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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
48,033 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Chevrolet Volt brakes problems

brakes problem

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2012 Chevrolet Volt Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #22

Dec 112023

Volt

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Grandson was driving and went to brake to make a turn and the engine not available light came on and he had no brakes. He was unable to slow and take the turn and hit a truck in the front driver quarter panel which resulted in the car being a total loss.

- Memphis, IN, USA

problem #21

Nov 282023

Volt 4-cyl

  • 120,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to slow down, the brake pedal required an abnormal amount of pressure to slow the vehicle. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the brake pressure modulator valve. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V271000 (Electronic Stability Control, Service Brakes) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

- Independence, MO, USA

problem #20

Jul 142022

Volt

  • miles
brakes locked up durring a panic stop. abs did not engage. abs code C012E-12 Hydraulic Brake Boost Pressure Loss-Low Input

- Williamsburg, VA, USA

problem #19

Feb 282017

Volt 4-cyl

  • 84,682 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the brake pedal was applied however, the vehicle failed to stop. The contact was able to maneuver the vehicle and coast to a parking lot. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the brake module modulator needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number 13V271000: (Electronic Stability Control, Service Brakes). The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximate 84,682. Vehicle exhibited the issues listed in the recall but your VIN is not included.

- Kingwood, TX, USA

problem #18

Oct 202021

Volt 6-cyl

  • miles
While traveling slowly (about 25mph) on an uphill grade, my Volt suddenly, with no warning messages or other alerts to me, lost propulsion, power brakes and power steering. This car is extremely hard to steer and to brake without the power assists, so I really had to wrestle with the wheel to avoid losing control of the car, and I really had to jam on the brake pedal to get it to a stop, even though I was moving slowly and had a gravity assist from the uphill slope. It seems to me an event such as I experienced could be catastrophic if it occurred at high speed, and / or on a steep downhill slope or a street with a lot of traffic. Incidentally, when this happened I had just turned onto a side road from a highway with lots of traffic moving at 60-80 miles an hour on a slope so steep that in spite of numerous warning signs, accidents, including fatal accidents, occur regularly on this section of the highway due to drivers failing to apply their brakes hard enough or early enough to keep the car on the road. As a result I felt like I had barely escaped with my life, only as a result of a sudden whim that entered my head to leave the highway for the scenic side road. It may also be relevant that the incident occurred directly after I picked up the car from the Chevy dealer following repair for another incident where I lost propulsion, power brakes, and power steering - the difference being that the car was stationary during the previous incident. The photo shows the electrical connections that the dealer ultimately determined were responsible for the second (Oct. 20) incident, and maybe the first as well. These terminals are enclosed, and not visible to the car owner, even with the hood lifted. Checking the terminals is not part of any maintenance recommended in the owner's handbook, nor apparently in the standard service procedures, even when a car comes in with symptoms that could be caused by a loose connection, even after replacing the 12V battery, as they did.

- Kailua Kona, HI, USA

problem #17

Dec 012020

Volt

  • 100,000 miles
Anytime the vehicle goes over bump, pothole, or particularly rough road surface at the same time that the brake pedal is depressed, the brakes do not engage and the vehicle fails to slow down. You must release the pedal and apply pressure a second time in order to stop. This occurs when the vehicle is in motion at any speed.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

problem #16

Dec 262019

Volt

  • 60,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Radiator leak

- Daly City, CA, USA

problem #15

Nov 122019

Volt

  • 124,000 miles
Breaks failed while driving 25-30 mph on windy mountain road. There was no warning, car started to accelerate downhill gradually. After about 0.3 miles I was able to finally push emergency breaks (it's a button and didn't work at first ) get to more flat road and stoped the car by driving on gravel and dry brush. Vehicle completely lost its power about 2-3 minutes later. Emergency lights didn't work. Chp assisted us as car was abandoned in the middle of mountain road, blocking the whole line. GM has not offered any explanation yet.

- Santa Clarita, CA, USA

problem #14

Sep 152019

Volt

  • 120,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. While driving approximately 25 mph, the preceding vehicle suddenly stopped and caused the contact to suddenly depress the brake pedal. Since then, every time the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle shook and the brake assist warning indicator illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to simpson Chevrolet of irvine (located at 21 auto center dr, irvine, ca 92618, 949-328-6026) where it was diagnosed that the electronic brake control module and brake pressure modulator valve failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 13V271000 (electronic stability control, service brakes); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided case number: The approximate failure mileage was 120,000. [xxx] parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Irvine, CA, USA

problem #13

Feb 232019

Volt

  • 98,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. After starting the vehicle, the brake pedal malfunctioned and was very difficult to depress. In addition, the brake sensor remained illuminated. While driving, the braking distance was extended due to the failure. The vehicle was taken to davidson Chevrolet (5871 rome tyaberg rd, rome, NY) where it was diagnosed that the electronic brake control module and brake valve malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 13V271000(service brakes). The contact indicated that the vehicle experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The manufacturer was notified and no solution was offered. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 98,000.

- Rome, NY, USA

problem #12

May 302018

Volt

  • 80,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The stability control system frequently accelerates when braking on a manhole cover or a major pothole. The acceleration is hard and could easily cause the driver to rear-end the car in front. I'm aware of the issue and brake fully before such an obstacle if there is a stopped car in front, but I warn every other person who drives my vehicle because of the seriousness of the issue.

