2016 Chevrolet Volt

The Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) on my 2016 Chevrolet Volt has failed. The vehicle and the component are currently located at my home address and are available for inspection upon request. As of writing this now. This failure caused the vehicle to enter a "reduced power mode" and subsequently resulted in a no-start and no-charge condition. The sudden loss of propulsion power presents a severe safety and crash risk, as the vehicle can lose motive power and stall unexpectedly while in transit. Prior to the complete failure, the vehicle displayed a Check Engine Light and a "Reduced Propulsion Power" message on the dashboard. The local Chevrolet dealership has inspected the vehicle, pulled the associated diagnostic trouble codes, and officially confirmed that the BECM has failed. General Motors has already acknowledged this specific safety defect through Special Coverage Bulletin N232432680, which extends BECM warranty coverage to 15 years or 150,000 miles to prevent sudden loss of propulsion. However, GM corporate and the dealership are refusing to honor this bulletin. They are denying coverage due to an administrative database flaw because my vehicle's under-hood VECI label designates it as an original California (CARB/PZEV) vehicle, GM's system excluded my VIN from the Special Coverage bulletin automation. Furthermore, because the vehicle is currently registered in a non-CARB state (Texas), the original CARB warranty is considered void. GM is using this internal database loophole to deny repairing a documented safety defect.

Reported

Jun 2026

Incident date

Jun 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I purchased the above-listed 2016 Chevrolet Volt through Carvana, relying on the contractual promise that the BECM was covered under Special Coverage N232432680 for up to 15yrs or 150k miles. The vehicle has suffered persistent, severe mechanical and electrical issues resulting in a prolonged loss of use: 1. Initial Breakdown and Delivery: The vehicle originally had a Reduced Propulsion Power Alert on Monday [XXX] around 8pm and nearly caused me to be rear ended on a major road due to accelration issues. It then officially broke down on Tuesday, [XXX]. It was then delivered to Vic Koenig Chevrolet (1040 E Main St, Carbondale, IL 62901) via Tow By Freedom Towing the following Friday, May 29, 2026. 2. Delayed Work Start & Shop Stay: Vic Koenig Chevrolet was able to officially begin diagnostic and repair work on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. The facility held the vehicle for several weeks to address the failures. 3. Brief Release and Immediate Re-Breakdown: I picked up the vehicle upon its supposed completion on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Then less than 24 hours later, on Wednesday, [XXX], the vehicle suffered a recurring breakdown and had to be returned to the dealership immediately. 4. Wrongful Coverage Denials: On Thursday June 19, 2026, Silver Rock claims representatives issued explicit coverage denials to me via text message. That same day, service representatives from Vic Koenig Chevrolet phoned Silver Rock multiple times to provide diagnostic evidence, But SilverRock repeatedly issued oral denials over the phone. They stated the PCM and BECM were not included in the contract, screenshots of the vontract state the opposite. SilverRock sent this refusal via email to me on June 19. I also contacted GM by phone on Wednesday 5/27/26 and so did the dealership and they refused to cover my vehicle under the Special Warranty for the known issue. I tried to request a cost reduction and they denied it again on 6/22/26. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Reported

Jun 2026

Incident date

May 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

My 2016 Chevy Volt started experiencing the "Propulsion Power is Reduced" issues associated with a faulty BCEM unit. I brought my vehicle in for service at a Chevy dealer and they confirmed that the BCEM needed to be replaced. This is a known issue resulting in special coverage under N232432680. Chevy is not honoring the special coverage for my vehicle despite my vehicle being less that 15 years old and having fewer than 150,000 miles. According to the service manager after talking to someone higher up the food chain at Chevy, "they're no longer covering this service."

