While an investigation has been underway by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for two complaints they received about the 2011 Chevy Cruze engine compartments, no official recall has been requested. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has expanded the probe from the 2011 Chevy Cruze models, about 177,000 to include 2012 Chevy Cruze models. This brings the total cars being looked at up to 370,000. The investigation started this past April when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received the two complaints.
During this investigation, there have been no further complaints issued. There have been no injuries or accidents either. General Motors is cooperating completely with the investigation and the hope is to resolve this probe as soon as possible.
According to the two complaints received by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, each of the Chevy Cruzes involved had been on the open road when they caught fire. At first the drivers noticed smoke coming out from under the hood of the car. Within minutes, both of the cars were destroyed by fire.
One complaint stated, “In two minutes, the car was fully engulfed and flames were 15-feet high. GM needs to find out and correct this problem before someone get seriously hurt.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requested documentation from General Motors about any complaints from any other Chevy Cruze drivers that had a deadline of May 11. This documentation, among other due diligence by the safety administration will determine if there needs to be a recall on the 2011 or 2012 Chevy Cruze models, and specifically which vehicles might be effected per manufacturing dates.
Speculations are that the fires could be restricted to particular cars from faulty work done on them at other car repair services, but both General Motors and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are doing everything they can to look into these complaints and evaluate if there needs to be a recall or not.