IllustrationWHEN PUTTING SHIFTER TO PARK, THE ACTION REQUIRED MESSAGES IS SHOWN AS: 'SHIFT TO PARK' ISSUE. THE CAR WILL EFFECTIVELY NOT TURN OFF. YOU'LL BE UNABLE TO LOCK THE CAR AND THE LIGHTS WILL STAY ON FOR A FEW MINUTES. WORSE YET, IT IS INTERMITTENT ALTHOUGH IT GENERALLY GETS WORSE OVER TIME.
2016 Chevrolet Volt
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2016 Chevrolet Volt do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 169.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Volt years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
110–25K
2625–50K
1050–75K
775–100K
3100–150K
3150K+
60 reports with mileage · 109 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 77 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports
Power Train complaints
51 reportsTHE VEHICLE DOES NOT RECOGNIZE IT HAS BEEN SHIFTED INTO PARK, WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO BE TURNED OFF. DASH DISPLAY STATES 'ACTION REQUIRED, SHIFT TO PARK'. THIS HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY AND IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY CHEVROLET. YET THEY HAVE NOT ISSUED ANY RECALL. IT IS KNOWN AS THE 'SHIFT TO PARK' ISSUE. THERE IS NO WORK-AROUND…
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THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RECOGNIZE IT HAS BEEN SHIFTED INTO PARK, WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO BE TURNED OFF. DASH DISPLAY STATES 'ACTION REQUIRED, SHIFT TO PARK'. THIS HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY AND IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY CHEVROLET. YET THEY HAVE NOT ISSUED ANY RECALL. IT IS KNOWN AS THE 'SHIFT TO PARK' ISSUE. THERE IS NO WORK-AROUND FOR THE ISSUE OTHER THAN SHIFTING BACK AND FORTH INTO GEARS, SOMETIMES HUNDREDS OF TIMES, BEFORE THE ERROR CLEARS. FOR EXAMPLE: MY WIFE TOOK MY DAUGHTER TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM AND COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE TO TURN OFF. SHE TRIED TO CLEAR THE ERROR A FEW TIMES BEFORE HAVING TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE RUNNING IN THE PARKING LOT.
KEEP GETTING ACTION REQUIRED MESSAGE "SHIFT TO PARK" EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAS BEEN POWERED OFF. IT TAKES ABOUT 5 TRYS NOW TO ACTUALLY POWER OFF THE CAR, HAVE TO REPEATEDLY TURN THE CAR ON AND OFF TO ACTUALLY POWER OFF THE VEHICLE.
WHILE TURNING OFF VEHICLE: VEHICLE IS SHIFTED TO PARK IGNITION BUTTON IS PRESSED MESSAGE APPEARS ON CONSOLE 'ACTION REQUIRED: SHIFT TO PARK' VEHICLE WILL NOT TURN OFF WITH PRNDL IN PARK POSITION
SYSTEM DOES NOT RECOGNIZE WHEN GEAR IS IN PARK (P) - THE PROMPT ON THE SCREEN STATES "ACTION REQUIRED: SHIFT TO PARK" (SEE ATTACHED SCREENSHOT) EVEN WHEN THE GEAR IS ALREADY ON PARK (P) - THE WORK-AROUND IS SHIFTING THE GEAR FROM PARK (P) THEN L THEN BACK TO PARK - SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO DO THIS SEVERAL TIMES. *TR
UNABLE TO TURN OFF CAR WHEN SHIFTER IS PHYSICALLY SHIFT TO PARK, BUT DASH WARNING HAS A "SHIFT TO PARK" WARNING. BACK IN DEC 26 I BOUGHT THE CAR IN FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND THE SHIFTER CABLE WAS REPLACED. BUT SHIFT TO PARK WARNING RETURNED A FEW MONTHS LATER. IT IS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS ISSUE WILL RETURN . *TR
SHIFT TO PARK ISSUE. WHEN TRYING TO TURN OFF THE CAR YOU PUT IN PARK AND PRESS ON/OFF BUTTON. CAR SAYS YOU NEED TO SHIFT INTO PARK EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE SHIFTED INTO PARK AND IS SO INDICATED ON THE DASH. YOU HAVE TO SHIFT THE SHIFTER AND TURN ON AND OFF UNTIL FINALLY TURNS OFF. CRAZY AND A KNOW PROBLEM. DANGEROUS AND NEED A RECAL…
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SHIFT TO PARK ISSUE. WHEN TRYING TO TURN OFF THE CAR YOU PUT IN PARK AND PRESS ON/OFF BUTTON. CAR SAYS YOU NEED TO SHIFT INTO PARK EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE SHIFTED INTO PARK AND IS SO INDICATED ON THE DASH. YOU HAVE TO SHIFT THE SHIFTER AND TURN ON AND OFF UNTIL FINALLY TURNS OFF. CRAZY AND A KNOW PROBLEM. DANGEROUS AND NEED A RECALL.
