Volt (2nd)
Reliability Score
Complaints by Engine Code
L3A - DI, VVT, HYBRID, GEN 1
1.5L 4-cylView details
Complaint Breakdown
Chevrolet Volt Unidentified Engine
View details
Complaint Breakdown
Battery & Propulsion Reliability
Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV)
Battery & propulsion complaint analysis for the 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt
That's roughly 16.1x the typical rate for PHEVs in this dataset (median 2.8 per year). This generation has materially more battery & propulsion complaints than its peers. The comparison is not adjusted for sales volume.
What kind of battery complaint?
Among the 180 battery-related complaints, here's the type mix. These percentages describe what the complaints are about — not how reliable the vehicle is overall.
Loss of power, drive unit, inverter, traction motor, DC-DC converter.
Propulsion battery defects, capacity loss, BMS faults, replacement claims.
Low-voltage battery deaths, common on EVs and hybrids that use a 12V for accessories.
Hybrid system warnings, eCVT, motor-generator, hybrid transaxle.
Charge port, cable, mobile connector, or session failures.
Battery fires, smoke, thermal runaway. Includes any complaint with fire reported.
Sample complaint excerpts
Electric Propulsion
- [2016] The Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) on my 2016 Chevrolet Volt has failed. The vehicle and the component are currently located at my home address and are available for inspection upon request. As of writing this now. This failure caused the vehicle to enter a "reduced power mode" and subsequently resulted in a no-start and no-charge condition. The sudden loss of propulsion power presents a se
- [2016] After experiencing loss of power and loss of propulsion on the highway, took the car to Tropical Chevrolet in Miami Shores, FL. after diagnosing the car for $287.37 (credited to the estimate total of $3101.20), the dealership replaced the Battery Energy Control Module and bled the battery pack cooling system. We paid the bill ($2665.89). On January 4, 2026 the check engine light came on again whe
- [2016] This vehicle has had multiple incidents of surging of the propulsion system both on battery power and when powered by the internal combustion engine, causing loss of propulsion and sudden acceleration almost causing collisions multiple times. We have paid for over $4,000 in repairs that are not covered under the propulsion system warranty, and these repairs have not remedied the issue.
High-Voltage Battery
- [2016] After experiencing loss of power and loss of propulsion on the highway, took the car to Tropical Chevrolet in Miami Shores, FL. after diagnosing the car for $287.37 (credited to the estimate total of $3101.20), the dealership replaced the Battery Energy Control Module and bled the battery pack cooling system. We paid the bill ($2665.89). On January 4, 2026 the check engine light came on again whe
- [2016] Battery Energy Control Module Malfunction. It is a known issue with this system failing on the chevy volt. There is a service bulletin on this problem. 18-NA-261 is the service bulletin. The car will not start and when it does start it has loss of power while driving. Chevy is only fixing certain VIN numbers even thou it pulls up the same codes in their bulletin. Chevy only gave extended warrantie
- [2016] Vehicle suddenly lost power and displayed shift to park on display. Vehicle will not respond or display any status other than shift to park. Vehicle towed to dealership. Diagnosis of their mechanic is failed BECM module. Vehicle was brought to dealership 3yrs ago with infotainment center problems. Infotainment Software was updated but problem persisted. 2 years ago it was brought to dealership wit
12V Auxiliary Battery
- [2016] Vehicle has been to dealership numerous times starting in 2021 to address issue with loss of power between ev and gas. No results were found, but I believe the BECM was failing for awhile. Vehicle has continued to lose power until this year check engine light came on. 12V battery was changed and no change. Dealership said vehicle was fixed. It barely made it home and light came back on. Loss of pr
- [2016] Vehicle suddenly lost power and displayed shift to park on display. Vehicle will not respond or display any status other than shift to park. Vehicle towed to dealership. Diagnosis of their mechanic is failed BECM module. Vehicle was brought to dealership 3yrs ago with infotainment center problems. Infotainment Software was updated but problem persisted. 2 years ago it was brought to dealership wit
- [2017] Approximately 3.5 weeks ago my 2017 Chevrolet Volt (105K miles) would not start and then, when it did, was in "Reduced Power Mode". I had to drive home 25+ miles in this low power mode. I brought to my local mechanic (not a Chevrolet dealership) first. They did a diagnostic and told me the issue was "Battery Energy Control Module" - a known issue in 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volts affecting 19,000 vehi
Hybrid Drivetrain
- [2016] In May 2025, the EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) valve failed on my 2016 Chevy Volt with approx. 60,000 kms / 40,000 miles on it - that cost me approximately $3,000 to fix. In my opinion that should have been covered under warranty given that it is a common failure point on second generation Volts. Note that the EGR value (OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer) is a readily available part. In O
- [2016] The EGR valve in the 2016 Chevy volt will fail blowing fuse 3 which will also take out the engine oil pressure control solenoid, the evap emission purge solenoid valve, the engine coolant thermostat heater, and the oxygen sensor 1 as they all share the same fuse. The car will tell you that the engine is unavailable and, if you are out of hybrid battery power, will leave you unable to move the vehi
- [2016] On [XXX], this Volt was towed to the Dealer because the Volt would not start, would not charge, and the engine light was on. The Dealer claimed that the problem was the Chevrolet Volt Battery Energy Control Module (BECM), GM Part # 24296900, which was covered under the GM hybrid VOLTEC warranty (8 years, 100,000 miles). On [XXX], 2024, this Volt (VIN [XXX] ) was towed to the Dealer again beca
Charging System
- [2017] In March 2026, our 2017 Chevrolet Volt (89,300 miles) would not charge nor start, and had to be towed to an authorized Chevrolet dealership in Portland, Oregon. The dealership diagnosed an internal fault in the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) producing U26XX diagnostic trouble codes, per GM bulletin #18-NA-261, and replaced the BECM under GM Special Coverage N232432680 — GM's field remedy for
- [2017] My 2017 Chevy Volt stalled, wont charge, safely concerns. safety-related special coverage is being denied by local Chevy dealer. Check Engine light codes U2603-06, U2623, well known issue in chevy volt community, that points to Chevy faulty BECM. Chevy replace these to some selected 2016-2018 vehicles, but they wont cover mine, while I have same exact issue. Please help to push on Chevy to cover a
