2017 Chevrolet Volt engine problems
187 of the 698 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Chevrolet Volt name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 182 manufacturer bulletins. 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 engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database2 of the 187 reports a crash · 1 a fire · 2 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 2 · 2017: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2019: 7 · 2020: 7 · 2021: 21 · 2022: 21 · 2023: 24 · 2024: 63 · 2025: 25 · 2026: 8
Half of the 42 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 16,000 and 71,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
698 complaints in all about the 2017 Chevrolet Volt, 8 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 “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Chevrolet Volt engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
When attempting to turn off the vehicle a warning and alarm periodically comes up that the vehicle can not be turned off because it needs to be shifted into park even though it is already in park it somehow does not recognize this and prevents the vehicle from being turned off.
While driving on a busy surface street the vehicle lost all propulsion and stalled. Steering locked up, was disabled, and electric power stopped. The warning light read "action required - shift to park'. This stall is immediate and highly dangerous. I was able to glide to the side of the road without being in or causing an accident.
While entering the highway the vehicle experienced significant loss of propulsion and the warning displayed "propulsion power reduced".this loss of power occurred when the vehicle switched from electric to gas power. I have experienced issues with the vehicle switching from electric to gas regularly and it sputters and bucks.
On my 2nd day of ownership when the vehicle had 50 miles on it the vehicle stopped without warning in the middle of the highway. While driving 65 MPH on interstate 5 (4 lane highway) the vehicle began smoking and lost all propulsion and forward power. The vehicle had just changed from electric power to gas power.
When driving on the highway, I accelerated to pass a vehicle, but the engine slowed down significantly instead. A warning about reduced power showed on the dash. We barely made it to an exit and a gas station, and the engine would not restart, with another warning of "service high voltage charging system".
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications182 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 B3055 B3060 B3935 P0300 P0308 P1101 P0442
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2017 Chevrolet Volt names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2017 Chevrolet Volt
Source: the same files- electrical problems 314 complaints
- transmission and drivetrain problems 219 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2017 Chevrolet Volt?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 187 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (27% of everything owners filed about it), and 182 manufacturer bulletins 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 engine on the 2017 Chevrolet Volt?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year. A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2017 Chevrolet Volt?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 28,000 miles; half of them between 16,000 and 71,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.