GM Hit With Class Action Lawsuit Over Chevy Volt Electrical System Failures
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A recently filed class action lawsuit alleges that the 2016 through 2019 Chevy Volt suffers from an electrical system defect that may result in the vehicle losing propulsion.
According to a recent report from Car Complaints, the lawsuit argues that affected units of the Chevy Volt may stop moving at highway speeds, and may fail to start. The problem allegedly stems from a failure in the Chevy Volt hybrid system, specifically the battery energy control module, which is designed to keep the battery charged and regulate battery temperature to ensure it does not overheat or freeze.
As Car Complaints outlines, the new class action lawsuit asserts that the Chevy Volt will cease to function if the battery energy control module malfunctions. The plaintiff in the lawsuit, Jason Miller, alleges that the fault may be a failure of the module’s internal soldering connections. Miller previously purchased a 2017 Chevy Volt.
Miller states that once the module exhibits a fault, it must be replaced and reprogrammed. What’s more, it’s alleged that GM knew about the fault as early as June of the 2018 calendar year, as the automaker previously issued technical service bulletin 18-NA-261 to dealers in regard to “an internal issue within the Battery Energy Control Module.” However, GM allegedly failed to warn consumers about the issue, and has refused to offer compensation for repairs or replacements. GM has also failed to issue a recall for the issue.
Although GM ended production of the Chevy Volt after the 2019 model year, the lawsuit alleges that GM continues to sell and market the vehicle containing the defective component.
The Chevy Volt battery energy control module class action lawsuit, Jason Miller v. General Motors, LLC, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (Southern Division). The plaintiff is represented by Weitz and Luxenberg, P.C., Branstetter Stranch and Jennings, PLLC, and the Indian and Environmental Law Group, PLLC.
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I have the 2017 Volt. At 30,000 miles I had the failed electronic EGR issue. No parts available anywhere in the USA. Only one manufacturer, based in China. GM is not/ will not restart manufacturing for this part. I went to the local dealer and asked if this was a covered part, and he looked me STRAIGHT in the eyes and said, “no, this EGR is NOT an emissions device”. I said, “since when in the last 60 years has an EGR NOT BEEN an emissions device??” These b.s. dealers have a lot of audacity and hubris to say that straight to an engineer… Wow, just wow.
I believe the emission coverage on a egr valve is 3/50. So yours would not be covered because of time. Of course depending on the delivery date. I’m a Chevrolet Service Advisor is SoCal
I have 2 2017 Volts… both under 60k miles. Perfect cars for our use case… all electric most of the time for commuting to work, and can still take on trips that require gas. But that also comes with the complexity of two power systems. One of our Volts is in the shop right now with the BECM issue. Going on the second month of waiting for the part. Now just waiting for the other shoe to drop of having the same problem on the other one. People love my car when they drive it… I love it too, but I can’t recommend it as a used vehicle to anyone now looking to go electric. Too few of them made and chevy doesn’t have the stock to fix them or the folks trained to do it. And anyone looking at a 2019 should ask themselves if they want a car made by someone who knew they were going to get laid off when the factory shutdown in a couple of months. I am sure the quality on those is much worse.
Everytime i attempt to get my module fixed as its causing Near Miss Accidents by slowing down I get to the facility and their is a excuse on how they can not help me. LAST TIME I SCHEDULE A week in advance, drove 4 hour to the location and again thier was no way they could service me I called every facility in town they were all to busy to help me. I TOLD THEM this is dangerous to be driving like this I’m I’m dead before they fix it it’s because they keep dismissing my issue. HUMAN life is not that important to them as the repair they dont profit on….can not be charged. for although there was one that said I would need to pay 200.00 to check it diagnose it and then they would confirm, I was bruh confirm what it’s a recall. Done with chevy took my 2013 in to get my radiator repaired they kept it for 6 months did 8k supposedly worth of repair for a hole in radiator and totalled it after 6 mo I tracked it and they sold it for 7k at auction pocketing 15k for the car I paid 13k for after 3 more months of being without a car I finally got a check to use as a dp on another. I UNFORTUNATELY as much as I loved this 2017 model due to their care and disregard for human life will not be returning to the Chevy brand not to mention discontinuing a product at a time its needed most. My car has sat for the last year they never rescheduled my onstar never answers the phone and the chevy app does not work, it says that I’m scheduled I show up and every single time completly clueless to this day the one time I had my car at a dealer was for radiator hole and they totalled me. 9 mo. 14k of money they got from my horrific ordeal Pre Covid and not one apology. YEAH i hope someone kick em in the head they need thier module replaced. IT took creatimg a website and calling around to corporate and over 50 emails. I’m not doing this stresses me out so much I had a heart attack. Wish I was kidding I’m getting upset thinking bout it again lost 9 months of worm. I’m in deliver and now I am worried to go back cause I can’t get my car fixed. No more.
