2017 CHEVROLET VOLT Complaints

While driving my Chevy Volt lost power as it disconnected from a full charged battery to gas as the check engine light lit on. The car would then hesitate after stopping at a light/stop sign, losing and regaining power as it gained momentum (which was very dangerous), and would no longer charge. The issue was confirmed by Sun Devil auto repair (diagnosis attached) that this was a known issue with Chevy Volts 2016-2018 and would be covered. I was advised that my VIN was not covered and paid Freeway Chevrolet $2,301.62 (invoice attached with BECM replacement) and would like to be reimbursed. The Chevy Volt's Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) warranty was extended by GM to 15 years or 150,000 miles, from its original 8-year/100,000-mile Volt Component coverage, for 2016-2018 models. This Special Coverage N232432680 addresses potential BECM malfunctions causing reduced power, no start, or no charge conditions. Details of the Extension •Coverage: 15 years or 150,000 miles (whichever comes first) from the vehicle's original in-service date. •Affected Models: Chevrolet Volt models from the 2016, 2017, and 2018 model years. •Purpose: To cover issues with the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) that can lead to reduced power, no-start, or no-charge conditions. I contacted Chevy and they recommended I file a complaint since they could not help me or explain why my make/model/year fits the criteria of a known issue and would not be covered.

Thousands of 2014-2017 Chevy Volt owners are having issues where the EGR Valve malfunctions and the engine shuts down. The Volt's EGR valve can cause the car to shut down by blowing the "walk home" fuse. This is a safety issue. In many cases cars are in the shop for months because the part is on "backorder". That's my situation-- dealer just told me it's a $2800 repair job, but the part is on "backorder". The car only has 49K miles. Many threads on reddit with hundreds of comments / upvotes: [XXX] / [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

EGR Valve failed in this vehicle <55,000 miles. The EGR valve has an electronic component that, when fails, can cause the car to shut down by blowing the "walk home" fuse. This is a safety issue. This is a well documented problem (internet) and Chevrolet refuses to fix it, leaving the owners with an expensive replacement quoted at $3900 (Sept 2025). Recommend that it be covered by the emissions warranty, which was recently extended to 150,000 miles and 8 years for other problematic emissions components. An electric vehicle that cannot be driven because an EGR valve is faulty - it's a joke.

My 2017 Chevrolet Volt is experiencing "a malfunction involving the battery energy control module (BECM)" as diagnosed by the Davis-Moore dealership. This failure of the BECM has now caused "a reduced power mode, a no start condition, or a no charge condition". The car currently does not start or charge. My vehicle has be diagnosed as needing a BECM replacement at a Chevrolet dealership. The vehicle is currently inoperable as it will not charge, it will not engage the electric drive mode, and it will not engage the range extender (engine). The car does not start. GM is showing that there is no active recall or special warranty for my vehicle, however, I believe special warranty N23243268 should apply.

Check engine light came on car was able to start but the cluster started reading the battery being full with a charge. And was having trouble starting. Fast forward a day I get a propulsion system reduced warning on the dash as I’m entering the highway and the car fails to stay on I’m able to pull it to the shoulder and I cannot get the car to start. Get towed home throw it on the charger and the dash says unable to charge. swap the 12v (checked it and it died) thinking that might fix the problem since the car was able to power on but not start. To no avail through my code reader and code p1e00 code. Took it to my local dealer and was told id need replace the becm… and was quoted 33xx for the repair. Had any of this happened while I was on the freeway I might not have been able to make it to the shoulder potentially putting myself and others on the road and a possibly fatal situation.

I am writing regarding my Chevrolet Volt, which suffered the very common Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) failure that your office already investigated and which resulted in GM being required to extend coverage under special warranty reference: MC-10251431-0001 . Despite this, Chevrolet is refusing to cover my repair. Their reasoning: because my Volt was originally purchased in California, they claim it falls under CARB rules—but now that I live in Arizona, they insist neither California’s coverage nor the NHTSA-ordered special coverage applies. In effect, my vehicle has been trapped in a paperwork loophole GM is exploiting to avoid responsibility. This response is not in the spirit of your findings. The defect was not caused by geography, state lines, or ownership history. The BECM is a manufacturer defect, and it failed for the same reason thousands of others have failed: poor design and inadequate durability. Whether the car was first sold in California, Colorado, or Kansas is irrelevant—the failure is GM’s, and the repair obligation should be GM’s as well. By denying coverage on a technicality, Chevrolet is undermining the very purpose of the extended coverage you required: to protect owners from footing the bill for a well-documented, widespread, and unsafe defect. Their position leaves me, and others like me, bearing the costs of GM’s engineering failure. I ask that NHTSA review GM’s handling of these claims and require them to honor the extended coverage as intended, without hiding behind jurisdictional loopholes.

Propulsion power reduced and check engine light came on my 2017 Chevy volt - been happening a few times now the last week

I was driving my car from Houston to Dallas when I got the "reduced propulsion" message and a check engine light. When I first saw the reduced propulsion issue I thought it might be related to the BECM issue again since I had already experienced that problem before. In the last few minutes of my trip the AC started to get hot and when I checked the coolant temperature I noticed it was around 240 - 255 F. I hadn't noticed it since there was no warning light for high temperature which I am used to with other cars. I'm not sure of the full extent of the issues yet, but I know for certain that the EGR valve has failed completely at about 71,500 miles. This is with very few miles on the actual ICE. I typically only use the ICE for a few hundred miles of driving each year. Fortunately for me, even though the CEL came on for the reduced propulsion I was able to reach my destination. However, when I went to leave, the car left me stranded as the ICE would shut down after a few minutes of running. The propulsion system is reduced and the engine becomes unavailable. Only the battery power will allow the car to drive. The F3 fuse in the EGR circuit blows if the engine is activated, and has happened multiple times already confirming the EGR issue. I have additional check engine lights that are a result of the EGR failure to circulate coolant properly. Below is a list of all the CEL codes that were pulled: P06DB P0030 P0031 P0403 P0405 P0443 P0458 P0489 P0597 P0598 P06DA P0AC4 P0135 P0AC4 P16E0 Looking into this issue I found that this is an one of the most common failures in the Chevy Volts but is no longer covered under the vehicle warranty and no bulletins posted for an extended warranty other than the BECM failure. This failure is so prevalent that I am surprised it is not.

While driving approximately 65 MPH on an interstate highway, the vehicle's check engine light illuminated. Very shortly after, the dashboard screen displayed the message "propulsion power reduced," and the internal combustion engine turned on. The vehicle's power was significantly reduced, almost causing an accident when another car started merging without checking their blind spot, forcing me into the left lane in front of a third vehicle that had to brake sharply to allow me to accelerate to keep up with traffic in that lane. Upon scanning the vehicle with an OBDII reader, codes P1E00, P1F06, U2603, U2604, U2605, U2606, U2617, and U2618 were present. Together, these codes indicate an issue with the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM). The vehicle is currently at a Chevrolet dealer, awaiting replacement of the BECM under the applicable warranty extension.

Component or System Involved: The rear passenger-side seatbelt (right side from the driver’s view) on my 2017 Chevy Volt Premier malfunctioned. Specifically, the automatic locking retractor (ALR) mechanism failed and would not release tension, even after fully retracting the strap. The cut portion of the seatbelt is still in my possession and can be made available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: This failure posed a serious safety risk. The seatbelt had been secured around a child car seat base, and once it locked, it would not release. After more than 30 minutes of troubleshooting — including fully retracting the belt and manually pressing the emergency release button inside the seat — it still would not disengage. The car seat base could not be repositioned or removed safely, which would have compromised the proper installation of a child safety seat. With no other option to ensure safe transport, I was forced to cut the seatbelt free. The problem has not yet been reproduced or officially diagnosed by a dealer or independent service center. I have not yet reported it to GM or visited a dealership, but I plan to do so soon. The component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives at this time. However, this closely mirrors recall 18V673000, especially since that recall affected Volt models 2018-2019 and mine is a 2017. There were no warning lamps, dashboard messages, or advance symptoms before the failure occurred. The seatbelt functioned normally until it was engaged with the car seat, at which point the retractor locked and failed to release.