- Brighton, MA, USA

problem #11

Apr 292018

Volt

  • 62,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. While driving approximately 20 mph, the contact depressed the brake pedal to the floorboard, but the vehicle failed to stop. The contact had to shift the gear into park in order to stop the vehicle. The contact coasted the vehicle to the side of the road, powered off and restarted the engine, and was able to drive. The vehicle was taken to South-pat O'brien Chevrolet (3880 pearl rd, medina, oh 44256, (330) 460-0718) where it was diagnosed that the brake booster hydraulic and master cylinder failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 62,000.

- Lodi, OH, USA

problem #10

Mar 172016

Volt

  • 62,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. On several occasions, the contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the regenerative brake bearing. While the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to stop. As a result, the contact had to wait for the brake pedal to return to normal position to stop the vehicle. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 62,000.

- Springfield, LA, USA

problem #9

Jun 272016

Volt

  • 65,000 miles
This car relies on regenerative braking when the brakes are first applied. Regenerative braking is only applied to the front wheels. When a wheel loses traction, regen braking switches off completely and immediately, and friction brakes take over. The problem is that there is a delay from regen braking switching off to the friction brakes activating. This delay causes the car's braking distance to increase by a considerable amount, 5-10ft in my perception. This usually happens on wet or snowy roads. The car should really attempt to keep the perceived braking force constant by applying the friction brakes to compensate for the regen switching off and then activate the friction brakes and ABS, as needed, to limit wheel lock. This would make the experience a normal ABS activation event, which drivers of any modern car should be used to.

- Taunton, MA, USA

problem #8

Dec 282015

Volt

  • 20,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that the brake pedal was applied and did not respond numerous times. The failure occurred intermittently. While driving, the transmission brackets fractured and caused the transmission to become detached. The vehicle was towed to a dealer for inspection and repair. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 13V271000 (electronic stability control, service brakes). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 20,000.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #7

Jan 142014

Volt

  • 1,300 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. While driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 1,300.

- Harrah , OK, USA

problem #6

Apr 102014

Volt

  • 31,200 miles
Unexpectedly, generally on uneven street/roadway, hilly the brakes do not immediately engage and will create a feeling that you many not be able to stop and/or steer, or keep the vehicle under control. After taking the automobile to a dealer about four times, it was determined July 2014 that brakes needed to be replaced. The car was and still is under warranty. I believe that the braking system is also covered under an extended electric car warranty. Brake problems have continued intermittently; are auto safety issue. The last two times I have not reported to the dealer, or Volt advisor. The dealer service advisor was incorrect about how regenerative brakes work in electric car. The blind spot is excessive for backing up, and every Volt should have had a back up camera as standard equipment, and bumpers that had crash test standards, but was not aware of options when car was sold by dealer sent a few Volts to sell. Aftermarket camera high price, less desirable than factory installed. Tax credit information should have been more clearly provided (including the tax form provided by dealers and Bosch's partnership with General Motors for 240 voltec charger). Dealer advertising needed to be accurate and transparent. Due to uninformed. Or politically conservative cpa & broker (2 individuals), did not receive a federal tax credit for purchase of Volt or installation of 240 Volt charging system. I could have easily qualified for the tax credit, which cpa failed to adequately and accurately advise me for tax planning. I have loved the Volt. However, without the anticipated tax credit, past and ongoing braking issues, blind spot problems, large price drop in value of the car (which had similar prices for 2011, 2012, or 2013 models when I bought my car. The tax credit exists to encourage electric cars, not to play a game of "gotcha."

- Wales, WI, USA

problem #5

May 012014

Volt

  • miles
2012 Chevrolet Volt. Consumer writes in regards to brake failure and vehicle acceleration issues. The consumer stated his wife had an accident. She stated the vehicle accelerated on its own, and applying the brake did not stop the vehicle. She was trying to park doing between 8-10 mph, when the incident occurred. His wife damaged two other vehicles, and her vehicle was totaled. When the consumer arrived on the scene, he stepped on the brake pedal, and it went to the floor and a dash light on the instrument panel read booster brake needs service.

- Zeeland, MI, USA

problem #4

May 212014

Volt

  • 13,552 miles
On 5-21-14 I was driving 25 mph when I had to do an panic stop to avoid another car. At this point the car lost all power and my brakes went to floor. I missed hitting the other car by inches. Once I restarted the Volt it came up with a dash warning to "service brakes". I drove about 20 mph for 1 mile to find a safe place to pull over and park. All the while testing my brakes and they were very mushy. Once I pulled over and stopped another warning message came up on dash saying "ABS failure". I called aaa and had car taken to dealership. It has now been at dealership for 21 days and still counting without even one update from dealership. Once at dealership the car acted normal as if nothing was wrong.

- Burbank, CA, USA

problem #3

Jan 272014

Volt 4-cyl

  • miles
This is the second time I have had an issue with the brakes on my Chevrolet Volt not working. The issue was first reported 2 weeks ago. The worked on the car and now the same issue started gain. This was a very scary incident.

- Lafayette, CA, USA

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