Reported

May 2026

Incident date

May 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I have a 2016 Chevy volt. It had to be towed to a Chevy dealership because it will not drive. The BECM module has failed, as is apparently the case with so many volt owners. GM, as a result of lawsuits about this car, extended the warrantee to fix the issue, but my vin number is not included in the case. The gar is a brick, and there is no way to fix it now. GM doen't even replace these batteries any more, and most often just buys back the bad vehicles. I still owe 9k on this car and it is useless now. I need help. These are the codes is is throwing. B101D P1EOO P1EAC POAFA B3111 U3001 U2401 U2603 U2604 U2605 U2606 U2617 U2618 U2619 U2620 U2621 U2622 U2623 U2624 P1FD1 P1FD2 P1FD3 P1FD4

Reported

Mar 2026

Incident date

Mar 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Vehicle displayed reduced propulsion and shift to park while driving on highway then suddenly stopped. Dealer said battery failed after a year of diagnosing issue. Issue may be BECM which has extended warranty service but dealer not addressing the issue of car stalling but instead other costly minor issues leaving the vehicle a safety concern. Replacing battery with a bad BECM would lead to exact same issue

Reported

Mar 2026

Incident date

Jun 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

After experiencing loss of power and loss of propulsion on the highway, took the car to Tropical Chevrolet in Miami Shores, FL. after diagnosing the car for $287.37 (credited to the estimate total of $3101.20), the dealership replaced the Battery Energy Control Module and bled the battery pack cooling system. We paid the bill ($2665.89). On January 4, 2026 the check engine light came on again when the propulsion was reduced again, while driving on a highway. Tropical reported that the cause of the failure was their failure to replace or do the original repair at all. They replaced the exhaust gas recirculation valve and refilled the cooling system. The parts should be covered by warranty. We filed a claim with GM 2 months ago and still have not been reimbursed.

Reported

Mar 2026

Incident date

Nov 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The engine light came on, but the car would run and so took it to the dealer. They determined that the EGR valve had failed and would cost $2400 to repair. Apparently, this is a common failure point for Generation 2 Chevy Volts. If it might trigger a forced recall, I'd like to add this to the list.

Reported

Feb 2026

Incident date

Feb 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

In May 2025, the EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) valve failed on my 2016 Chevy Volt with approx. 60,000 kms / 40,000 miles on it - that cost me approximately $3,000 to fix. In my opinion that should have been covered under warranty given that it is a common failure point on second generation Volts. Note that the EGR value (OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer) is a readily available part. In October 2025, my BECM (Battery Energy Control Module) failed. Luckily, due to significant Volt owner complaints, GM was forced to provide a special warranty on this item, so the work that would have cost me approximately $4,000 was covered under this special warranty. The BECM is covered for my 2016 Chevy Volt until 2030. Note again that the BECM is a readily available OEM part. In December 2025 my Chevy Volt check engine light went on again, and this time the Chevy Dealership is telling me that the main hybrid battery needs to be replaced. However, GM decided in their infinite wisdom to discontinue production of the Chevy Volt battery, and so they can't even sell me a new hybrid battery, a critical component on this vehicle. My understanding is that the 2016-2019 Chevy Volt battery is the same part #24060122. The Chevy dealership has asked me to see if I can find a battery on my own, as their parts department cannot source one (GM used "York Electronics" in Canada). As a result, I am now left with trying to find a used/refurbished hybrid battery. If my Volt was a 2019 (the last year GM made the Volt), then this battery would be covered under warranty (8 years from in service date), yet GM wouldn't even be able to fix a 2018 or a 2019 Chevy Volt because they stopped making the battery for ALL Volts. How can a manufacturer get away with not even providing parts for 10 years (in my case), or 7 years (2019 Volt)? My only option seems to be to send a perfectly maintained car to the junkyard at 60,000 kms/40,000 miles. Never again will I buy GM.

Reported

Jan 2026

Incident date

Nov 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

GM is not honoring coverage from N232432680 for CARB vehicles in non-CARB states. They have failed to tie CARB vehicle vins to the coverage in N232432680.

Reported

Jan 2026

Incident date

Nov 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

This vehicle has had multiple incidents of surging of the propulsion system both on battery power and when powered by the internal combustion engine, causing loss of propulsion and sudden acceleration almost causing collisions multiple times. We have paid for over $4,000 in repairs that are not covered under the propulsion system warranty, and these repairs have not remedied the issue.