CAR SAYS "SHIFT TO PARK" AT RANDOM, WHEN CAR IS ALREADY IN PARK. PREVENTS YOU FROM POWERING OFF THE VEHICLE, AND HAVE TO SOMETIMES WIGGLE THE SHIFTER BEFORE IT WILL DETECT IT IS ACTUALLY IN PARK.
VARIOUS TIMES WHEN PUTTING THE CAR INTO PARK AND THEN TURNING OFF THE CAR THE MESSAGE STATING ACTION REQUIRED: SHIFT TO PARK WILL SHOW ON THE CONSOLE SCREEN. THE CAR WILL NOT TURN OFF UNTIL THE CAR RECOGNIZES THE GEAR IS IN THE PARK POSITION, WHICH IT ALREADY IS. IT TAKES SOME SHAKING OF THE SHIFT BUTTON TO GET THE CAR TO REGIST…
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VARIOUS TIMES WHEN PUTTING THE CAR INTO PARK AND THEN TURNING OFF THE CAR THE MESSAGE STATING ACTION REQUIRED: SHIFT TO PARK WILL SHOW ON THE CONSOLE SCREEN. THE CAR WILL NOT TURN OFF UNTIL THE CAR RECOGNIZES THE GEAR IS IN THE PARK POSITION, WHICH IT ALREADY IS. IT TAKES SOME SHAKING OF THE SHIFT BUTTON TO GET THE CAR TO REGISTER THAT THE GEAR IS IN THE PARK POSITION. IT USED TO HAPPEN MAYBE ONCE A MONTH BUT NOW IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN A FEW TIMES EACH WEEK.
2016 GEN 2 CHEVY VOLT EXPERIENCING ERROR MESSAGE OF 'SHIFT TO PARK' EVEN THOUGH CAR IS IN PARK. CAR WILL NOT TURN OFF UNTIL MESSAGE CLEARED AND THAT TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. ISSUE IS WIDESPREAD BASED ON INTERNET SEARCH. ALSO, TRANSMISSION COOLING FLUID LEAK FROM TRANSMISSION COOLANT INTAKE LINE REQUIRING COMPLETE REPLACEMENT.
Official recalls
117V621000 · Air Bags:frontal
Oct 5, 2017
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado, and 2016 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. The driver's frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17387.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2PE23022 · Loss Of Motive Power Due To The Battery Energy Control Module
Opened Nov 29, 2023 · Closed Mar 3, 2025
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System; Electrical System:propulsion System; Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery:management System/energy Control Module (bms/becm)
On November 29, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE23022 to investigate allegations of a loss of motive power, including a stall, reduced power state, and/or a no start condition due to the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) in model year (MY) 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt passenger car vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The BECM is located within the high voltage electric vehicle (EV) battery pack and monitors the temperature, current, and voltage of the high voltage battery cell groups. GM stated that the root cause was identified as an internal failure leading to a loss of communication within the BECM and does not pose a risk to motor vehicle safety. GM further stated that the failure cannot result in a complete stall, only a reduced power mode, no start condition, or a no charge condition. GM additionally stated that if these conditions occur, the driver will be warned via a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) and/or a reduced-propulsion message in the Driver Information Center (DIC). Data received and analyzed by ODI from all sources indicates that nearly all related BECM failures caused conditions aligning with GM’s predicted outcomes. Despite the large number of warranty claims, nearly all failures were not safety-related, i.e., not a stall or reduced power mode. ODI isaware of a single minor crash and no injuries or deaths. In March 2024, GM issued Special Coverage N232432680, which was mailed to consumers, addressing BECM failures in certain MY 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. This special coverage provides an extension of the warranty coverage for the BECM from 8 years / 100,000 miles to 15 years / 150,000 miles for all 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volts. Additionally, GM stated that replacement components are sourced from a different supplier and not susceptible to the failure. In view of the Special Coverage issued by GM, the existing warranty coverage already in place, and the low number of safety-related occurrences, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation (PE). The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Electrical System
On November 29, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE23022 to investigate allegations of a loss of motive power, including a stall, reduced power state, and/or a no start condition due to the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) in model year (MY) 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt passenger car vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The BECM is located within the high voltage electric vehicle (EV) battery pack and monitors the temperature, current, and voltage of the high voltage battery cell groups. GM stated that the root cause was identified as an internal failure leading to a loss of communication within the BECM and does not pose a risk to motor vehicle safety. GM further stated that the failure cannot result in a complete stall, only a reduced power mode, no start condition, or a no charge condition. GM additionally stated that if these conditions occur, the driver will be warned via a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) and/or a reduced-propulsion message in the Driver Information Center (DIC). Data received and analyzed by ODI from all sources indicates that nearly all related BECM failures caused conditions aligning with GM’s