2017 Chevrolet Volt: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 694 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is electrical system (29% of complaints); the 2015 and 2016 and 2018 and 2019 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 5 new complaints in the last 90 days
0
recalls
694
owner complaints
9
fire reports
37,000
typical failure mileage, mi
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
NHTSA crash testOverall ★★★★★Front ★★★★★Side ★★★★★Rollover ★★★★★
5-star NHTSA overall safety ratingNo recall campaignsOne of the most complained-about Volt years (#1 of 9, age-adjusted)Weak spot: electrical system (29%)9 fire reportsProblems reported early (median 37,000 mi)
Common problems
Computed from 694 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)29% · 181 complaints
Power Train (transmission, axles, driveline)23% · 141 complaints
Fuel/Propulsion System (fuel pump, tank, lines)19% · 120 complaints
Engine (engine mechanics)16% · 98 complaints
Service Brakes (brakes)3% · 17 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control (unintended acceleration, cruise control)2% · 15 complaints
“Chevrolet is denying that my car is included in Special Coverage Bulletin N232432680, because of where it was built. The car is now in Kentucky, which is not a CARB state. Was the reason for a vehicle not to be included in the bulletin because it would be included under CARB? It seems like a loophole they are using not to fix my car. Am I wrong?”Owner report · Electrical System · Aug 2026
“While driving down highway rapidly slowed to 15mph. "reduced propulsion" was displayed with significant battery and gas left. Caused cars to swerve and pile up behind me. The car was inspected by dealer and received a variety of U26XXX codes. Dealer states its a faulty BECM. There was no warning lights on before the incident and have had no issues till then. We were lucky this was during the day. Nighttime would have been a terrible accident with oncoming traffic. Dealer is not wanting to cover BECM repair from GM Special Coverage Bulletin N232432680 that was investigated by your organization a couple of years ago.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jul 2026
“Received "reduced propulsion" message, with no engine detected. Car slowed to a near stop while driving on the Interstate highway. Very dangerous to have that suddenly happen. Message popped up randomly with no prior warning.”Owner report · Power Train · Jun 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed or while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light was unexpectedly illuminated. Additionally, there were several error codes provided through the Mobile App for engine-related failures. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 92,000.”Owner report · Engine · Mar 2026
“The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start while parked. The check engine warning light illuminated and remained illuminated, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair would be at the owner's expense. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000.”Owner report · Electrical System · Mar 2026
“Failure of Battery Energy Control Module (BECM), within the high voltage battery. Vehicle is unable to charge and sets "reduced power" message. GM released special coverage bulletin for this issue (N232432680), but this vehicle is not listed due to which state it was registered. Continued failure of the BECM will lead to inoperability of the vehicle.”Owner report · Electrical System · Feb 2026
“There is a ongoing problem with the BECM on 2016-2018 volts. Mine is one of them. Contacted Chevrolet and they say my vin isn't under the extended coverage. I believe it should be and can't stand they won't cover my car under warranty. Is there anything you can do?”Owner report · Electrical System · Jan 2026
“Brought car into Chevrolet dealership for intermittent "miss" when driving. Dealer diagnosed it needed an EGR valve replaced at a cost of around $4,000.00 which is a significant portion of the cars value.”Owner report · Engine · Jan 2026
“My 2017 Chevy Volt stalled, wont charge, safely concerns. safety-related special coverage is being denied by local Chevy dealer. Check Engine light codes U2603-06, U2623, well known issue in chevy volt community, that points to Chevy faulty BECM. Chevy replace these to some selected 2016-2018 vehicles, but they wont cover mine, while I have same exact issue. Please help to push on Chevy to cover all 2016-2018 Chevy Volt by recalls repairs with no cost to owner. thanks”Owner report · Electrical System · Jan 2026
“I was driving in stop and go traffic on a relatively busy road when I was cut off. I braked hard to avoid a collision. Immediately afterwards, the car would not respond to the accelerator and would not go forward. I was in the middle of the road and the car would not respond. It could have caused an accident. I put the car into park and then back into drive and it seemed to work again. But I am now worried about the car.”Owner report · Vehicle Speed Control · Dec 2025
When filing, owners marked a crash in 8 of these complaints and injuries in 10 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
How other years compare
Check your exact Volt by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2017 Chevrolet Volt reliable?
NHTSA has 694 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The most complained-about area is electrical system (29% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2017 Chevrolet Volt problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 37,000 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.