, or something inside your house like a washer or dryer, maybe even the A/C system, wouldn't you like to know about them even IF you'd had no problems? LIGHTEN UP MAN! 

I'm glad that I now have knowledge that someone else looked up for me  ! I'm a proud owner of a 2012 Eco 6MT and have had only one or 2 of the problems others here have listed, but I became informed on THIS SITE with information from people like the OP! Even if I haven't had problems, it Doesn't mean it might not ever happen, and having KNOWLEDGE about the possibilities is greatly appreciated. 

Some people apparently get a lil butt-hurt too easily and swing that pendulum way too far in the other direction, without really thinking about what the intent of the original post was ... INFORMATIONAL. 

If you wanted to call the OP bashing ... well that'd be just as absurd as me saying something like, "I'm so tired of hearing about all these people who have had zero problems with their Cruzes, and it's pissing me off! Go brag about your good fortune somewhere else because I'm tired of hearing about it here." 

I mean seriously ... does that mean the NHTSA is bashing every single car out on the roads today?

I EXPECT to get exactly the kind of information from this website that the OP posted, which is WHY I joined it! I WANT to be informed by people with real world experiences ... good or bad!

REALLY people, or should I say chevycruze2012, take it down a notch or 2! It's not as if cruzemeister was posting on here again!


----------



## iCruze2 (Dec 16, 2011)

spaycace said:


> Wow ... I merely thought the original post was simply to bring to people's attention some of the POTENTIAL issues they MIGHT have with their vehicles, and not so much to sway prospective buyers from purchasing a Cruze if they so choose to or "bash" anyone or any car. Perhaps the OP should have started off with a "disclaimer" stating that he was trying to be HELPFUL with this information.
> 
> It's my opinion, chevycruze2012, that you were a little heavy on the post you put up. What if someone were to say they were offended by what YOU said in your post? I didn't see the OP as bashing anything at all. I'm actually thankful for the information, because that means someone else took the time to do the research and bring things to my attention that I might have never known existed! Since when has being educated on something and having knowledge about it ever been a bad thing? Especially when it comes to probably the 2nd most costly thing most of us will ever have next to buying a home? If there were recalls for your house, or something inside your house like a washer or dryer, maybe even the A/C system, wouldn't you like to know about them even IF you'd had no problems? LIGHTEN UP MAN!
> 
> ...


:lol:


----------



## bryanakron40 (Nov 8, 2012)

spaycace said:


> Wow ... I merely thought the original post was simply to bring to people's attention some of the POTENTIAL issues they MIGHT have with their vehicles, and not so much to sway prospective buyers from purchasing a Cruze if they so choose to or "bash" anyone or any car. Perhaps the OP should have started off with a "disclaimer" stating that he was trying to be HELPFUL with this information.
> 
> It's my opinion, chevycruze2012, that you were a little heavy on the post you put up. What if someone were to say they were offended by what YOU said in your post? I didn't see the OP as bashing anything at all. I'm actually thankful for the information, because that means someone else took the time to do the research and bring things to my attention that I might have never known existed! Since when has being educated on something and having knowledge about it ever been a bad thing? Especially when it comes to probably the 2nd most costly thing most of us will ever have next to buying a home? If there were recalls for your house, or something inside your house like a washer or dryer, maybe even the A/C system, wouldn't you like to know about them even IF you'd had no problems? LIGHTEN UP MAN!
> 
> ...


True, but there are a few on here that all they do is like the negative posts and bash the cruze. Luckily, as they can do that, we can stick up for it. Gotta love freedom.


----------



## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Nice to see a pretty short list for the Cruze. Other cars out there have very long lists of complaints reported to the NHTSA.


----------



## dc9737 (Feb 2, 2013)

Thanks Snoball. Always good to read through TSBs for any vehicle.


----------



## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

just drove 2000 miles no issues . as flawed as the cruze is IT loves the highway, and IT is good to read about the faults or what not with IT so I can prepare for any possible, forseeable issues in the future. GOOD looking out and any perspective buyer should be aware of said issues, and that GM is working on the faults with this model and other models . There is a warranty


----------



## steve333 (Oct 23, 2010)

iCruze2 said:


> I just feel that this is a slap in the face to 95% of Cruze owners who have had 0 issues!


