NHTSA Complaint #11190255 — 2013 CHEVROLET VOLT

WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE MAIN HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY IS DEPLETED, I HAVE A SUDDEN REDUCTION IN SPEED AND ZERO ACCELERATION. I GET A DASHBOARD ALERT "PROPULSION POWER REDUCED". "REDUCED" IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT! THE GAS ENGINE TRIES TO KEEP UP WITH SPEED BY RAMPING UP THE RMPS. THE SUDDEN LOSS OF SPEED FORCES OTHER CARS TO AVOID ME AND I CANNOT INCREASE MY SPEED IF NEEDED. I EXPECT I WILL BE REAR ENDED OR LOSE CONTROL WHEN THIS HAPPENS AGAIN. ENGINE REVS EXTREMELY HIGH. I USUALLY PULL OVER AND TURN OFF VEHICLE- SOMETIMES A RESTARTS FIXES IT. I HAVE ALSO WAITED (5 MINS?) WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AT HIGH RMPS HOPING THE BATTERY WOULD RECOVER, BUT NO. I ALSO FEAR THE GAS ENGINE WILL OVERHEAT. THE CAR CAN NO LONGER DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS SAFELY AFTER DEPLETION AND CANNOT ACCELERATE SUFFICIENTLY EVEN IN A 30MPH ZONE. THIS IS A CONTINUING ISSUE AND HAS HAPPENED FOR THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THE HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY IS BAD, BUT THE MAIN BATTERY CHARGES AND DRIVES FINE UNTIL IT IS DEPLETED. I NOW DON'T DRIVE FARTHER THAN WHAT THE EV BATTERY CAN ACHIEVE. (ALL OTHER CURRENT RECALL ISSUES, SOFTWARE UPDATES HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED)