2012 CHEVROLET VOLT Electrical System Problems

LCD SCREEN THAT SHOWS SPEED AND FUEL LEVEL AND INFORMATION SHORTED OUT WHILE DRIVING

SERVICE AIRBAG WARNING APPEARED. ALL OTHER FUNCTIONS CHECKED OK, NO CODES. ONE DAY LATER THE MULTIFUNCTION SCREEN DISPLAY IS BLANK AND ALL BUTTONS BUT THE CLIMATE CONTROL ARE NON FUNCTIONING. ONLY CAPACITIVE TOUCH BUTTONS THAT WORK ARE FRONT DEHUMIDIFIER, AND FAN CONTROL BUTTONS (INCLUDING AUTO). AIR CONDITIONING IS STUCK ON AN NO OTHER BUTTONS FUNCTION. MAY BE RELATED TO PRIOR SUBMISSION: NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10872363

THE CHARGER OVER HEATS AND MELTS WIRES COATING SHORTING THE WIRING CAUSE CHARGER TO BLOW FUSE LEAVING A FIRE HAZARD IN YOUR GARAGE

I HAVE HAD VARIOUS ELECTRICAL ISSUES-NOVEMBER OF 2012. FIRST BACK UP CAMERA WENT BLANK, JULY 2014 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HIGH VOLTAGE; NOVEMBER 14 ELECTRICAL ISSUE; JUNE 2015 UNINTENTIONAL RUNNING LIGHT ON; JULY 2015 SAME ISSUE; AUGUST 2015 CHECK ENGINE/ARIBAG LIGHT ON DEALER CHECKED AND RESET CODES . AUGUST 2016 CHECK AIRBAG LIGHT ON. WENT IN SEVERAL TIMES STEVE MOORE ORDERED PART THAT WOULD BE $1,200 TO FIX. LIGHT WENT OFF. WHEN CHECK AIRBAG CAME BACK ON TOOK THE CAR TO A DIFFERENT DEALER. CITY CHEVROLET SAID I NEEDED A NEW 12 VOLT BATTERY REPLACED BATTERY WITHIN 48 HOURS OF BEING AT THE DEALER ISSUE CAME BACK. NOW THE LCD SCREEN IS BLANK. THE PROBLEMS SEEMS TO BE ELECTRICAL IN NATURE

THE LCD SCREEN SHOWING SPEED, CHARGE LEVEL, AMOUNT OF FUEL GOES DARK AS I DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD. IT COMES BACK ON AFTER RESTART BUT SHUTS BACK DOWN. VERY DANGEROUS, DON'T KNOW HOW FAST I'M DRIVING OR FUEL LEVEL.

THE SCREEN ON THE DRIVERS DASH FOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL , SPEED, GAS VOLUME AND ELECTRIC CHARGE,HAS GONE BLACK OR BLANK AND STAYS BLACK IN PARK OR IN DRIVING MODE. THE RESULT OF THE INSPECTION FROM A CHEVY TECHNICIAN FOUND THE CLUSTER IS INOP. IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND REPROGRAMED FOR $923.52 AS QUOTED.THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH OTHER VOLT OWNERS AND A COMPLAINT : NHTSA ID NUMBER 10872363 HAS BEEN FILED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET VOLT. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND COMPLETELY LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,014. *CN

WITHOUT WARNING THE ILLUMINATED INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES BLACK. USUALLY IT HAPPENS DURING START UP AFTER THE CAR HAS SET FOR A FEW HOURS. THE PROBLEM RESOLVES ITSELF AFTER DRIVING FOR SEVERAL MILES,OR, IF THE CAR IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ISSUE ARE STATED IN THE CHEVY VOLT FORUM ONLINE. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE OCCURRING IN FIRST GENERATION VOLTS. *TR