There is no way on the face of this earth that 95% of ANY car owners have zero problems.
It's funny, but when I'm on the Cobalt forums we all bash the car but on any other site if someone bashes it we stick up for it.


----------



## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

Spending to much time on cruze talk . to err is human to fogive devine.have a good day


----------



## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Really guys, if anyone here is considering NOT getting a Cruze significantly in part to the content of this thread, you haven't done enough research. Go ahead and check the NTSA reports for any other car on the road and you will find that this one actually looks pretty excellent. Keep in mind that the Cruze only began sales in 2011, so a car like the Dart that only began sales in 2013 will not have as many reports due to the limited mileage that owners will have driven those cars. 

If you have a problem, deal with it as it comes along, but try to remember that forums like these are literally the strongest magnets out there for people who have issues with their cars, so the number of issues you see pop up may not necessarily be widespread. Issues affect cars based on year due to either design changes or issues with suppliers, so if you came to this board reading about issues and automatically assumed that all of these issues would affect your car, you're looking at it the wrong way. The 2013 Cruze is quite different compared to the 2011 Cruze in many non-cosmetic ways from a reliability standpoint. 



brian v said:


> Spending to much time on cruze talk


What?! There's no such thing.


----------



## kfr291 (Aug 11, 2012)

70AARCUDA said:


> ...let's see, 100% of the 475K+ Sept 2011-May 2012 Cruzes were recalled. That's certainly not *0 issues.
> 
> *...and, _concurrent_ with that recall was the "bad gas tank mount/bracket welds" recall.


if you are referring to the fires in the engine. The recalled was because mechanics were spilling oil during the change and not cleaning it up properly... the car was actaully recalled to make up for messy mechanics and had nothing to do with the car having an actual faulty problem. The weld on the gas tank was also found by GM and i give them credit for not only finding it on their own but owning up to it to fix it ( granted it was their fault)

DISCLAIMER: i enjoy working on my car, but have never changed the oil on it or done heavy work on the engine, i mean no disrespect to anyone who changes oil, it was from my understanding that spilled oil during oil changes was the cause of the fires... i mean no personal disrespect to anyone via my comments. ( sorry this thread is getting a bit heated )


----------



## henho (Feb 13, 2013)

Thanks for this thread. I was unaware of the resources available at the NHTSA site. I have just finished researching models for an upcoming purchase. My original resources were manufacturer information and expert reviews, along with the typical big-name sites. Lo and behold, I've learned that owner forums such as this one provide a much better snapshot of the ownership experience. I've previously only owned GM cars and have a discount on them, so I test drove the cruze and cross shopped against an impreza and a mazda3. The picture painted from the enthusiasm (or frustration) of owners on the respective forums, combined with the great difference in complaints, bulletins, investigations and recalls listed on the NHTSA is making me all but sure that I will for the first time in my life buy an import instead of American.


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

henho said:


> Thanks for this thread. I was unaware of the resources available at the NHTSA site. I have just finished researching models for an upcoming purchase. My original resources were manufacturer information and expert reviews, along with the typical big-name sites. Lo and behold, I've learned that owner forums such as this one provide a much better snapshot of the ownership experience. I've previously only owned GM cars and have a discount on them, so I test drove the cruze and cross shopped against an impreza and a mazda3. The picture painted from the enthusiasm (or frustration) of owners on the respective forums, combined with the great difference in complaints, bulletins, investigations and recalls listed on the NHTSA is making me all but sure that I will for the first time in my life buy an import instead of American.


GM has had excellent products for decades. The problem was that very few of them were priced for or marketed to the first time car buyer. In fact, this lack of entry level vehicles is what killed Oldsmobile. I had very few problems with any of my Pontiacs after I traded my initial Fiero 2M4. Actually, I didn't have any problems with that car either - the reason I traded it was I didn't trust the engine and it turns out that about a month after I traded it the first reports of Fiero engine fires appeared in the media. When Pontiac was shut down I felt the same way you did - thus the Mitsubishi Lancer GT in my signature block. The Lancer was traded for my Cruze ECO because of clutch issues it had from day one. However, the Cruze and Sonic have finally given GM a pair of entry level vehicles that are extremely well built and will go the distance for you. Yes, there were some serious learning curves at Lordstown with the Cruze with the 2011 model year, but since then the parts and assembly quaility has improved so that the cars are at least as good as, if not better than, cars from any other manufacturer in the same price range. Chevy learned from the start up issues with the Cruze so the Sonic didn't have this same learning curve. In addition, it appears the final major issue with the Cruze has been resolved and GM is spreading the word to their dealerships about the resolution. This is the odor and fumes some Cruze owners are dealing with inside the passenger compartment. Does this mean the Cruze is perfect? No. But neither is any other car on the road.

You should also be aware that my parents had never purchased a car from an American company prior to my Fiero 2M4, so I'm not from a GM family. On the other hand my 2012 Cruze ECO MT has resulted directly in me purchasing a Cruze LS MT for one son and my other son choosing to purchase a 2013 Cruze ECO MT after being cut off on a snow covered road and bending the frame of his Jeep.

Finally, before you purchase your next car, make your list based on what your needs and wants are. Do not exclude any cars from the list at this point. Then go drive the cars that meet those needs and wants, including the Cruze and Sonic if they are on the list and whittle down the list based on your comfort driving each vehicle. Then, if you want, research repair histories and NHTSA TSB/Complaint data. For the complaint database, keep track of the complaint IDs - the report you get on-line returns duplicates so 100 complaints returned may only be 20 unique complaints. Remember, many of the TSBs and complaints listed have either been resolved or are for a very limited number of vehicles. I know for a fact that a TSB can be generated even if it only applies to a single vehicle. TSBs are there for a reason - to assist dealership service departments in resolving issues with cars.

One other interesting piece of information, according to Biggest Auto Recalls Of 2012 (And Why They Haven't Affected New-Car Sales) - Forbes, Toyota and Honda accounted for over half the vehicles recalled in 2012. This tells me that past performance by a car manufacturer is no longer as valid an indicator of present and future performance as it once was.


----------



## Toyotech (Aug 17, 2012)

henho said:


> Thanks for this thread. I was unaware of the resources available at the NHTSA site. I have just finished researching models for an upcoming purchase. My original resources were manufacturer information and expert reviews, along with the typical big-name sites. Lo and behold, I've learned that owner forums such as this one provide a much better snapshot of the ownership experience. I've previously only owned GM cars and have a discount on them, so I test drove the cruze and cross shopped against an impreza and a mazda3. The picture painted from the enthusiasm (or frustration) of owners on the respective forums, combined with the great difference in complaints, bulletins, investigations and recalls listed on the NHTSA is making me all but sure that I will for the first time in my life buy an import instead of American.


Coming from a mazda 3 i must say the cruze feel's like a much more solid vehicle.

my gripes with my 3 in 70k miles of ownership, exhaust gasket failure, transmission mount failure, 2nd gear grinding (syncromesh 75w90 redline oil fixed this), annoying squeaks and rattles from the dash, door, pillar, trunk... i must have used 5 pounds of felt to make it tolerable when it was cold.

otherwise i did the plugs at 60k, belt at 58k, never had to touch the brakes and tires lasted about 40k (mostly highway)

all around it was a decent vehicle and check out mazda3revolution.com or mazdas247.com for feedback.

now, i would never buy another mazda and many other mazda fan's agree... they are by far the worst when it comes to customer resolution to concerns. Me and the wife bought a 2011 mazda cx7 fully loaded, The truck had a hesitation at 45mph where it seemed like it went from 5th-6th constantly. They stated nothing was wrong even when i could duplicate it for them, once it hit 11k miles and i did the oil change myself. At that time I saw the oil pan was leaking enough to fill the plastic subpan then drip off to the ground. upon research they had tsb's dating back to 2007 for the same concern that was never resolved. How can a business let an issue such as this exist for 5 years with no proper solution? I was disgusted.. besides the fact I couldn't even drive down my road without feeling like i was constantly hitting fuel cut. We traded it in for the camry and i took a
7 thousand dollar hit. I will never buy a new Mazda again.

