The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) closed its investigation into the Chevy Volt, which opened in 2023, on Monday. The investigation specifically focused on power loss, reduced power, and a no-start condition due to a Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) issue in the second-generation 2016-2019 Chevy Volt.
The BECM inside the battery pack monitors temperature, current, and voltage. GM determined that the issue is an internal failure that leads to a loss of communication within the BECM. While this can put the car in a reduced power mode or cause it to fail to start or charge, it cannot cause a complete stall. The one accident related to the issue that the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) is aware of was a minor crash with no injuries or fatalities.
Affected Volt models will be warned via the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) or a message in the Driver Information Center (DIC) indicating reduced propulsion.
GM sent out a communication in March 2024 (Special Coverage N232432680) giving owners of 2016-2018 Chevy Volt models extended warranty coverage on the BECM from an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty to a 15-year/150,000-mile warranty. The replacement component is sourced from a different supplier than the original BECM, so it isn’t susceptible to the same failure.
Given GM’s extended warranty on the defective module, a low number of safety-related occurrences, and the absence of any injuries or deaths related to the problem, the NHTSA’s ODI has closed the investigation.
The 2016-2019 Chevy Volt was the second and final generation of the plug-in hybrid compact in the U.S. It was succeeded by the Buick Velite 6 in China, but never got a successor in the States. Underpinned by GM’s Delta platform, the second-gen Chevy Volt boasted an impressive 53-mile all-electric range and a 106 MPGe combined efficiency rating.
GM says it will reintroduce plug-in hybrids in its home market as soon as 2027, but we’re not expecting a third-gen Volt to be part of that plan.
Comments
If consumers would quit settling for junk, specifically plastic & electric boxes,these auto makers would have to build real cars again! Quit buying this 💩💩💩💩💩💩
Chevy’s extended warranty on this only applied to non-CARB Chevy Volts. Any Chevy Volt that was built with CARB Compliance was not covered, even though they still have the same issues. I know this because my 2017 Chevy Volt, which was built to comply with CARB so it could be sold in California, was not covered under the extended warranty even though it had the same BECM issue. The NHTSA and Chevy are letting down a number of Chevy owners by allowing this to continue, and I will not be purchasing another Chevy as a result.
I would blame California (and the 11 or so states who tend to do the same as Calif) for placing additional restrictions on automakers and are now, in turn, forcing the same crap on the rest of us. Hopefully the courts will rule that California (and the others) should not have been allowed “exemptions” to the nationwide emissions and MPG requirements.
(But I do understand that you are talking about a “support” issue by GM. I think you will find other automakers also try to lower their “support” costs as well. I hear owners need to wait 6 moths or more for replacement parts from Stellantis, for example. And because there are fewer vehicles of some models sold, there are fewer aftermarket parts available in many cases. ) I am glad GM stepped up and offers the MUCH longer warranty for the rest of us! The Volt has been the only pseudo-EV I thought was worth buying from GM.
Yep, I am dealing with this now…
My CARB State (CA) Volt has a BECM failure, but is currently in Texas and registered in Texas (I moved)… N232432680 isn’t listed as special coverage for my VIN, even though that coverage is NOT supposed to be VIN specific, but apply to all Volts 2016~2018.
Thankfully, the repair quote is only $2263 and I can afford that, but it’s the principle of the matter. And the $700 rental car :p