AT RANDOM TIMES AND DAYS, WHEN STARTING THE CAR, THE CENTER LCD DISPLAY IS BLANK. THIS DISPLAY IS CRUCIAL FOR THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT DISPLAYS YOUR SPEED, THE BATTERY LIFE AND GAS TANK AMOUNT, TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS AS WELL AS OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS NEEDED WHEN DRIVING. IT'S NOT SAFE TO DRIVE THIS CAR WHEN THE VEHICLE'S SCREEN IS BLANK. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES. 3 OF THE 4 JUST RECENTLY. AFTER A DAY OR 2, THE SCREEN WILL START WORKING AND THEN AFTER A DAY OR 2, IT WOULD STOP. IT'S AN ON GOING ISSUE AND I'M FINDING OUT THROUGH FORUMS THAT THERE'S A BUNCH OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND NOT JUST WITH THE 2012 VOLT BUT WITH OTHER YEAR VOLTS AS WELL. I'M CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AS IT'S DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BLINDLY WITHOUT KNOWING YOUR SPEED OR HOW MUCH GAS OR BATTERY LIFE YOU...

THE DISPLAY THAT SHOWS GAS GAUGE, MPH, ETC. HAS GONE BLANK. IT IS A HAZARD. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS.

I CHARGE MY 2012 CHEVY VOLT WITH THE 120V CHARGING UNIT SUPPLIED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I USE THE CHARGER IN A DEDICATED CIRCUIT OF 20 AMPS. HOWEVER I HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE MAY BE A DEFICIENCY IN THE GAUGE OF THE WIRE USED. THE WIRE FROM THE CHARGING UNIT TO THE CAR BECOMES QUITE WARM. HOWEVER, THE SHORT CORD FROM THE CHARGING UNIT TO THE WALL PLUG BECOMES DANGEROUSLY HOT. SO HOT THAT PART OF THE PLUG HAS MELTED AND LEFT BURN MARKS ON THE WALL SOCKET. EVEN THE WALL IS VERY WARM INDICATING THAT THE WIRING IN THE WALL IS HOT AS WELL. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD AT THIS POINT. WOULD YOU PLEASE INVESTIGATE? I HAVE ATTACHED A PHOTO OF THE CHARGING UNIT PLUGGED INTO THE WALL SHOWING THE SCORCH MARKS FROM OVERHEATING. DURING THIS TIME, THE CAR IS STATIONARY IN THE GARAGE.

THE VOLT WAS PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER OF 2012: IN / AROUND JUNE OF 2013 A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND IT WAS TAKEN INTO THE LOCAL DEALER (WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED) IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE A LEAKING COOLANT SYSTEM FOR THE PRIMARY ELECTRIC BATTERY (LITHIUM ION BATTERY). THEY COULD NOT FIND THE LEAK SO THEY REFILED THE SYSTEM AND INCLUDED A FLUORESCENT DYE AND RETURNED IT TO ME (THE AMOUNT OF COOLANT WAS ~7 LITERS). 12 MONTHS LATER (PLUS OR MINUS A FEW WEEKS) IN 2014, THE SAME LIGHT CAME ON, IT WAS AGAIN SERVICED (THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE FIXED THE LEAK) AND IT WAS RETURNED TO ME (~7 LITERS COOLANT). 12 MONTHS LATER (PLUS OR MINUS A FEW WEEKS) IN 2015 AGAIN THE LIGHT CAME ON, THIS TIME A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF THE COOLANT SYSTEM WAS REPLACED AROUND THE LITHIUM ION BATTERIES (CLAIMED TO HAVE FOUND A FEW...

THE CAR SHUT OFF COMPLETELY WHILE I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY AND HAD TO BE TOWED INTO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE DEALER THAT AN UNDERHOOD FUSE SHORTED OUT AND BURNED INTO THE VEHICLE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM CAUSING THE CAR TO SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AS THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN FIRE.

THE VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY STALLS OUT AT ANY SPEED THE ONLY WAY TO GET POWER BACK IS BY PUTTING THE CAR IN LOW GEAR AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE.

