chevrolet volt Problems

chevrolet volt 2013 Complaints

STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID

when i was purchasing the car, the salesman was demonstrating the emergency trunk safety release. when he pulled on it, the release device broke off. he told me to return after a few weeks to get a replacement. i just saw the story about lexus having similar issues. it's easy to get into the main cabin from the trunk in the volt, so it isn't a real safety issue, but it should be tracked since i'm sure chevrolet uses similar devices in their other cars.

Reported in: LOS ANGELES CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RH6E43DU

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i was on my way home, it was very dark outside on a two lane highway going 60-60mph and wanted to switch over to electric "hold" mode so i could save the electric battery for city driving. i glanced over and hit the "drive mode" button three times thinking i was going to send the drive mode down to "hold". instead what i did was powered off the car by hitting the power button. (the two buttons are right next to each other and both require multiple presses to work). so there i was, the car went black inside and the headlights turned off outside while i was going 65mpg on a two lane highway (one lane each direction). thank god there was nobody around or close to me and thankfully there was just enough ambient light from the moon to see where i was. i hit the power button to try turning it back on, nothing. luckily the hazard switch remained lit and i was able to turn my hazards on. i had to stop on the side of the road, put it back into park and hit power. i realize i hit the wrong button but why should such an easy mistake almost cause a fatality. if not for the moon i might have drove off the road and into a telephone pole. i would highly recommend they move the power button to the steering column, similar to where a key would be located. for gods sake, don't put a multiple click button next to another multiple click button that has such significance in the outcome of your life. and for god sakes, don't turn off the headlights if the computer detects i'm going 65 and knows via the sensor that it's dark outside! there are multiple complaints about this at various web sites, including.... http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?17249-power-button-too-close-to-drive-mode-button! somebody is going to be have a fatality soon if this is not fixed.

Reported in: CALEDONIA IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RD6E48DU

ENGINE

Reported in: CALEDONIA IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RD6E48DU

TIRES

goodyear assurance tires. 2nd flat at low speeds in two months. car tire just blows out immediately going flat. no known object was driven over, flattens out instantly. second time in two months this scenario plays out. should this have been at a greater speed, the scenario would have been far worst.

Reported in: JERSEY CITY NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RD6E48DU

STEERING

at any speed over 57mph, if you leave the steering wheel centered (such as on a long straightaway) the steering wheel will lock in that center position. it takes significant force to pull the car out of that center locked position. chevrolet is aware of this issue, but has so far been un-willing to fix it in my vehicle (they will not send the part to the dealership).

Reported in: LA MESA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RE6E4XDU

SERVICE BRAKES

antilock feature of brakes will not engage on ice/snow unless brakes are slammed hard. at least three times, i have slid slowly through an attempted stop. it has also occurred twice while gently breaking while traveling downhill. the wheels lock up and vehicle goes into a slide. it continues to happen, but now i know to slam the brake pedal, and the antilock feature will then operate and terminate the skid and stop the vehicle.

Reported in: WAUSAU WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RB6E49DU

SERVICE BRAKES

i bought a 2013 volt 2 weeks ago. while at the cvs drive through today the car started to beep warning lights when off, brake pedal went to the floor and the car started moving forward. the brakes completely stopped working, no pumping or anything. i made it into a parking space to await for a tow truck and turned the vehicle off. when i turned the vehicle on the error messages were gone and the brake pedal felt solid again. i started to move the car and the errors came back and brakes failed again. the experience was overall kinda scary. i towed it to the dealer. 2 days later i called the dealer and they informed me that the master cylinder had failed and must be replaced.

Reported in: HOWELL MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RB6E4XDU

POWER TRAIN

i leased a new 2013 volt on friday and drove it to work and home on monday. the battery display showed it was at minimum, zero miles remaining. the volt was running with the internal combustion engine. as i pulled out of a parking lot, "�propulsion power is reduced"�, "�engine not available"�, and "service stabilitrac" displayed on the driver information center. after going about 500 feet, i stopped at an intersection to make a left turn and the volt stalled. i turned on the flashers and attempted to restore power by pressing the brake and the power button. the displays lit up but the instrument cluster continued to display "�initializing-wait to shift"�. i turned the volt off by pressing the power button again and attempted to restore power several times with the same result. cars behind me were attempting to pull around on the left side but were blocked by cars turning onto the two-lane street. i pushed the on-star button and requested assistance. soon, a volt specialist came on the line and said she suspected the security system or the 12v battery. she had me turn everything off and walk 200 feet from the car. when i returned and tried to start the volt, it started briefly but shut down. she said the 12v battery might be low and they would have the tow truck driver bring booster cables to charge the battery. i had managed to push the volt to the curb and got some cables to boost it. the volt initialized and the displays looked normal. i drove to the next intersection and stopped for the light. when the light changed, it stalled again. i was able to continue to my house on battery power but it would not go up the slope of the driveway. i tried to charge it but the charge cycle would not start. the next morning, it had "�plug in to charge" light on. i started the charge cycle. it goes to the dealer tonight.

