2012 CHEVROLET VOLT Power Train Problems

7/6/2024 Was driving 45 mph on a busy road (running only on the gas engine of this plug-in hybrid). Propulsion Power Reduced message showed near the speedometer. My speed was immediately decreased. The check engine light also came on. Despite pressing the gas pedal, the speed could not be maintained and I had to pull off quickly before causing an accident. Luckily, no accident occurred but I fear would could have happened if I wasn't in the right place to pull over quickly. After getting the car towed to a Chevy dealership, they diagnosed the problem as being with the hybrid battery - it needs to be replaced. I don't understand why I had a full tank of gas, was running on gas, and that a bad EV battery would cause ALL propulsion to stop so quickly.

This is a report on a previous safety recall that has failed to fix the problem. The recall is GM Program # N172130462 for sudden-onset reduced propulsion. The recall repair was performed on this vehicle at 91,064 miles. However, since the recall, a reduced propulsion condition has recurred multiple times. Subsequent to the most recent episode, the vehicle has been in the dealer's repair shop for 5.5 months. The dealer technician affirms it is a software problem, but is unable to figure out how to repair it, even with assistance of a General Motors field engineer. The dealer technician told me that the GM field engineer knows of other cars with the same problem.

2012 CHEVROLET VOLT, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN LOSING POWER FOR PROPULSION ON THE HIGHWAY/ROADS AT ALL SPEEDS. SHUTTING OFF. ELECTRIC CHARGE IS SUPPOSED TO SWITCH TO THE GASOLINE MOTOR WHEN IT IS LOW, BUT IT DOES NOT, AND VICE VERSA. IT SHOWS HYBRID BATTERY MANAGEMENT HAS A LOSS OF PROPULSION WITH A MESSAGE OF LOW PROPULSION POWER. THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED WITH A RECALL A FEW YEARS BACK BECAUSE THE SAME PROBLEM IS SHOWING UP. NOW, CHEVY DOES NOT HAVE THIS VIN BEING RECALLED. BUT WORSE, THE CONDITIONS IN THE SOFTWARE ARE CAUSING A POWERTRAIN FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE HELP. I AM PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL BEGAN MAKING EXTREMELY LOUD WHINING-LIKE SOUND WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING. PARKED THE CAR UNTIL IT COULD BE ACCEPTED AT THE CERTIFIED CHEVROLET SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP. TECHNICIAN IMMEDIATELY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND EXPRESSED IT AS "COMMON." THE ISSUE IS A SEPARATION OF THE "ELECTRIC DRIVER MOTOR B ROTOR BEARING CAGE" REQUIRING A REVISED BEARING INSTALLATION. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW AS GM REQUIRES A NEW/REVISED BEARING INSTALLATION, AND IS LIKELY PROGRESSED WITH THE VEHICLES REGENERATIVE BRAKING. GEN1 MODELS DO NOT HAVE A CUSTOMIZABLE REGENERATIVE BRAKING OPTION TO ALLEVIATE THIS STRESS ON THE ROTOR BEARINGS. IN RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, THE SERVICE BULLETIN PROVIDED BY GM IS HAS PROGRESSED TO AN APPENDED LETTER L (BULLETIN NO. PIP5081L). A LARGE NUMBER OF VOLT OWNERS SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE, MANY OF WHICH QUALIFY FOR WARRANTY REPAIR. MY VEHICLE'S WARRANTY PERIOD EXPIRED BY LESS THAN ONE YEAR AND 11,000 MILES.

MY CAR HAS HAD ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH POWER PROPULSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND START-UP SINCE NEW AND SEVERAL ITEMS WERE REPLACED IN 2017. I PURCHASED 6 YEAR / 100,000 EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN NEW. SEVERAL ITEMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. BUT UPDATES ARE NEEDED TO KEEP THE CAR RUNNING PROPERLY. NOW THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED BUT THE VEHICLE STILL NEEDS UPDATES TO RUN PROPERLY AND THE DEALER WANTS PAID TO INSTALL UPDATES. THIS IS A SCAM IF THE CAR WONT RUN WITH OUT BEING UPDATED YEARLY. I HAVE A VIDEO OF THE CAR IN 2017 WHEN I STARTED IT UP AND IT SOUNDED AS THOUGH IT WAS GOING TO BLOW UP. I COULDN'T SHUT IT OFF AND CALLED ONSTAR TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. THAT IS WHEN SEVERAL ITEMS WERE REPLACED. THE CAR IS IN THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN FOR ANOTHER UPDATE. 8-28-20. THERE WAS AN UPDATED PERFORMED 11-11-19 AND 10-10-18. IT SEEMS AS...

THE DRIVE MOTOR ROTOR BEARING FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 71,000 MILES. THIS MAJOR REPAIR TO THE DRIVE TRAIN MAKES THE CAR UNUSUALLY LOUD AND THE DEALER CAUTIONED THAT IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THAT IF LEFT IN REPAIRED COULD CAUSE MORE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO OTHER VEHICLE COMPONENTS.

MY 2012 CHEVY VOLT HAS COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, AND SURFACE STREETS ON OVER 15 OCCASIONS. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST GOES OUT, THE BRAKE ASSIST GOES OUT AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND BREAK THE CAR, I HAVE NEARLY AVOIDED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS, THERE IS NO WARNING THAT THIS WILL OCCUR.THE POWER STEERING ASSIST GOES OUT, THE BRAKE ASSIST GOES OUT AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND BREAK THE CAR, I HAVE NEARLY AVOIDED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS, THERE IS NO WARNING THAT THIS WILL OCCUR ONCE I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO SAFELY PULL OVER THE CAR SAYS ENGINE NOT AVAILABLE, PROPULSION POWER REDUCED, THE CAR WILL NOT TURN OFF AND IT SAYS WAITING TO INITIALIZE ON THE SCREEN. I HAVE HAD IT TOWED TO MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND PAID A DIAGNOSTIC, THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY JUST RESET THE CAR...

RADIATOR LEAK

AIR BAG SENSOR PAD IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS FAULTY. DASH LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF AT RANDOM IN FRONT SEAT. MAY LEAD TO AIRBAGS FAILING TO GO OFF. FRONT PASSENGER SEAT FAULTY, AIR BAG SENSOR PAD IS NOT INSTALLED BENEATH THE FOAM IN THE SEAT, INSTEAD IT IS ON TOP. HAS LEAD TO NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WHEN EVEN JUST SETTING A BAG ON THE SEAT. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM. POWERTRAIN ISSUE, BATTERY SECTION 3 FAILED PREMATURELY DUE TO A $5 TEMPERATURE SENSOR FAILING. COST TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE BATTERY SECTION WAS $3000+ DOLLARS FOR A $5 PART.

CAME TO STOP AT BUSY INTERSECTION WHEN THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL I THREW IT INTO NEUTRAL. THIS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES SINCE I HAD THE CAR'S BATTERY SERVICED A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO. IN ADDITION, THE CAR WILL SPORADICALLY NOT GO INTO REGENERATION MODE AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR SLOWING DOWN. THIS ALSO JUST STARTED HAPPENING SINCE THE BATTERY SERVICE WAS PERFORMED.

CAR SAYS SERVICE HIGH POWER CHARGING SYSTEM, CHECKED THE COOLANT LEVELS AND THEY ARE LOW. CAR REFUSES TO CHARGE NOW SINCE THE WARNING, EVEN THOUGH I ADDED COOLANT TO THE RESERVOIRS.

AFTER SHIFTING INTO "D" DRIVE, ON A FLAT AREA, AND WHILE STANDING STILL, THEN PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR WENT BACKWARDS AS IF IN R. REPEATEDLY SHIFTING BACK INTO P OR R AND THEN TO BACK INTO D, DID NOT CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR. KEPT GOING IN REVERSE AS IF IN "R". ONLY TURNING THE CAR ON AND OFF A FEW TIMES BROUGHT IT BACK TO NORMAL.

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...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET VOLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND DID NOT RESPOND NUMEROUS TIMES. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION BRACKETS FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO BECOME DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V271000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

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.

UPON ARRIVING AT OUR VACATION DESTINATION, WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF CHECKING INTO OUR HOTEL IN TULSA, OK. IT WAS A HOT SO I TOLD MY AUTISTIC ADULT SON TO STAY IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WITH THE A/C ON WHILE MY WIFE AND I UNLOADED THE LUGGAGE. THE CAR HAD BEEN BACKED UP A SLIGHT GRADE INTO THE PARKING SPOT. MOMENTS LATER MY WIFE SCREAMED OUT THAT THE CAR WAS BACKING UP. SHE RAN TO THE PASSENGER DOOR AND REACHED IN ATTEMPTING TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK. INSTREAD SHE BUMPED IT INTO DRIVE AND THE CAR MOVED FORWARD DOW THE GRADE. SHE RAN ALONG SIDE IT TRYING TO PROTECT OUR SON WHO BY THIS TIME HAD ATTEMPTED TO EXIT THE CAR. SHE BRUISED UP HER SHINS QUITE BADLY. AT THIS POINT I HAD REACHED THE DRIVERS DOOR AND APPLIED THE BRAKE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW...

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

WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME MY CAR WOULD SURGE THEN LOSE POWER. I PRESSED THE ONSTAR BUTTON AND A VEHICLE TEST WAS CONDUCTED. I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED ATTENTION. ALSO, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING AND I HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. I WAS ON A RURAL ROAD SO NO ONE ELSE WAS AFFECTED. HAD I BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE THIS COULD HAVE AFFECTED OTHERS AND MYSELF IN A NEGATIVE WAY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN AND JESSUP AUTO IN CATHERDRAL CITY, CA KEPT IT SEVERAL DAYS AND CORRECTED THE ISSUE. THE MAIN ISSUE IS LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING. *TR

UPON BRAKING AND PASSIVE DECELERATION THE CAR MAKES A LOUD AUDIBLE WHINING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER STATES IT IS A REGENERATIVE BRAKE BEARING FAILURE. THIS ISSUE IS RELATED TO THE BEARING CAGE FAILING CAUSING THE BEARING TO LOSE ITS INTEGRITY. HTTP://GM-VOLT.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?17877-LOUD-WHINING-DURING-REGEN. *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...

I WAS SLOWING DOWN AT A MERGE POINT, WHEN VEHICLE "STALLED". I AND DEALER WORKER COULD NOT RESTART FOR 45 MINUTES, AT WHICH TIME IT FINALLY STARTED. DROVE TO DEALERSHIP, CHECKED OUT BRIEFLY, SEEMED OK. DROVE IT AGAIN LESS THAN A MILE, AND FOR 2ND TIME, AGAIN STALLED FOR APPROX. 45 MIN. CAR COULDN'T BE STARTED. FINALLY CAR RESPONDED AND DROVE 2ND TIME TO DEALER, WHERE IT WAS LEFT FOR ANALYSIS AND POSSIBLE REPAIR. CAR PURCHASED AUG. 30 2011, INCIDENT SEPT. 1, BEGINNING 7-8AM. CAR IS NOW IN DEALER'S HANDS FOR POSSIBLE REPAIR. CHEVROLET VOLT HYBRID EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF CAR STALLS IN MAJOR INTERSECTION OR AT HIGH SPEED ON HIGHWAY. DEFECTIVE COMPONENT BATTERY, ENGINE, COMPUTER?? *TR