WE HAVE BEEN HAVING MULTIPLE ONGING ISSUES WITH THE HIGH VOLTAGE CHARGING SYSTEM IN MY VOLT. IT HAS BEEN IN 7 TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE SINCE 10/1/13. WHEN I CALL CHEVY THEY CLAIM THEY ARE UNAWARE OF ANY ISSUES WITH MY CAR AS THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN PAID UNDER A WARRANTY CLAIM. YET THE DEALER HAS NEVER CHARGED ME AS THEY CLAIM THAT CHEVY IS PAYING FOR THE REPAIRS AS PART OF AN ONGOING WARRANTY EXTENSION. WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THIS ALLOWS CHEVY TO CLAIM THAT THEY HAVE ZERO KNOWLEDGE OF CHARGING SYSTEM ISSUES AND CREATES NO PAPERWORK TRAIL TO FOLLOW. MY NEIGHBOR WHO ALSO OWNS A VOLT IS GOING THROUGH THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME PAPERWORK ISSUE. I THINK CHEVY IS COVERING UP THE ISSUE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE HIGH VOLTAGE CHARGING SYSTEM BY DOING THIS. FOR EXAMPLE 10/1/13 IS LISTED AS MISCELLANEOUS SES LAMP ON, BODY...

WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD COME TO A STOP, THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD ENGAGE BY ITSELF. THE ONLY WAY TO DISENGAGE IT WAS TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND ON AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME I DID THIS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK, AND THE VEHICLE WAS DISABLED IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROADWAY. THE CAUSE WAS A FAULTY CHARGING PORT SENDING OUT A FALSE PROXIMITY SIGNAL TO THE CAR'S COMPUTER, MAKING IT THINK IT WAS CHARGING...UPDATED 08/27/15 *BF

THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH), BUREAU OF EPIDEMIOLOGY RECEIVED A REPORT OF CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) POISONING ASSOCIATED WITH A 2012 CHEVROLET VOLT. AS A PART OF ROUTINE SURVEILLANCE FOR REPORTABLE CONDITIONS, DOH FOLLOWED UP ON THIS REPORT TO INVESTIGATE. ON MARCH 2, 2015, THREE PEOPLE WENT TO AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT (ED) FOR CO POISONING. A 40 YEAR OLD MALE PARKED HIS 2012 CHEVROLET VOLT IN THE GARAGE TO CHARGE (PLUGGED INTO THE OUTLET) AND ACCIDENTALLY LEFT THE CAR RUNNING OVERNIGHT. IN THE MORNING, HE NOTICED THE CAR WAS RUNNING AND HAD SWITCHED TO GASOLINE USE. HE AND HIS TWO CHILDREN COMPLAINED OF HEADACHE, WEAKNESS, CHEST PAIN, PALPITATION, AND DIZZINESS. CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN (COHB) LEVELS WERE >15% FOR ALL THREE INDIVIDUALS. ON MARCH 12, 2015, SEVERAL NEWS MEDIA OUTLETS REPORTED THAT GM IS RECALLING ALL 2011-2013 CHEVROLET VOLTS (ABOUT 64,000) TO INSTALL UPDATES TO PREVENT CO POISONING WHEN THE DRIVER FORGETS TO...

THE VEHICLE INFORMATION CENTER (DRIVERS DISPLAY) GOES OUT. SPEED, WARNINGS, FUEL LEVEL, TURN SIGNAL INDICATION ARE NOT AVAILABLE AND POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET VOLT HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE STARTED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED OF THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THE GARAGE HAD BECOME FILLED WITH EXHAUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,750.

