NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
697 reportsMileage unknown · Oct 20, 2022
Fuel/propulsion System
A problem occurred on approx Sept 25 where the vehicle dash suddenly displays "shift to park" and no longer has any propulsion. This is dangerous, as in this case the car was stuck in the middle of traffic unable to move to the shoulder. Luckily someone helped push my wife out of the road. This is the 2nd time this summer (2022)…
Read full complaint
A problem occurred on approx Sept 25 where the vehicle dash suddenly displays "shift to park" and no longer has any propulsion. This is dangerous, as in this case the car was stuck in the middle of traffic unable to move to the shoulder. Luckily someone helped push my wife out of the road. This is the 2nd time this summer (2022) that this has occurred. It has also occurred in the more distant past. The car goes into a mode where it cannot fully shut down or started. Shifting out of Park simply bring back the message of "Shift to Partk". I have found the only way to get the car moving was to disconnect and reconnect the battery to reset the computer. Vehicle was brought to dealership for service. Tech could find no issue associated with this problem. Shifter was replaced just to rule that out.
NHTSA ODI #11490213
Mileage unknown · Oct 11, 2022
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train
Driving and check engine appeared. Vehicle hybrid power train acted erratically, switching into and out of limp mode. Potential loss of control without any previous warning signs. Diagnosed with a failure of Battery Energy Control Module 24296900. Multiple complaints of the same issue from other owners. 5 other same model cars a…
Read full complaint
Driving and check engine appeared. Vehicle hybrid power train acted erratically, switching into and out of limp mode. Potential loss of control without any previous warning signs. Diagnosed with a failure of Battery Energy Control Module 24296900. Multiple complaints of the same issue from other owners. 5 other same model cars at dealership waiting for the same part. Estimated arrival is 8-12 weeks. This has been a well documented problem since 2018, and Chevrolet has released a TSB acknowledging the issue, and potentially loss of control and stranding.
NHTSA ODI #11488788
Mileage unknown · Oct 10, 2022
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other
The car will not turn off and it says it needs to be shifted into “park” after it is already parked. I am left unable to leave my car or lock it when I need to leave which makes this dangerous in case of an emergency where I need to leave the car quickly and cannot without leaving the car on and open.
NHTSA ODI #11488687
46,000 miles · Oct 5, 2022
Electrical System
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the display screens became inoperable, causing the instrument cluster and gauges to become unavailable to the driver. In addition, the audible alarms were no longer audible. After turning the vehicle off and restarting the vehicle, the f…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the display screens became inoperable, causing the instrument cluster and gauges to become unavailable to the driver. In addition, the audible alarms were no longer audible. After turning the vehicle off and restarting the vehicle, the failure was self-corrected. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 46,000.
NHTSA ODI #11488062
Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2022
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion SystemCrashInjury
Vehicle Make and Model 2017 Chevrolet Volt LT •Miles Currently 28,000 •(Car is recalled) Energy Hybrid • The vehicle will not turn off, Motor Light Constantly on • I never received a recall letter, email not mail notification •The whole car smells like smoke and gasoline when AAA gives me jumps • I’ve had two not at fault acc…
Read full complaint
Vehicle Make and Model 2017 Chevrolet Volt LT •Miles Currently 28,000 •(Car is recalled) Energy Hybrid • The vehicle will not turn off, Motor Light Constantly on • I never received a recall letter, email not mail notification •The whole car smells like smoke and gasoline when AAA gives me jumps • I’ve had two not at fault accidents since I’ve had the vehicle • CarMax sold me the vehicle in February of 2021 • I spoke with GM yesterday who stated and confirmed that my vehicle is defective and recalled • The recall states that any 2017 & other Models can’t be sold due to a multitude of reasons • The recall was put in place before it was sold to me • At this point, I want another vehicle (Brand New, That is recalled and damaged) I’m having panic attacks when trying and attempting to drive this car • I was badly injured and I still am
NHTSA ODI #11487392
Mileage unknown · Sep 22, 2022
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System
Traveling from Mexico ,we just got into yuma Arizona heading towards the 8 freeway when my volt displayed reduced propulsion and the engine light came on and the car lost power while driving on the road we had to let the car drift into a parking lot. We let the cat sit for a several minutes and the engine started up but was runn…
Read full complaint
