Bought a 2011 Chevy Cruze 1 month ago. 38k miles. Driving on the freeway, slowed down in rush hour traffic, and the car felt like it slipped into neutral. It wouldn't go forward at all. Reverse still worked. Engine just revved and wouldn't go. Pushed the car to the side of the freeway. We added some transmission fluid, after about an hour of letting it run and revving it, the check engine light came on, and it suddenly went into drive. It made it about 5 miles then stopped. We have replaced the transmission fluid, checked the engine codes that came up as P2723 (Pressure control solenoid) and a P0700 (Transmission control system). Auto parts store suggested changing the Vehicle speed sensor aka Input shaft speed sensor. Turns out it is not easy to access. Wasn't able to change it. It's looking like this is a common problem, but I'm not seeing anyone with a solution? Any ideas??

The past few weeks the car would hesitate between first and second gear. Definitely embarrassing when the gears actually did switch as the car jerked like I was driving a manual and didn't know how to shift. Today, was going on the highway and the car out of nowhere loses it's power going from 70 to 45 mph at 5000 rpms. Safely pulled over and got it towed to see what's going on. Engine light came on during loss of power.

Thankfully, highway was not busy! I had taken it to a Chevy dealer prior to this mess so they could check out why the car hesitates from first to second, sometimes sounding like I am revving it in neutral. They did not find anything, no leaks, etc. Received basic maintenance- oil change, trans flush, fuel injection cleaning, new engine filter. That didn't fix the problem. Now it seems this car has bigger issues.

Will never buy another Chevy again. I will stick with Ford. My last Ford went over 200k without any major issues.

Update from May 4, 2016: Turns out that the transmission went. Getting a new tranny ordered and installed. Cost of job over 3000. Extended warranty is covering it. I think I made my mind up though- no more CVT transmissions. They can not handle the speed and break down to easily. This is my first car with a CVT transmission and first car to fail at 83k. I've owned nissan, buick, ford, and a chevy cavalier without CVT tranny and none of them broke down prior to well over 100k. Ford lasted 200k.

I bought this car new 0 miles in September 2011. In less than 2 years it developed a serious problem with it 6 speed auto- transmission, where it slips in 1st and 2nd gear, like when you try drive from a stop; step on accelerator nothing happens. Then all of a sudden the car jumps violently. This was very dangerous especially in tight parking areas or in heavy slow traffic.

I took it the Chevrolet dealer, but they denied me the fix under warranty, saying that I did not do scheduled maintenance at their shops. I tried to tell them that the car is still under warranty and has less than 2 years in service, and that I do the car servicing at local tune-up shops and I use Mobil 1 oil with original filter and other consumable parts. Moreover, this transmission type is sealed self contained & does not have any means for user interface, no service required before 100,000 km, several complaint e-mails sent to GM Arabia at Dubai with no help.

I have learned to live with problem for now by pressing on the gas pedal and lifting my foot repeatedly until the car moves and gains speed passing the 1st and 2nd gears,

Me & my family are very disappointed with this car & GM,s poor response; and will never consider buying this model again, nor advice any one to own one,

Sometimes when I downshift into neutral or reverse on my 6 speed manual transmission, when attempting to go back into first gear, I think I am in first gear and I end up in reverse. Once on a local state highway, I had to stop several times because of an accident, I initially went into reverse instead of forward two or three times. Fortunately no one was tailgating.

Several times this has happened backing out of my garage and making a K-turn, one of those times it took 3 tries to get back into first gear and I almost backed into my shed. Not sure if the reverse button hangs up or I tend to touch it lightly with my pinky finger, but I never had this problem with my 5 speed manual Chevy Prism and it scares the .... out of me whenever it happens.

I now have about 46000 miles on the vehicle and I am hyper-careful every time I go from neutral to first gear. Seems like a better reverse lock or positioning of reverse away from first gear makes more sense. I do have concern I will accidentally back into something or someone.

I am currently two years into a three year lease on my 2011 Chevy Cruze. It was brand new off the lot minus a few miles on it from test driving. During the test drive I noticed a weird shifting problem but the stupid sales woman just wanted to sell the car and told me it was just because the car wasn't "broken in" yet. Seeing as how I was 19 and in desperate need of a car, my dad and I signed for the car.

Two years later, I have told the dealership countless times about the problem and they have said every time that's just how the transmission is. I'm sorry but when I have been almost ran over due to my car not being able to get back up to speed after having to slow down for any reason...there is a problem. It feels like I have to stomp on the gas just to go half the time. This car blows and I have hated it since day one.

