2017 Chevrolet Cruze: Cracked piston
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2017 Cruze report: cracked piston. CarComplaints.com lists 22 owner complaints, average mileage 33,550 miles.
NHTSA has 76 owner complaints for the 2017 Cruze in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11739100 (filed 05/20/2026): “The engine has excessive blow by from the oil filler cap. having a misfire on cylinder number 1 and idling rough. there are several threads online concerning this issue being caused by worn pistons and piston rings.…”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11737526 (filed 05/13/2026): “Recently my car's check engine light and the message "service stabilitrak" started coming up on my car, then my car started shaking while idling. i quickly took the car to my mechanic who assessed it, replaced my spark plugs, which did not solve the issue, and…”
Likely causes
Sources do not establish a single root cause; diagnosis is needed. Owner-reported fixes are listed below.
Fix, in plain English
Most common owner-reported solutions on CarComplaints.com: replaced 4 pistons (9 reports) new engine (5 reports) replace piston (4 reports) piston, connecting rod, and bearing replacement (1 reports). Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Pro
Internal engine work (lifters, oil consumption, fuel dilution diagnosis) requires engine teardown or dealer software/tests. (Our assessment.)
Cost
CarComplaints.com owners report a typical repair cost of about $2,780 (owner-reported average, not a quote).
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
AutoZone · O'Reilly · Advance · RockAuto
Sources
Page last updated .