Vehicle leaks coolant from water pump and thermostat
2013 Chevrolet Cruze engine problems
severe 118 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
118
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
2crashes
3fires
1injury
What stands out
Owners have filed 118 engine complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Among the 8 model years of Chevrolet Cruze in our records for engine problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: A 2013 Cruze 1.4 turbo is a high-risk purchase due to endemic cooling-system failures starting around 40,000 miles that lead to repeated repairs, engine damage, and potential safety hazards. Engine fires, antifreeze fumes in the cabin, and unresolved misfires make this model unreliable and expensive to own beyond warranty.
The 2013 Cruze 1.4 turbo engine shows a consistent pattern of cooling system failure. Owners describe constant antifreeze fumes entering the cabin—dealers claim this is normal evaporation from a designed water-pump leak, but drivers report headaches, nausea, and concern about inhaling toxic fumes for the lifetime of the vehicle.
Coolant leaks dominate the complaints. Owners report water pumps, thermostats, coolant flanges, hoses, and reservoirs failing repeatedly—sometimes within months of repair. Leaks occur both while driving and parked. When the cooling system fails, engines overheat, triggering "A/C OFF DUE TO HIGH ENGINE TEMP" warnings; some cars stall completely with no restart without towing. Several owners describe replacing the same failed component multiple times. Coolant loss forces emergency stops on highways, creating safety hazards. Engine overheating at low mileage (40,000–110,000 miles) leads to blown head gaskets, warped cylinder heads, and seized engines requiring full replacement ($6,000–$8,000).
Secondary failures follow cooling-system breakdown. Owners report turbochargers failing (code P0299), misfires, carbon buildup, jerking acceleration, and loss of power. One owner experienced carbon monoxide poisoning (27% blood level) traced to a vehicle defect. Engine fires occurred in at least two cases—one while parked with AC on, another while opening the hood.
Oil leaks appear at valve covers and cam-shaft seals as early as 55,000–60,000 miles. Oil blowby coats engine belts and brake components, creating slip and brake-failure risk.
Check engine lights and service stabilitrak warnings are common; spark plugs corrode prematurely even in non-salt climates. Multiple owners spent $1,400–$3,500 in cumulative repairs, only to have failures recur after dealer repairs or full engine rebuilds.
Same Chevrolet Cruze engine reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Antifreeze smell / vapor emissions into cabin
Owners report a constant, strong smell of hot antifreeze entering the cabin, especially when heat or defroster is on. GM dealers claim this is normal operation due to a water pump designed to leak small amounts into a retention chamber that evaporates via engine heat. Owners dispute this, citing health concerns from prolonged inhalation of coolant fumes.
When: Reported shortly after purchase (2011, 2013, 2014 model years); persistent throughout ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Strong hot antifreeze/coolant odor in cabin; Odor worse with heat/defrost/vent on high; Nausea and headaches from smell; Odor described as similar to mildew/rotten smell when combined with HVAC modifications
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers offered temporary workarounds (Lysol spray trick, leave car running with vent on high), attempted to replace unknown parts, or flipped internal switches. Issues often recurred; no permanent fix confirmed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM claimed this is normal operation; stated water pump designed to leak small amount into retention chamber; refused buyback or trade assistance
Coolant system leaks (water pump, thermostat housing, hoses, reservoir)
Multiple coolant-system components fail prematurely: water pumps, thermostat housings, coolant flanges, return/feed hoses to turbocharger, and reservoirs. Leaks occur while driving or parked. One owner replaced water pump and related parts four times within 8 months.
When: Starting at 15,000 miles; most common 40,000–110,000 miles; failures often repeat within months to weeks of repair
Symptoms owners cite: Visible coolant puddles under parked vehicle; Coolant leaking while driving and while stationary; White smoke from under hood; Burning coolant smell; Check coolant warning light illuminated
Repairs/costs cited: Owners replaced water pump, thermostat, thermostat housing, coolant reservoir, coolant hoses, and cooling fans. Costs ranged from $600 (single hose) to $1,600 (water pump and hoses). Repeated replacements common; one owner spent $3,500 on coolant repairs in 8 months and had full engine rebuilt.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall applied to most affected VINs; GM acknowledged water-pump recall 14371B for some vehicles but many owner VINs excluded; no TSB or warranty extension for widespread failures reported by owners
Engine overheating / coolant loss leading to engine damage
Engines overheat due to coolant loss from failed cooling components. Overheating triggers 'A/C OFF DUE TO HIGH ENGINE TEMP' and 'ENGINE OVERHEATING – IDLE ENGINE' warnings. Cars stall and lose power on highways at 25–60 mph, forcing emergency stops. Repeated overheating causes blown head gaskets, warped cylinder heads, and engine seizure requiring full replacement.
When: Typically 40,000–150,000 miles; can occur early if coolant leaks are severe
Symptoms owners cite: Engine overheating warning light / message on dashboard; Vehicle stalling or going into limp mode; Loss of power during acceleration; Engine unable to restart without cooling or towing; White smoke from hood; Brake pedal vibration; Engine jerking or shuddering
Codes mentioned: A/C OFF DUE TO HIGH ENGINE TEMP (dashboard message), ENGINE OVERHEATING – IDLE ENGINE (dashboard message), P0087 (fuel system pressure too low – secondary to overheating)
Repairs/costs cited: Owners replaced thermostats, cooling sensors, water pumps, hoses, and radiator caps. When overheating persisted, cylinder heads were machined or replaced ($3,000–$4,200). Full engine replacement cost $6,000–$8,000. One owner reported a two-year repair history with multiple mechanics unable to diagnose root cause.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 13V452000 applied to some VINs for powertrain issues but many affected vehicles were excluded; dealers claimed no recall applied; no TSB or extended coverage offered for most cases
Turbocharger failure / cracking
Turbochargers fail prematurely, causing loss of power, poor acceleration (especially uphill), check engine light, and excessive smoke from hood. One owner noted a recall for 2013–2014 turbo issues but their VIN was not included despite the same engine.