Traveling from Mexico ,we just got into yuma Arizona heading towards the 8 freeway when my volt displayed reduced propulsion and the engine light came on and the car lost power while driving on the road we had to let the car drift into a parking lot. We let the cat sit for a several minutes and the engine started up but was running hard. After that it ran a little so we decided to rent a uhaul and car hauler to get the car home. Before this happened We were about to head back to California and we were stranded there until we got an Uber to the uhaul place and rented a truck and car hauler, the car would stay on long enough for us to drive it up on the ramp so we had to push the car to get it up there. We finally did and 24 hours later we made it home hauling the cars a 3 hour ride home was turned into a nightmare. Apparently this is serious problem if the car would have stopped a while we were driving through Joshua Tree we would have been stranded on the side of the narrow road in the dark, Or on a major free way, This problem is a safety hazard to all Volt owners and it has been known and reported to happen countless of times so why is there no recall of these vehicles for this problem, people's lives are in danger, this could have turned out way worst, thank God He saved us from what could have happened. My dealer says that they are not sure what caused it and that we may have to pay for repairs. This is unacceptable because there is an obvious problem with this vehicle
NHTSA ODI #11485815
Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 2022
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other
At approximately 61,500 miles my Chevy Volt would not start. I had it towed to a repair facility who determined the problem was a faulty BECM (Battery Energy Control Module), but that it would still be covered by the manufacturer's warranty. So I had the vehicle towed to a dealership. The vehicle has been at the dealership for …
Read full complaint
At approximately 61,500 miles my Chevy Volt would not start. I had it towed to a repair facility who determined the problem was a faulty BECM (Battery Energy Control Module), but that it would still be covered by the manufacturer's warranty. So I had the vehicle towed to a dealership. The vehicle has been at the dealership for six weeks as of the time I write this, but report they have yet to diagnose the problem or offer a solution. Doing research online I have found that BECM failure is a common problem among the Chevy Volt, of all model years. And due to "supply chain disruptions" people are having to wait weeks to months for their vehicle to be repaired. Fortunately my vehicle did not fail in a dangerous location, however the BECM failure could happen randomly at any time at any mileage and appears to be a design flaw. Fortunately my vehicle is still covered by the manufacturer's warranty, but in my opinion, repair should be extended to all Chevy Volts.
NHTSA ODI #11485013
Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 2022
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System
BECM failure caused vehicle to lose propulsion. Could have stopped working in a dangerous situation such as an intersection, steep hill, or railroad tracks.
NHTSA ODI #11485009
40,000 miles · Sep 9, 2022
Engine And Engine Cooling
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle overheated and lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where he recharged the battery. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a faulty EGR valve that needed to be rep…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle overheated and lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where he recharged the battery. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a faulty EGR valve that needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
NHTSA ODI #11483673
Mileage unknown · Sep 8, 2022
Service Brakes
I was driving on the highway at speeds greater than 60mph. Traffic came to a sudden stop and the pre-crash avoidance assisted with breaking. I resumed driving. The front right tire began smoking. I pulled over, the break was locked up and the rotor and pad were damaged. Overnight it releases. I take to service center and they ar…
Read full complaint
I was driving on the highway at speeds greater than 60mph. Traffic came to a sudden stop and the pre-crash avoidance assisted with breaking. I resumed driving. The front right tire began smoking. I pulled over, the break was locked up and the rotor and pad were damaged. Overnight it releases. I take to service center and they are unable to replicate issue. I had to replace pads and rotors. A month later it locked up again, this time while driving. I became wary of the sighs now and pulled over immediately. Had the vehicle towed to service center. Again, they are unable to determine issue. They said there are no fault codes and no physical issues with breaking system. It is unfortunate the dealer does not know how to repair cars with complex computer operated systems. I don’t know what to do, right now we are in the stage of replacing random components to see if it fixes the issue. I can’t keep throwing money at this. I hope you can apply pressure to Chevy to help. I don’t know what to do, all I know is this isn’t safe. They had a similar recall for 2018 model year volts breaks locking up. But no recall issued for 2017 model year.