Reported

Jan 2026

Incident date

Jan 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Battery Energy Control Module Malfunction. It is a known issue with this system failing on the chevy volt. There is a service bulletin on this problem. 18-NA-261 is the service bulletin. The car will not start and when it does start it has loss of power while driving. Chevy is only fixing certain VIN numbers even thou it pulls up the same codes in their bulletin. Chevy only gave extended warranties to certain VIN numbers also. Extra warranty bulletin N232432680. This is a major component for the high voltage battery which drives the vehicle. The dealership wants $5000.00 to repair this.

Reported

Jan 2026

Incident date

Dec 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

While I driving in the past week, a warning that "propulsion power reduced" appeared on my dashboard several times. The last time that I had driven the car, the heater would not turn off, and the smell of burnt rubber filled the car and then dissipated soon after. The car would only run in it's gas engine mode, and not switch over to electric mode, as it usually would. The next morning, the car would not start. The dash board would light up as if the car started, but when I shifted into drive, a warning appeared on the dash, "Shift to park", as it would when the car is not running. I could not start the vehicle. After plugging the vehicle in, a warning appeared on the console stating that "Charging is not available". The car was towed to the dealership. Their diagnosis showed that the Battery Energy Control Module had failed and must be replaced. They later confirmed that an electric cable needed to be replaced that was "corroded", but they could not confirm the cause of the corrosion because the cable was disposed of already. After researching online, I found that GM issued a Special Coverage bulletin: N232432680, citing a common malfunction of the Battery Energy Control module in 2016 to 2018 Chevy Volts that "causes a reduced power mode, a no start condition, or a no charge condition." The Special Coverage was to extend the warranty to 15 years or 150,000 miles. After inquiring the dealer about the Special Coverage, they claimed that our car is not covered under the warranty. After calling customer service, they claimed the coverage comes from NHTSA, and GM only issues orders by VIN, and therefore cannot cover the issue. After calling NHTSA, I was told the special coverage is not a national recall, and is internal to GM. The GM dealership still claims that the control module on our car is not covered under the warranty, and have denied the request for a manager inspection or investigation.

Reported

Jan 2026

Incident date

Jan 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, the vehicle stalled. The accelerator pedal was released, and the vehicle returned to normal operation. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE23022 (Electrical System) and Special Coverage: N232432680 (Battery Energy Control Module Malfunction); however, the vehicle was not covered under the Special Coverage. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.

Reported

Jan 2026

Incident date

Jan 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Component/System Failed: The engine of my 2016 Chevrolet Volt experienced a sudden internal crack, leading to complete engine failure. The engine is available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: The engine failure rendered the vehicle completely inoperable, posing potential risk if it had occurred while driving. Sudden loss of engine power could have caused a crash or left me stranded in traffic, endangering myself and others. Problem Reproduction / Confirmation: The failure was confirmed by a GM dealership, which performed a full inspection and documented the engine crack. The dealership verified that the crack was sudden and not caused by negligence or improper maintenance. Inspections by Others: The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership, and all reports are available. I have also submitted the issue to GM corporate for warranty review. No police or insurance representatives have reviewed this, as this was a mechanical failure with no collision. Warning Lamps or Symptoms: No warning lights, messages, or unusual symptoms appeared prior to the failure. The engine appeared to operate normally until the sudden failure. Upon failure, low oil and low propulsion error message appeared on dash. Current no dash lights are on in the vehicle. Assessment of Cause: Based on dealership inspection and documentation, the failure appears sudden and possibly related to a defect in emissions-related engine components. No external damage or user error contributed to the failure.

Reported

Dec 2025

Incident date

Nov 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

P0401, P0B9A Loss propulsion power on highway Shift to Park issues And car uses gas before electricity is empty

Reported

Oct 2025

Incident date

Oct 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Driving at 75 MPH on the freeway the power completely cuts off an a message appears on my dash "Propulsion Power is Reduced" - Pressing the gas barely gives any power, Imagine being in the middle of flowing traffic doing 75 mph to close to 20 mph. Research shows me this is a KNOWN issue with GM and the problem is with the BECM control module. There is also the issue of the EGR valve which apparently is tied into the BECM. I brought to the Chevy dealer and they said the BECM NEEDS to be replace ASAP because GM knows this is a dangerous situation and GM extended the warranty on this part to 150,000 miles. My vehicle is at 152,400 miles and they will not cover this. This is a serious issue that should be a recall that forces GM and Chevy to pay for this fix as it is something they have been aware of for years and it is a major accident waiting to happen. Please make them issue a recall for the BECM fix.