When: Typically 50,000–72,000 miles; some diagnostics at 71,400 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illuminated; Loss of power / poor acceleration; Difficulty accelerating uphill despite sufficient horsepower; Smoke from under hood; Whole car feels like it will blow up when started
Codes mentioned: P0299 (underboost condition / turbo underperforming)
Repairs/costs cited: Full turbo replacement quoted at $1,600 labor cost plus parts. One owner reported $400 labor alone at dealership. No parts replacement details provided by owners.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall issued for 2013–2014 turbo issues on certain VINs; many affected owner VINs excluded from recall; GM stopped selling affected vehicles for a period per one owner
Engine misfires / ignition system failure (spark plugs, coil pack, ECM)
Owners report intermittent misfires, check engine light, stabilitrak warnings, and jerking acceleration. Diagnostics show corroded/rusted spark plugs and coil packs despite no exposure to salt roads. One owner had spark plugs replaced 6+ times with varying diagnoses (bad sensor, knock sensor, EMS issue, carbon buildup).
When: Starting 20,000–80,000 miles; can recur if underlying cause is not identified
Symptoms owners cite: Service stabilitrak light illuminated; Check engine light (blinking for 30 seconds, then clears); Strong jerking during acceleration; Vehicle shaking while accelerating; Loss of power in limp mode; Traction control light illuminated
Codes mentioned: P0299 (turbo underboost / related to misfire), Spark plug/coil pack corrosion codes (not specified in narratives)
Repairs/costs cited: Spark plugs and coil pack replaced (cost $700). One owner had parts replaced multiple times with recurring issues; ECM (Engine Control Module) failure diagnosed in at least one case ($<cost not stated>). One owner reported metal shavings in oil.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls or TSBs mentioned for spark-plug/coil corrosion issue; dealers charged diagnostic fees ($180) when unable to find repeating code
Engine fire / catastrophic overheating event
Two owners reported engine fires. In one case, the car caught fire spontaneously while parked with the engine running and AC on; driver had not performed any recent maintenance. In another, fire erupted when driver opened the hood after seeing smoke, causing hand burns.
When: One at 137,000 miles; one at unknown mileage after recent oil change
Symptoms owners cite: AC stops blowing cold air; Electrical smell from vents; Smoke pouring from under hood; Flames visible under hood; Entire front of vehicle engulfed in flames
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles were not repaired; one was towed to residence and parked, one destroyed by fire
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not notified in one case; no response documented in the other
Oil leaks (valve cover, cam-shaft cover, oil cooler)
Oil leaks at multiple engine sealing points occur at low mileage. One owner discovered leaks at 55,000 and 60,000 miles. Another reported oil cooler failure at 40,000 miles. Oil blowby coats engine belts, causing slippage, and can soil brake pads, creating brake-failure risk.
When: Starting 40,000–60,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Oil visible around valve cover; Oil visible around cam-shaft cover; Oil cooler leaking; Oil coating engine belts; Belt slip causing drivability issues; Oil vapor coating brake discs and pads
Repairs/costs cited: Owners replaced valve cover gasket, cam-shaft cover seal, and oil cooler. One owner noted oil cooler covered under extended warranty but was out of factory warranty at 40,000 miles. Exact costs not provided.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner sought extended special parts warranty (similar to water-pump coverage); no decision documented. GM acknowledged awareness of oil blowby but no recall issued.
Check engine light / engine stall / limp mode without clear diagnosis
Check engine light illuminates intermittently or persists. In some cases, dealers cannot reproduce the issue or clear the code and find no fault. Vehicles stall without warning, lose power in limp mode, or fail to accelerate properly. Multiple shop visits yield conflicting diagnoses.
When: Throughout ownership; 67,000–139,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illuminated or blinking; Engine stalling while driving; Vehicle going into limp mode; Loss of power during acceleration; Inability to restart without towing or cooling period; Gas pedal locking up
Codes mentioned: P0087 (fuel system pressure too low), Unspecified codes that clear when engine cools
Repairs/costs cited: Diagnostics performed 6+ times at dealership and independent shops with varying results: bad sensor, knock sensor, EMS issue, carbon buildup, metal shavings in oil, ECM failure, thermostat, coolant sensors. One owner paid $180 diagnostic fee when code did not repeat.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer suggested full diagnostic test; no recalls or TSBs referenced for most cases
Carbon monoxide poisoning from vehicle defect
One owner experienced severe carbon monoxide poisoning (27% blood level) traced to the vehicle. The driver became unconscious on a dark highway at 25 mph. Prior to the incident, the vehicle had failed to accelerate properly and entered limp mode.
When: Unknown mileage; incident occurred while driving
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle failing to accelerate as intended; Vehicle entering LIMP mode; Driver becoming unconscious; High carbon monoxide levels in blood (27%)
Codes mentioned: LIMP Mode activated (reason unknown per owner)
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Owner received oxygen treatment at hospital.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not notified of failure
Synthesized from 118 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
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File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze?
It's a meaningful issue. 118 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $3,100.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 74 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 46,000 and 110,357 miles, with the median around 87,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 46,000; a quarter make it past 110,357. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Chevrolet/Cruze.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.