If you are still shopping around take a drive in the focus also. the impreza is great but my god is it slow lol.


----------



## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Jeez people. It was a list of TSB's. Not a list of complaints about the car. Chill out. No one's calling your car crap.

Thanks for the post, Snoball. I recognize quite a few of those.


----------



## Toyotech (Aug 17, 2012)

obermd said:


> One other interesting piece of information, according to Biggest Auto Recalls Of 2012 (And Why They Haven't Affected New-Car Sales) - Forbes, Toyota and Honda accounted for over half the vehicles recalled in 2012. This tells me that past performance by a car manufacturer is no longer as valid an indicator of present and future performance as it once was.


I wouldn't have the recalls effect the performance of the product especially for things such the recall C0J on the rav's. this recall was based upon the possibility of not retorquing the toe adjusters after performing an alignment causing the arm to break or lead to play/damage of the arm. I blame this on poor workmanship and give them credit for actually doing something about it to ease the consumer "778,000 RAV4 and Lexus HS 250h vehicles for suspension problems" 

Anyway, i'll try and stay away from the other make posting in this thread so it doesn't go off tilt so much.


----------



## silverls (Nov 12, 2011)

What happened to this place? I know I haven't been around much working on my own project (gearheadsguild.com) but jeeze people. 

This is good solid information that needs to be posted to a forum like this. If you disagree, that is fine but you are wrong. Plain and simple the point of a forum is not to sit around talking high praise about our cars no matter what. But rather to get information, When there is a problem get the word out so others can know, and so on. So quit getting all but hurt every time someone posts about problems. 

Does the Cruze as a while have some problems? Yes. Is that perfectly normal in an expensive electrical and mechanical machine? Yes. Does any and every other car out there have problems of some kind? Yes. 

So unbunch your panties and get back to information.

Sent from my XT912 using AutoGuide.Com Free App


----------



## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

jblackburn said:


> Jeez people. It was a list of TSB's. Not a list of complaints about the car. Chill out. No one's calling your car crap.
> 
> Thanks for the post, Snoball. I recognize quite a few of those.


I agree, but the title being "A List of Problems" probably isn't the best way to start it off. A list of service issues or even a list of TSBs would be a little more accurate.


----------



## silverls (Nov 12, 2011)

Sunline Fan said:


> I agree, but the title being "A List of Problems" probably isn't the best way to start it off. A list of service issues or even a list of TSBs would be a little more accurate.


The title is "a list of problems identified by GM". Anything identified by GM and made public is gonna be in an official manner of some sort. 

Sent from my XT912 using AutoGuide.Com Free App


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Toyotech said:


> I wouldn't have the recalls effect the performance of the product especially for things such the recall C0J on the rav's. this recall was based upon the possibility of not retorquing the toe adjusters after performing an alignment causing the arm to break or lead to play/damage of the arm. I blame this on poor workmanship and give them credit for actually doing something about it to ease the consumer "778,000 RAV4 and Lexus HS 250h vehicles for suspension problems"
> 
> Anyway, i'll try and stay away from the other make posting in this thread so it doesn't go off tilt so much.


I was using that simply as an additional source of information and to show that the NHTSA's TSB & Complaint database isn't the whole story.. While I look at the recalls that are done, I also check to see how many of those same recalls have been done by other manufacturers. For instance, the SUV power window switch recall was done by Toyota, Honda, and GM, all because they use the same supplier for this switch. I strongly suspect the some of the current round of airbag recalls will end up the same way with a faulty component from a single supplier.


----------



## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

silverls said:


> The title is "a list of problems identified by GM". Anything identified by GM and made public is gonna be in an official manner of some sort.
> 
> Sent from my XT912 using AutoGuide.Com Free App


I don't mind the "by GM" part, it's just I think "problems" gets people going more than necessary.


