NHTSA Complaint #11163421 — 2014 CHEVROLET VOLT

FRONT WINDOW DEFROSTER NOT WORKING RESULTING IN POOR FORWARD VISIBILITY WHILE OPERATING VEHICLE. WINDOW DEFROSTER NOT WORKING BECAUSE HEATING SYSTEM FAILED. NO HEAT WHILE OPERATING VEHICLE IN ELECTRIC ONLY MODE. FORCING VEHICLE TO OPERATE IN GASOLINE ENGINE MODE PROVIDES SOME HEAT, BUT IS NOT EFFECTIVE IN COLD CLIMATE CITY DRIVING DUE TO INFREQUENT ENGINE OPERATION. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO FORCE ENGINE TO OPERATE CONTINUOUSLY. BASED ON CHEVROLET VOLT OWNERS FORUMS THE ELECTRIC HEAT CEASING OPERATION IS A COMMON FAILURE IN THESE VEHICLES AND IS THE RESULT OF AN ELECTRIC HEAT / CIRCULATION PUMP COMPONENT FAILURE. THIS COMPONENT IS UNIQUE TO THIS TYPE OF PLUG IN HYBRID VEHICLE THAT DOES NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH ENGINE HEAT TO KEEP THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER WORKING. DEALER REPLACEMENT OF THE FAILED COMPONENT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE VOLTEC WARRANTY THOUGH THIS IS A UNIQUE COMPONENT REQUIRED AS PART OF THE VOLTEC PROPULSION SYSTEM TO PROVIDE ENOUGH HEAT FOR WINDOW DEFROSTING IN COLD CLIMATES. THE ELECTRIC HEATER / CIRCULATION PUMP COMPONENT FAILURE RATE SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR THESE VEHICLES AND DETERMINED WHETHER A SAFETY RECALL IS WARRANTED.