I know that the 2011 Cruze has strange shifting problems as I know first hand. I went out to my car to go to the doctor backed out of the parking space and put the car in drive. I pressed the gas and it sounded like the car was in neutral but it was not. It finally kicked into gear and I let off the gas. I then pressed the gas again and it did it again, it was like it was stuck in neutral. The transmission was not going into gear. The check engine light came on too. I finally managed to get it back home and called the dealership. They had it towed to their shop to take a look at it. I have not heard anything but of course this was Friday so who knows how long it will take for them to look at it. I am also having problems with the air conditioning/heater. The air has been on all summer so I really have not changed the settings. It did get a little chilly one evening so I tried to change it over to heat. It was still blowing cold air. It took about 5 minutes for the heat to kick in. It was like it was stuck on air conditioning. Every since then there is a long delay from air to heat and the settings for vent or defrost to kick in. I am not a very happy person at this point!!! My family has always bought GM cars since my dad retired from GM after 30 years. I have never had this many problems with a GM car. I may be getting rid of this car soon!!!

Car started shifting funny. Def. felt like the transmission. Felt like a jerking sensation from take off. Since there is no way to really tell if your transmission fluid is breaking down or check the color of the fluid with these cars, best thing to do is just pull the plug and change it. This is what we did. There is a plug on the under body to drain trans. fluid. Of course you have to put the car up on a jack stand to do this. Our fluid was completely black. At 40,000 for it to be that bad, is not a good thing. Car takes 4.2 quarts of Dexron VI but when we drained it, it was exactly 4 quarts that came out. So we filled it back up with exactly 4 quarts of castrol Dexron VI. There is no tranny filter for this vehicle. It is inside the transmission itself and can only be replaced by taking apart the transmission itself. Kinda stupid huh. I recommend getting a flush or pulling the plug and changing the fluid by 35,000 miles, especially if you drive this car daily. Otherwise look to have problems down the road. We plan to do it again every 20,000 miles. Car is driving a lot better now. Has a lot more pep to it. Also helps to change your oil every 3,500 miles.

BOUGHT 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE FROM DYER CHEVROLET IN FLORIDA..NO PROBLEMS FOR THE FIRST YEAR EXCEPT A COUPLE RECALLS THAT WAS TAKEN CARE OF, MOVED BACK TO GEORGIA AND WAS FAIRLY HAPPEN WITH MY CRUZE, THEN IN APRIL 2012 HAD MY FIRST INCIDENT LEFT MY APARTMENT GOING TO RUNS ERRANDS AND THE DRIVE DOWN TO MAIN HIGHWAY I NOTICED JUST BEFORE I CAME TO A STOP THAT MY CAR DID NOT DOWN SHIFT AND WHEN I STARTED TO PULL OUT INTO THE HIGHWAY IT WOULD NOT TAKE OFF, THEN GAS SOME MORE GAS AND THE CAR WOULD LAG OUT INTO THE HIGHWAY VERY SLOW IT MOVED AND I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ON COMING TRAFFIC WHICH SCARED THE BJESUS OUT OF ME AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER A YEAR..., I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE SHOP AT LEAST 4 TIMES FOR THE SAME THING AND THEY ALWAYS TELL ME THEIR IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR, IT'S JUST WAY THE TRANSMISSION IS IN THE 2011 CRUZE ( BULLS**T) THEY EVEN A GM PERSONAL TO COME TO SHOP TO INSPECT MY...GOT LONG DRAWN OUT EXPLANATION WHICH WAS NOT SATISFYING TO ME, I'M NOT STUPID BEEN AROUND VEHICLES ALL MY LIFE WITH FAMILY MECHANICS AND I DO KNOW THAT MY CAR IS NOT SAFE BUT WHAT DO I DO...I HAVE TAKEN CAR IN TO HAVE WATER PUMP REPLACED, WHEN I TURN ON A/C IT STILL WILL NOT PULL LIKE A CAR SHOULD, LIKE IT HAS NO POWER.

Update from Oct 8, 2014: transmission problem for 2 1/2 years, antifreeze leaks for 8 months, screaming brakes for 1 year...have had them changed front and back still back brakes are screaming loudly...GM HAD MY CAR AT HARDY CHEVROLET IN GAINESVILLE, GA., FOR 3 DAYS AND THE GM PERSON WHO CAME TO TEST MY CAR FOR THE PROBLEM WITH THE SLUGGISH TRANSMISSION AND NOT CHANGING GEARING PROBLEM TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CHEVY CRUZE AND THAT THE CAR WAS BUILT THAT WAY...NOTHINGG HAS CHANGED, STILL DEAALING WITH THESE PROBLEMS

Took my 2011 Chevy Cruze in to the dealership with the transmission not shifting right, was told that was just the way they shift ...I've never had a transmission shift like that before... Been back 2 more times now and the trans seal is leaking... Chevrolet should be ashamed.. Took it in on April 17th here it is June 8th and still don't have my car back,gave me a loaner car... If I wanted a Chevy Impala I would have bought a Chevy Impala... I have made 2 car payments for 2 months on a car that I have not been able to drive + full coverage insurance...

You tell me inconvenient or what...shame on you Chevrolet.