----------



## Toyotech (Aug 17, 2012)

obermd said:


> I was using that simply as an additional source of information and to show that the NHTSA's TSB & Complaint database isn't the whole story.. While I look at the recalls that are done, I also check to see how many of those same recalls have been done by other manufacturers. For instance, the SUV power window switch recall was done by Toyota, Honda, and GM, all because they use the same supplier for this switch. I strongly suspect the some of the current round of airbag recalls will end up the same way with a faulty component from a single supplier.


gotcha, similar to cts who made the pedals and um... another company who produces a part that will be largely publicized in the news very shortly. Toyota has another biggy coming out soon. lol


----------



## steve333 (Oct 23, 2010)

henho said:


> Thanks for this thread. I was unaware of the resources available at the NHTSA site. I have just finished researching models for an upcoming purchase. My original resources were manufacturer information and expert reviews, along with the typical big-name sites. Lo and behold, I've learned that owner forums such as this one provide a much better snapshot of the ownership experience. I've previously only owned GM cars and have a discount on them, so I test drove the cruze and cross shopped against an impreza and a mazda3. The picture painted from the enthusiasm (or frustration) of owners on the respective forums, combined with the great difference in complaints, bulletins, investigations and recalls listed on the NHTSA is making me all but sure that I will for the first time in my life buy an import instead of American.


Are you leaning towards the Impreza or Mazda 3? What are your driving impressions?



Toyotech said:


> If you are still shopping around take a drive in the focus also. the impreza is great but my god is it slow lol.


I test drove a Cruze with the 1.4T and an Impreza and the Impreza didn't feel any slower to me


----------



## henho (Feb 13, 2013)

I am very heavily leaning towards the Impreza with the CVT auto. The main reason is simply that it is fun to drive. The cars I test drove the most were a Cruze LTZ, Buick Verano (my discount brings it within the price range of the others), Mazda3, Mazda6 which is close in price, and the Impreza. What would happen is I would get in the Cruze or Buick or one of the Mazdas and think what a great car it is and how much more sophisticated the interior looked than the Suby. But at some point the other cars kind of blended together. I felt like I didn't have any real distinct features to remember them by. I ended up driving many cars back to back in order to be sure I could compare them easily. I found that whenever I was at the Subaru dealership, when they rolled out an Impreza I'd feel this excitement to get in it and drive around, something I didn't have with the other cars. I know this falls heavily in the subjective personal preference category, but thats what ultimately guides buying decisions.

Driving impressions:

On all the cars I drove I'd say the interiors were equally nice so I won't comment too much on that. The verano and cruze ranked as the nicest and the Subaru as the simplest. I felt the Subaru felt clean and organized, whereas others may find it sparse. 

Mazda3: Handles very well, steering is precise and weighted nicely, maybe even a bit heavy. Cargo space is equal to the Subaru, more than the sedans. Suspension was a big rough, acceleration was nothing to write home about. Great stereo and nice interior appointments. The overall dynamics were similar to the Subaru but I liked the steering response on the subaru more. 

Mazda6: Best handling car, absolutely gorgeous exterior, great wheels. Clean but somewhat sparse interior at the trim levels I looked at. Also surprisingly slow considering its handling characteristics. Felt slower than the other cars. Transmission was so smooth you can't feel anything. This car was too large for my taste/purposes but what a great ride for the money!

Cruze LTZ: Acceleration felt peppy, interior was top notch and laid out very nicely, nice seats. Handling wasn't the greatest, some body roll. Very quiet ride. Visibility wasn't the greatest. I can't complain about anything but the experience was largely forgettable. It felt like any number of rentals I had. The handling dynamics in particular encourage you to cruise along at a sedate pace without really wanting to toss it around. The verano has similar driving dynamics with a more upscale interior but I liked the Chevy's just as much and wrote the Buick off my list.

Subaru: Sparse interior that I found appealing but might nto be for everyone, leather and nav makes it nicer, electronics were sub-par compared to the other cars. Excellent visibility far exceeds the others. This one is all about driving dynamics. The handling is helped by the 4wd and the low engine, it feels very planted on the road and likes twists and corners. The engine never felt underpowered when passing, merging on the highway or taking off on streets. The CVT works well, particularly the paddle shifters which emulate gears quite nicely. Its only odd feature is that it engine brakes below about 15 mph; i got used to it but it is different. More interior noise than the other cars but the sound the engine makes is fun. 

