Print this page

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
10,930 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.

2017 Chevrolet Volt engine problems

engine problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2017 Chevrolet Volt:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2017 Chevrolet Volt Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #68

Jun 172023

Volt

  • miles

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

When the EV charge runs out and car turns on gas engine. Gas engine will run for a few minutes and then turn off with an error message on dashboard. Car will only drive safely for as long as you have EV power, which is a problem since the gas engine is used when the EV power runs out. Mine failed on an interstate, but I made it to a safe place to stop only because I had a tiny bit of EV charge left due to my practice of using hold mode to save some battery power on long interstate drives. Service reported back that it is a faulty EGR valve and I am waiting to find out if they can even get the part in stock. GM is not adequately stocking these EGR valves. The failure rate from known manufacturing/design defects is higher than the rate that they restock them. These cars are not street legal when the EGR valve fails due to their inability to pass emissions testing since the EGR failure causes the service engine soon light to be on. An owner cannot renew the registration to legally drive the vehicle once the EGR valve fails, the whole car is undriveable without the part being available.

- Highland, IN, USA

problem #67

Oct 102020

Volt

  • miles
When I first purchased the car (used around 30,000 miles), I began to have electrical and propulsion issues where the engine would turn off. After Chevy refused to warranty or lemon the car, eventually the electrical/hybrid issue repeated and caused cooling issues with the car and then water pump went bad. while chevy still refused to fix the hybrid and battery issues, that continued issue and then the water pump failing from it then caused overheating that then broke the head gasket

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #66

Dec 262022

Volt

  • miles
After the battery runs out, the engine loses propulsion and fails to run on gas. The car completely stalls in the middle of traffic. The speed drops from 70+ mph to 0. Extremely dangerous to myself and others. The issue suddenly appeared at the end of December 2022 during a long drive. The engine check light remains on and a warning re: reduced propulsion power is displayed every time the car is turned on. Dealer is unable to fix the issue because they already have multiple cars with the same issue waiting for weeks to be repaired. Recently filed class action law suit suggests that this problem is caused by defective BCEM unit.

- Oceanside, CA, USA

problem #65

Nov 162022

Volt

  • miles

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

I have owned my 2017 Volt since November of 2016. I drive about 200 miles a week and currently my mileage is at 109,000 (9,000 miles PAST the warranty period). My car did not start one morning and had to have it towed to my local GM dealership. They diagnosed it with a bad BECM and a repair bill of $1,400. They have no estimated time on when the part will be shipped. It is unacceptable to not have an ETA for a critical part or the vehicle. I have read on many forums that the BECM is a known failure for the 2017 Volt.

- Eau Claire, WI, USA

problem #64

Jul 132022

Volt

  • miles
Vehicle started to lose power. Showed error messages "reduced power" after a series of "shift to park" messages when first starting. Had no propulsion power until several attempts to start vehicle. Once started engine would run but all electric propulsion was inoperable. Vehicle has become totally unreliable at approx 22,000 miles, sometimes starting and sometimes not. Power loss occurs while driving which is definitely a safety hazard if on the Interstate and minimum speed can't be maintained. Have taken vehicle to dealer where it was diagnosed as a defective "BECM" (I believe a master control module attached to the main propulsion battery). The dealer has ordered a replacement module but it's been four months with no sign of a replacement. Essentially I now have an unreliable and potentially unsafe vehicle with no sign of the manufacturer trying to facilitate repairs.

- Marysville, WA, USA

problem #63

Aug 242022

Volt

  • miles
Emergency warning messages appeared on 24 Aug 2022 and a day later vehicle was taken to Chevrolet dealer who first replaced a "section of the battery" and eventually verified a problem with the BECM (Battery Energy Control Module). Now (end Nov 2022) 3 months later no repair part has become available. Because we immediately took the vehicle to a dealer, we had no safety issues.

