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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

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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

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

What owners actually said

169 reports
Mileage unknown · Apr 23, 2022
Electrical SystemPower TrainUnknown Or Other

Action Required Shift to Park message comes up on the dash after starting the vehicle & shifting into gear out of Park. The message goes away when shifted back into Park, but the vehicle doesn't respond when shifted into gear. Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Low - none will engage. I had to repeat the process of starting the vehicle 28…

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Action Required Shift to Park message comes up on the dash after starting the vehicle & shifting into gear out of Park. The message goes away when shifted back into Park, but the vehicle doesn't respond when shifted into gear. Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Low - none will engage. I had to repeat the process of starting the vehicle 28 times before it would operate as it should. Start Vehicle to View Application message comes up when in Park & trying to shut the vehicle off & will not power down until the driver door is opened. I worried that I'd be stranded if this continued to happen & took the vehicle to Brad Deery Motors in Maquoketa, IA for repair on 4/14/22. I paid $736.71 & the invoice states: 106128 shift to park, diag, intermittent open in the shift park solenoid, replaced shift park solenoid and jumper harness, tested working properly. I brought the vehicle home & had the same messages appear on 4/19/22. I have since read a forum on the Volt & understand that this has been a common issue & found a service bulletin: 19-NA-206, but wondering if there is an actual recall. I plan to contact GM regarding this issue.

NHTSA ODI #11461887

Mileage unknown · Apr 19, 2022
Fuel/propulsion System

My Chevy Volt showed an error message and would not allow me to drive in Electric mode. I tried restarting the vehicle a number of times and the gas engine came on, however was exceptionally loud and I read a dash message that the vehicle was available for Low Propulsion power driving. This could be dangerous on any road parti…

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My Chevy Volt showed an error message and would not allow me to drive in Electric mode. I tried restarting the vehicle a number of times and the gas engine came on, however was exceptionally loud and I read a dash message that the vehicle was available for Low Propulsion power driving. This could be dangerous on any road particularly a highway with traffic. I had my vehicle towed to a Chevy dealer. The technician there diagnosed the vehicle to have a failed Battery Energy Control Module that needed replacement. I did receive a message when attempting to shift my vehicle to "Shift to Park." This rendered my vehicle undrivable requiring restarts. I researched this issue online and have seen this appears to be a widespread issue among Volt owners.

NHTSA ODI #11461402

Mileage unknown · Jan 25, 2022
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

I have a 2016 volt bought from NYC and I am the first owner currently residing in TX. My volt currently has mileage of 30,020 but this propulsion power will be reduce error has been shown since last 100 miles or so, my commune is usually under 5 miles a day so I rarely use gas however recently due to work I have to commune pre…

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I have a 2016 volt bought from NYC and I am the first owner currently residing in TX. My volt currently has mileage of 30,020 but this propulsion power will be reduce error has been shown since last 100 miles or so, my commune is usually under 5 miles a day so I rarely use gas however recently due to work I have to commune pretty far for a week and relied more on gas and this error popup during on of the commune. (It slowed my car down significantly while on highway and eventually stop with message on the console says engine offline) With the following error codes found: P0031 P0054 P0030 P0135 P0403 P0405 P0443 P0458 P0489 P0597 P0598 P06DA P06DB P0AC4 P0030 This car barely has much gas mileages as it was primarily on electric, but this failure on highway comes suddenly.

NHTSA ODI #11448862

Mileage unknown · Dec 11, 2021
Electrical SystemPower Train

There is a “Shift to park” message on the driver information screen when attempting to shut off vehicle. I don’t know if the vehicle is still in gear and will move (forward or back) when I think it is in Park. I have not had it in for inspection/repair yet, as it is a recent occurrence that is becoming increasingly frequent. Thi…

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There is a “Shift to park” message on the driver information screen when attempting to shut off vehicle. I don’t know if the vehicle is still in gear and will move (forward or back) when I think it is in Park. I have not had it in for inspection/repair yet, as it is a recent occurrence that is becoming increasingly frequent. This started happening around 11/15/2021.

