10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
8,997 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2017 Chevrolet Volt:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #90

Oct 032023

Volt

  • miles
My Chevy Volt has been having spotty pop-ups stating that "Propulsion Power is Reduced" for about a month, but I was not sure how reliable the pop-up was as there were plenty of days the pop-up would not come on when starting the car. On the day of my incident in October 2023, I once again received the "Propulsion Power is Reduced" pop-up when I started my car. While driving, I stopped at a stoplight, and my battery drained. When the battery is drained, I usually don't have anything to worry about, as the Volt is an EV hybrid, and I can use the gas until I can charge my vehicle again. But the Check Engine Light came on when the battery drained this time. When the light became green, I started to drive like normal, but I suddenly got a pop-up on the screen regarding the engine no longer working, and the car rapidly began to cruise while I was in the middle of the road. I was lucky enough to have space to pull over to the side, have a tow truck to get me, and not be in the middle of a busy street or highway. I scheduled an appointment with my local Chevy dealer for an inspection and figured something could be done to fix my vehicle. I was told my car was under warranty and what parts were needed to repair it. This was in October 2023, and I have been waiting for nearly 3 months for the EGR Valve required to repair my car after being told countless times that it is in backorder. I don't understand how a part can be in backorder for so long for a vehicle that is not being produced anymore. I was told I could drive my car in electric mode, but I do not want to risk the safety of others by having my battery suddenly become drained, as the EV Range the dashboard shows is never correct and rapidly drains.

- Salinas, CA, USA

problem #89

Nov 162023

Volt 4-cyl

  • miles
Loss of Motive Power due to EGR Valve. I was driving down the highway when I experienced a loss of motive power and the Volt entered a reduced power state while in moving traffic. After the EV battery ran out and the ICE turned on, the following message showed up on the instrument panel "Propulsion Power Is Reduced" and the check engine light turned on. The Volt slowed down and would not accelerate to the speed of the moving traffic. I was able to get off the highway and drive home under reduced power which was still not safe. The engine ran very rough on the way home and was not able to maintain speed high enough for the flow of traffic on the roads. The dealer diagnosed the issues as a failed EGR Valve. The part was on backorder for about a month. In that time, a GM trained technician deemed the car operable (according to GM standards) and said that I could take it back and drive it on electricity only. Unfortunately, that meant that the EV range is about 40 miles in winter after a full charge and running out of electricity would again result in a hazardous loss of power. The behavior of the car under this reduced propulsion is Identical to the one in investigation PE23022 - Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module. The Chevy Volt EGR Valve issue is a common problem reported in other NHTSA complaints and Volt forum posts and I am surprised that there has not been a recall. I hope that this issue is investigated same as the BECM issue. Some examples: NHTSA ID Number: 11558668 NHTSA ID Number: 11557845 NHTSA ID Number: 11557876 NHTSA ID Number: 11557995 NHTSA ID Number: 11483673 [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Chapel Hill, NC, USA

problem #88

Dec 222023

Volt

  • miles
so we inspected your vehicle and it needs a battery module, that part is on back order and we have no ETA when it will come in. That is what the dealership sent me. There are people on Chevy Volt forums saying it's the EGR valve and they've been waiting months with non-working cars. Is anyone doing their job around here?

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #87

Dec 212023

Volt

  • miles
The latest episode with my 2017 Chevy Volt is a culmination of years of issues with the low clearance on the vehicle causing continual damage and unsafe driving conditions that require expensive repairs due to the design flaw (note - I had a 2014 Chevy Volt that had NONE of these problems). My son was driving the car a week ago and the Engine Control Module (GM part # 12700116) fell OUT of the car. This led to the car to stop driving instantly - if he had been anywhere other than a quiet residential street it could have been catastrophic. Upon having towed the vehicle to the dealership, I was informed that the wiring harness failed which led to the ECM falling onto the street. I drive this car strictly in city limits and on major highways, and despite this the bottom undercarriage is constantly damaged because it is simply to low to the ground. In addition to the repair bill of $3K+ (my 4th repair required due to this defect), the harness isn't even available and GM cannot provide an ETA for when it will be. I experienced a similar issue 6 months ago when a part was backordered for 3+ months and this is compounded by the fact that their dealerships no longer have loan car inventory. Note that there was no warning before this happened. I have tried escalating to GM but their response is essentially that I am SOL. Again - this is a design flaw of the vehicle that should have been addressed but never was. Note that this doesn't include the other continual issues (well documented) that continue to plague the car after other recall service (loss of propulsion, shifter issues that frequently make it impossible to actually turn the car off, etc.)

- Dallas, TX, USA

problem #86

Oct 172023

Volt

  • miles
EGR failure can cause the car to become immediately inoperable w/ no propulsion due to fuse pop. EGR required to pass emissions regulations but none are available.

