Cracked pistons have become very common for 2017 Chevrolet Cruze owners. They’re actually some of the most common 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems around. Piston corrosion, misfiring, stalling, and a randomly-appearing “Service StabiliTrak” light are also some of the other 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems that need to be on your radar.
Because of these problems, there are some critics who have called the Chevy Cruze “the worst Chevy vehicle to buy.” They’ve gone out of their way to encourage people to purchase other Chevy vehicles, like the Chevy Malibu, over the Cruze. And they also celebrated when the Cruze was recently discontinued and removed from the Chevy lineup.
We would argue that the Cruze and, more specifically, the 2017 Cruze isn’t that bad of a car in the grand scheme of things. It does bring a lot of good things to the table, as you’ll find out in a few moments. But the 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems should make you think twice about buying a used 2017 Cruze. They should also make you think twice about continuing to fix up a 2017 Cruze that you already own.
Discover more about the 2017 Chevy Cruze and the 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems below.
A 2017 Chevrolet Cruze Overview
The compact car class is always very competitive. Yet, the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze was able to find a spot in the top half of it when it was first released thanks to safety, its reliability, and, maybe above all else, its smooth ride.
The Chevy Cruze was never considered to be a particularly flashy car, and the 2017 model was no different. It looked more or less just like the previous few Cruzes that had been released. But what the 2017 Cruze lacked in aesthetic appeal, it made up for in other ways. Here are several things critics liked about it:
- It provided people with plenty of space for both passengers and cargo
- It had a great infotainment system that came standard in all 2017 Cruzes
- It got between 28 and 31 miles per gallon in the city and between 37 and 52 miles per gallon on the highway
The only thing that critics didn’t like about the 2017 Cruze initially was its acceleration. A lack of acceleration stopped the Cruze from competing with the compact cars in the upper echelon of the class.
And as time went on, people also started to discover some of the different 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems. These problems have also knocked the 2017 Cruze down a few notches and made people think twice about purchasing a Cruze either new or used.
Which Engines Are Found in 2017 Chevy Cruzes?
There were actually two different engines that were used in the 2017 Chevy Cruzes. The base engine found in almost all 2017 Cruzes was a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that was capable of producing up to 153 horsepower. It was paired up with either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic transmission.
Those who purchased a 2017 Cruze also had the option of going with a four-cylinder turbodiesel engine if they wanted that was capable of producing up to 137 horsepower. It was paired up with a nine-speed automatic transmission.
2017 Cruze owners have reported issues with both of these engines. But when we talk about 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems here, we’re going to be focusing mostly on the base engine. This is the one that appears to have caused the most people for people driving 2017 Cruzes.
What Are the Most Common 2017 Chevy Cruze Engine Problems?
When 2017 Chevy Cruzes first started to appear out on the road, there weren’t too many engine problems reported right away. But since that time, there have been some common 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems that have begun to appear. We’ve listed some of the most common ones below so that you’ll know what to look out for if you own a 2017 Cruze.
1. Cracked Pistons
There are a handful of 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems that we’re going to discuss today. But this particular problem is, by far, the most common one among 2017 Cruze owners. There are lots of people who have reported experiencing cracked pistons in their 2017 Chevy Cruzes, often before the 20,000-mile mark.
This has, as you might imagine, frustrated many 2017 Cruze owners beyond belief. One angry Cruze owner took to CarComplaints.com to write: “Beyond ridiculous to have a new car and already have such a big problem with it. 2 broken pistons at 20,000 miles…”
Another echoed this sentiment after experiencing a cracked piston in their 2017 Cruze. They said that they were “very disappointed with Chevy” after hearing about their cracked piston. They also said that the issue was going to make them “rethink future Chevy purchases.”
How to Fix This Problem: If you have a 2027 Chevy Cruze with a cracked piston, you’re not going to have any choice but to get it replaced. The good news for you is that something like this should be covered by your car’s warranty. But if it’s not, you could end up paying about $1,750 on average to get a cracked piston replaced.
Some people have also reported having to replace their entire engine because of a cracked piston. While this is a possibility, it’s not likely that you’ll have to go through this when you have these kinds of 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems.
2. Piston Corrosion
A cracked piston is a lot more common in a 2017 Chevy Cruze than a corroded one. But if you’re having issues with a 2017 Cruze’s engine, it’s worth noting that piston corrosion could be to blame.
After owning a 2017 Cruze for just one year, at least one person reported that they started to experience lots of issues with their car. The check engine light started going on and off every so often, the engine would run rough from time to time, and it also appeared as though it was having an emissions problem. The verdict after this person took their car to their dealer? A corroded piston!
“Cannot believe a one year old car needs the pistons and rings to be replaced!” the 2017 Cruze owner wrote on CarComplaints.com.
How to Fix This Problem: If you have a car with corroded pistons, you’ll pretty much have to do the same thing that you would do if your pistons were cracked. You’ll need to replace your pistons with new ones, even if they’re not that old. This is another thing that should be covered under your car’s warranty. But if it’s not, you could be looking at paying upwards of $2,000 out of pocket to fix the problem.
