Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
380–25K
2925–50K
6050–75K
4775–100K
33100–150K
6150K+
213 reports with mileage · 95 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Air Bags. Review the 161 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports2 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
308 reports
Mileage unknown · Dec 5, 2022
Air Bags
I have the failure from PE19013. I read in the closing that "GM has instituted a cost reduction program for the repair/replacement of the PSS in the subject vehicles. Based on this cost reduction program...; ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation." I contacted two dealerships who are unaware of this program. I then conta…
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I have the failure from PE19013. I read in the closing that "GM has instituted a cost reduction program for the repair/replacement of the PSS in the subject vehicles. Based on this cost reduction program...; ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation." I contacted two dealerships who are unaware of this program. I then contacted the Chevy Support Center, who said to contact the dealership when I asked for an alternative contact. I then asked to speak to a supervisor with a promised call back, that did not occur. Attached is the transcript of the chat with Chevy Support Center. The two issues: 1. The safety issue still exists and disables the air bags when occupied by a person of proper size for the airbags. 2. The reduced cost program is something that both dealerships and the Chevy Support System is unaware of itself. The investigation was closed on the premise of a support system that is impossible to find information on.
NHTSA ODI #11496093
Mileage unknown · Nov 26, 2022
Seat Belts
There are two issues with the seat belt on the driver’s seat. 1) The buckle (female portion, the part with the button) is stuck and won’t release the tongue (male portion) without intervention with a screwdriver. 2) The plastic portion of the tongue (male portion) of the seatbelt caught on my clothes and snapped, and the whole t…
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There are two issues with the seat belt on the driver’s seat. 1) The buckle (female portion, the part with the button) is stuck and won’t release the tongue (male portion) without intervention with a screwdriver. 2) The plastic portion of the tongue (male portion) of the seatbelt caught on my clothes and snapped, and the whole tongue assembly fell off the webbing. Definitely a safety concern if there’s no longer a way to buckle the seat belt because the male end fell off.
NHTSA ODI #11494959
Mileage unknown · Nov 26, 2022
Fuel/propulsion System
Car suddenly lost ability to accelerate normally while driving. It could only accelerate extremely slowly, seemingly with great effort. It displayed “PROPULSION POWER REDUCED SERVICE ENGINE SOON” and ENGINE NOT AVAILABLE” messages on the dashboard, and a check engine light came on. It sounds like it may be related to current GM …
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Car suddenly lost ability to accelerate normally while driving. It could only accelerate extremely slowly, seemingly with great effort. It displayed “PROPULSION POWER REDUCED SERVICE ENGINE SOON” and ENGINE NOT AVAILABLE” messages on the dashboard, and a check engine light came on. It sounds like it may be related to current GM recall 18215/ NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V397000, but nothing comes up when I search for this VIN.
NHTSA ODI #11494938
Mileage unknown · Nov 21, 2022
Air Bags
Passenger Sensor fails to turn on when an occupant of normal size is in the passenger seat, precluding air bag deployment. This is a very common issue with 2013 models.
NHTSA ODI #11494347
Mileage unknown · Nov 8, 2022
Electrical SystemInjury
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that the electric battery would not charge and the vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the 12v battery was faulty and needed to be replaced. The 12v battery was replaced and the failure was remedied. The contact stated that later while driving the ce…
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The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that the electric battery would not charge and the vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the 12v battery was faulty and needed to be replaced. The 12v battery was replaced and the failure was remedied. The contact stated that later while driving the central battery pack located under the center console had overheated causing a loud noise within the cabin of the vehicle. The contact had sustained a burn to the right shoulder which did not require medical treatment. After parking in the garage and shutting the vehicle off the vehicle rolled backward making contact to the with the garage door. No damage to the garage door was reported. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number 18V397000(HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA ODI #11492761
Mileage unknown · Oct 26, 2022
Electrical System
The High Voltage charging system error message has chronically been triggered despite numerous mechanic visits, sensor and coolant replacement. I am now told this is a software issue and hope to have it resolved. This issue has cost hundreds of dollars in inspection and troubleshooting and hundreds of gas miles that should have …
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The High Voltage charging system error message has chronically been triggered despite numerous mechanic visits, sensor and coolant replacement. I am now told this is a software issue and hope to have it resolved. This issue has cost hundreds of dollars in inspection and troubleshooting and hundreds of gas miles that should have been EV driven. The error prevents EV charges and I must rely on the gas back up.
NHTSA ODI #11491035
Mileage unknown · Oct 26, 2022
Air Bags
PASSENGER AIRBAG ERROR INDICATOR. I took my 2013 Volt to the dealer who indicated it was a sensor error in the seat and requires a 1000.$ seat and sensor replacement. My Volt has 80K miles and no collisions or accidents. There is no justifiable reason for me to replace the front seat for 1000.00 due to a poorly designed wire ha…
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PASSENGER AIRBAG ERROR INDICATOR. I took my 2013 Volt to the dealer who indicated it was a sensor error in the seat and requires a 1000.$ seat and sensor replacement. My Volt has 80K miles and no collisions or accidents. There is no justifiable reason for me to replace the front seat for 1000.00 due to a poorly designed wire harness or sensor. I won't risk having a front seat passenger due to this malfunction. Furthermore I can't sell the vehicle. Why has the NHTSA closed this complaint?
NHTSA ODI #11491032
Mileage unknown · Oct 22, 2022
Air Bags
passenger occupancy sensor malfunction. Passenger airbag turns off intermitently even while occupied by an adult. I have not been to dealership, but understand it is a $1000 repair. This is also happening in a 2012 volt that I own.
NHTSA ODI #11490427
Mileage unknown · Oct 12, 2022
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System
The car’s hybrid battery shut down the car in the middle of the road. I was unable to turn it back on safely.
NHTSA ODI #11489049
Mileage unknown · Sep 27, 2022
Service Brakes
Stacia was driving the vehicle on September 20th on a residential street. She was driving at 25 MPH. All of the sudden the brakes slammed on by themselves and the car slammed to a stop. Luckily there were not any cars around, or there would have certainly been an accident. If this had happened on the Interstate or on a busy stre…
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Stacia was driving the vehicle on September 20th on a residential street. She was driving at 25 MPH. All of the sudden the brakes slammed on by themselves and the car slammed to a stop. Luckily there were not any cars around, or there would have certainly been an accident. If this had happened on the Interstate or on a busy street there likely would have been a serious accident. The vehicle was taken for service and it was determined that the Brake Pedal Position Sensor failed. This was replaced by Eric Von Schledorn Chevrolet. Our concern is that the failure of one sensor could cause a potential catastrophic accident. We wanted to bring this to your attention in case others have had a similar issue, and a recall may be necessary.
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.
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.
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
2
DP22005 · 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.
2013 Chevrolet Volt Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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