Reported

Jul 2025

Incident date

Jul 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while operating vehicle the "Propulsion Error” was displayed, and the message "Shift to Park" was displayed while driving. Additionally, the vehicle occasionally failed to immediately start. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the Manufacturer’s Extended Warranty Coverage related to the failure. The failure mileage was 98,500.

Reported

Jul 2025

Incident date

Jul 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

•Vehicle lost power while driving on the highway at speed. The vehicle would not run with gas engine power or EV charge basically died on the road in traffic. After coming to a stop safely but not without some close calls vehicle would not start even with car having fuel of two types in it. •The battery charge would not register, and the car would not start for a little while. Display showed nothing and was only making a dinging sound. Around half hour later the vehicle started, and I drove it to my home and parked it. I have not been driving it as it seems like a safety concern with the battery system and not feeling reliable. I had tried to charge it after the initial event and it did not charge. I did only a little research on cost for battery issues and the cost made me very put off even looking at the car. The car has been sitting sense August of last year. I took the car into a GM repair shop a week ago and the shop told me that the BECM module is weak. I looked this up and found that there is a lot of people having the same issue! Also, there are 19000 cars just like mine who got a recall or Special coverage. I am told I don’t meet the requirements for the coverage even though my car has the issues. They say my VIN is not on the list, clearly this special coverage did not go far enough. There appears to be some gaps in the coverage of this issue there are tons of people having this issue a full recall should be investigated and enacted there is clearly a problem that should be addressed. The fact that most cases do not happen when the car is running seem to put this on everyone’s back burner but people are being harmed financially while GM uses loop holes to not address an issue that could cost people there time, hard earned money, lost wages, even there life if this malfunction causes accidents. There was and is clearly enough to warrant action. Letting GM get away with a half Hearted attempted at fixing this is a crime.

Reported

May 2025

Incident date

Aug 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

While driving the car displayed “reduced propulsion power” on the dash and then I lost all drive power and could not switch the plug in hybrid from electric to gas engine mode. The vehicle had to be towed to the dealer who stated that the battery electronics control module and perhaps the battery needed to be replaced. The check engine light came on slightly before the incident.

Reported

May 2025

Incident date

May 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Becm failure Car suddenly stopped driving and or starting Had to have it towed home

Reported

Feb 2025

Incident date

Nov 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

On [XXX] the check engine light turned on in my 2016 Chevy Volt (VIN: [XXX] miles 145,xxx). I was 2 hours from home in the freezing cold snow but thankfully the vehicle allowed me to drive home without any issues (no reduced propulsion power). When I returned to the vehicle to have a diagnostic check the error light disappeared and I was unable to check for error codes. Still no issues driving under EV/gasoline. Later that day, the car stopped going completely, no shifting out of park either. EV range was reporting 0 miles despite having full charge. I plugged in the charger but it would not work (first time this happened), " Not able to Charge" message displayed. After cycling power the EV range was full range and I was able to shift into drive again. These issues were intermittent over 3 weeks, frequently standing me temporarily. After cycling power, opening and closing the door, cycling power again, the car would function normally and I could drive under battery or gasoline power. I managed to capture these error codes while the MIL light was on: U2603, U2604, U2605, U2606, U2617, U2618, U2619, U2620, U2621, U2622, U2623, U2624 [XXX] my vehicle no longer drives or shifts out of park, "Not able to charge" message displayed, CEL light on. A class action lawsuit revealed a technical service bulletin 18-NA-261 released in 2018 (see attached) accusing GM of continuing support of the known faulty module. The result of the case was Special Coverage Bulletin N232432680 which acknowledges and addresses the above mentioned issues by replacing a faulty BECM common to ALL Chevy Volt models years 2016-2018. My VIN is EXCLUDED from coverage due to being a CARB compliant vehicle despite exhibiting the same behaviors, error codes, and sharing the same faulty BECM. Of the 60,000 Volts sold in 2016-2018, only 19,000 (~33%) qualify under the special coverage terms. 100% of the vehicles that qualify for coverage are NON-CARB compliant. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Reported

Feb 2025

Incident date

Jan 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

BECM failure leaving car stranded in traffic with no ability to move under its own power.