- Silver Spring, MD, USA

problem #62

Feb 032021

Volt 4-cyl

  • miles

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

Dear Madam or Sir, regarding the recall of Chevrolet Volt 2017. The vehicle made in USA, VIN No [XXX] has been bought an officially from IAAI auction (after an accident, but repairable) and delivered to Lithuania (Europe), repaired successful. The information regarding the recall has been found in an official GMC site (the details please see in att.) Starting from March 2022 I have been tried to contact to GMC US (Chevrolet authorized dealership is not exist in Lithuania, just for Cadillac), but any help did not received yet. At this moment the vehicle is not safety to drive, because already several times it's has been stopped in a road - the defected Energy control module, which has been mentioned in recall. So, be so kind and help to pass this problem. Waiting the comments Thanks for the kind replay. Sincerely Doctor[XXX] P.S. the conversation please make by email INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Tahoma, CA, USA

problem #61

Sep 122022

Volt

  • miles
Driving and check engine appeared. Vehicle hybrid power train acted erratically, switching into and out of limp mode. Potential loss of control without any previous warning signs. Diagnosed with a failure of Battery Energy Control Module 24296900. Multiple complaints of the same issue from other owners. 5 other same model cars at dealership waiting for the same part. Estimated arrival is 8-12 weeks. This has been a well documented problem since 2018, and Chevrolet has released a TSB acknowledging the issue, and potentially loss of control and stranding.

- Milliken , CO, USA

problem #60

Jun 062022

Volt

  • miles
Vehicle Make and Model 2017 Chevrolet Volt LT -€¢Miles Currently 28,000 -€¢(Car is recalled) Energy Hybrid -€¢ The vehicle will not turn off, Motor Light Constantly on -€¢ I never received a recall letter, email not mail notification -€¢The whole car smells like smoke and gasoline when AAA gives me jumps -€¢ I-€™ve had two not at fault accidents since I-€™ve had the vehicle -€¢ CarMax sold me the vehicle in February of 2021 -€¢ I spoke with GM yesterday who stated and confirmed that my vehicle is defective and recalled -€¢ The recall states that any 2017 & other Models can-€™t be sold due to a multitude of reasons -€¢ The recall was put in place before it was sold to me -€¢ At this point, I want another vehicle (Brand New, That is recalled and damaged) I-€™m having panic attacks when trying and attempting to drive this car -€¢ I was badly injured and I still

- Plano, TX, USA

problem #59

Sep 182022

Volt

  • miles
Traveling from Mexico, we just got into yuma Arizona heading towards the 8 freeway when my volt displayed reduced propulsion and the engine light came on and the car lost power while driving on the road we had to let the car drift into a parking lot. We let the cat sit for a several minutes and the engine started up but was running hard. After that it ran a little so we decided to rent a uhaul and car hauler to get the car home. Before this happened We were about to head back to California and we were stranded there until we got an Uber to the uhaul place and rented a truck and car hauler, the car would stay on long enough for us to drive it up on the ramp so we had to push the car to get it up there. We finally did and 24 hours later we made it home hauling the cars a 3 hour ride home was turned into a nightmare. Apparently this is serious problem if the car would have stopped a while we were driving through Joshua Tree we would have been stranded on the side of the narrow road in the dark, Or on a major free way, This problem is a safety hazard to all Volt owners and it has been known and reported to happen countless of times so why is there no recall of these vehicles for this problem, people's lives are in danger, this could have turned out way worst, thank God He saved us from what could have happened. My dealer says that they are not sure what caused it and that we may have to pay for repairs. This is unacceptable because there is an obvious problem with this vehicle

- Murrieta, CA, USA

problem #58

Jul 062022

Volt

  • miles

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

BECM issue diagnosed by dealer, told it would be fine to drive car while awaiting parts. Error message simply stated unable to charge. BECM failed while driving down road. Car stopped running, no power to anything, and had only enough inertia to make it into a parking lot sideways. Car was unable to restart for some time. Luckily the road was 2 lane and no traffic. Had this been the expressway the no power would have been dangerous. GM does not have replacement parts and it appears the part is known as defective. Sudden catastrophic loss of all power while driving is dangerous. Car has been parked out of caution to not repeat the loss of power during driving. Major safety concern. 3 issues: 1.sudden catastrophic power loss and 2. Dealer repair department stating it is ok to drive based on GM technical bulletins and repair details. 3. Lack of replacement parts with documented failure of these specifically for 2017 model year.