DRIVING ON BUSY FREEWAY WHEN I ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED THE START BUTTON ON MY VOLT. THE CAR SHUT OFF AT 65 MPH AND WHEN I REALIZED WHAT I HAD DONE I IMMEDIATELY PUSHED THE BUTTON AGAIN WHICH PUT THE CAR IN MAINTENANCE. MODE, LEAVING MY WIFE AND I TO NAVIGATE TO THE RIGHT BURM THROUGH SEVERAL LANES OF HEAVY HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC, WITH NO POWER. YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR FOOT ON AND DEPRESS THE BRAKE TO RESTART. I MANAGED TO GET TO THE BURM SAFELY. OTHERS MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY. I REPORTED THIS ON THE VOLT WEBSITE PHONE NUMBER AND NEVER HEARD ANYTHING. DO TO GM'S RECENT IGNITION SWITCH RECALLS AND RESULTING DEATHS. I FEEL IT NECESSARY TO REPORT THIS. I HOPE THIS LETTER MY SAVE LIVES. I LIVED THROUGH THE FORD PINTO COVER UP. I SOLD THE CAR A FEW MONTHS AGO. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET VOLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND SERVICE HIGH VOLT SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

DRIVING IN MOUNTAINS AND HIT RUMBLE STRIP ON HIGHWAY AND ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WENT OUT. AFTER STOPPING, POWER STEERING RETURNED TO NORMAL. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF ROAD AND COULD CONTROL THE CAR. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY COULD FIND NO REASON FOR THE FAILURE. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RECURRED IN THE SIX MONTHS SINCE. *TR

THE CHARGING CORD MELTED THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET IN MY GARAGE WHILE CHARGING THE CAR WITH THE 110 VOLT CHARGING KIT THAT WAS SOLD WITH THE CAR. THE INCIDENT NEARLY STARTED A HOUSE FIRE IF WE HAD NOT DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM - A MELTED ELECTRICAL OUTLET WAS SMOLDERING AND THERE WAS THE SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC/ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WHEN WE ENTERED THE GARAGE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER (WOODWARD MOTORS IN ANDOVER, MA), AND GENERAL MOTORS. THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING AND REFERRED ME TO GENERAL MOTORS. GENERAL MOTORS SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING UNLESS I PRODUCED THE LICENSE OF THE ELECTRICIAN WHO WIRED MY HOUSE THAT WAS BUILT IN 1982 (I BOUGHT THE HOUSE IN 2007 AND HAVE NO IDEA WHO BUILT OR WIRED MY HOUSE). I UNDERSTAND THAT GM KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM AND HAS REPLACED SOME OF THE 110 VOLT CHARGING CORDS SHIPPED WITH...

THE STANDARD CHARGE CORD UNIT SUPPLIED WITH THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALER HAS FAILED TWICE, AND I BELIEVE IT POSES A FIRE RISK. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS 9/1/12 AT APPROX. 18,000 MILES. CORROSION WAS NOTED ON THE PLUG. THE DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN BLAMED RUST FROM A RECENT RAINSTORM AND REPLACED THE CHARGE CORD UNIT. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE WAS YESTERDAY AT 32,350 MILES. THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED CHARGING. ON INSPECTION THE CHARGE UNIT AND CORD WERE EXTREMELY HOT, HOT ENOUGH TO HAVE POTENTIALLY CAUSED A BURN OR AN ELECTRICAL FIRE IN MY GARAGE. OVER THE PAST 2-3 MONTHS, I HAVE NOTED GRADUAL ONSET OF CORROSION ON THE OUTLET AND THE CHARGER PLUG. (OF NOTE, THERE HAS BEEN NO RAIN HERE IN LAS VEGAS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS). THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CHARGE CORD UNIT TODAY. I COMMENTED TO THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT I BELIEVE THERE IS A PROBLEM USING SOLELY THE 110 VOLT...

OWNED CAR FOR 8 MONTHS. USING 110V OUTLET TO CHARGE ELECTRIC BATTERY. CHARGES FINE EVERY NIGHT. UNPLUGGED CHARGER TODAY. CHARGING CONNECTOR IS BLACK, SEMI MELTED. OUTLET IS BLACK AND CHARRED. APPEAR TO BE DAYS AWAY FROM A FIRE. I LIVE IN A NEW HOME (LESS THAN A YEAR OLD) VALUED AT OVER 500K. HUGE ELECTRIC CAR FAN, BUT BOTH WIFE AND I ARE NOW CONCERNED ABOUT FIRE IN HOUSE WITH YOUNG KIDS. *TR

