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2013 Chevrolet Volt Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 308 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Volt, most often about the air bags (52% of complaints, typically around 76,000 miles). It is the 2nd most complained-about Volt model year since 2000 and has 3 recalls.
Most common 2013 Chevrolet Volt problems
Air bags
161 complaints · 52%Half of these problems showed up before 76,000 miles. Parts named most often: frontal.
There is a capacitive field detector in the passenger seat also called a passenger position sensor. Instead of a simple buckle detector this part has failed in my car at 76,000 miles and the affect is that the passenger airbag is disabled. The part is apparently around 800$ as the entire seat assembly must be…
While in motion my car sporadically displays "service air bag system." upon diagnosis, dealer stated the passenger presence module needed to be replaced. This car is only 5 years old with 77,000 miles. Seems like a serious safety hazard for this item to be failing. Researching Chevrolet Volt owner forum yields…
Electrical
63 complaints · 21%Half of these problems showed up before 57,000 miles. Parts named most often: propulsion system, 12v/24v/48v battery, wiring.
Onboard screen stopped working after car wasn't used for several days. The button lights intermittently turn on and off. Ac, seat heaters and car functions normally except radio and the midpanel screen. Since the screen doesn't turn on controlling the AC is done through trial and error.
The passenger airbag seatbelt sensor faulty and gives notice on display. Intermittently stops turning on passenger airbag when someone is sitting in it. I has been doing this for about 3 years and does it everytime while driving. I have seen hundreds of posts online with the same issue. This is the second time I have…
Fuel system
53 complaints · 17%Half of these problems showed up before 60,000 miles.
This vehicle suddenly looses propulsion while driving and it switches from electric to gas. It has happened more than once, but this last time I was on the highway and almost caused an accident. I took it to a dealer to be repaired but the problem has persisted.
While starting vehicle for commute back home, the on board diagnostic warning popes up saying that profusion peer was reduced. The gasoline engine then turned on even though battery was approximately 75% charged. While driving I noticed that the vehicle had difficulty with acceleration as well as deceleration; as a…
Engine
38 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 52,000 miles.
While driving at 40mph on a straight road, I went to change the drive mode, but I accidentally hit the power button. When I hit the power bottom the car shut down. I was not able to restart the car while the shift lever was in drive, so I had to coast to a stop, place the vehicle in park, and reboot the car. I was…
My 2013 Volt has started giving me only a maximum of 35 miles charge, but really only giving me 27-32 even through I drive in low (which always gave me more miles than the car thought I'd get). Maybe this is connected to the new problem? Yesterday when I turned on the car (driving in gas because I had run out of…
Seats
31 complaints · 10%Half of these problems showed up before 68,500 miles.
The passenger airbag sensor triggered a warning (vehicle in motion). Took vehicle to dealer and they tried the typical loose connection check, water damage check, etc. Removed sensor and tested it - not pulling any current, so must be bad and need replacement. Total cost to replace $1,200!! If it's not replaced…
Service passenger airbag warning came on continuously. Two trips to the dealer, first time they tried to fix by cleaning a connection $196 and it did not work. Second time they had to replace the passenger presence sensor $636.70. This was not covered under warranty I was told. Car had 68514 miles and was in service 4…
Transmission
24 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 47,000 miles.
My 2013 Volt has started giving me only a maximum of 35 miles charge, but really only giving me 27-32 even through I drive in low (which always gave me more miles than the car thought I'd get). Maybe this is connected to the new problem? Yesterday when I turned on the car (driving in gas because I had run out of…
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Volt. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the engine shut down without warning. The vehicle was taken to ken garff Chevrolet ([phone], located at 548 e 1000 s, american fork, ut 84003) where it was diagnosed that the transmission control unit needed to be replaced. The manufacturer…
Brakes
20 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 23,000 miles.
While the brake pedal is pressed, if one side of the car goes over a pot hole, the car loses braking power and continues forward even though the brake pedal is pressed. For example, if the right front tire goes into a pothole while trying to stop at an oncoming red light, the car displays a message in red letters on…
In an emergency braking situation on a city street to avoid a car I hit the brake pedal and it went to the floor, no pulse from the ABS system. Hit curb and bumper hit fence. Took car to service to learn ABS electronic controller failed. No warning light on dash of any kind. Have learned gm has issued a bulletin but…
Other or unspecified
15 complaints · 5%Half of these problems showed up before 73,000 miles.
My 2013 chevy Volt is displaying a "service airbag" warning message. The local chevy dealer confirmed that the passenger seat occupancy sensor, (specifically, the "passenger presence module"), needs to be replaced. Due to the faulty passenger occupancy sensing, the passenger side airbags are deactivated, even when a…
On city streets and the highway, when increasing or decreasing speed the drive motor stator/rotary bearing makes a chainsaw type sound indicatingthe bearing and covers failure. There is already a service bulletin about this issue. This Volt has low miles and should not be my $1400 expense to repair when the…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2013 Chevrolet Volt recalls
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver-side air bag module, free of charge. On some 2013 volt vehicles, the steering wheel will be replaced as well, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed october 23, 2023. Owners may contact buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 and chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. Gm's number for this recall is n232413120.
Full defect summary
General motors, llc (gm) is recalling certain 2013 buick verano, chevrolet camero, sonic, and volt vehicles. The driver-side air bag inflator may explode during deployment due to a manufacturing defect.
Hybrid system: hybrid propulsion system
Risk: If the voltage drops, the vehicle may lose propulsion, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Gm will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the hpcm2, free of charge. The recall began july 24, 2018. Owners may contact chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. Gm's number for this recall is 18215.
Full defect summary
General motors llc (gm) is recalling certain 2013 chevrolet volt vehicles. An update to the hybrid powertrain control module 2 (hpcm2) may have disabled the cell balancing function causing a low-voltage condition.
Electrical: ignition
Risk: If the engine runs for an extended period of time in an enclosed space, there may be a build up of carbon monoxide, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Fix: Gm will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine management software to limit the time that the stationary vehicle can be left in the on position, free of charge. The recall began april 15, 2015. Owners may contact chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. Gm's number for this recall is 14617.
Full defect summary
General motors llc (gm) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 volt vehicles manufactured august 25, 2010, to june 26, 2013. If the driver exits the vehicle without turning off the electrical system, the battery may drain low enough that the gasoline engine will automatically start itself to recharge the electric battery.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
Summary
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 matt
Passenger sensing system
Summary
In september 2019, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened pe19-013 to assess the potential safety related effects of a malfunction of the passenger sensing system (pss) in 2012-2013 model year (my) chevrolet volt vehicles. Consumers reported that due to a malfunction of the pss, the air bag system malfunction indicator light (mil) was activated. Many of the complaints noted the malfunction occurred after the warranty period expired and mentioned high repair costs as a major deterrent to the repair of the vehicle.the pss sensor mat is embedded in the front passenger seat cushion and is intended to detect child seats and small statured occupants who could be harmed by deployment of t
Questions about the 2013 Chevrolet Volt
- What are the most common problems with the 2013 Chevrolet Volt?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: air bags (161 complaints, typically around 76,000 miles); electrical (63 complaints, typically around 57,000 miles); fuel system (53 complaints, typically around 60,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2013 Chevrolet Volt have?
- 3 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from July 27, 2023 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2013 a bad year for the Chevrolet Volt?
- It is the 2nd most complained-about Volt model year since 2000, with 308 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.