NHTSA Complaint #11709185 — 2017 CHEVROLET VOLT

The BECM (Battery Energy Control Module) failed. The vehicle illuminated the MIL and the driver display to show a "Reduced power". When restarted, the display showed "shift to park", which I did several times. After a couple of restarts it displayed the "Reduced power" message, but would not go into drive. THE MIL was illuminated the entire time. Through numerous key cycles I got the VIN operable and took it to the dealer for repair. The BECM part is at the dealer or on its way back to GM as a core return. While this occurred while I was leaving my garage, it could have occurred in traffic, which would put me or others at risk. The problem was investigated by my local dealer (Currie Chevrolet in Forest Park, IL) and it was determined to be both a bad Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) and a bad shifter assembly. The shifter had been replaced (or repaired?) for an earlier Shift to Park failure per TSB 23-NA-119. The dealer kept the BECM as a core. I have pictures of the core. The dealer or GM should have that core. The above described warning lamps and messages and systems first appeared at the time of the event that lead me to take it other dealer ASAP. Note the condition and model year is described in GM special coverage letter "N232432680 Battery Energy Control Module Malfunction". NHTSA investigation PE23022 lead to this coverage letter. Per GM, while my vehicle experienced the conditions and is in the model year coverage of the letter, its VIN is not covered. I think NHTSA should re-open the investigation and consider a recall. There could be other VINS susceptible this failure condition. There could be operators of those VINs who cannot afford the expense (~$3000 or more) or downtime of the repair, and will keep operating the vehicle, putting people at risk again. If a recall is not supportable, I'd request that the VIN list be expanded to cover all possible defective BECMs.