predicted outcomes. Despite the large number of warranty claims, nearly all failures were not safety-related, i.e., not a stall or reduced power mode. ODI isaware of a single minor crash and no injuries or deaths. In March 2024, GM issued Special Coverage N232432680, which was mailed to consumers, addressing BECM failures in certain MY 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. This special coverage provides an extension of the warranty coverage for the BECM from 8 years / 100,000 miles to 15 years / 150,000 miles for all 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volts. Additionally, GM stated that replacement components are sourced from a different supplier and not susceptible to the failure. In view of the Special Coverage issued by GM, the existing warranty coverage already in place, and the low number of safety-related occurrences, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation (PE). The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Electrical System:propulsion System
On November 29, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE23022 to investigate allegations of a loss of motive power, including a stall, reduced power state, and/or a no start condition due to the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) in model year (MY) 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt passenger car vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The BECM is located within the high voltage electric vehicle (EV) battery pack and monitors the temperature, current, and voltage of the high voltage battery cell groups. GM stated that the root cause was identified as an internal failure leading to a loss of communication within the BECM and does not pose a risk to motor vehicle safety. GM further stated that the failure cannot result in a complete stall, only a reduced power mode, no start condition, or a no charge condition. GM additionally stated that if these conditions occur, the driver will be warned via a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) and/or a reduced-propulsion message in the Driver Information Center (DIC). Data received and analyzed by ODI from all sources indicates that nearly all related BECM failures caused conditions aligning with GM’s predicted outcomes. Despite the large number of warranty claims, nearly all failures were not safety-related, i.e., not a stall or reduced power mode. ODI isaware of a single minor crash and no injuries or deaths. In March 2024, GM issued Special Coverage N232432680, which was mailed to consumers, addressing BECM failures in certain MY 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. This special coverage provides an extension of the warranty coverage for the BECM from 8 years / 100,000 miles to 15 years / 150,000 miles for all 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volts. Additionally, GM stated that replacement components are sourced from a different supplier and not susceptible to the failure. In view of the Special Coverage issued by GM, the existing warranty coverage already in place, and the low number of safety-related occurrences, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation (PE). The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Electrical System:propulsion System:traction Battery:management System/energy Control Module (bms/becm)
On November 29, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE23022 to investigate allegations of a loss of motive power, including a stall, reduced power state, and/or a no start condition due to the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) in model year (MY) 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt passenger car vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The BECM is located within the high voltage electric vehicle (EV) battery pack and monitors the temperature, current, and voltage of the high voltage battery cell groups. GM stated that the root cause was identified as an internal failure leading to a loss of communication within the BECM and does not pose a risk to motor vehicle safety. GM further stated that the failure cannot result in a complete stall, only a reduced power mode, no start condition, or a no charge condition. GM additionally stated that if these conditions occur, the driver will be warned via a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) and/or a reduced-propulsion message in the Driver Information Center (DIC). Data received and analyzed by ODI from all sources indicates that nearly all related BECM failures caused conditions aligning with GM’s predicted outcomes. Despite the large number of warranty claims, nearly all failures were not safety-related, i.e., not a stall or reduced power mode. ODI isaware of a single minor crash and no injuries or deaths. In March 2024, GM issued Special Coverage N232432680, which was mailed to consumers, addressing BECM failures in certain MY 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. This special coverage provides an extension of the warranty coverage for the BECM from 8 years / 100,000 miles to 15 years / 150,000 miles for all 2016-2018 Chevrolet Volts. Additionally, GM stated that replacement components are sourced from a different supplier and not susceptible to the failure. In view of the Special Coverage issued by GM, the existing warranty coverage already in place, and the low number of safety-related occurrences, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation (PE). The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.