I’ve owned two Volts a 2017 and currently a 2018 and I work as a service advisor at a large GM dealership in Southern California. Not only have both my Volts that I’ve owned ever experienced this condition , I can’t recall ever repairing a volt where we’ve needed to replace said component. Hmm
Thats extremely odd but the not repairing the module surely checks out… Here ya go maybe you can shed some light on why you all are not repairing the problem as stated in the only recall which thier should be another regarding the back brake sensors but refuse to acknowledge tham as well.
GM Program #:
N202307990
Date Issued:
Feb 04, 2021
Program Title:
Increased Customer Notification – Expires 2/28/2023
Program Description:
Certain 2016 – 2018 model year Chevrolet Volt vehicles may have a condition related to the high voltage battery which could gradually lose the ability to maintain voltage. If battery concerns are not addressed, the vehicle could enter a reduced propulsion mode while driving, or lose propulsion, or it may not start.
Repair Description:
Dealers are to update the Hybrid Powertrain Control Module 2 (HPCM2). This software update is intended to increase the amount of warning time provided.
Program Status: INCOMPLETE
I have a great solution. Sell the Volt for whatever you can get and buy a 1994 Buick Park Ave. I have one that gets 27 MPG and is a 3.8 V6 that has lasted 29 years and is still in great condition and
Can go anywhere and is very reliable.
Larry
2016 owner, absolutely love the vehicle, BECM recently went out with 165k miles, only 6 years old and won’t move from where I last parked it.
No replacement parts available, and no ETA of when it would even be available.
I’ve put over 112k miles on it since we purchased it, and has the fewest miles of all the vehicles I own.
I do all maintenance, upkeep and repairs on my own vehicles, and have a couple with more than 300k miles.
I have no problem replacing parts that wear out on a vehicle with typical use, but a solid state computer controller such as this part should not be failing at the rates it is. Clearly a quality control issue, And I view as a breach of commitment to the customer by delivering a subpar component in these vehicles.
I have a 2017 and a 2018 volt. I REALLY hope GM does something about this KNOWN bad from the factory part… they either need to offer a buy back at MSRP of all the remaining volts out there, or they need to extend the voltec warranty to 15 years 200k miles. Absolutely ridiculous!
Well I just purchase a 2017 Chevy Volt for my daughter it was a gift for college purchase it in June by July it was broke so it’s sitting at Chevy dealership this day still at Chevy dealership waiting on for a part to come in have not came in yet saying it’s on backorder saying a module the car will not start the car would not do anything so my daughter is without a car and the crazy part about it I’m paying a car note on a broke car
Contact GM directly, they should of given you a loaner free of charge or at least a rental until car is repaired
As someone that is having this issue right now, I’m appalled by some of the comments here. My wife and I bought this car for the economy and efficiency it provides and when working, it’s great. However, the car has been sitting at a dealer waiting for this part for 2 months now. I’ve been stuck with one garbage rental from enterprise after another – I’m on my third car because of their own problems. All guzzling gas at $4/gal every week. To say that I’m frustrated is an understatement. The dealership and service department never returns my calls for an update and Corporate sends me a notice each week saying there is no update. On top of this the car was not cheap. At nearly $40k after taxes when new I expected more. It was purchased new and is now basically bricked after only 5 years and LESS THAN 30k miles on the clock. Do I want to join this class action? Yes. Yes I do.
It’s unbelievable to see these boobs posting comments about Volt owners “taking responsibility” for these cars bricking. They’re still under warranty and GM is taking MONTHS to fix them!! Tell me what part of that I should be held responsible for?? I am fortunate enough to have basically bought this thing as a toy for entertainment/curiosity purposes. What about all the single mothers out there who needed it for their daily driver? Are you guys saying that it’s HER fault and she should just own up to the failure of GM being her fault? I suspect there are some GM employees hanging out in these comments. If you own one of these junkers, I suggest you immediately contact one of the law firms involved with the class action lawsuit. I did and I’ll have a big huge smile on my face when that check arrives in the mail in a few years after this case is settled.
I have a 2012 Volt with 168,000 miles, which has stalled out twice in the past week, and over 8 times in the past 5 years. The HPCM2 has been reprogrammed twice in the past year, and the BECM programmed at least once. This past year, the car switches seemingly randomly from to gas from electric when there’s plenty of battery charge and temperature outside is anywhere from 40 to 70F. And none of the programming has fixed this early transition to gas on a full charge. And the dealers have no idea how to fix that, they say it is “normal”, when it certainly wasn’t a problem the first 8 years of life. So although I loved the car for many years, I’m extremely frustrated by these programming problems, which are manufacturing/coding defects, not wear and tear from a well-used vehicle, and I would like to know how I can join that class action lawsuit GM.
My 2017 Volt with 33K miles was at the dealership for 4 1/2 months waiting for a BECM. Customer service was non existent (although they did rent a car from Hertz for me – that’s a WHOLE other story!!!) and GM corporate only wasted hours of my time on the phone. The entire situation made me know I’ll never buy another GM.