2011 Chevrolet Volt

MY FIRST PROBLEMS I EXPERIENCE WITH THE 2011 CHEVY VOLT WAS AROUND OCTOBER, 2014. WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEED, I RECEIVED A "PROPULSION POWER REDUCED" INDICATION ON MY DASHBOARD AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH HIGHWAY TRAFFIC WHICH RESULTED IN A HAZARD FOR MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS. I WAS AFRAID I WOULD BE REAR ENDED OR CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO MY LOW RELATIVE SPEED. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, AT TIMES, NOT ABLE TO GO FASTER THAN 45-55 MPH ON HIGHWAYS WITH 65-75 MPH SPEED LIMIT. I LIVE IN SAN DIEGO CA WHERE THERE IS A LOT OF TRAFFIC ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE ALSO REVIEW THE LIFT GATE STRUCT "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION" DILEMMA. I HAVE HAD MY HATCH CLOSE ON MY HEAD BUT IT DID NOT CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. IT WAS MORE OF AN ANNOYANCE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. IT CONTINUES TO BE WEAK, AND SOMETIMES NOT KEEP THE HATCHBACK UP AT ALL. I HAVE NOTICED IT IS WORSE AT LOWER TEMPERATURES (40-50 DEGREES F). LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM GM STATING "THIS LETTER IS INTENDED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT SOME 2011 MODEL YEAR CHEVROLET VOLT VEHICLES MAY HAVE INCREASED FRICTION IN THE STEERING SYSTEM. THIS COULD CAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL TO STICK IN THE STRAIT-AHEAD POSITION AFTER DRIVING LONG DISTANCES ON A STRAIGHT HIGHWAY. THE STEERING WHEEL CAN BE TURNED BUT IT MAY REQUIRE INCREASED EFFORT." CONTACTED GM ABOUT THIS NOTICE I RECEIVED AND THE GM REPRESENTED ME SAID THERE WAS NO SAFETY ISSUE REGARDING THIS LETTER. I DISAGREED (HOW IS A STEERING WHEEL LOCK UP ON THE HIGHWAY NOT A SAFETY ISSUE?) AND REQUESTED TO GET OUT OF MY VEHICLE AND INTO A DIFFERENT ONE THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF MY AND MY FAMILY BEING KILLED BY A VEHICLE DEFECT. AFTER SEVERAL EMAILS BACK AND FOURTH AND GOING TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME TO GO TO, THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET VOLT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, HE DROVE OVER THE RUMBLE STRIPS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE AND THE POWER STEERING TO STOP WORKING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HARD TO MANEUVER AND THE CHECK POWER STEERING WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,000.