NHTSA ODI #11483500
NHTSA investigations
2PE23022 · Loss Of Motive Power Due To The Battery Energy Control Module
Opened Nov 29, 2023 · Closed Mar 3, 2025
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System; Electrical System:propulsion System; Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery:management System/energy Control Module (bms/becm)
On November 29, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE23022 to investigate allegations of a loss of motive power, including a stall, reduced power state, and/or a no start condition due to the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) in model year (MY) 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt passenger car vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The BECM is located within the high voltage electric vehicle (EV) battery pack and monitors the temperature, current, and voltage of the high voltage battery cell groups. GM stated that the root cause was identified as an internal failure leading to a loss of communication within the BECM and does not pose a risk to motor vehicle safety. GM further stated that the failure cannot result in a complete stall, only a reduced power mode, no start condition, or a no charge condition. GM additionally stated that if these conditions occur, the driver will be warned via a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) and/or a reduced-propulsion message in the Driver Information Center (DIC). Data received and analyzed by ODI from all sources indicates that nearly all related BECM failures caused conditions aligning with GM’s predicted outcomes. Despite the large number of warranty claims, nearly all failures were not safety-related, i.e., not a stall or reduced power mode. ODI isaware of a single minor crash and no injuries or deaths. In March 2024, GM issued Special Coverage N232432680, which was mailed to consumers, addressing BECM failures in certain MY 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. This special coverage provides an extension of the warranty coverage for the BECM from 8 years / 100,000 miles to 15 years / 150,000 miles for all 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volts. Additionally, GM stated that replacement components are sourced from a different supplier and not susceptible to the failure. In view of the Special Coverage issued by GM, the existing warranty coverage already in place, and the low number of safety-related occurrences, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation (PE). 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 future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Electrical System
On November 29, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE23022 to investigate allegations of a loss of motive power, including a stall, reduced power state, and/or a no start condition due to the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) in model year (MY) 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt passenger car vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The BECM is located within the high voltage electric vehicle (EV) battery pack and monitors the temperature, current, and voltage of the high voltage battery cell groups. GM stated that the root cause was identified as an internal failure leading to a loss of communication within the BECM and does not pose a risk to motor vehicle safety. GM further stated that the failure cannot result in a complete stall, only a reduced power mode, no start condition, or a no charge condition. GM additionally stated that if these conditions occur, the driver will be warned via a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) and/or a reduced-propulsion message in the Driver Information Center (DIC). Data received and analyzed by ODI from all sources indicates that nearly all related BECM failures caused conditions aligning with GM’s predicted outcomes. Despite the large number of warranty claims, nearly all failures were not safety-related, i.e., not a stall or reduced power mode. ODI isaware of a single minor crash and no injuries or deaths. In March 2024, GM issued Special Coverage N232432680, which was mailed to consumers, addressing BECM failures in certain MY 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. This special coverage provides an extension of the warranty coverage for the BECM from 8 years / 100,000 miles to 15 years / 150,000 miles for all 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volts. Additionally, GM stated that replacement components are sourced from a different supplier and not susceptible to the failure. In view of the Special Coverage issued by GM, the existing warranty coverage already in place, and the low number of safety-related occurrences, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation (PE). 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 future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Electrical System:propulsion System
On November 29, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE23022 to investigate allegations of a loss of motive power, including a stall, reduced power state, and/or a no start condition due to the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) in model year (MY) 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt passenger car vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The BECM is located within the high voltage electric vehicle (EV) battery pack and monitors the temperature, current, and voltage of the high voltage battery cell groups. GM stated that the root cause was identified as an internal failure leading to a loss of communication within the BECM and does not pose a risk to motor vehicle safety. GM further stated that the failure cannot result in a complete stall, only a reduced power mode, no start condition, or a no charge condition. GM additionally stated that if these conditions occur, the driver will be warned via a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) and/or a reduced-propulsion message in the Driver Information Center (DIC). Data received and analyzed by ODI from all sources indicates that nearly all related BECM failures caused conditions aligning with GM’s predicted outcomes. Despite the large number of warranty claims, nearly all failures were not safety-related, i.e., not a stall or reduced power mode. ODI isaware of a single minor crash and no injuries or deaths. In March 2024, GM issued Special Coverage N232432680, which was mailed to consumers, addressing BECM failures in certain MY 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. This special coverage provides an extension of the warranty coverage for the BECM from 8 years / 100,000 miles to 15 years / 150,000 miles for all 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volts. Additionally, GM stated that replacement components are sourced from a different supplier and not susceptible to the failure. In view of the Special Coverage issued by GM, the existing warranty coverage already in place, and the low number of safety-related occurrences, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation (PE). 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 future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery:management System/energy Control Module (bms/becm)
On November 29, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE23022 to investigate allegations of a loss of motive power, including a stall, reduced power state, and/or a no start condition due to the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) in model year (MY) 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt passenger car vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The BECM is located within the high voltage electric vehicle (EV) battery pack and monitors the temperature, current, and voltage of the high voltage battery cell groups. GM stated that the root cause was identified as an internal failure leading to a loss of communication within the BECM and does not pose a risk to motor vehicle safety. GM further stated that the failure cannot result in a complete stall, only a reduced power mode, no start condition, or a no charge condition. GM additionally stated that if these conditions occur, the driver will be warned via a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) and/or a reduced-propulsion message in the Driver Information Center (DIC). Data received and analyzed by ODI from all sources indicates that nearly all related BECM failures caused conditions aligning with GM’s predicted outcomes. Despite the large number of warranty claims, nearly all failures were not safety-related, i.e., not a stall or reduced power mode. ODI isaware of a single minor crash and no injuries or deaths. In March 2024, GM issued Special Coverage N232432680, which was mailed to consumers, addressing BECM failures in certain MY 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. This special coverage provides an extension of the warranty coverage for the BECM from 8 years / 100,000 miles to 15 years / 150,000 miles for all 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volts. Additionally, GM stated that replacement components are sourced from a different supplier and not susceptible to the failure. In view of the Special Coverage issued by GM, the existing warranty coverage already in place, and the low number of safety-related occurrences, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation (PE). 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 future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
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.
Illustration