The Lemon IndexBank 1 is getting too much air or too little fuel. Full P0171 page
10 owner complaints · the #1 code Chevrolet Cruze owners name · 13% of Chevrolet Cruze complaints that name a code (every car: 1.0%)
Middle of 63,000 miles · most between 53,000 and 83,000 (9 owners gave it)
Chevrolet Cruze owners named P0171 in 10 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2015, 2012 and 2011 model years, at a middle of 63,000 miles. The part they name most is the PCV valve or oil separator (4 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Chevrolet Cruze model years that report P0171
Owner complaints naming P0171, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
Mileage when it happened
63,000 miles is the middle of what 9 owners entered. Half were between 53,000 and 83,000 miles.
The mileage on the complaint form, when the owner gave one.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the PCV valve or oil separator, in 4 of the 10 complaints (40%). 3 of those mention it being replaced or repaired. Next: intake manifold or gasket (2).
- PCV valve or oil separator4 complaints3 mention a repair or replacement
- Intake manifold or gasket2 complaints2 mention a repair or replacement, 1 of them says the problem came back · what owners paid
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with P0171
60% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
- Warning lights and electrical faults30%3 of 10 complaints
- Shakes, runs rough or misfires30%3 of 10 complaints
- Stalls or shuts off20%2 of 10 complaints
Share of the complaints naming P0171 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
Other codes named in the same Chevrolet Cruze complaints, and in how many.
Recalls on these Chevrolet Cruze years
- Engine · 2011, 2012 · issued 2012
GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 CHEVROLET CRUZE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH MAY 31, 2012. NHTSA 12V288000
1 recall for the same systems (engine) on the Chevrolet Cruze model years above. A recall for the same system isn't proof it's behind P0171. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- P0171: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Chevrolet Cruze reliability by year
- 2015 Chevrolet Cruze problems and recalls
Other codes Chevrolet Cruze owners report
P0171 on other cars
Ford Windstar (18)
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What P0171 means
Bank 1 is getting too much air or too little fuel. The engine may hesitate or idle rough.
Get it fixed soon. A few more days of normal driving is usually OK, but waiting can turn a small repair into a bigger one or a breakdown.
- Vacuum leak (hoses, intake gasket, PCV)
- Dirty MAF sensor
- Weak fuel pump or clogged filter
- Leaking exhaust before the O2 sensor
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11554698, 11353886, 11352973, 11351841, 11266552, 11165031, 11084536, 11078862, 10893922, 10790420.
Quick answers
What does P0171 mean on a Chevrolet Cruze?
System Too Lean (Bank 1). Bank 1 is getting too much air or too little fuel. The engine may hesitate or idle rough.
Which Chevrolet Cruze years have the most P0171 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2015 (3), 2012 (3), 2011 (2) Chevrolet Cruze named P0171 most (10 complaints in all, 2011–2016). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes P0171 on a Chevrolet Cruze?
Owners most often name the PCV valve or oil separator (4 of 10 complaints), then intake manifold or gasket. That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
At what mileage does P0171 show up on a Chevrolet Cruze?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 63,000 miles; half were between 53,000 and 83,000 (9 owners).
Can I drive my Chevrolet Cruze with P0171?
Get it fixed soon. A few more days of normal driving is usually OK, but waiting can turn a small repair into a bigger one or a breakdown.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name P0171 on the Chevrolet Cruze, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.