2016 Chevrolet Volt electrical problems
77 of the 169 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Volt name the electrical system (NHTSA’s “Electrical System” heading — wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading). Filed under the same heading: 390 manufacturer bulletins, 2 NHTSA investigations. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 77 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 6 · 2020: 5 · 2021: 9 · 2022: 6 · 2023: 8 · 2024: 25 · 2025: 9 · 2026: 5
Half of the 27 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the electrical problem between 22,000 and 91,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
169 complaints in all about the 2016 Chevrolet Volt, 5 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Electrical System” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Chevrolet Volt electrical problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the electrical system. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
The car shows a message on the instrument cluster that says shift to park even though the gear shift lever is already in park. This failure to detect when the gear shift lever is moved to park prevents the car from shutting off and locking.
This vehicle has a shift to park message that been seen on many GM vehicles. Some of the owner sites I have been to say that this is covered under warranty. I have not been so lucky with GM. The dealer did cover 1 repair of this problem but now says I have to pay. The problem has returned and persists.
Sensor does not recognize when car is in park. Continues to run and will not turn off when in park. Error message displayed is "shift to park" even when in park. This is a safety issue because car will not disengage or turn off. This occurs frequently
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that the back-up camera was malfunctioning and the front console would not work if other services were being used. The contact had to turn off and restart the vehicle to get the console to work again. The vehicle was a hybrid and the battery was depleted.
Vehicle air condition stopped working while driving, check engine light came on. Message from onstar reads: an issue with the lithium-ion battery in your 2016 Chevrolet Volt has been detected. Please service your vehicle within 1 day
What is on file about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsNHTSA investigations
- PE23022 Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Moduleopened Nov 29, 2023 · closed Mar 3, 2025
- 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 el…
- DP22005 Pedestrian alert soundsopened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023
- 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 ele…
390 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P050D P0300 B3055 B3060 B3935 P1AEF B101D P040B
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Chevrolet Volt names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Chevrolet Volt
Source: the same files- transmission and drivetrain problems 51 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre electrical problems common on the 2016 Chevrolet Volt?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 77 owner complaints naming the electrical system on this model year (46% of everything owners filed about it), and 390 manufacturer bulletins, 2 NHTSA investigations are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the electrical system on the 2016 Chevrolet Volt?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 1 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do electrical problems show up on the 2016 Chevrolet Volt?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 45,558 miles; half of them between 22,000 and 91,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Electrical System" heading cover?
Wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.