NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Fuel/propulsion System complaints
53 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Oct 1, 2021
Fuel/propulsion System
My 2013 Volt has turned off while driving on multiple occasions, usually while on the highway. I have taken it to the Chevy dealer on several occasions and they are unable to find the problem. The vehicle "Propulsion System" warning has come on when the car suddenly decelerated while on the highway and eventually turned off. …
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My 2013 Volt has turned off while driving on multiple occasions, usually while on the highway. I have taken it to the Chevy dealer on several occasions and they are unable to find the problem. The vehicle "Propulsion System" warning has come on when the car suddenly decelerated while on the highway and eventually turned off. The vehicle is at the Chevy dealer who tells me they cells were not balanced and is no longer functioning. They are unable to replace the battery because Chevy is not releasing them so now the car is a paperweight in their parkinglot. Stopping on the highway is a serious problem.
NHTSA ODI #11435120
Mileage unknown · Aug 15, 2021
Fuel/propulsion System
Before battery ran out went to gas, I got the Propulsion Power Limited warning on the dash slowed gradually to a halt, next day car is dead, it won't start or change, nothing. Code P0AFA and P1E00. All recalls were done a year before
NHTSA ODI #11429162
70,000 miles · May 5, 2021
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System
VEHICLE HAS STOPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DURING THIS TIME THE VEHICLE WILL POST AN ERROR ON THE DASH SCREEN. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE TRANSITIONS FROM ELECTRIC FUEL TO GASOLINE, WHEN THE ELECTRIC FUEL IS DEPLETED. CHEVY REFUSES TO REPAIR OR WARRANTY THE VEHICLE, ALSO THE DEALER REFUSES T…
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VEHICLE HAS STOPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DURING THIS TIME THE VEHICLE WILL POST AN ERROR ON THE DASH SCREEN. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE TRANSITIONS FROM ELECTRIC FUEL TO GASOLINE, WHEN THE ELECTRIC FUEL IS DEPLETED. CHEVY REFUSES TO REPAIR OR WARRANTY THE VEHICLE, ALSO THE DEALER REFUSES TO COMPLETE THE NECESSARY RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RETURN TO NORMAL UNTIL YOU TURN THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF MULTIPLE TIMES.
NHTSA ODI #11415209
1,000 miles · Feb 15, 2021
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System
PLEASE SEE ATTACHED DOCUMENT FOR FULL DESCRIPTION OF THE UN-COMMANDED SELF ACCELERATION ISSUES IN MY 2013 CHEVY VOLT INCLUDING MY CONTACT INFORMATION. THANK YOU!
NHTSA ODI #11396357
68,000 miles · Oct 18, 2020
Fuel/propulsion System
THREE TIMES THE VEHICLE HAS LOST PROPULSION POWER RESULTING IN REDUCED ACCELERATION AND NO LONGER STARTING. IT IS AT A DEALERSHIP FOR THE THIRD TIME FOR REPAIRS. THE RECALL INSTRUCTIONS WERE COMPLETED IN 2019; HOWEVER, I CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER IS NOW JUST CHARGING ME FOR REPLACEMENT ITEMS (112 VOLT BATT…
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THREE TIMES THE VEHICLE HAS LOST PROPULSION POWER RESULTING IN REDUCED ACCELERATION AND NO LONGER STARTING. IT IS AT A DEALERSHIP FOR THE THIRD TIME FOR REPAIRS. THE RECALL INSTRUCTIONS WERE COMPLETED IN 2019; HOWEVER, I CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER IS NOW JUST CHARGING ME FOR REPLACEMENT ITEMS (112 VOLT BATTERY, CLUSTER) INSTEAD OF DEALING WITH THE ACTUAL PROBLEM WITH THE VOLTEC BATTERY THAT IS UNDER WARRANTY.
NHTSA ODI #11364887
90,000 miles · Apr 27, 2020
Air BagsFuel/propulsion System
THE VEHICLE AIRBAG SERVICE CONTINUALLY GOES ON WHILE DRIVING AND IN PARK. THERE HAS BEEN NO SPILLS OR RELATED ISSUES WITH THE SEAT BUT THE SENSOR HAS OBVIOUSLY MALFUNCTIONED.
NHTSA ODI #11322446
107,000 miles · Apr 15, 2020
Fuel/propulsion SystemPower Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET VOLT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF ROADWAY. PROPULSION POWER REDUCED WAS DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLED. AFTER WAITING FOR TEN MINUTES, THE VEHICLE STARTED AND OPERATED …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET VOLT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF ROADWAY. PROPULSION POWER REDUCED WAS DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLED. AFTER WAITING FOR TEN MINUTES, THE VEHICLE STARTED AND OPERATED AS INTENDED HOWEVER, THE MESSAGE REMAINED DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PARADISE CHEVROLET CADILLAC (27360 YNEZ RD, TEMECULA, CA 92591) HOWEVER, NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE NUMBER WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 107,000. *LN*JB*DT THE CONSUMER HAS STATED THAT THE ISSUE OCCURED ONCE MORE ON JULY 11 AND JULY 12 OF 2020. *AS
NHTSA ODI #11321199
60,000 miles · Mar 15, 2020
Fuel/propulsion System
THIS VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOOSES PROPULSION WHILE DRIVING AND IT SWITCHES FROM ELECTRIC TO GAS. IT HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE, BUT THIS LAST TIME I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER TO BE REPAIRED BUT THE PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED.
