NHTSA Complaint #11464098 — 2018 CHEVROLET CRUZE

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while driving 25-30 MPH, the vehicle felt imbalanced and was shuddering. Additionally, the engine emitted abnormal knocking sounds. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact then parked the vehicle a block away from his residence. The contact who is a certified independent mechanic, diagnosed that the fuel injectors had failed. The contact also diagnosed that the fuel injector had melted and fused into the number one cylinder, causing the engine to misfire. The contact replaced the fuel injectors, the spark plugs, the fuel line, the fuel harness, and the vehicle software were flushed. However, the failure reoccurred. Upon further investigation, the contact became aware that the engine inside the vehicle was not the appropriate engine as it was 1.5 liter and its specifications indicated that it was an engine specifically designed for a Chevrolet Malibu while the vehicle was a Chevrolet Cruze. However, the original owner of the vehicle, who was the contact's neighbor, had never replaced the engine. The contact then determined that the failure was associated to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V642000 (Electrical System, Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine). The contact notified the dealer where the vehicle was originally purchased and informed them that the engine installed was not the appropriate engine. The dealer disregarded the information and informed the contact that he would be responsible for the cost of the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.