- Clarksville, MI, USA

problem #57

Aug 082022

Volt

  • miles
gas engine emission recirculation valve failed. thermostat failed. fuse blown. Displayed message "propulsion power reduced" and "gas engine unavailable" while driving. It put the driver at risk due to being stranded in the middle of nowhere. Towed to Dealer. They replaced EGR valve, egr cooler, fuse and thermostat. Plug-in hybrid with 90 percent ev only miles. So at 52,000 there is only 5200 miles on the gas engine. Root cause of failure unknown.

- Bellevue, WA, USA

problem #56

May 152022

Volt

  • miles
This is related to a long-standing issue with the failure of the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) (part #242969-00) for the 2017 Chevrolet Volt, as well as a lack of availability of the replacement part. This is a documented problem in the NTSA database since 2016. The vehicle error messages on the dashboard include -€œunable to charge-€, -€œshift to park to start-€, -€œreduced propulsion acceleration may be limited-€. The internal combustion engine engages even with a full battery charge on an intermittent basis. Only after turning the car off and on several times or later the next day, would the problems resolve. In several instances, there was a lack of power transfer to the wheels when in drive mode and traveling on roadways, and the car had to be turned off and on to resolve this problem. The car has been inspected by a Chevrolet dealer to confirm the BECM is failing and needs to be replaced. The replacement BECM was ordered by the dealer 7 June, 2022, and neither GM or the dealer will provide a delivery date for the part. A number of postings on www.gm-volt.com reported 2017 Volts would no longer turn on or would lose power when being driven, could not be driven, and had to be towed. The NTSA database indicates approximately 250 complaints have been filed for 2017 Volts that include vehicle error messages on the dashboard for -€œunable to charge-€, -€œshift to park to start-€, -€œreduced propulsion acceleration may be limited-€ and loss of power while driving. Although no accidents or deaths were reported, this is clearly a serious safety issue that NTSA should address immediately with a mandatory safety recall.

- Ipswich, MA, USA

problem #55

Feb 142022

Volt

  • miles
When attempting to engage the vehicles drive system, it would occasionally fail to recognize the propulsion system battery. This could potentially leave someone stranded in dangerously high or low temperature environments without food or water. Powering off the vehicle and then powering the vehicle back on would sometimes fix the issue. The issue occurred very randomly and was unable to be reproduced once working again. It would continue to happen more frequently and require more tinkering to get it working until almost complete failure. This appears to be a common issue and found to be the result of a failed BECM (battery energy control module). It triggers the check engine light and a series of trouble codes. It is estimated that the replacement of this module takes roughly five hours. Unfortunately, supply chain issues have recently resulted in owners being without their vehicle for multiple months with no loaner vehicles available and no additional compensation. See discussion https://www.gm-volt.com/threads/becm.343297/

- Springfield, IL, USA

problem #54

Jul 172022

Volt

  • miles
Bulletin 18-NA-261 BECM failure. This is a known problem on Chevy Volts dating to 2018. This should have been a recall. Instead Chevy waited for individual customers cars to fail. Currently people have been waiting for 3 months for the part. The car is undrivable until part is replaced. GM should have ordered a recall in 2018/2019 or should have had a stockpile of these parts. My car is currently at the dealership, it has been there for 10 days and they have no idea when the part will be available.

- Nyack, NY, USA

problem #53

Jun 192022

Volt

  • miles
My car had the Shift to Park and Battery Control Module go out while on a family trip with the family in the car, on the highway. The car was in the left lane of 2 lanes on the highway with no propulsion or way to move it except to push push the car off the side of the highway. Thankfully some people stopped to help. My car had stopped with no way of moving on a 55 mph 2 lane highway. We were at risk of cars not seeing my hazards and hitting us from behind. We had to push the car across the right lane to get it off the road. We had two cars stop to help direct traffic away from us while we pushed it to safety. But when we were on the side of the road, we were stranded in 100 degree heat along side a busy highway and the car was not able to use the HVAC because of the issue. This is a known issue and has been for years. A google search of VOLT Shift to Park Battery Control Module will result in THOUSANDS of complaints. It has become general knowledge that if you own this model, you WILL have this issue. They ALL will, it's just a matter of WHEN. It can happen at 30,000 miles or in my case, 111,000 miles. Chevrolet knows this as well as the dealerships. I have read many other stories of people being left stranded because of this. Chevy covers it under warranty. But my car was 11,000 mile past warranty. So I had to pay full price. Every dealership I called to see if they had the part to fix my car said that they didn't have the part AND they had 1 or more of my type of car in their dealership currently with this issue at any given time FOR YEARS. Thankfully since my car wasn't in a wreck, there was no police or insurance paperwork filed. Once the shift to park issue happened while I was driving and we were stranded, the check engine light came on. It was not on when I started the trip up until the car died. Then the check engine light came on.