Reported

Jan 2025

Incident date

Jan 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Vehicle had the Battery Energy Control Module fail at about 87,000 miles. Vehicle will not start and will leave you stranded when this happens. This is a known defect and GM issued a special coverage to extend the warranty for this specific component, but for some reason only applies to a handful of VINs. Mine was not one of them, so I got stuck with a $2500 repair bill. I love the car and am not mad that they are breaking, engineering is hard. I am mad that even after a requirement from the NHTSA, Chevy is refusing to repair a known defect with their vehicles that can leave the owner stranded and is making the owners foot the several thousand-dollar repair bill. This was my first Chevy, and due to the poor way this has been handled, probably my last.

Reported

Jan 2025

Incident date

Jan 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact used a scanner and retrieved DTC: U2603-U2606 and U2607-U2622. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was scheduled for an upcoming diagnostic test. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Reported

Jan 2025

Incident date

Jan 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

CAR LOST POWER IN 02/2024, WAS TAKEN TO DEALER. ISSUE WAS NOT ADDRESSED PROPERLY. 12/2024 THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE, TOWED TO DEALER, ESTIMATE $2000 TO REPLACE BECM, KNOW ISSUE FOR THESE VEHICLES.

Reported

Dec 2024

Incident date

Dec 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

EGR valve has failed leaving me stranded on side of the road. Problem was confirmed by a Chevrolet dealership. Engine light came on moments before it happened.

Reported

Dec 2024

Incident date

Aug 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

My experience is proof for the investigation on “loss of motive power, including a stall, reduced power state, and/or a no-start condition due to the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM).” My safety and the safety of others were affected because the reduced engine propulsion caused me to drive at a max speed of around 50 mph, and eventually the car left my stranded a few weeks later when it would not start at all in a parking lot. The gas engine would run at an extremely high RPM to make up for the failure of battery propulsion. The dealer covered the work under warranty. The work was performed during the pandemic chip shortage in 2022 and my car was at the dealership for two months from about August to October. The check engine light would come on sporadically before the problem started, and when the failure would occur, I would get a “Propulsion reduced” message in the driver screen and the gas engine would kick on to an extremely high RPM even when the car should have been running on battery. Accelerating from a stop to a normal speed would sound like you are flooring down the accelerator to get on a highway on-ramp. I no longer have the paperwork to confirm this, but it was performed at the Fort Collins (Colorado) Dellenbach Chevrolet dealer, it may be possible for me to get the paperwork, but I no longer live in Colorado. The process went all the way up to corporate Chevrolet before the warranty was honored, and I was compensated with company points.

Reported

Nov 2024

Incident date

Jul 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

With PHEV battery at 0%, it's normal for the gas engine to kick in. What's not normal is when the infamous BCEM propulsion system failure happened. First, it shut off the ICE engine and reverted to EV mode when I have 0% charges left. The system also reduced power to the car. Luckily, I wasn't on the freeway, or this could end up really badly. I was at the point where I could no longer accelerate and was coming to a stop really quick. Because I was still on local street, was able to safely pull over to the side of the road and turned off the system completely. I waited a minute or 2, turn the car back on and the engine kicked on immediately. Please have GM issue a recall for this problem TSB 18-NA-261 because if this happens to someone on the freeway when their battery is at 0% and BCEM shuts off the gas engine with loss propulsion failure, it can result in serious accidents and deaths.

Reported

Oct 2024

Incident date

Oct 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Shift to park message & audible alarm. Display while in motion pulling into home driveway. Vehicle stalled midway while in motion. Halfway in the street & half driveway. Displaying propulsion power reduced & Engine not available service soon. After 30 minutes of starting & restarting was able to move out of the street. However vehicle will NOT move. Transmission will shift, however will not move. Shift to park keeps popping up.