Reported in: DUBLIN OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RA6E45DU

ENGINE

Reported in: DUBLIN OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RA6E45DU

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Reported in: DUBLIN OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RA6E45DU

POWER TRAIN

this is the second volt i owned in a year that exhibited this issue. upon braking and passive deceleration the car makes a loud audible whining noise coming from the engine compartment. the dealer states it is a regenerative brake bearing failure. this issue is related to the bearing cage failing causing the bearing to lose its integrity. http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?17877-loud-whining-during-regen.

Reported in: NASHVILLE TN || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RD6E44DU

SERVICE BRAKES

Reported in: NASHVILLE TN || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RD6E44DU

VISIBILITY/WIPER

bottom half of the front windshield on the driver side was not properly bonded to the body. problem was noticed due to a whistling noise at freeway speeds. pushed on the glass from the inside i was able to move the glass with little pressure.

Reported in: GROSSE POINTE FARMS MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RB6E40DU

STRUCTURE:BODY

Reported in: GROSSE POINTE FARMS MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RB6E40DU

SERVICE BRAKES

driving in los angeles consists of lots of uneven roads full of potholes. as i was trying to come to a complete stop while hit an uneven road and a pothole i temporarily lost control of my brakes and it felt like my vehicle was sliding. it was a brief 2-3 second feeling but very unsettling.

Reported in: LOS ANGELES CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RH6E40DU

STEERING

tl* the contact owns a 2013 chevrolet volt. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the power steering assist malfunctioned sporadically without warning. the contact mentioned that the steering wheel would become stiff for several seconds and before returning to normal function. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileage was 18,000.

Reported in: MARIETTA GA || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

car gas engine started, (engine running due to temp). ran for just a few seconds, then shut down and went into "service mode" - killing both the gas engine and electric motor - without touching any buttons on dash.

Reported in: ALBION MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RE6E42DU

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: ALBION MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RE6E42DU

ENGINE

my chevy volt was at a car wash and the attendant was able to turn the car off while still in "d" gear. the car is able to roll and move while in this gear. i was surprised so i tested it for myself, and sure enough you're able to turn the power off and exit the vehicle while still in 'd'. every car i've owned (automatic) forces you to shift into p or n before allowing the key to remove. this is a great concern for me, so i called my volt advisor today and was informed that other customers rolled into their garage, and the behavior was by design and normal.

Reported in: SACRAMENTO CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Reported in: SACRAMENTO CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

Reported in: SACRAMENTO CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2013 chevrolet volt. the contact stated that he erroneously depressed the drive mode button and all the electrical power failed. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. the manufacture was notified about the failure. the failure mileage was 7,500 and current mileage was 7,900.

Reported in: CORVALLIS OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RA6E41DU

AIR BAGS

when a cell phone is placed on the center of the passenger seat, the passenger seat belt warning light illuminates and arms the passenger air bag. no weight required.

Reported in: GLENDORA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RH6E41DU

SEAT BELTS

when a cell phone is placed on the center of the passenger seat, the passenger seat belt warning light illuminates and arms the passenger air bag. no weight required.

Reported in: GLENDORA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RH6E41DU

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

letter from constituent regarding his wife 2013 chevrolet volt, who having issues with the hvac system not cooling the rear seats when the temperature was near 100 degrees; requesting that gm accept the return of the vehicle and purchase price be refunded.*sd the consumer stated the windows would fog up whenever humidity was present, the navigation system, was reading the vehicle was in detroit, the re-generative braking system and acceleration had downgraded after the last software update.*jb

Reported in: INDIO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RD6E46DU

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)

Reported in: INDIO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RD6E46DU

VISIBILITY

Reported in: INDIO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RD6E46DU

EQUIPMENT:AIR CONDITIONER

Reported in: INDIO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RD6E46DU

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

the vehicle has repeatedly shut down while driving/failed to start since june 2013. the vehicle has been in service due to repairs = 42 days in the last 10 months. gm continues to replace/recall parts on the hybrid battery as well as other parts concerning secondary problems. i am afraid this vehicle will shut down again while i am driving causing an accident hurting me or others on the road. clearly, it is a potential death trap.

Reported in: WILLIAMSVILLE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RH6E49DU

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: WILLIAMSVILLE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RH6E49DU

ENGINE

Reported in: WILLIAMSVILLE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RH6E49DU

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

when in low gear (higher regenerative braking), when braking and going over some bumps, the regen braking stops causing a feeling of a lurch forward. a 'low traction" light appears. this causes a reduction in braking force of approximately 35bhp, a very unsafe condition. an anti-lock brake style pulsation of the regen should be employed, not a discontinuation of the regen brakes.