- Arlington, TX, USA

problem #52

Jul 142022

Volt

  • miles
from all my reading and my own knowledge and what I have read on forums from others who have had the same issue, this problem is due to the cars BECM (battery energy control module) going bad unexpectedly. apparently this has happened to many other people driving the generation 2 Chevy volt at varying mileages. On the highway on her way home from work, my wife experienced a large loss of power and the car started shuddering and switching between the electric and gas powertrain as well as slowing down quite a bit. the dash showed a notification of "propulsion power reduced". the car also lost power to many of its accessories. she ended up having to pull over on the side of a busy highway and turn the car on and off again till it would finally work and managed to limp it home along back roads. if she had not had a shoulder to pull on to she would have been stuck in the middle of the highway. the car had absolutely zero issues before this, but since the incident has had a check engine light illuminated and is unable to charge unless the codes are reset. it is drivable again after getting some codes cleared but as it poses a serious hazard we are trying to find a temporary car till we can get this fixed. our car has about 100900 miles on it, but these failures happen as soon as 25k-50k on a lot of vehicles. it has not been inspected by anyone yet as it happened yesterday.

- Lakeport, CA, USA

problem #51

Apr 242022

Volt

  • miles
I was driving 65 miles per hour on the freeway and suddenly my car lost propulsion. A light came on that said the car had lost propulsion and I had no power to keep driving on the freeway. Luckily, I was able to get to the side of the road without getting hit by other cars, but it was a close call and very scary. I had it towed to the dealership and they could not find any problem with it after investigating for an entire week. They gave it back without any repairs because it was apparently working fine for the dealership. This same problem happened again about 6 months later as I was driving up a long hill. Again, it was a scary close call to get to the side of the road safely. This time I just turned the car off and let it sit for awhile. Then I turned it back on and everything seemed to be running just fine. This is a major safety problem. I-€™m now afraid to drive this car and no one seems to know how to fix the problem!

- Roseville , CA, USA

problem #50

Feb 202022

Volt

  • miles
Check engine light came on during highway driving and dash showed "Propulsion Power Is Reduced". Dealer said bad EGR valve and/or EGR cooler caused fuse to blow. Replacing fuse did not resolve the issue as it occurred again. EGR failure is a common issue with this vehicle and there is a GM service bulletin 18-NA-089 issues in March 2018. Driving with this condition can cause the engine to overheat as well as cause increased emissions due to the EGR being non-functional. This condition can be dangerous if the engine overheats and shuts down during highway driving. Emissions control systems such as EGR should be covered by the manufacturer but I had to pay out of pocket for this repair.

- South Elgin, IL, USA

problem #49

Nov 182021

Volt

  • miles
EGR Valve in 2017 Volts is faulty/defective 1) Right from the time the car was brand new, smell of exhaust in Cabin when engine warms up 2) When EGR Completely failed a) Loss of Propulsion b) Strong burning smell in cabin - like plastic burning No such problems with new EGR installed Here are lots of other people's similar problems with the EGR Valve https://www.gm-volt.com/threads/2017-interesting-egr-valve-failure.328621/ https://www.gm-volt.com/threads/2017-egr-valve-walk-home-fuse-saga-update.339078/ https://www.gm-volt.com/threads/17-volt-w-68k-miles-p0401.338840/ https://www.gm-volt.com/threads/2017-premier-25k-reduced-propulsion-power-overheated.338864/ https://www.gm-volt.com/threads/2017-fuse-f3-blown-egr-valve-part-12691147-is-out-of-stock.339131/ https://www.gm-volt.com/threads/2017-egr-problem-at-25k-miles.334723/ https://www.gm-volt.com/threads/2017-engine-not-available-yikes.339067/ https://www.gm-volt.com/threads/egr-valve-being-replaced-2017-volt.340639/#post-5063406 https://www.gm-volt.com/threads/replacing-egr-value-yourself.341033/#post-5068080

- Austin, TX, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »

Not what you are looking for?