THE CAR HAS PROCEEDED TO HAVE MULTIPLE ISSUES, WITH THE MOST PREDOMINANT AND LIFE THREATENING ISSUE BEING AN AIRBAG FAILURE...TWICE. OTHER ISSUES: RADIO, DOOR LOCKS, AND PARK ASSIST ENGAGE/DISENGAGE ON THEIR OWN. BRAKES NOT CATCHING CAUSING CAR TO ROLL. POWER FAILURE AND WON'T START. APRIL 2013, THE VEHICLE WAS T-BONED AT A RATE OF SPEED OVER 45MPH. THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY; CAUSED PERSONAL INJURY. GM SENT OUT AN INSPECTOR, AND PULLED THE DATA. RESPONSE BACK WAS ?NO EVENT RECORDED? AND WAS DISMISSED. OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING HAPPENED, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE CAR WAS IN THE BODY SHOP FOR 6 MONTHS BEING REPAIRED. JANUARY 2014 WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE CAR LOSES POWER, AND WON'T ACCELERATE OVER 19MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ENGAGED AND ?REDUCED PROPULSION? MESSAGE FLASHING. ONSTAR DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE INSTANTLY, AND SAID THE VEHICLE MAY BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE FAULT. WE REACHED OUT TO CLASSIC CHEVROLET GRAPEVINE, AND THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST US, EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY. JANUARY 2014, A SECOND COLLISION, A TRUCK CLIPPED THE FRONT OF THE CAR SPEED WAS OVER 35MPH, THE TIRE BLEW, AND SUDDEN DECELERATION, RESULTING IN $14,000+ IN DAMAGES AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, AND CAUSING RE-INJURY. GM SENT OUT IT'S THIRD PARTY COMPANY TO INSPECT, AND AN EVENT WAS RECORDED THIS TIME, HOWEVER WAS A ?NON-EVENT? EVENT. GM STATES A EVENT WAS RECORDED, BUT COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. IN FEBRUARY 2014 WE REACHED OUT TO GM DIRECTLY, ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION, AND ASSISTANCE REGARDING OUR FLAWED 2011 CHEVROLET VOLT, AND WERE TOLD THEY ?RESEARCHED AND EVALUATED OUR CONCERN, AND FULFILLED ITS OBLIGATION? TO US. HOWEVER, THEY DID NOTHING. ANSWERED NO QUESTIONS, OFFERED NO RESOLUTION OR FIX. GM HAS A HISTORY OF NOT INVESTIGATING FATAL FLAWS, AND COVERING UP ITS NEGLIGENCE. *TR

AS AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, WHEN RUNNING ON BATTERY, IT IS DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHEN THE VEHICLE IS LEFT RUNNING. UPON RETURNING HOME ONE DAY, I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND PLUGGED IT IN. I DIDN'T REALIZE AT THE TIME, THAT I HAD NOT TURNED OFF THE VOLT BY PRESSING THE BLUE POWER SWITCH ON THE DASHBOARD. THE NEXT MORNING, I CAME INTO MY ENCLOSED GARAGE AND COULD HEAR THE VOLT'S GAS POWERED GENERATOR RUNNING. I LOOKED AT THE DASH DISPLAY AND COULD SEE THE VOLT HAD NOT CHARGED, HAD USED UP ALL REMAINING BATTERY, AND HAD BEEN RUNNING ON GAS GENERATOR FOR SOME TIME. MY CONCERN IS REGARDING CARBON DIOXIDE POISONING RISKS. I HAVE TRIED OVER THE PAST 60 DAYS TO GET A RESPONSE OUT OF GM AS A VOLT OWNER AND I FEEL THEY ARE STONEWALLING ME AS THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO ME ON THIS CONCERN DESPITE THREE DIFFERENT INQUIRIES ON MY BEHALF. THIS IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR GM WHO NORMALLY IS QUITE RESPONSIVE. I PROPOSE IF THE VEHICLE CAN SENSE IT IS PLUGGED IN THAT IT SHOULD SHUT DOWN SHOULD THE BATTERY BECOME DEPLETED RATHER THAN TURN ON THE GAS GENERATOR TO KEEP THE CAR RUNNING. I'M CONFIDENT GM CAN DETECT THE CAR IS PLUGGED IN SO PROGRAMMATICALLY I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE TO SOLVE THIS SAFETY ISSUE. ELECTRIC CARS ARE NOT LIKE OTHER CARS IN THAT YOU CAN'T HEAR WHEN THEY ARE ON. CHANCES ARE, IF THE VEHICLE IS PLUGGED IN IT'S IN A GARAGE. NO GM EMPLOYEE WHO I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HAS EXPLAINED WHY IT'S REASONABLE TO RUN THE GENERATOR IN THE SCENARIO I HAVE DESCRIBED. I DO HOPE NO ONE DIES BEFORE THIS ISSUE IS RESOLVED. IT SHOULD BE A SIMPLE SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE VOLT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET VOLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET VOLT EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR ASSURANCE FUEL MAX TIRES, SIZE 215-55-17. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED DUE TO LOW TIRE PRESSURE. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,445. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

