Chevrolet Volt electrical problems, 2016–2019
490 of the 1,126 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Chevrolet Volt 2016–2019 name the electrical system (NHTSA’s “Electrical System” heading — wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading). The loudest years: 2017 (314), 2018 (88), 2016 (77). Filed under the same heading across these years: 2 NHTSA investigations. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.
Chevrolet Volt electrical problems by model year
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsOne row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.
| Model year | Complaints naming the electrical system | Share of the year’s | Typically at | On file under the heading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 11 | 32% | — | 163 TSBs · 2 investigations | the year → |
| 2018 in depth | 88 | 39% | 33k | 216 TSBs · 2 investigations | the record → |
| 2017 in depth | 314 | 45% | 39k | 335 TSBs · 2 investigations | the record → |
| 2016 in depth | 77 | 46% | 46k | 390 TSBs · 2 investigations | the record → |
Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the electrical system. Nothing here is a rate.
When the electrical complaints were filed, and at what mileage
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled per calendar year, every model year together: 2016: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 12 · 2019: 17 · 2020: 65 · 2021: 69 · 2022: 54 · 2023: 71 · 2024: 111 · 2025: 55 · 2026: 28
Across the model years, half of the 154 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the electrical problem between 26,000 and 69,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the electrical system, from the model years with the most to say. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Urgent urgent. This is something wrong with the 2017 Volt. My vehicle caught on fire while driving down the interstate at higher speeds. I have found two others that this has happened too. GM didn't even investigate before denying liability, they made a determination over photos. All 3 vehicles had over 20k miles on it.
My car has had electrical problems since almost the first day of ownership. My car has had constant electrical problems. I contacted GM and even showed them a video that showed what my car was doing as far as not turning off when I pressed the button to shut the vehicle off. I would appear to shut off only to turn back on repeatedly.
Vehicle will not turn off on a regular basis.. Receive a message that reads: 'action required. Shift to park.' when this occurs, the vehicle can not be turned off or locked. Researched this problem on the internet and discovered that it is a very common problem that affects nearly all 2016, 2017 and 2018 Chevrolet volts.
Vehicle will not shut down properly. When trying to turn off push button ignition the vehicle says " action required: shift to park". The vehicle is already stopped and in park however it is not registering somehow
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.
What is on file about the electrical system, across the years
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…
Other systems with a record on the Chevrolet Volt
Source: the same filesEvery system, every model year: Chevrolet Volt problems by year →
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsWhich Chevrolet Volt years have the most electrical complaints?
2017, 314; 2018, 88; 2016, 77. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2016 (46%).
Is there a recall for the electrical system on the Chevrolet Volt?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading on any of these model years. A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do electrical problems show up on the Chevrolet Volt?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 40,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 26,000 and 69,000. 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.