NHTSA ODI #11318140
67,000 miles · Dec 23, 2019
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System
MY CAR HAD THE EXACT ISSUES THAT ARE DOCUMENTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 18V397000 WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, I GOT A LOW PROPULSION WARNING WHEN THE LITHIUM BATTERY WAS DEPLETED AND SWITCHED TO ENGINE. ENGINE WAS REVVING VERY HIGH AND ALMOST NO ACCELERATION WAS AVAILABLE. I MADE IT HOME AND CAR WOULDN'T RESTART. 12V BATTE…
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MY CAR HAD THE EXACT ISSUES THAT ARE DOCUMENTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 18V397000 WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, I GOT A LOW PROPULSION WARNING WHEN THE LITHIUM BATTERY WAS DEPLETED AND SWITCHED TO ENGINE. ENGINE WAS REVVING VERY HIGH AND ALMOST NO ACCELERATION WAS AVAILABLE. I MADE IT HOME AND CAR WOULDN'T RESTART. 12V BATTERY WAS DEAD SO I REPLACED IT BUT STILL COULD NOT START THE CAR.
NHTSA ODI #11290848
73,500 miles · Oct 26, 2019
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train
REDUCED PROPULSION WARNING. CAUSES CAR TO NOT GO OVER 40 MPH WHILE DRIVING. COVERED UNDER VOLTECH WARRANTY BUT DEALERS WANT TO CHARGE FOR THE DIAGNOSIS. UNFAIR, AS THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. I REFUSE TO PAY FOR A WARRANTY DIAGNOSIS.
NHTSA ODI #11271184
Official recalls
3Jul 27, 2023
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Camero, Sonic, and Volt vehicles. The driver-side air bag inflator may explode during deployment due to a manufacturing defect.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver-side air bag module, free of charge. On some 2013 Volt vehicles, the steering wheel will be replaced as well, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2023. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N232413120.
Jun 14, 2018
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. An update to the Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2 (HPCM2) may have disabled the cell balancing function causing a low-voltage condition.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the voltage drops, the vehicle may lose propulsion, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the HPCM2, free of charge. The recall began July 24, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18215.
Mar 13, 2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Volt vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, to June 26, 2013. If the driver exits the vehicle without turning off the electrical system, the battery may drain low enough that the gasoline engine will automatically start itself to recharge the electric battery.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the engine runs for an extended period of time in an enclosed space, there may be a build up of carbon monoxide, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software to limit the time that the stationary vehicle can be left in the ON position, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14617.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System:ignition
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Volt vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, to June 26, 2013. If the driver exits the vehicle without turning off the electrical system, the battery may drain low enough that the gasoline engine will automatically start itself to recharge the electric battery.
Consequence: If the engine runs for an extended period of time in an enclosed space, there may be a build up of carbon monoxide, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software to limit the time that the stationary vehicle can be left in the ON position, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14617.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Volt vehicles manufactured August 25, 2010, to June 26, 2013. If the driver exits the vehicle without turning off the electrical system, the battery may drain low enough that the gasoline engine will automatically start itself to recharge the electric battery.
Consequence: If the engine runs for an extended period of time in an enclosed space, there may be a build up of carbon monoxide, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software to limit the time that the stationary vehicle can be left in the ON position, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14617.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.
PE19013 · Passenger Sensing System
Opened Sep 17, 2019 · Closed Jul 2, 2021
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger
In September 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-013 to assess the potential safety related effects of a malfunction of the Passenger Sensing System (PSS) in 2012-2013 Model Year (MY) Chevrolet Volt vehicles. Consumers reported that due to a malfunction of the PSS, the air bag system malfunction indicator light (MIL) was activated. Many of the complaints noted the malfunction occurred after the warranty period expired and mentioned high repair costs as a major deterrent to the repair of the vehicle.The PSS sensor mat is embedded in the front passenger seat cushion and is intended to detect child seats and small statured occupants who could be harmed by deployment of the frontal passenger air bag. The PSS may develop a malfunction due to bunching of the sensor mat in the seat trench. The bunching of the sensor mat could cause the mat to repeatedly fold in the same location. Over time, the repeated folding can cause an increased resistance in the sensor mat. An increased resistance in the PSS sensor mat is detected as a fault in the air bag system diagnostic. If this fault is detected, a diagnostic trouble code will be stored in the air bag control unit and the air bag MIL will illuminate.Further, if the fault is detected, the passenger frontal and knee air bags will be suppressed in a crash of sufficient severity to warrant a commanded deployment regardless of the nature of size of the occupant of the front passenger seat.The report counts shown above include only those reports that specifically address the issue covered by this investigation, failure of the PSS sensor mat. Reports alleging only that the air bag light is on with no cause stated, or where a different cause was otherwise identified, were excluded as the air bag light could be illuminated for system faults other than a PSS malfunction.The subject vehicles have been in service for approximately ten (10) years. An analysis of General Motors (GM) warranty data for the subject vehicles, including a comparison with other agency and manufacturer data pertaining to similar occupant detection system failure investigations, indicates the subject vehicles experience a comparatively low complaint rate for this issue given the number of years the vehicles have been in service.GM has instituted a cost reduction program for the repair/replacement of the PSS in the subject vehicles. Based on this cost reduction program as well as:1) a comparatively low warranty rate; 2) no reported injuries, deaths or asymmetric deployments; and 3) the age of the vehicles; ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.nhtsa.gov under the following ODI identification numbers in a separate attachment.
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