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2012 Chevrolet Cruze

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 Cruze.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2012 Chevrolet Cruze is a passenger car with a routine maintenance profile calling for 5W-30 engine oil and a 4.3-quart fill capacity. In the reliability data, this model year stands out for drawing the most owner feedback in its generation, logging 864 total complaints with the engine cited as the top concern and seven recalls on record. Within the 2010–2019 Cruze span, 2012 represents the peak complaint volume—864 versus just two for the 2010 model—so researchers should treat it as the focal year for understanding the model's trouble spots.

Model year2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.3 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30OEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 47 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter 55593191. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 47 · 525 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeLS, 1LT P215/60R16OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	55593191 alt 55594651
Engine air filter	13272719 alt 13272720
Spark plug	12681656 alt 12681655
Front wiper blades	95430139 alt 95161606
Serpentine belt	55578811 alt 55579905
Thermostat	55565619 alt 25189205
Cabin air filter	13271190 alt 13356914

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	181.5 in
Overall width	70.9 in
Overall height	58.3 in
Wheelbase	105.5 in
Curb weight	3102 lb
Track (front / rear)	60.2 / 61 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	61/39

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Cruze of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.10 sec — 2012 Eco Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2012	Eco Sedan 1.4L Turbo I-4	8.10 sec	16.20 sec	138 hp	FWD
2011	2LT Sedan 1.4L Turbo I-4	8.00 sec	16.40 sec	138 hp	FWD
2011	Eco Sedan 1.4L Turbo I-4	8.00 sec	16.30 sec	138 hp	FWD
2011	Eco Sedan 1.4L Turbo I-4	8.40 sec	16.60 sec	138 hp	FWD
2011	LTZ Sedan 1.4L Turbo I-4	8.90 sec	17.00 sec	138 hp	FWD
2011	LTZ RS Sedan 1.4L Turbo I-4	9.00 sec	16.90 sec	138 hp	FWD
2011	2LT Sedan 1.4L Turbo I-4	9.20 sec	17.10 sec	138 hp	FWD
2011	LS Sedan 1.8L I-4	9.40 sec	17.20 sec	136 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.3 qt of 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	4.7-5.8
Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	DEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil	5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4.3 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4.8 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	5.9 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	15 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	11.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts

100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order

1-3-4-2

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.40 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	4.23 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	525 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	47

Service checks

Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	Electrical: 194, Thermic: 221 °F
Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	194 °F
Pressure Test	20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	20 psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	21 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket	21 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	0.078
Minimum Shoe Thickness	0.063 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0002 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.004 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	0.472 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	0.472 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Torque to Knuckle — tightening sequence 1 stages

60-75

Torque to Knuckle — tightening sequence 1 stages

60-75

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

70 ft. lbs., step 2: 45 degrees, step 3: 15

70 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Use new bolts coated with clean engine oil. Tighten all bolts to finger tight then continue on with the following procedure.

1	18.0 ft. lbs.	18 ft. lbs
2	90 degrees	90 degrees
3	90 degrees	90 degrees
4	90 degrees	90 degrees
5	45 degrees	45 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 97,500 mi; coolant every 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 mi	Accelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 22,500 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 mi	Emission Control System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 97,500 mi	Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Timing Belt (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 150,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2012 Chevrolet Cruze recorded 864 complaints and 7 recalls, which is higher than the 2010 baseline (2 complaints, 0 recalls) and slightly above the 2011 figure (731 complaints, 7 recalls). Complaint volume then declined to 585 in 2013 before rising again to 698 in 2014, after which it fell steadily to 20 by 2019. Recall counts followed a similar pattern, peaking at 10 in 2014 and gradually decreasing to 2 by 2019. Thus, the 2012 model sits in the early‑generation period where both complaint and recall numbers are relatively elevated compared with later years. This suggests that a 2012 Cruze may carry a higher likelihood of reported issues than models from 2015 onward. Consequently, if reliability is a primary concern, a later‑year Cruze would be a preferable choice.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

1817

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

864

Owner complaints

62 involved a crash · 17 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Overall★★★★★

Frontal★★★★★

Side★★★★★

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’10 ’11’12’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 864 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine120

Service Brakes99

Power Train66

Electrical System49

Unknown Or Other45

Steering33

Visibility/Wiper31

Engine & Engine Cooling26

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 7 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V502000Electrical System:IgnitionReported 05/07/2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact…

14V300000Air BagsReported 06/06/2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1817 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIT3271Q	2026-04-01	Unknown Or Other	This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP6104	2026-03-09	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V	2026-03-09	Unknown Or Other	This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIP4902U	2026-01-08	Unknown Or Other	This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT5214G	2025-11-20	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Cruze. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 47 battery Vehicles taking 4.3 qt Engine oil filter 55593191 Engine air filter 13272719 Spark plug 12681656 Front wiper blades 95430139

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2012 Cruze take?

4.3 qt of 5W-30 MEETING GM DEXOS 1 SPECIFICATION, per the factory manual.

Does the 2012 Cruze have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.