
Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
13-12 Customer Information
Service Publications
Ordering Information
Service Manuals
Service Manuals have the diagnosis
and repair information on the
engines, transmission, axle,
suspension, brakes, electrical,
steering, body, etc.
Service Bulletins
Service Bulletins give additional
technical service information
needed to knowledgeably service
General Motors cars and trucks.
Each bulletin contains instructions
to assist in the diagnosis and
service of the vehicle.
Owner Information
Owner publications are written
specifically for owners and intended
to provide basic operational
information about the vehicle.
The Owner Manual includes the
Maintenance Schedule for all
models.
In-Portfolio: Includes a
Portfolio, Owner Manual, and
Warranty Booklet.
RETAIL SELL PRICE:
$35.00 (U.S.) plus handling and
shipping fees.
Without Portfolio: Owner
Manual only.
RETAIL SELL PRICE:
$25.00 (U.S.) plus handling and
shipping fees.
Current and Past Models
Technical Service Bulletins and
Manuals are available for current
and past model GM vehicles.
ORDER TOLL FREE:
1-800-551-4123 Monday - Friday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Eastern Time
For Credit Card Orders Only
(VISA-MasterCard-Discover),
visit Helm, Inc. at:
www.helminc.com.
Or write to:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
Prices are subject to change
without notice and without
incurring obligation. Allow ample
time for delivery.
All listed prices are quoted in
U.S. funds. Make checks payable
in U.S. funds.

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
13-14 Customer Information
Reporting Safety Defects
to General Motors
In addition to notifying NHTSA
(or Transport Canada) in a situation
like this, notify General Motors.
Call 1-800-222-1020, or write:
Chevrolet Motor Division
Chevrolet Customer
Assistance Center
P.O. Box 33170
Detroit, MI 48232-5170
In Canada, call 1-800-263-3777
(English) or 1-800-263-7854
(French), or write:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Care Centre, Mail Code:
CA1-163-005
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
Vehicle Data
Recording and
Privacy
This GM vehicle has a number of
sophisticated computers that record
information about the vehicle’s
performance and how it is driven.
For example, the vehicle uses
computer modules to monitor and
control engine and transmission
performance, to monitor the
conditions for airbag deployment
and deploy airbags in a crash, and,
if so equipped, to provide antilock
braking to help the driver control the
vehicle. These modules may store
data to help your dealer technician
service the vehicle. Some modules
may also store data about how you
operate the vehicle, such as rate of
fuel consumption or average speed.
These modules may also retain the
owner’s personal preferences, such
as radio pre-sets, seat positions,
and temperature settings.
Event Data Recorders
This vehicle has an Event Data
Recorder (EDR). The main purpose
of an EDR is to record, in certain
crash or near crash-like situations,
such as an airbag deployment or
hitting a road obstacle, data that will
assist in understanding how a
vehicle's systems performed. The
EDR is designed to record data
related to vehicle dynamics and
safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less.
The EDR in this vehicle is designed
to record such data as:
.How various systems in the
vehicle were operating.
.Whether or not the driver and
passenger safety belts were
buckled/fastened.
.How far, if at all, the driver was
pressing the accelerator and/or
brake pedal.
.How fast the vehicle was
traveling.

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
13-16 Customer Information
Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID)
RFID technology is used in some
vehicles for functions such as tire
pressure monitoring and ignition
system security, as well as in
connection with conveniences such
as key fobs for remote door locking/
unlocking and starting, and
in-vehicle transmitters for garage
door openers. RFID technology in
GM vehicles does not use or record
personal information or link with any
other GM system containing
personal information.
Radio Frequency
Statement
This vehicle has systems that
operate on a radio frequency that
comply with Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and with Industry Canada
Standards RSS‐GEN/210/220/310.
Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
1. The device may not causeharmful interference.
2. The device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause
undesired operation of the
device.
Changes or modifications to any of
these systems by other than an
authorized service facility could void
authorization to use this equipment.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
INDEX i-3
Courtesy TransportationProgram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-4 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4
Customer Information
Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . 13-12
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . 13-9
Danger, Warnings, andCautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-14
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Indicator Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3 Devices, Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Door
Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . 12-4
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . 1-21
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-7
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
E
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Electrical System Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-6
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-30
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-4
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
INDEX i-5
G
GasolineSpecifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Gauges Engine CoolantTemperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Warning Lights and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
General Information Service and Maintenance . . . . . 11-1
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5
H
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . 6-3
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Headlamps
Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Daytime RunningLamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) Indicator Light . . . . . . . . 5-22
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Heater
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Heating and Air
Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1, 8-3
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 9-7 Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . 9-15, 9-18
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Instrument Panel Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Instrument Panel Overview . . . . . 1-2
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
i-6 INDEX
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-31
Keyless EntryRemote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-44
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Lamps Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-2
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Front Fog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Headlamps, Front TurnSignal, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-13
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12 LATCH System
Replacing Parts after a
Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-48
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Light StabiliTrak
®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Lighter, Cigarette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Lighting Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lights Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-16
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21 Lights (cont.)
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Reduced Engine Power . . . . . . 5-21
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-10
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Service Vehicle Soon . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Traction Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Up-Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Warning, Power Steering . . . . . 5-17
Locks
Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-20
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
INDEX i-7
M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-16
Maintenance Schedule Recommended Fluidsand Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-13
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . 5-13
Manual Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . . 9-33 Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Messages Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Battery Voltage andCharging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Engine Cooling System . . . . . . . 5-30
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Key and Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Object Detection System . . . . . 5-32
Ride Control System . . . . . . . . . . 5-32 Messages (cont.)
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Service Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Starting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Vehicle Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Mirrors
Automatic DimmingRearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Manual Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Monitor System, Tire
Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Multi-band Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
N
Navigation Vehicle Data Recordingand Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
O
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9 Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-12
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . 3-33
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . 13-4
OnStar
®System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Operation, Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Ordering Service Publications . . . . . . . . 13-12

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Cruze Owner Manual - 2012
INDEX i-9
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Replacement Parts Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-15
Replacing Airbag System . . . . . . 3-32
Replacing LATCH System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . 3-48
Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts after a Crash . . . 3-18
Reporting Safety Defects Canadian Government . . . . . . 13-13
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Restraints Where to Put . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-40
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Ride Control Systems
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Roads Driving, Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Roadside Assistance
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6 Roof
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21
Rotation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Routing, Engine Drive Belt . . . . . 12-4
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
S
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Replacing after a Crash . . . . . . 3-18
Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . 3-17
Safety Defects Reporting
Canadian Government . . . . . . 13-13
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . . 13-8
Sealant Kit, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65 Seats
Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Heated Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Power Adjustment, Front . . . . . . 3-4
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Securing Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-48, 3-50
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Vehicle Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Service Accessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Maintenance Records . . . . . . .11-16
Maintenance, General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Parts Identification Label . . . . . 12-1
Publications Ordering Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-12