How to Reset the Anti-Theft System on a Chevy Cruze
To reset the Chevy Cruze anti-theft system, you’ll need to use your Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter.
Written by Mariza Morin
Reviewed by Hillary Kobayashi
To reset the Chevy Cruze anti-theft system, sit in the driver’s seat with the door closed, press the unlock button, and step out of the vehicle with the door open. Then press the lock button on the door, close it, and the security light should turn off.
The
Chevy Silverado
truck was the most stolen vehicle of 2021, so that’s all the more reason to make sure you have a reliable anti-theft system in your Chevy Cruze. But what if this same system won’t allow you to start your own sedan or hatchback? That’s why
Jerry
, the world’s only car insurance
broker app, has created this overview on how to reset your Cruze anti-theft system—and we’ll even explain how installing aftermarket anti-theft devices can help drive down your Chevy Cruze insurance costs
! Compare insurance quotes from 50+ insurance companies with Jerry in under 45 seconds
Compare insurance quotes from 50+ insurance companies with Jerry in under 45 seconds
4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversHow to reset the Chevy Cruze anti-theft system
To manually reset your Cruze’s anti-theft light, you’ll need to sit in the driver’s seat with the door closed. Then, simply press the unlock button on the door and step out of your sedan or hatchback with the door still open. From here, you’ll proceed to press the lock button on the door and close it behind you.
And that’s that! The anti-theft light on your Chevy Cruze should disappear and you’ll be ready to hit the road once more.
Is this article helpful so far?
Help us improve our content by rating this article.
What does the anti-theft system on a Chevy Cruze do?
The anti-theft system installed on the Chevy Cruze is known as a passive theft-deterrent system. But what makes it “passive”? It’s passive because these types of security systems were designed to automatically allow the vehicle to arm itself when you turn them on, remove the ignition key, or anytime all the doors are closed. You don’t have to do a thing!
Passive theft-deterrent systems, like the one used in your Chevy Cruze, utilize an alarm system and an engine immobilizer to ward off unwanted intruders from stealing your vehicle.
Your key includes a transponder that corresponds to the immobilizer control unit in your individual vehicle. Without an authorized key, your anti-theft system will not permit the vehicle to start.
Typically, the security light in the instrument cluster of your Chevy will only appear if there’s a problem with arming or disarming the theft-deterrent system. If your Cruze sedan or hatchback doesn’t start, but the security light is on, you’ll have to turn the ignition off and try again.
If turning your vehicle off and on again doesn’t work for you, you can try turning your Chevy Cruze on with your spare key. But if this doesn’t work either, then you might need to take your compact car to your local Chevy dealer. The dealer can service your theft-deterrent system and program a new Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter for you.
Please note that a damaged RKE transmitter will not be able to start your vehicle.
How to program a new RKE transmitter
If you need to program a new Chevy RKE transmitter (which you can get from a Chevy dealer or a locksmith), there are two ways to go about it depending on if you’re programming with or without two recognized transmitters.
If you’re programming with two recognized transmitters, follow these instructions:
- Turn off your vehicle and place the two recognized transmitters in your front cupholder.
- Take off the key lock cylinder cap on the driver’s door handle.
- Insert the key of the new RKE transmitter into the key lock cylinder outside the driver’s door and turn the key to the unlock position five times within 10 seconds.
- Replace the recognized transmitters with the new transmitter in your cupholder and press ENGINE START/STOP.
- When the transmitter is successfully programmed, the Driver Information Center (DIC) will show it’s ready for the next transmitter to be programmed (if you need multiples).
- Grab the transmitter from the cupholder and press unlock and lock to test it out.
- Once it’s programmed, simply press and hold ENGINE START/STOP for 12 seconds and return the vehicle key to the transmitter.
If you’re programming without any recognized transmitters, this process will take about 30 minutes to complete. You’ll follow these instructions:
- Turn off your vehicle and repeat Steps 2 to 3 from the previous instructions.
- Your DIC display will show the message REMOTE LEARN PENDING, PLEASE WAIT.
- After 10 minutes, the DIC displays will show the message PRESS ENGINE START BUTTON TO LEARN and then proceed to press ENGINE START/STOP.
- Your DIC display will show the message REMOTE LEARN PENDING, PLEASE WAIT once more.
- You’ll have to repeat Step 3 two more times. After the third attempt, all known RKE transmitters will no longer work on your vehicle.
- Your DIC display should show the message READY FOR REMOTE # 1.
- Set the transmitter in the front cupholder and then press ENGINE START/STOP.
- Repeat Steps 5 to 7 from the previous instructions to complete the programming.
What can trigger the Chevy anti-theft system?
The passive theft-deterrent system in your Cruze offers peace of mind when it comes to potential car thefts, but that doesn’t mean false alarms don’t happen from time to time. Loud noises, such as gunshots, fireworks, or even thunder, could trigger the anti-theft system in your Chevy sedan or hatchback because it mistakes these sounds for an attempted break-in.
Other possible reasons for a triggered anti-theft system include:
- Damaged car lock
- Dead battery
- Defective immobilizer
- Faulty RKE transmitter battery
If you’re not able to determine the problem with your anti-theft system, then you might have to take your Cruze to your local Chevrolet dealership. If you have a diagnostic scan tool at home, you can use this handy device to find out if there’s a mechanical issue.
Can the Chevy Cruze anti-theft system lower your insurance rate?
It’s certainly a possibility! Many insurance companies will grant you a discount on your insurance rates when you install an anti-theft device in your vehicle—usually between 5% to 25% off your coverage.
But that’s probably not the only reason to expect a lower insurance premium with the Chevy Cruze. The compact car has lower-than-average ownership costs with an above-average reliability rating of 4.0 out of 5.0, according to RepairPal.
And depending on the safety features included in your Cruze, your provider might offer you some incredibly low insurance rates.
But if you’re looking for even more savings, you can install an additional aftermarket anti-theft device on your Chevy Cruze, like an active alarm system, to possibly lower your rates further.
Did you find this article helpful?
Your feedback helps us to create content that better serves readers like you.
How to save on Chevy Cruze insurance
Even though your anti-theft system is meant to protect your Cruze from theft, that doesn’t mean your car getting stolen is out of the realm of possibilities. That’s why you should think about adding
comprehensive insurance coverage
to your current policy so you can submit a claim for damages if needed. While it usually costs more,
Jerry
is here to help you find the most affordable car insurance rates in less than one minute. That’s right! Here’s how it works: after you download the trustworthy insurance broker
app, just sign-up in roughly 45 seconds to unlock several customized quotes from dozens of the nation’s top insurance providers. Once you make a decision, Jerry’s team will handle the rest—including helping you cancel your old policy. Jerry is available day and night to help you find savings on
Chevrolet insurance
. On average, Jerry users save over $800 on car insurance a year!
“I would 11/10 recommendJerry. I was originally quoted $700+ for insurance for my new car, but by using Jerry I got my payments down to $320 a month. They also have a great support team ready to answer any questions!” —Tobias F.
Jerry sends free alerts to keep your car up-to-date so you can avoid costly repairs
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
Get ahead of my car maintenance
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
Estimate your repair costs for free with GarageGuard™
Simplify your car maintenance with Jerry.
4.7
We value your privacy