Reported

Oct 2024

Incident date

Oct 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while starting and driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Reduced Propulsion" message was displayed. Additionally, after parking the vehicle, the "Shift To Park" message was displayed, and the vehicle failed to turn off. The contact pressed the Start/Stop button and then opened and closed the front driver's side door to turn off the vehicle. The vehicle later failed to charge and start as needed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was determined that the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) needed to be replaced; however, the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 83,574. The VIN was unavailable.

Reported

Oct 2024

Incident date

Jun 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Faulty micro-switch from factory, causes power surge. Flawed microswitch in transaxle shift cable. Incomplete connection of microswitch resulting higher voltage to PCM.(power control module) This irregularity, shows a DTC code reducing power propulsion during movement. The car will loose power & ability to shift. During driving movement. Quite a safety concern. A "shift to park" error displays on driver display screen. An OBD2 scanner will clear code & after a few attempts remain operational. However intermittent & unpredictable when to expect the loss of traction power.

Reported

Oct 2024

Incident date

Jun 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

My 2016 Chevrolet Volt loses power while driving and the "propulsion power reduced" warning message appears. This has happened multiple times in the past few weeks and it is very dangerous losing power while traveling. After taking it to a Chevy dealer for service, they advised that it was an internal failure of the BECM (battery energy control module) and that it would need replaced. After searching online it appears that this is a common issue with the Chevy Volt models from 2016 - 2019. So much so that GM extended a special warranty to cover this failure up to 15yrs and 150,000 miles. Unfortunately for reasons I still don't understand, I was informed that my vehicle is not covered under this special warranty despite it specifically being the year and model that is affected. My vehicle currently has 93k miles and was purchased in 2016. So I am just outside the original 8 year 100k mile warranty but thought I was covered under this new special coverage given that this is an issue that GM is clearly aware of. I was also shocked to find out that there apparently was never a recall for this issue. My wife and child normally take this vehicle across town at highway speeds and I'm lucky the issue only happened to me. I fear for those who brought their vehicles and are not aware of the issue and will be told that theirs isn't covered as well.

Reported

Oct 2024

Incident date

Oct 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The vehicle loses power when trying to accelerate when driving in electric mode, and the gas engine kicks on after a second at which point acceleration returns. It occurs when the battery power is high or low. Sometimes a warning pops up on the dash saying speed is limited to a specific MPH.

Reported

Oct 2024

Incident date

Oct 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Our BECM failed while we were driving. It went into limp mode, not allowing the car over 35mph and with no AC in 109 temps. It was a very scary experience. This is a known issue, but the dealer said it isn’t covered under special warranty.

Reported

Oct 2024

Incident date

Sep 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Took the car in for service to Simi Valley Chevrolet on 8/16/2023 due to the check engine light illuminated on dashboard. They determined that the EGR valve had internally shorted so they unplugged it so as not to take down the rest of the system and placed a special order for the valve. It has now been over one year and they still don't have the replacement part. The car runs rough and occasionally stalls and sputters. I'm concerned that the car could stall while driving and is unsafe.

Reported

Oct 2024

Incident date

Aug 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Engine Propulsion Reduced" message was displayed, and the vehicle was driven to an Auto Parts store. The contact called the local dealer and was advised to replace the propulsion fuse in the vehicle. The contact purchased a replacement fuse and replaced the faulty fuse. The vehicle was driven to the dealer two days later to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the EGR valve had malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

Reported

Sep 2024

Incident date

Feb 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve failed. Confirmed by dealer, Culver City Chevrolet, 8/29/2024. Failed EGR valve causes gas engine to emit harmful smog forming emissions. This part is still covered by 10 year, 150,000 mile warranty. However, GM/Chevrolet has not made a replacement available and GM representatives have provided no estimate of when or if that replacement part will be made available.

Reported

Sep 2024

Incident date

Aug 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Check engine light came on. Moran Chevrolet dealership says the code is related to the EGR cooler and EGR valve. They want me to pay $3,175.23 for these two parts - however, they can't guarantee that I will get the parts as they are on backorder, and no idea when they will get parts. This is outrageous. I asked, "What if the part doesn't come in?" The dealer's response, "Then we will refund your money, but, we will keep $250 for inspecting the car." "And what if I don't fix it?" Their response: "Eventually, your car will stop working." "What if the car is on the freeway and just stops?" Their response is unsettling for me and hopefully every driver on the road: "We haven't seen that type of failure, yet."

