Page 2 of 400

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
2012 Chevrolet Cruze Owner ManualM
Driving and Operating. . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-15
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-29
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-37
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-42
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Conversions and
Add-Ons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55 Vehicle Care
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-83
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . 11-3
Special Application
Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Additional Maintenance
and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . 11-13
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 11-16 Technical Data
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Customer Information . . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-13
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1
Page 5 of 400
Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
%:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control/Stabilitrak®
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
Page 9 of 400

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-3
A.Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
Front Fog Lamps on page 6‑4
(If Equipped).
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑5.
B. Air Vents on page 8‑6.
C. Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer on page 6‑2.
Turn and Lane‐Change Lever.
See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑4.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑23.
D. Instrument Cluster on page 5‑8.
E. Horn on page 5‑3.
F. Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5‑23.
G. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2. H.
Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑3.
I. Infotainment on page 7‑2.
Satellite Radio on page 7‑14
(If Equipped).
J. Infotainment Display Screen.
K. Instrument Panel Storage on
page 4‑1.
L. Light Sensor. See Automatic
Headlamp System on page 6‑3.
M. Passenger Airbag. See Where
Are the Airbags? on page 3‑21.
N. Hood Release. See Hood on
page 10‑4.
O. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑13.
P. Instrument Panel Fuse Block on
page 10‑40.
Q. Cruise Control on page 9‑40. R.
Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.
S. Driver Airbag. See Where Are
the Airbags? on page 3‑21.
T. Ignition Switch or Keyless Ignition Button (If Equipped).
See Ignition Positions (Key
Access) on page 9‑15 or
Ignition Positions (Keyless
Access) on page 9‑18.
U. Driver Knee Airbag. See Where
Are the Airbags? on page 3‑21.
V. Power Door Locks on
page 2‑11.
W. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑3.
X. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑29 or
Manual Transmission on
page 9‑33.
Y. Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑37.
StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑38.
Page 17 of 400

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-11
Interior
Adjust the inside rearview mirror by
moving it up and down or side to
side. Adjust the mirror to avoid glare
from the headlamps behind you.
Push the tab forward for daytime
use and pull it for nighttime use.
SeeManual Rearview Mirror on
page 2‑17.
The vehicle may have an automatic
dimming inside rearview mirror.
Automatic dimming reduces the
glare of lights from behind the
vehicle. The dimming feature and
indicator light come on each time
the vehicle is started.
See Automatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror on page 2‑17.
Steering Wheel
Adjustment
To adjust the steering wheel:
1. Pull the lever (A) down.
2. Move the steering wheel up or down.
3. Pull or push the steering wheel closer or away from you.
4. Push the lever (A) up to lock the steering wheel in place.
Do not adjust the steering wheel
while driving.
Interior Lighting
Dome Lamps
The dome lamp controls are located
in the headliner.
(: Press to turn the lamps off,
even when a door is open.
H: Press to turn the lamps on
automatically when a door is
opened.
': Press to turn on the
dome lamps.
Page 18 of 400
Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
1-12 In Brief
Reading Lamps
The reading lamps are located in
the overhead console.
#or$:Press the button near
each lamp to turn it on or off. Instrument Panel Illumination
Control
This feature controls the brightness
of the instrument panel controls and
infotainment display screen. The
thumbwheel is located to the left of
the steering column on the
instrument panel.
D(Instrument Panel
Brightness): Turn the thumbwheel
up or down and hold, to brighten or
dim the instrument panel controls
and infotainment display screen.
Exterior Lighting
The exterior lamps control is located
on the instrument panel to the
outboard side of the steering
column.
O: Briefly turn to this position to
turn the automatic light control off or
on again.
AUTO: Turns the headlamps on
automatically at normal brightness,
together with the parking lamps,
taillamps, license plate lamps,
sidemarker lamps, and instrument
panel lights.
Page 19 of 400

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-13
;:Turns on the parking lamps,
taillamps, license plate lamps,
sidemarker lamps, and instrument
panel lights.
5: Turns on the headlamps,
parking lamps, taillamps, license
plate lamps, sidemarker lamps, and
instrument panel lights. A warning
chime sounds if the driver door is
opened when the ignition switch is
off and the headlamps are on.
#: For vehicles with fog lamps,
press to turn the lamps on or off.
For more information, see:
.Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
.Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
on page 6‑2.
.Front Fog Lamps on page 6‑4.
Windshield Wiper/Washer
The windshield wiper lever is on the
side of the steering column. With
the ignition in ACC/ACCESSORY or
ON/RUN, move the windshield
wiper lever to select the wiper
speed.
2: Fast wipes.
1: Slow wipes.
3:Turn the band up for more
frequent wipes or down for less
frequent wipes.
9: Turns the windshield
wipers off.
3: Briefly move the wiper lever
down for a single wipe or hold down
for several wipes.
Windshield Washer
Pull the windshield wiper lever to
spray windshield washer fluid and
activate the wipers.
See Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑3.
Page 46 of 400

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
2-16 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Manual Mirrors
Vehicles with a manual mirror
adjustment have controls next to
each mirror.
Adjust the inside rearview mirror by
moving it up and down or side to
side. Adjust the mirror to avoid glare
from the headlamps behind you.
Push the tab forward for daytime
use and pull it for nighttime use.
Power Mirrors
Controls for the outside power
mirrors are located on the
driver door.
To adjust the mirror:
1. Turn the selector switch toL (left) or R (right) to choose
the driver or passenger mirror.
2. Move the control to adjust the mirror.
3. Turn the selector switch to the O position to deselect the mirror.
Folding Mirrors
Manual Foldaway Mirrors
The vehicle has manual folding
mirrors. These mirrors can be folded
inward to prevent damage when
going through an automatic car
wash. To fold, pull the mirror toward
the vehicle. Push the mirror outward
to return it to the original position.
Heated Mirrors
The vehicle may have heated
mirrors.
=(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to heat the outside rearview
mirrors. See “Rear Window
Defogger” underAutomatic Climate
Control System on page 8‑3 for
more information.
Page 47 of 400

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-17
Interior Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
Hold the mirror in the center to
move it for a clearer view of behind
your vehicle. Adjust the mirror to
avoid glare from the headlamps
behind you. Push the tab at the
bottom of the mirror forward for
daytime use and pull it for
nighttime use.
Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror
The vehicle may have an automatic
dimming inside rearview mirror.
Automatic dimming reduces the
glare from the headlamps of the
vehicle behind you. The dimming
feature and the indicator light come
on each time the vehicle is started.Vehicles with OnStar have three
control buttons located at the
bottom of the mirror. See your
dealer for more information about
OnStar and how to subscribe to it.
See the OnStar Owner's Guide for
more information about the services
OnStar provides.
Cleaning the Mirror
Do not spray glass cleaner directly
on the mirror. Use a soft towel
dampened with water.