- Hephzibah, GA, USA

problem #85

Nov 272023

Volt

  • miles
While driving to work, the vehicle shook a bit and entered into "reduced propulsion mode". The vehicle had a significant reduction in engine power on the road (the propulsion became very jerky), which became dangerous on the highway. There were no previous indicators of any type of issue. After brining the vehicle to the dealership, I was told it would be okay to drive until my appointment (which was scheduled for the subsequent week). Two days later, the vehicle would not start. When attempting to start the car, the "Shift to Park" message displayed. I had to get the vehicle towed to the dealership at that point. The dealership mentioned it is likely an issue with the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM). However, I'm still waiting for a resolution.

- Sparta, NJ, USA

problem #84

Nov 102023

Volt

  • miles
Around the tenth of November my car, a 2017 Premier Volt bought used, began to display an information message that the propulsion power is reduces. It displayed 0 mi EV range, even though I knew I had some left. When I started to drive the engine seemed louder than usual and the check engine light was on. I pulled into a parking lot, and checked under the hood just to make sure nothing was obviously smoking or sparking. I turned the car on and off, and drove around the parking lot a few times until it resumed normal functionality, however the check engine light remained. This was after dark, when I got off work, and I drive home on Highway 49. I did not want to drive it home on the highway in the dark until the issue seemed resolved. Since the manual claimed that if I see both reduced propulsion and check engine light I should immediately take the car to my dealer, I made an appointment with them for the sixteenth of November. For the next couple days I continued to have the same issues, propulsion reduced, incorrectly displaying 0 EV miles, and the check engine light coming on. Starting and stopping the car, or driving around the parking lot a couple times seemed to temporarily solve the issues. At the dealer, I was told there is no ETA on the part, and that it is back ordered or wait listed. The issue is with the BCEM or battery energy control module. They provided me with a rental car for the time being. A few weeks have passed, so I called them today, the 11th of December, but there is still no eta. They are still waiting for the BCEM, which is back ordered.

- Grass Valley, CA, USA

problem #83

Nov 012023

Volt

  • miles
On 2 separate time periods, "propulsion power reduced" message appears on dash: - 1st incident in November 2022, car would not move after powering off the vehicle. After sitting idle for a week, decided to retry, and car seemed to work normally. Took it in to Chevy service, they replaced the BECM. Car worked fine after this - 2nd incident in November 2023, again 'propulsion power reduced' message appeared. This time, however, car would suddenly cut off gas engine (even at highway speed), switching to 100% battery mode, and displaying 'Engine not available' on dashboard. Fuel level indicator would immediately display 'LOW' (even though gas tank was full). Reduced acceleration on battery mode. Car is now in same service center awaiting fix for the past month. Was quite an unsafe situation, especially at highway speeds, and especially given the fact that the battery also may have been at a low state of charge, risking complete vehicle breakdown. Coupled with both of these incidents, the cruise control intermittently shuts off, displaying 'Cruise control unavailable'. Car is lightly utilized, with just over 30k miles on the odometer to date. Additionally, the car is kept in a mild climate (coastal southern california) and parked in a covered spot shielded from sun and temperature extremes.

- Venice, CA, USA

problem #82

Jul 122023

Volt

  • miles
I was driving on the freeway and the engine turned off. I was able to continue driving as the hybrid system still had some charge to continue powering the car. I had to get the EGR valve replaced. No warning lights prior to this occuring but had check engine light after. Car would not shift into drive nor would it accept a charge for the main drive battery. Had to be towed to a shop and resulted in getting the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) replaced.

- Huntington Beach, CA, USA

problem #81

Sep 012021

Volt

  • miles
1. 2 BECM failures: The original BECM failed and the replacement BECM failed as well. 2. Sudden loss of electric propulsion on the freeway while my wife (pregnant at the time), my son (1 year and a half) and I were driving. The car was still driving but was unstable when steering and with weak braking. The dealership identified the issue as BECM failure and the part was changed. 3. A couple of months later the car would not start at all leaving me stranded at work. The car was towed to the repair shop. The dealership diagnosed BECM failure again. 4. There was no warning indication or message prior to these issues. 5. The vehicle was only inspected by the dealership to the best of my knowledge.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #80

Apr 012023

Volt

  • miles
My Volt will suddenly lose propulsion. The air conditioner will stop working and the car will not properly accelerate. There has also been multiple occasion where the car will not power on. Additionally, there has been multiple occasions where the car won-??t charge. The failed component is most likely the battery engine control module. My safety and that of others is at risk because of the sudden loss of power and inability to maintain highway speeds. The issue was confirmed at the dealer. The check engine light goes on even after erasing codes, and there are 13 permanent codes related to this issue with no direct resolution. This is a recurring problem.

- Mount Dora, FL, USA

problem #79

Sep 152023

Volt

  • miles
Sometimes when the vehicle powers on, it will not engage to drive in gas or electric mode when fully charged or with a full gas tank. Also sometimes while driving, it will say "gas mode not available propulsion limited". It frequently says "charging not available" as well. This is an on going, intermittent, problem.

