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2016 Chevrolet Cruze

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 Cruze.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2016 Chevrolet Cruze is a passenger car paired with an automatic six-speed transmission and EPA ratings of 30 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, and 34 mpg combined. Across the 2010–2019 Cruze complaint record, the 2016 model's 247 owner complaints and four recalls sit far below the 2012 high of 864 complaints yet well above the 2010 low of two, with engine issues flagged as the top complaint area. That positioning lands it in the moderate-to-lower tier of the model's reliability history, indicating a relatively typical ownership profile rather than either a standout problem year or an especially clean one.

Model year201920182017201620152014201320122011

Quick specs

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

EPA fuel economy30/40/34 mpgEPA · 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 12699847. Note the factory spark plug is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. 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
Tail / brake / turnSIGNALOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215/60R16OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12699847
Engine air filter13367308
Spark plug12673527 discontinued
Battery88866116 alt 88866309
Front wiper blades39102794 alt 39102793
Serpentine belt12638808
Thermostat12649163 alt 12673413
Cabin air filter13508023 alt 13356914

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length183.9 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height57.5 in
Wheelbase106.3 in
Curb weight2756 lb
Track (front / rear)61.4 / 61 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined30 / 40 / 34 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume94 cu ft
Cargo volume10 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

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.

7.6–8.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.60 sec — 2016 LT Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2016LT Sedan 1.4L Turbo I-47.60 sec15.90 sec153 hpFWD
2016Premier Sedan 1.4L Turbo I-48.20 sec16.30 sec153 hpFWD
2016Premier Sedan 1.4L Turbo I-48.70 sec16.60 sec153 hpFWD
2017Premier Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-47.70 sec16.00 sec153 hpFWD
2017LT RS Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.00 sec16.20 sec153 hpFWD
2017LT TD Sedan 1.6L Turbo Diesel I-48.00 sec16.30 sec137 hpFWD
2017LT RS Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.30 sec16.40 sec153 hpFWD
2017LT RS Hatchback 1.4L Turbo I-48.40 sec16.40 sec153 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 11.0 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 FluidDEXRON(R)-VI GM P/N 89020661
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity4.5-6.5
Brake FluidDOT 3
Clutch FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantDex Cool
Engine Coolant Capacity7.5 qt
Manual Transmission FluidGM part number 19259104
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity3.8

Engine torques

Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug10.3 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug10.3 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug11.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug11.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs71.0 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts7.4 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerAc Delco
Spark Plug Gap.028 in
Spark Plug Torque18 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.40 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.23 oz
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)40-50
Engine CompressionTURBO / 174-203 PSI / Max Variation14.5 psi

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 21; Rear: 21 /
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 74; Rear: 74
ABS Sensor Torque7.5 / NS
Minimum Pad Thickness0.078
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.063 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .905; Rear: .393
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: .913; Rear: .402
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.0002

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
126.0, Step 230 degrees
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 4518 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts.

126.0 ft. lbs.26 ft. lbs
2180 degrees180 degrees
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
144.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 45.0 degrees, Step 3: 15.044 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
144.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 45 degrees, Step 3: 1544 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
126.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 30 degrees, Step 3: 1526 ft. lbs

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 60,000 mi.

Every 7,500 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (inspect fluid level)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miIgnition Coil (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miAccessory 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 federal record shows a clear downward trend in both complaints and recalls from the peak years of 2011‑2014 toward the end of the generation. In 2016 the Cruze logged 247 complaints and 4 recalls, which is essentially unchanged from the 251 complaints and 4 recalls reported for 2015 and markedly lower than the 698 complaints and 10 recalls seen in 2014. Compared with the following model years, complaints continued to fall to 201 in 2017, 109 in 2018 and just 20 in 2019, while recalls dropped to 2 in 2017, rose slightly to 3 in 2018 and settled at 2 in 2019. Thus, the 2016 model sits near the low‑complaint, low‑recall portion of the generation’s arc, indicating improved reliability relative to earlier years. Consequently, the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze represents a comparatively good year to purchase used.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1330
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
247
Owner complaints
19 involved a crash · 6 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 247 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine41
Unknown Or Other19
Air Bags15
Electrical System14
Power Train12
Service Brakes9
Steering8
Fuel/Propulsion System8

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V304000Fuel System, GasolineReported 10/05/2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Cruze LS vehicles, equipped with a gasoline engine and a tire inflator kit instead of a spare tire. The vehicles may leak gasoline following a rear-impact… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a lock-ring on the fuel tank that will shield the fuel tank vapor pressure sensor from damage in a rear-impact crash, free of…

17V057000Seats:Front Assembly:Head RestraintReported 26/01/2017

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles. A bracket used in the driver or front passenger seat-back recliner mechanism may have been incorrectly welded to the seat-back frame, as a… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front passenger seats, replacing any with seat-back frames that are incorrectly welded, free of charge. The recall began on…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1330 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP61042026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V2026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIP4902U2026-01-08Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT5214G2025-11-20Unknown Or OtherThis 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 batteryEngine oil filter 12699847Engine air filter 13367308Spark plug 12673527Battery 88866116

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

Does the 2016 Cruze have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Cruze get?

EPA figures are 30 city / 40 highway / 34 combined mpg.