OUR VOLT WAS LEFT OVERNIGHT TO CHARGE USING THE SUPPLIED 120V LEVEL ONE CHARGE CORD THAT COMES WITH THE VEHICLE (THEREFORE I CONSIDER IT PART OF THE VEHICLE.) IN THE MORNING THE VEHICLE WAS NOT CHARGED -- AT SOME POINT DURING THE NIGHT THE CHARGE FAILED AFTER THE BATTERY ACCUMULATED JUST 5 MILES OF ESTIMATED RANGE. THE SOCKET INTO WHICH THE CHARGE CORD HAD BEEN PLUGGED, THE RECEPTACLE OF A KILL-A-WATT CHARGE MEASURING DEVICE, WAS SCORCHED AND PARTIALLY MELTED. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A SMALL ELECTRICAL FIRE AT THE POINT WHERE THE VOLT'S CORD PLUGGED INTO THE DEVICE, BUT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY. THIS SEEMS TO HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE THE STRAIN RELIEF ON THE CORD WAS TORN IN HALF AND THE WIRES IT WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT BECAME EXPOSED TO THE OUTSIDE AND PERHAPS TO EACH OTHER. IT IS QUITE LIKELY THAT THESE EXPOSED CHARGE CORD WIRES SHORTED AGAINST SOMETHING INSIDE THE CHARGE CORD ASSEMBLY, AND THAT SHORT CAUSED THE DAMAGE WHERE THE CORD WAS PLUGGED IN AT ITS WALL END. GUARANTY CHEVROLET TOOK POSSESSION OF THE CORD (AT GM'S REQUEST) AND ORDERED A NEW ONE UNDER WARRANTY, SO THE CORD ITSELF IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. I STILL HAVE THE KILL-A-WATT DEVICE, AND, DESPITE THE OBVIOUS VISIBLE DAMAGE, IT STILL WORKS. (I DON'T USE IT, THOUGH.) TO ME THE STRAIN RELIEF ON THIS CORD WAS VERY FLIMSY. THE MATERIAL SEEMED TOO SOFT AN PLIABLE TO DO VERY MUCH. THE REPLACEMENT SEEMED TO BE NO DIFFERENT APART FROM ONE ADDITIONAL FLEX SEGMENT. I WAS NOT IMPRESSED, BUT SO FAR THE FAILURE HAS NOT REPEATED. I HAVE PHOTOS IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM. PHOTOS OF THE OLD CORD, THE MELTED SOCKET AND THE NEW CORD. ALSO, I USED A NEW KILL-A-WATT ON THIS CAR AFTER THE INCIDENT AND ON OTHER ELECTRIC CARS WITH NO PROBLEMS. IT MAY BE TEMPTING TO BLAME THIS DEVICE, BUT IT HAS A SUFFICIENT AMP RATING AND THE PROBLEM HAPPENED ON A DAY THE STRAIN RELIEF FAILED. *TR

THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE THAT I'M CONCERNED MAY IMPACT OTHER VOLTS. HERE'S THE BACKGROUND. ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON, I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE AT A VERY SLOW RATE AND GOT HALFWAY THROUGH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD 'CRUNCHING' SOUND. I GOT OUT WONDERING WHAT THE THE NOISE WAS AND SAW THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CAR DOWN AND DIRECTLY SITTING ON THE TIRE. THE CONTROL ARM OR STRUT OR WHATEVER YOU CALL IT HAD SEEMINGLY COLLAPSED. LOOKING MORE CLOSELY, IT LOOKED LIKE THE WHEEL HAD PRACTICALLY COME OFF. GREASE WAS DRIPPING ONTO THE DRIVEWAY FROM UNDERNEATH. THE DEALER HAS NOW REPAIRED THE PROBLEM AND CLAIMS IT WAS A BAD BOLT, HOWEVER I AM NOT CONFIDENT THAT SUCH A MAJOR MANUFACTURING FLAW CAN BE SO EASILY DISMISSED. *TR