3. Engine Misfiring
It’s not all that out of the ordinary to feel and hear your engine misfiring. It can happen when you have older spark plugs in your car or when your ignition coils have gone bad. But it can also happen because of more serious 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems.
Shortly after getting an oil change, one 2017 Cruze owner noticed that their car kept stalling out on them. They also noticed that it wouldn't rev up the way it’s supposed to, and at one point, it even started to misfire on them. They eventually took it to a dealer and discovered that the misfire was caused by “not enough pressure buildup” in one of their engine’s cylinders. “I will never buy Chevrolet again,” they wrote.
How to Fix This Problem: Unfortunately, engine misfiring is a problem that isn’t always easy to diagnose. It can be caused by a whole host of things, which is why you’re going to want to take your Cruze to a dealer or a mechanic ASAP to get it looked at. Driving around with a car that keeps misfiring can potentially be dangerous, so you shouldn’t attempt to do it.
4. Stalling Engine
When the engine in your car stalls out, it’s never good! Just like with misfiring, stalling can be caused by lots of different things—and almost all of them are relatively serious 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems. Stalling can also put you directly into harm’s way if you happen to stall out at the wrong time.
Over the last couple years, more than a few 2017 Chevy Cruze owners have gone on CarComplaints.com to report that their cars have randomly stalled out. One wrote, “My car…stopped on me in the middle of traffic before while driving.” Another said, “The vehicle stalled without warning.” One person even talked about how they were injured after their 2017 Cruze stalled out, and they blamed it on “a @#$%ed up car poor design.”
How to Fix This Problem: If your 2027 Cruze starts stalling out on you on a regular basis, it’s another problem that’s going to be difficult to diagnose. You’ll have to take it to a dealer or a mechanic and have them try to replicate the problems that you’re having. Until they’re able to do it, you might struggle to get your 2017 Cruze under control.
5. “Service StabiliTrak” Light
Many Chevy vehicles come with a StabiliTrak system built into them. This system is designed to keep them moving in a straight line when you drive them down the street. It’s why many 2017 Cruze owners have panicked after seeing the “Service StabiliTrak” light randomly pop up on their dashboards.
And they’ve become even more alarmed after often finding out that this light appeared in part because of 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems. It seems as though it sometimes indicates an issue with fuel injectors and spark plugs that cause misfiring in an engine. Worse, this problem is not usually covered by a car’s warranty and must be fixed out at the expense of a 2017 Chevy Cruze owner.
How to Fix This Problem: Those 2017 Cruze owners who see the “Service StabiliTrak” light appear on their dashboard should always drive their cars down to their dealer or mechanic right away. It could be an actual issue with the StabiliTrak system. But it could also be an indication of an engine problem.
Are There Any Other 2017 Chevy Cruze Problems?
For better or worse, the 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems are easily the most common problems with the 2017 Cruze. There haven’t been too many other big problems reported by those who drive Chevy Cruzes from 2017.
There are a few problems that you might want to be aware of, though. These issues include:
- Clutch failure
- Rattling dome light
- Coolant leaking
- Faulty alternator
- Defective windshield
While you’re looking out for 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems, you should also look out for these problems. They may all require your attention at some point in time.
Are There Any Recalls for the 2017 Chevy Cruze?
As of right now, there aren’t any open recalls stemming from any of the 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems that we just touched on. It sounds like the piston problems that exist in 2017 Cruzes could force Chevy to issue a recall down the line, but they haven’t done it yet.
There are, however, two recalls that Chevy has put out for the 2017 Cruze. One is for those with 2016-18 Cruzes that have gasoline engines and tire inflator kits in place of spare tires. These vehicles have been known to leak gasoline in the aftermath of car crashes. Chevy has started to install lock-rings on the fuel tanks in these cars to prevent them from leaking gas.
The other recall is for seat back frames that have been installed improperly in 2016 and 2017 Chevy Cruzes. These seat backs can break during an accident and cause serious injuries to occur. Chevy has begun replacing these seat backs from Cruzes to prevent this from happening.
Is It Worth Repairing 2017 Chevy Cruze Engine Problems?
If you have a 2017 Cruze that is still under warranty, you might be able to get around having to deal with costly 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems. You can replace any bad pistons in your car without having to pay for them.
But it’s pretty clear that Chevy has a serious problem on its hands when it comes to the pistons used in the 2017 Cruzes. So you might not want to hang onto your Cruze for too long, especially if it has already started to show signs of engine wear and tear.
Instead of spending a bunch of money fixing 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems all the time, you should consider selling your car to Cash Cars Buyer. We’ll pay you top dollar for your 2017 Cruze and help you avoid the problems that can come along with owning it.
Fill out the easy-to-use form on your website to let us know that you’re interested in selling your 2017 Chevy Cruze. We’ll get back to you with an offer right away and see if we can work out a deal. It’ll help you leave your 2017 Chevy Cruze engine problems in the past for good.
Contact us today to obtain more information on selling a 2017 Chevy Cruze to Cash Cars Buyer!