DRIVER HAD RETURNED HOME, STOPPED CAR, DEPRESSED GEAR SHIFTER BUTTON TO PUT GEAR IN PARK, AND WAS ELECTROCUTED FROM THE POINT OF GEAR SHIFTER. THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY SLATED TO BE "REPURCHASED" BY GM DUE TO OTHER ONGOING MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION ISSUES. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DRIVER FOR USE WHILE THE NEW VEHICLE WAS BEING BUILT BY GM FOR DELIVERY TO THE DRIVER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR ADDITIONAL MALFUNCTIONING REPAIRS, THE LAST TIME BEFORE INCIDENT (INCLUDING A MALFUNCTION WITH THE MAIN BATTERY COMPONENT THE DEALER DETERMINED) THE DEALER'S MECHANIC REPORTED FINDING A "STIFFNESS" OR MALFUNCTION WITH THE GEAR SHIFTER. THE DEALER ORDERED AND REPLACED A PART TO THE GEAR SHIFTER. THE DRIVER DROVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTROCUTION OCCURRED. GM WAS INFORMED OF THE INCIDENT IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS. GM INSTRUCTED DRIVER TO CALL 911 TO HAVE "FIRST RESPONDERS" DISCONNECT THE...

WAS DRIVING VOLT AT LOW SPEED IN TRAFFIC. ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH MODES (NORMAL TO SPORT). THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY PRESSING A BUTTON ON THE DASHBOARD TWICE IN QUICK SUCCESSION. THE BUTTON IS LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO THE START/STOP BUTTON. I ACCIDENTALLY PRESSED THE START/STOP BUTTON TWICE IN QUICK SUCCESSION, WHICH SHUTS THE CAR OFF. THE CAR SHUT OFF AND I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT UNTIL I CAME TO A FULL STOP, SHIFTED THE CAR TO PARK, AND PRESSED THE BRAKE. THE RESULTED IN A SMALL TRAFFIC BACKUP BEHIND ME. HOWEVER, THIS THE DESIGN AND PLACEMENT OF THESE BUTTONS IS VERY POOR. I BELIEVE THE START/STOP BUTTON HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO SHUTOFF THE CAR RELATIVELY EASILY IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT AND PUBLIC "SUDDEN ACCELERATION" PROBLEMS BY OTHER MANUFACTURERS. HOWEVER, ACCIDENTALLY SWITCHING OFF THE CAR IS ALSO AN UNDESIRABLE CONSEQUENCE. HAD THIS EVENT HAPPENED AT HIGHER SPEEDS (ON THE HIGHWAY)...

THERE IS AN APPARENT DESIGN FLAW IN THE CHEVY VOLT RELATED TO AN INDIVIDUAL EXITING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT POWERING DOWN THE SYSTEMS WHICH COULD RESULT IN CO POISONING OR DEATH AND POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARDS IN THE RIGHT SITUATION. THE VOLT USES A KEY FOB SYSTEM AND PUSH BUTTON START. KEY FOBS ARE ALREADY PROVING TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. WITH THE VOLT, THE SITUATION IS EXACERBATED. SINCE THE CAR IS VIRTUALLY SILENT, IT IS VERY EASY FOR A PERSON TO FORGET TO TURN OFF THE CAR, AND WHEN THEY EXIT, THE LACK OF ANY ENGINE NOISE WILL OFTEN NOT GIVE THEM THE CUES NECESSARY TO REALIZE THEIR MISTAKE. WHEN THE INDIVIDUAL LEAVES THE CAR POWERED ON, THE BATTERY WILL DRAIN. WHEN THE BATTERY IS SUFFICIENTLY DRAINED, AN ENGINE WILL TURN ON AND CHARGE THE BATTERIES. THIS IS SIGNIFICANT, BECAUSE THIS WILL LIKELY HAPPEN SOMETIME AFTER A PERSON HAS PARKED THEIR...