NHTSA ODI #11443478

Mileage unknown · Oct 31, 2021
Electrical System

Vehicle shift to park warning , does not go in reverse or forward , shifter moves but it does not detect is in park mode , therefore it doesn't reset battery status or able to drive in forward or reverse.

NHTSA ODI #11438790

Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 2021
Electrical SystemPower Train

When parking vehicle a "Shift To Park" error appears on the dash and vehicle will not turn off for some time. This is an intermittent issue that seems to be getting more frequent as time goes on. Vehicle can be stolen if issue is unnoticed.

NHTSA ODI #11435849

Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 2021
Unknown Or Other

Failure of car's keyless remote system. I got my fob and moved the car to where we charged it in the morning. In the afternoon after it was charged I had the same fob and got in to move it back by our front door and the screen gave the message "No remote detected". I assumed the fob battery was dead and changed it and it still w…

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Failure of car's keyless remote system. I got my fob and moved the car to where we charged it in the morning. In the afternoon after it was charged I had the same fob and got in to move it back by our front door and the screen gave the message "No remote detected". I assumed the fob battery was dead and changed it and it still would not recognize the fob. Then I got my wife's fob and it would not recognize that one either. So the keyless remote system in the car had failed in some way. I went online and saw there were plenty of cases of this happening to this model and other Chevy models that used a similar system. There is some issue with this system and it is very dangerous as someone could easily get stranded if they were alone in some remote place and not understanding how to even get in their car as there is no visible keyhole on the door to put the mechanical key. To follow up just as I was going out to the car to read the mileage all of a sudden the fob worked again. Both now work. It has been about 20 hours where it wouldn't work. I tried it many many times over those 20 hours and neither fob would work but now they both do. So this as many have reported , is an intermittent problem but dangerous because at any time you could be locked out of your car and you have to know how to pry off part of the door handle and insert the mechanical key and then place the fob in the special place under the lid in the console to be able to drive. Certainly once it happens to you and you learn all that you can do it in a reasonable time frame but when it happens the first time you are really stuck.

NHTSA ODI #11433311

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2021
Power Train

My 2016 Chevy Volt has an issue where the is an intermittent shift to park message displayed while the vehicle in in park. This issue has been identified as a widespread issue and Chevrolet has published a Service Bulletin (NHTSA Technical Service Bulletin 19-NA-206). The most recent version is Version 6 that was published in De…

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My 2016 Chevy Volt has an issue where the is an intermittent shift to park message displayed while the vehicle in in park. This issue has been identified as a widespread issue and Chevrolet has published a Service Bulletin (NHTSA Technical Service Bulletin 19-NA-206). The most recent version is Version 6 that was published in December 2020. The dealership is refusing to perform repairs that are clearly under warranty. The service bulletin specifically says it is covered under the warranty.

NHTSA ODI #11430779

Mileage unknown · Aug 5, 2021
Unknown Or Other

When I shift the car into "park" it will not register as "park" and a message comes up on the dash "shift to park." I'm unable to turn the car off at this point because it's required to be in "park" mode to accomplish this. Jiggling the shift handle will sometimes correct this but it appears to be getting worse over time. I s…

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When I shift the car into "park" it will not register as "park" and a message comes up on the dash "shift to park." I'm unable to turn the car off at this point because it's required to be in "park" mode to accomplish this. Jiggling the shift handle will sometimes correct this but it appears to be getting worse over time. I spoke to a service tech at GM and they said they are aware of the issue and that it is a problem with this model. I was told the only fix was a costly replacement that may or may not solve the problem. A web search indicates there are many Chevy Volt drivers experiencing this same issue.

NHTSA ODI #11427858

Mileage unknown · Jul 22, 2021
Electrical System

Any time that the vehicle is turned off, a warning message displays on the HUD saying "Action Required: Shift to Park". This occurs whenever the vehicle is turned off, despite the gearshift already being in Park.

NHTSA ODI #11425964

Official recalls

1

17V621000 · 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

2

PE23022 · 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.