- Saint Cloud , FL, USA

problem #78

Sep 162023

Volt

  • miles
Car intermittantly lost propultion while driving. this started happening more and more frequently. One time driving on the freeway propulsion cut out and I barely made it to the side of the road. Put the car in park and it would start again. Drive for a few hundred feet then it would cut out again. Finally took it into the dealer when I was driving down the highway and propulsion cut out and I was stuck in the middle of traffic. As I was driving the instrument cluster power remained on but the engine just cut out. I was using the electric motor at the time but this is happened on the ice as well. As I rolled to a stop in the middle of traffic I put it in park so that I could restart the car as I had been able to previously but it would not start. It would not let me shift the car out of park into neutral so I could push it to the side of the road. After several attempts of disconnecting the battery and the high voltage battery I was able to get the car out of park into neutral. Even when I shifted the car into drive the propulsion system would not work, a officer stopped traffic to allow me to push the car to the side of the road. After getting to the dealer they were able to determine that a ground strap to the engine chassis was at fault. It interrupted the communication on the can bus which wouldn't allow the ECU to communicate with the drivetrain Which just shut down the propulsion system. This was extremely scary I have attached a snapshot of fault codes and snapshots of a video I took showing that the screen would just show that the car was initializing the entire time

- Ogden, UT, USA

problem #77

Dec 012023

Volt

  • miles
Any time the car switches from battery to gasoline the 12v battery comes on, I get the message to shift into park, and the car shuts off. This happens multiple times a day, making it difficult to drive long distance. It also makes it difficult to work more than a couple of hours at a time as an Uber driver. It has happened on the highway, very dangerous.

- Topeka, KS, USA

problem #76

Jul 032023

Volt

  • miles
Was driving on the highway at approximately 70mph for a couple of hours, when I suddenly received a check engine light and "Reduced Propulsion Power" message. Engine temperatures were much higher than normal (220F-240F). Was able to get the car to a Chevrolet dealership eventually where they diagnosed the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve as faulty. There are no parts available for months. Any time that I drive on gas power at highway speeds, engine temperatures are high and cruise control has disengaged. This is a safety issue as I am not always able to maintain speed during extended highway driving when using the gas engine.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

problem #75

Mar 012023

Volt

  • miles
BECM issues causing vehicle to lose power, not go in to park, will not remote start, battery failure, and not turning on or not turning off when prompted.

- Carson City, NV, USA

problem #74

Oct 142023

Volt

  • miles
During a drive the car began warning of loss of propulsion. The vehicle is at a dealer waiting for repair since Oct 16, 2023. There is no ETA on back ordered EGR valve that the technician anticipates a fix.

- Leander, TX, USA

problem #73

Nov 152023

Volt

  • miles
Egr valve failed causing walk home fuse to blow causing vehicle to shut down while driving. Check engine light did come on. The problem was reproducible as car would not start, egr valve needed replacement. I would like to add that the video on youtube on cleaning the egr valve for this car has 27000 views, with is more than 1/3 of the number of Chevy Volts of this generation that have been sold. This is a serious and consistent issue.

- Glen Carbon, IL, USA

problem #72

Sep 202023

Volt

  • miles
Chevy Volt's Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system valve and cooler The EGR system on these cars are faulty. I have had to take this car in multiple times related to the EGR. In Septemer 2023 car suddenly stopped on middle of highway putting my life in danger. At dealership Pohanka Chevy in Northern Virginia, I was told it was the EGR valve, I had the EGR cooler replaced by the same dealership in 2023 so I took the car to Koons Chevy in Northern Virginia for a second opinion. The dealership indicated that this is very common problem with Chevy Volts and they said the parts are not available for it. Apparently the last customer waited 3 months. Currently the car will not run on the gas engine but only on the electric which is about 40 to 50 miles which makes it non useable for me. In addition, the car will not part emissions test rendering it against the law for me to use even if the engine was running. I reported this to Chevy corporate (case number XXX) and now it has been multiple months and nothing has happened except Chevy sending me a email every ten days indicating they do not have a part. They will not also give me a rental (I have to pay out of pocket and they will reimburse me which is something I cannot afford). Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, I took it to two chevy dealerships in Northern Virginia and one in Georgetown Delaware. They cannot correct the issue since there are no EGR valves. The car will not pass emissions test. The Chevy dealer I am using is Koons Chevy at Tysons Corner, Phone 703-448-7221 (POC was Johnathon) Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others" Yes Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear" Check engine light I purchased this car brand new of the lot ($37K) and now saddled with something that is of no use INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATI

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #71

Oct 172023

Volt

  • miles
Intermittent starting Had car towed to auto shop Auto shop stated that the B.E.C.M Board is going out Battery Energy Control Module G.M Has a class action lawsuit over this matter

- Lebec , CA, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »