IllustrationThe vehicle has a failure of the BECM and the EGR valve and cooler. Both parts are unavailable. I've been without my car for over a month. The service center cannot tell me when parts will be available.
2018 Chevrolet Volt
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Volt do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 169.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Volt years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 50 of 222 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Electrical System. Review the 86 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 84 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
222 reports2018 Volt will not shut off. Shift to Park displayed on console. Problem has been diagnosed at dealer. Problem is under Service Bulletin 19-NA-206, Voltec (Electric and Hybrid Vehicle) Warranty. Dealer and GM refuses to repair. Problem has been occuring for several weeks.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle sputtered and independently turned to the right. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road and became aware that the vehicle was smoking. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired …
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The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle sputtered and independently turned to the right. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road and became aware that the vehicle was smoking. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 80,200.
The car lost propulsion while driving on an on-ramp road onto an interstate, luckily the car was able to make it the shoulder. Vehicle slowed to below 40mph and intermittently down to 0mph when waiting and restarting vehicle. Able to finally get home in the emergency lane. VERY DANGEROUS and do not recommend! The check engine li…
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The car lost propulsion while driving on an on-ramp road onto an interstate, luckily the car was able to make it the shoulder. Vehicle slowed to below 40mph and intermittently down to 0mph when waiting and restarting vehicle. Able to finally get home in the emergency lane. VERY DANGEROUS and do not recommend! The check engine light was not on prior to this and it was taken to the dealership where it diagnosed as a faulty battery energy control module (BECM). The part is under warranty and awaiting replacement, but no spare parts are currently available. Internet review indicates an average of 3 months or 90-day until part received, serviced, installed, and repaired. Dealership without loaner car until November 22nd. Unacceptable customer service per previous GM rules to have a rental available and did not offer a rental service alternative upon drop off of the 2018 Volt.
My car is demonstrating a "shift to park" error when I put it in park, which means I cannot turn off the vehicle fully. I am concerned I will be stuck somewhere if this issue is not fixed. It appears to be a known problem at GM and they irregularly cover it under warranty. It should be a recall issue that is fixed for free be…
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My car is demonstrating a "shift to park" error when I put it in park, which means I cannot turn off the vehicle fully. I am concerned I will be stuck somewhere if this issue is not fixed. It appears to be a known problem at GM and they irregularly cover it under warranty. It should be a recall issue that is fixed for free because it is a problem.
A Shift to Park message displayed while the vehicle is in park. The car will not turn off and continues to run. The issue is well documented through GM/Chevrolet, as they have a service bulletin (19-NA-206) for it. That document specifically states that the Voltec Warranty covers this issue, but Chevrolet is refusing to service …
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A Shift to Park message displayed while the vehicle is in park. The car will not turn off and continues to run. The issue is well documented through GM/Chevrolet, as they have a service bulletin (19-NA-206) for it. That document specifically states that the Voltec Warranty covers this issue, but Chevrolet is refusing to service my car based on its VIN number, despite identifying it as the same issue. And for the last question, no lights initially came on but then the check engine light came back on. When the car was finally turned off at the dealership, it turned back on with no issue lights or messages.
Car is stopped and shifted into park. When ignition switch is hit to turn vehicle off display reads "shift to park." Car does not register that car is already in park and cannot turn car off.
The car lost propulsion while driving on the interstate, luckily the car was able to make it the shoulder. The check engine light was not on prior to this and it was taken to the dealership where it diagnosed as a faulty battery energy control module (BECM). The part is awaiting replacement, but no spare parts are currently av…
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The car lost propulsion while driving on the interstate, luckily the car was able to make it the shoulder. The check engine light was not on prior to this and it was taken to the dealership where it diagnosed as a faulty battery energy control module (BECM). The part is awaiting replacement, but no spare parts are currently available.
There is a lot of interior chrome, something I have complained to GMC about before. Today it caused me to be temporarily blinded by the reflection of the sun at multiple angles preventing me from seeing other vehicles. I had my 3 year old daughter in the car with me as I was nearly killed because I could not [XXX] see. If my dau…
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There is a lot of interior chrome, something I have complained to GMC about before. Today it caused me to be temporarily blinded by the reflection of the sun at multiple angles preventing me from seeing other vehicles. I had my 3 year old daughter in the car with me as I was nearly killed because I could not [XXX] see. If my daughter had been hurt I would have lost my [XXX] mind because I TOLD GMC ABOUT THIS BEFORE!!!! Interior chrome is dangerous and needs to go. At a bare minimum they need to offer replacement parts and install for all this interior chrome. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
When the vehicle is placed in park and I attempt to turn it off, the dash will indicate the vehicle is not in park and subsequently, the vehicle cannot be turned off. Sometimes, if you wiggle the shifter or move it through all the settings (RNDL) and back to park, it will resolve the issue. Sometimes, it can take a few minutes t…
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When the vehicle is placed in park and I attempt to turn it off, the dash will indicate the vehicle is not in park and subsequently, the vehicle cannot be turned off. Sometimes, if you wiggle the shifter or move it through all the settings (RNDL) and back to park, it will resolve the issue. Sometimes, it can take a few minutes to resolve the issue. It's getting worse. If you can't shut off car someone can steal it, you also can't lock doors.
Official recalls
218V673000 · Seat Belts:rear/other
Sep 26, 2018
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Cadillac CT6, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Volt, and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. Certain second-row or third-row rear seatbelts retractor assemblies may not automatically lock when the seatbelt is fully pulled out of the retractor, possibly preventing a child seat from being properly secured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the child seat is not properly secured in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seatbelt retractors and replace them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 7, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18315.
18V576000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper
Aug 30, 2018
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
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
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.