Reported in: MANCHESTER NH || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RA6E40DU

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

Reported in: MANCHESTER NH || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RA6E40DU

SERVICE BRAKES

Reported in: MANCHESTER NH || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RA6E40DU

PARKING BRAKE

tl* the contact owns a 2013 chevrolet volt. while pulling into the driveway at 10 mph, the parking brake automatically applied and the vehicle stalled. the check engine indicator illuminated. the dealer stated that water leaked into the battery charging receptacle causing the resistance of the interlock to drop over a period of time, which also contributed to the parking brake becoming engaged. the vehicle was repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 6,500.

Reported in: INDIALANTIC FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RA6E49DU

ENGINE

Reported in: INDIALANTIC FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RA6E49DU

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BATTERY

Reported in: INDIALANTIC FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RA6E49DU

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

the car's electrical / software issues caused (1) all of the windows to roll down in unison (in for repair 3 times to fix this one), (2) caused the car to not recognize that it was in "park", thus not shutting off, and (3) caused the car to lose power without touching any of the buttons on the console (i.e. the "drive" button or the "power" button). the latest incident occurred last friday (august 1, 2014) when the car just lost power while i was driving at 65 mph on i-85 north at around 4:00pm. i had to get over from 4 lanes of traffic with no power at all in the car and luckily did so without incident. onstar's diagnostics showed that the electrical system, braking system, engine, and other parts of the car showed the car needed immediate attention. i put the car in park and while still with onstar the dashboard lit up and the power button lit up too. i hit the power button and drove straight to the rick hendrick chevy dealership in duluth. when i went to pick the car up later saturday morning, i was told that there's nothing they car do because they can't recreate the problem. they have reflashed various ecus, but at the end of the day cannot "recreate" the problems and cannot fix them. so they just wipe their hands clean of these issues and act like they don't exist. (the service manager actually called me "ignorant" once and later apologized.) i pray it doesn't take people dying in these cars before chevrolet and/or general motors does something to fix them.

Reported in: DULUTH GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RB6E45DU

ENGINE

Reported in: DULUTH GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RB6E45DU

SERVICE BRAKES

Reported in: DULUTH GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RB6E45DU

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

chevy volt is an extended range electric vehicle, it uses a gas powered generator to provide electric power for driving if the battery has dropped below a certain voltage. i parked my vehicle in my garage at home and neglected to power down the electric systems in the vehicle. there is a blue power button on the center console, if you do not press this button very deliberately the system does not power down. this is not readily apparent since the center console stays lit even when powered down. i opened the charge port and plugged the vehicle in. if the vehicle is powered down the car will give an audible beep and the charge light will go from orange to green after a period of about 4-5 seconds. if the vehicle is not powered down the light stays orange and no warning is given to the operator. i left the vehicle, i had the remote with me. the following morning my wife discovered the car in the garage with the generator running at very high rpm's the temperature in the garage was very hot, the door handle to the garage was hot to the touch. the car used almost all of it's gasoline supply, about 10 gallons, that equates to about 190 pounds of co2 produced in my home. i backed the car out of the garage, the concrete underneath the car was too hot to touch and still warm 10 hours later. the car was towed to my local chevrolet dealer, they repaired the heat damage and returned the car to me. i have since tested this same scenario and the vehicle will start its gas powered generator if left powered on. no gas motor is running when vehicle is parked, it is operating on its battery system. once the battery is depleted it will self start its generator even if: 1 the car is in park 2 the charge door is open 3 the car is plugged in to it's charger 4 there is no driver in the drivers seat 5 the vehicle is not moving 6 the remote not in the vehicle. failure to warn vehicle is on.

Reported in: MILTON GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RD6E44DU

WHEELS

i've leased my 2013 volt for 1 1/2 years. july 3rd i got 2 flat tires (both driver side, rear and front). i bought 2 new tires and the service at chevy put them on the 2 front wheels. exactly 2 months later, i got 2 more flat tires (passanger side, front and rear). i find it incredibly hard to believe that 4 new tires are now flat. i've been driving for 40 years and have owned many different new cars, and this has never happened! i feel there is something either about the car being electric or the type of tires that is causing flats. besides being very expensive, it is also very unsafe to drive on flat tires.

Reported in: IRVNGTON NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RF6E44DU

SEATS

while coming to a stop at a moderate rate of deceleration, i noticed that my drivers seat had forward/backward play in it. the issue was identified when coming to a stop and noticing that my seat back shifted forward (~1/2" of play). i was able to replicate the issue at a stop by shifting my weight in the seat. all motion appears to source from the reclining mechanism, not the seat rails. this issue was presented to the chevrolet dealership but the response was that the issue was identified in a new vehicle so it was labeled as "intended operation." a repeat investigation in september 2014 also produced the same response. as an integral part of the safety system in the vehicle, it is inappropriate for a seat to have play in the reclining mechanism and equally as inappropriate for that to be considered "intended operation." the passenger seat does not exhibit these issues, and a review of the gm-volt.com forums indicates that while the problem exists in other vehicles, it is by no means universal across the model.

Reported in: ASHBURN VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G1RD6E47DU

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