- [2017] While driving the vehicle, the car shut down. Thankfully I was coming to a yield at a round about after exiting the Interstate. I was finally able to get it to restart and proceeded on my way. If this had happened on the Interstate myself, and other drivers would be at risk due to unassisted steering and braking. I also have experienced intermittent periods of "Reduction of Power" while on the int
Thermal Events
- [2017] The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH the message "low brake fluid" suddenly displayed before multiple warning lights began to illuminate and the vehicle stalled. While the vehicle was coasting on the shoulder the contact discovered that the braking system had malfunctioned and the vehicle did not stop when pressing the brake pedal. Afte
- [2017] Unknown what caused the fire per fire department. I drove to my bosses house and parked the car for about 15 minutes. I was about to leave in the car right before the fire started. At 12:05PM on 09/22/21 the car started smoking and fire appearing under the car. My safety and other by standers was put at risk by the thick black smoke and flying debris from the car. Thankfully I was not driving when
- [2017] The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated while the vehicle was standstill when the battery charger plug caught fire. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with his fire extinguisher. The fire department nor the police department was not contacted. The contact stated no one was injured or seek medical attention. The contact stated the vehicle was still drivable but unable to
Source: classified from NHTSA complaint and recall data. "Battery-related" includes high-voltage propulsion battery, charging system, hybrid drivetrain, electric propulsion, regenerative braking, 12V auxiliary battery, and thermal-event complaints. Other complaints (suspension, steering, brakes, infotainment) appear in the engine and vehicle-level sections. Rates are absolute counts, not normalized per-VIN — high-volume models naturally produce more raw complaints than low-volume ones. Self-reported death and injury counts are capped per complaint to limit form abuse.
Battery: Chevrolet Volt second-generation pack (18.4 kWh, 2016-2019)
Pack overview
Known issues
How this pack ages (industry context)
Industry fleet aggregates: 2.3% average annual capacity loss across 22,700 EVs / 21 models (Geotab, 2026), and 95% range retention at 5 years on average across 30,000+ vehicles (Recurrent, 2026).
OEM warranty floor on this pack: 8 yr / 100k mi.
Public per-pack degradation curves are not available for most models. Individual results vary materially with climate, charging behavior, and DC fast-charge frequency.
Owner Complaints by System
Complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Chevrolet Volt, counted across every engine. A complaint can name more than one system.
What to check on a used 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt
On a used 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt, the systems with the most NHTSA owner complaints are the electrical system (498), the fuel system (375) and the transmission and drivetrain (371). Each one has an inspection step below, with counts as of 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.
- Switch on every electrical item in turn: lights, windows, locks, wipers, climate fan, screen and power outlets.Costly repair. NHTSA has 498 owner complaints on the 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt about the electrical system.
- Let the engine idle for five minutes, walk around the car and smell for fuel.Safety. NHTSA has 375 owner complaints on the 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt about the fuel system.
- Accelerate gently through every gear, then once at full throttle. Shift into Reverse and back to Drive.Costly repair. NHTSA has 371 owner complaints on the 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt about the transmission and drivetrain.
- Start the engine cold and listen for the first 30 seconds, then again at idle once it is warm.Costly repair. NHTSA has 290 owner complaints on the 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt about the engine.
- Accelerate hard once from a stop and once from 40 mph, and hold a steady highway speed.Safety. NHTSA has 104 owner complaints on the 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt about the electric drive system.
- Read the traction battery’s state of health with a dealer tool or an EV-capable scan tool.Costly repair. NHTSA has 52 owner complaints on the 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt about the high-voltage battery.
Recalls (3)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Cadillac CT6, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Volt, and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. Certain second-row or third-row rear seatbelts retractor assemblies may not automatically lock when the seatbelt is fully pulled out of the retractor, possibly preventing a child seat from being properly secured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado, and 2016 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. The driver's frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.
NHTSA Safety Ratings About NHTSA ratings
All Generations
Alternatives in Compact Hybrid
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt complaints?
Owners have filed 1,127 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt. The systems they name most often are the electrical system, the fuel system and the transmission.
Is the 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt a good used car?
That depends on the model year, the mileage and the maintenance history of the car in front of you. Owners have filed 1,127 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt. Check which systems they name most often and whether a recall is still open on that car.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt have?
NHTSA has 1,127 owner complaints on file for the 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt as of the latest data pull. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.
What recalls affect the 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls covering some 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. Which ones apply depends on the VIN: enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see the open campaigns on a specific car.
What should I check before buying a used Chevrolet Volt?
Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm every open recall has been done. Look hardest at the electrical system, the fuel system and the transmission, the systems owners complain about most. Ask for maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the car and run a vehicle history report for prior accidents and title issues.
What are the NHTSA crash test ratings for the Volt?
The 2019 Chevrolet Volt received an overall 5-star safety rating from NHTSA. Frontal crash: 5 stars. Side crash: 5 stars. Rollover: 5 stars (9.3% rollover probability). Electronic Stability Control: Standard. Forward Collision Warning: Optional. Lane Departure Warning: Optional. These ratings are based on standardized crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 1,127 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-10-12.