The Lemon Index
The 1.4 L inline-4 turbo in the Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Trax, Buick Encore and Chevrolet Sonic, model years 2011–2022. Owners filed 3,926 complaints about cars with it (matched by VIN); 39% name the engine, #9 of the 39 everyday engines we track (1 = the most).
Known issues, checked against owner complaints
Problems owners of cars with this engine name much more often than owners of the other 38 everyday engines we track (at least 1.5× the median, and 10+ complaints):
- Coolant leaks. 475 of 3,926 owner complaints (12%) mention coolant loss or overheating, against a median of 1.2% for the other 38 everyday engines we track.
car has been overheating run while I take the keys out doors will lock with keys in the ignition lots of lights will come on car will slow way down constantly adding antifreeze in it heat and air will stop working I have had trouble ever since I bought this a year ago
2016 owner · NHTSA complaint 11760031 - Oil leaks (PCV / valve cover). 104 of 3,926 owner complaints (2.6%) mention an oil leak, against a median of 0.5% for the other 38 everyday engines we track.
After 3 years of having this car it’s overheating each summer requiring the coolant system, hoses, thermostat, and water pump to be replaced each summer. As well as major oil leaking after full tune ups.
2016 owner · NHTSA complaint 11745807
What YouTube owners say Tone 0-100, higher = more praise than trouble.
Average owner tone 31/100 across 10 model years, from 161 videos about this engine and its cars (#165 of 165 engines with a YouTube study).
Most-watched videos
- Top 5 Problems: Chevy Cruze Sedan 2008-16 1st Gen 1,355,464 views
- How to Diagnose and Fix Service Stabilitrak Traction Control Problem 2011 - 2015 Chevy Cruze 1,322,772 views
- Overheated Chevy Cruze / Sonic 1.4 Turbo LUV Engine Teardown. Don't Drink Coolant, It'll Lock You Up 1,256,316 views
- Installing a $113 eBay Turbo on My Daily Driver Chevy Cruze 1,137,323 views
- The Engine Is HOW SMALL?? // Chevy Trax Review 926,386 views
Counted from video titles and captions: praise words against trouble words, weighted by views. Videos only count when the title names this engine or a car that had only this engine in those years.
Cars with this engine Tap a year for that car's full report.
- Buick Encore201320142015201620172018201920202022
- Chevrolet Cruze201120122013201420152016201720182019
- Chevrolet Trax20152016201720182019202020212022
- Chevrolet Sonic201220132014201520162017
Model years from NHTSA VIN decoding of owner complaints. Only years we have a car page for.
Owner complaints by model year
Counts of complaints filed so far. Older cars have had longer to collect them, and popular cars draw more because more were sold: no one reports sales by engine, so there's no per-car rate. Compare the shares below instead.
By car
| Car | Model years matched | Complaints | Name the engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Cruze | 2011–19 | 2,540 | 41% |
| Chevrolet Trax | 2015–22 | 660 | 33% |
| Buick Encore | 2013–22 | 548 | 42% |
| Chevrolet Sonic | 2012–20 | 178 | 37% |
“Name the engine” = the share of that car's VIN-matched complaints that list the engine as a problem area.
What owners complain about
Share of this engine's complaints that name each area (one complaint can name several).
What owners write
| Complaints that | Count | Share | Median, other everyday engines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Say the engine stalled, shut off or lost power | 656 | 17% | 13% |
| Mention coolant loss or overheating | 475 | 12% | 1.2% |
| Mention the turbo | 410 | 10% | under 0.1% |
| Mention fire, flames or smoke | 261 | 6.6% | 3.2% |
| Mention the water pump | 153 | 3.9% | 0.2% |
| Say the engine knocked, seized or failed | 118 | 3.0% | 2.7% |
| Mention an oil leak | 104 | 2.6% | 0.5% |
| Mention a head gasket | 59 | 1.5% | 0.1% |
| Mention a misfire | 50 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Mention a spark plug | 50 | 1.3% | 0.5% |
Counted from the owner's own words in each complaint (all of the car, not only the engine). A share, not a failure rate.
When problems show up
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 20,000 and 80,000 miles; the middle report was at 50,000 miles (2,486 complaints with a mileage).
Recalls that name this engine 2
14V151000 Mar 2014 Power Train Cruze 2013, 2014
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with a 1.4L turbo engine, and manufactured between November 28, 2012, and March 7, 2014. On the affected vehicles, the right front half shaft may fracture and separate.
Fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the right half shaft, as needed, free of charge. Parts for the remedy are not currently available. GM will send an interim letter to owners in May 2014. A second owner letter will be mailed when parts are available. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-866-694-6546. GM's number for this recall is 14079. This is an expansion of recall 1
13V360000 Aug 2013 Service Brakes, Hydraulic Cruze 2011, 2012
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles equipped with 1.4L DOHC gasoline turbo engines and 6T40 front wheel drive automatic transmissions and equipped with an electric vacuum pump to provide supplemental vacuum for brake assist, when needed. In the affected vehicles, the pump may not activate, resulting in an intermittent reduction or loss of brake assist.
Fix. General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace a microswitch in the power brake vacuum pipe assembly, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020. GM's recall number is 12213.
NHTSA recalls on these cars and model years whose text names this engine (its size or name). The rest (brakes, air bags, wiring ...) are on each car year's page.
In owners' words
I want to know If can take care of my car for recall for air bags ⦠light it’s on
2015 owner · NHTSA complaint 11775725
Code U0101 Transmission Electro-Hydraylic control module Sudden shift while at stop light . All warning lights came on stable track etc . Vehicle has been inspected can bus and tcm not communicating
2015 owner · NHTSA complaint 11774247
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle and while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel glitched and then displayed a blank screen. The approximate failure mileage was 50,312.
2021 owner · NHTSA complaint 11769910
Against the other everyday engines
| Engine | Years | Complaints | Name the engine | Stalled or lost power | Burning oil | Recalls naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 EcoBoost | 2014–25 | 5,622 | 66% | 15% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 6.2 V8 (Gen V) | 2014–25 | 7,219 | 65% | 24% | 2.2% | 2 |
| 2.4 Theta II | 2010–22 | 21,551 | 51% | 20% | 8.1% | 8 |
| 2.4 Ecotec | 2010–17 | 6,096 | 51% | 21% | 18% | 0 |
| 3.0 EcoDiesel | 2014–23 | 2,871 | 50% | 24% | 0.2% | 7 |
| 3.3 Lambda II | 2013–21 | 3,254 | 50% | 17% | 5.9% | 2 |
| 2.0 EcoBoost | 2012–25 | 9,735 | 48% | 12% | 0.1% | 0 |
| 2.0T Theta II | 2011–22 | 3,325 | 44% | 18% | 4.8% | 2 |
| 1.4 Turbo | 2011–22 | 3,926 | 39% | 17% | 0.9% | 2 |
| 2.4 Tigershark | 2014–22 | 9,631 | 35% | 34% | 4.5% | 5 |
| 1.5 Turbo | 2016–25 | 4,471 | 33% | 27% | 0.3% | 1 |
| EA888 2.0T | 2009–25 | 7,443 | 29% | 16% | 3.7% | 5 |
| A25A | 2018–25 | 2,979 | 26% | 12% | under 0.1% | 1 |
| 1.5 Turbo | 2017–22 | 6,390 | 26% | 14% | 0.2% | 0 |
| J35 V6 | 2003–25 | 24,038 | 24% | 14% | 0.9% | 4 |
| Skyactiv-G 2.5 | 2014–25 | 2,631 | 22% | 11% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 2.7 Turbo | 2019–25 | 1,090 | 22% | 12% | 0.5% | 0 |
| 2AZ-FE | 2001–09 | 7,176 | 22% | 3.7% | 8.6% | 0 |
| 5.4 Triton | 2005–14 | 3,952 | 21% | 15% | 0.1% | 3 |
| 5.7 HEMI | 2003–24 | 23,895 | 19% | 23% | 0.1% | 6 |
| QR25DE | 2002–20 | 16,161 | 19% | 14% | 1.5% | 4 |
| 5.3 V8 (Gen V) | 2014–25 | 13,191 | 18% | 13% | 0.5% | 3 |
| 3.6 Pentastar | 2011–25 | 34,634 | 18% | 16% | 0.4% | 9 |
| 2.3 EcoBoost | 2015–25 | 3,975 | 16% | 9.9% | 0.1% | 12 |
| 3.8 Lambda II | 2020–25 | 4,423 | 16% | 8.0% | 5.6% | 0 |
| FB20 | 2012–25 | 2,336 | 15% | 8.2% | 1.7% | 0 |
| 3.6 V6 | 2009–23 | 14,214 | 14% | 14% | 0.1% | 1 |
| K24 | 2002–19 | 15,062 | 14% | 5.1% | 1.6% | 0 |
| 2GR-FKS | 2016–24 | 3,758 | 12% | 11% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 3.5 Cyclone V6 | 2007–19 | 21,313 | 12% | 11% | 0.1% | 0 |
| VQ35 V6 | 2002–25 | 12,613 | 12% | 11% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 3UR-FE | 2007–21 | 1,377 | 12% | 8.8% | 0.4% | 0 |
| FB25 | 2011–25 | 9,853 | 11% | 6.2% | 1.5% | 0 |
| 2AR-FE | 2009–18 | 4,673 | 11% | 6.6% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 2GR-FE | 2005–18 | 8,680 | 10% | 3.5% | 0.3% | 0 |
| 3.8 V6 | 2007–11 | 7,877 | 9% | 17% | 0.5% | 0 |
| 5.3 V8 (Gen IV) | 2007–14 | 9,241 | 8% | 4.5% | 1.3% | 0 |
| 1GR-FE | 2003–24 | 5,757 | 7% | 4.0% | under 0.1% | 0 |
| 4.8 V8 | 2007–13 | 726 | 6% | 4.8% | 0.1% | 0 |
Shares of each engine's own complaints, matched by VIN. They show what owners complain about, not how often engines break.
Quick answers
Is the GM 1.4 Turbo (LUJ / LUV / LE2) reliable?
No one reports sales by engine, so there's no per-car score. Of the 3,926 complaints owners filed about cars with it, 39% name the engine, #9 of the 39 everyday engines we track (1 = the most). 475 (12%) mention coolant loss or overheating, against 1.2% for the other engines. 104 (2.6%) mention an oil leak, against 0.5% for the other engines.
What cars have the GM 1.4 Turbo (LUJ / LUV / LE2)?
In our data: the Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Trax, Buick Encore and Chevrolet Sonic, model years 2011–2022, matched by the VIN in each owner complaint.
What are the most common 1.4 Turbo problems?
In owner complaints to the government: engine, electrical, transmission & drivetrain.
How many recalls name the 1.4 Turbo?
2 NHTSA recalls on these cars name it.
Complaints: NHTSA owner complaints filed under each car's own NHTSA names (the same ones its car pages count), all years filed, one per complaint number. Engine: decoded from the complaint's VIN with NHTSA's vPIC decoder (displacement, cylinders, engine model, turbo, hybrid) and the engine maker's model years; a VIN that doesn't decode to exactly one engine is left out. Older cars have had more years to collect complaints, and popular cars draw more because more were sold. Source: NHTSA owner complaints (FLAT_CMPL + COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED_2025-2026), received through 20261111; engines: NHTSA vPIC VIN decoder (batch); NHTSA recalls API. Engine names and model years: GM.