Bottom line for me is the Subaru is the car I had the most fun driving and wanted to drive the most. The other rides didn't have the same effect, I looked around the car, took not of the features and the driving experience, then sort of lulled into going the test route. The subaru I kept coming back and driving because I'd worry that it was the oddball and I'd regret the purchase but I think I'm gonna get it.


----------



## steve333 (Oct 23, 2010)

Funny I felt the same way about the Subaru and Cruze. The Impreza just feels well put together. I liked the interior as well-simple and logical. The noise could be a little annoying to me though, maybe Subaru will do something about that for the 2014 Model?
The one thing I didn't like about the Impreza is where they locate the side view mirror and the mirror itself has an odd shape.


----------



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

henho, this is the way to make a car purchase decision. Well done.


----------



## vigil14 (Feb 24, 2013)

I've had my cruze for about a year and a half, and have put 45k miles on it. I take great care of it, and I'm already having problems with it. This will be the last GM product I will ever buy. I've never had a more frustrating car.


----------



## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

vigil14 said:


> I've had my cruze for about a year and a half, and have put 45k miles on it. I take great care of it, and I'm already having problems with it. This will be the last GM product I will ever buy. I've never had a more frustrating car.


Hello vigil14,

I apologize that you are experiencing some issues with your vehicle. I would be happy to assist you into looking further into your concerns. Can you please send me a PM with your VIN, contact info and preferred dealership? I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon, and to possibly help you get a resolution.

Patsy G
Chevrolet Customer Care


----------



## spaycace (Feb 9, 2012)

I wonder how many years someone has to own a home, before they complain about problems with it, and never wanting to own a home again ... or a television, phone, laptop, etc., etc.

Cars will inherently have problems, because there are a lot of mechanical, moving parts that have to work in concert with electronics and sooo many other variables as well. Just a couple days ago, I saw photos of a fiberglass ladder that collapsed ... yes, COLLAPSED because of a crack in the fiberglass around the rung. I'm not going to quit using ladders! 

Yes, I know there are people out there who swear by the reliability of certain cars and such, but to be honest, I've always purchased "American" cars, always GM ... but have also had a 93 Mazda, as well as an 05 & 06 VW. I've put over 100k miles on nearly every vehichle I've ever owned until recently (because I don't keep them that long) and never really had any problems. I could also direct you to a website so you could see a guy that has over 800k miles (YES! over 800,000 miles) on a 1998 Chevy Suburban, still with the original engine and transmission in it! I also know there are lemons out there that simply defy the mass majority of problem free cars. I owned a 2012 Cruze Eco MT for right at 21 months, and through the 60k miles I accrued, would have to say the car was problem free, compared to many others I've read about.

I guess the point I'm trying to make here is that if you give up on something that may seem problematic, but in reality, is right on par with, (or for the most part) performing better than it's direct competion, are you certain you'd be making the right choice? I've looked up lots of other vehicle related problems, and have found that for the number of Cruzes on the road compared to its competitors, there are far fewer problems that I would consider serious when you start talking percentages. Not to mention the fact that I've had a difficult time finding another vehicle out there (minus perhas the VW diesels) that meets or exceeds (as the cruze mostly does) it's rated EPA fuel mpg estimates. Take a look at what people are recording for their Focus/Dart/Mazda 3/Kia/Hyundai ... and I don't think you'll find a better performing automobile.

I'm actually trying to talk my wife into purchasing ANOTHER cruze now, because we DID have such great luck with it as well as the lifetime AVERAGE of 39 mpg! 

WISH ME LUCK ON MY PERSUASIVENESS AND HOPEFULLY "NEW" CRUZE PURCHASE!


----------



## 2013LT (Jul 3, 2013)

^How true that is. Every manufacturer produces cars with problems. If you get unlucky with all of them you might dismiss all cars in general because there will be nobody left to buy from. If you know what I mean.


----------



## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

2013LT said:


> ^How true that is. Every manufacturer produces cars with problems. If you get unlucky with all of them you might dismiss all cars in general because there will be nobody left to buy from. If you know what I mean.


What do you mean!!! Aren't german/Japanese cars unbreakable and in a totally different category than domestic cars!?!?!????

(Note the sarcasm)


----------