Reported

Sep 2024

Incident date

Sep 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while the daughter was driving in reverse the warning message "Reduced Propulsion" had displayed and suddenly the power steering failed and the vehicle lurched backward and crashed into a utility pole. During the incident, the driver pressed the brake pedal but the vehicle did not stop. No injuries were reported and no police report was taken. The daughter was able to drive the vehicle home in "Limp" Mode. The contact later examined the vehicle and diagnosed that the engine battery ECM had failed. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the manufacturer's extended coverage for the failure. The failure mileage was 89,800.

Reported

Sep 2024

Incident date

Sep 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash

Driving to work one morning, I noticed an engine light with a "Propulsion Power Reduced" on my 2016 Chevy Volt. Upon closer arrival to work, the car was behaving quite erratically with constant "Propulsion Power Reduced" errors on the dash. The A/C stopped blowing cold and immediately fogged up the front window, making me unable to see the road. After arriving at work, I could smell what could be described as a burning electrical smell coming from the vehicle, although no fires were seen. Upon checking diagnostic codes, the car had a list of codes pointing to the failure of the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM.) I researched the issue and discovered "N232432680 - Special Coverage Battery Energy Control Module Malfunction" listed by GM and the NHTSA. My Chevy Volt is within the model years (2016-18) and mileage (<150,000) for the special coverage warranty from March 2024. Upon checking with the local GM dealer, they said that my VIN is not included in the special coverage and I must pay out of pocket, even though I have the exact problem described in the warranty and my Volt satisfies other conditions (model year and mileage). I am scheduling a service appointment this week with the local dealer to formally diagnose and repair the issue.

Reported

Sep 2024

Incident date

Sep 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Vehicle has been to dealership numerous times starting in 2021 to address issue with loss of power between ev and gas. No results were found, but I believe the BECM was failing for awhile. Vehicle has continued to lose power until this year check engine light came on. 12V battery was changed and no change. Dealership said vehicle was fixed. It barely made it home and light came back on. Loss of propulsion message. Vehicle loses all ev charge, will not go over 35 miles per hour, barely makes it up a hill. Brakes and steering are hard to control. Vehicle is not included by VIN for the BECM replacement. Dealership is now saying that is the problem. Dealership is quoting $2500 for the fix. This is very dangerous to drive this vehicle. You have no warning of when car is going to stop or lose power. This is a vehicle that was supposed to be for my teenagers to drive and it is not safe at all. This has been discussed numerous times at the dealership with no solution.

Reported

Sep 2024

Incident date

Jun 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Car displayed a lower power mode on dashboard. Approximately 20 miles later car switched from gas mode to electrical battery mode. Fortunately there was some charge remaining in the battery that I was able to get off freeway and charge car for 3 hours to make the 30 miles home. Dealer thinks problem is a defective EGR valve and I am awaiting a part for this repair for 37 days and counting. The low power mode states it is limited to 35 KW of power but I was surprised when the engine cut off to battery mode. If I had used up the battery charge on the first portion of this trip I do not know how suddenly the car would have stopped on freeway.

Reported

Sep 2024

Incident date

Jul 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

While on the freeway, the instrument screen displayed a message about reduced propulsion power, then the check engine lit up. I pressed the gas pedal, but nothing happened. I took precautions and let it rolled over to the side of the road. I turned off the car and turned it back on, and I was able to put it in drive mode, but it still wouldn't move. I also tried reverse, but nothing happened there either. The car was completely disabled, so I had to call a tow truck to take it home.

Reported

Sep 2024

Incident date

Aug 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The car has experienced a ‘BECM’ failure, which is very common on the Chevy volt. When it fails the car becomes undrivable and will slow down into reduced propulsion mode. It will not start and required us to have it towed to the dealer. The 2016-2019 Chevy volt BECM issue has been investigated by the nhtsa and gm. It is a common enough issue that gm has voluntarily issued ‘special coverage N232432680’. This covers the becm failure on 2016-2019 volts for free for up to 150k miles 10 years. We have a 2016 volt with 144k miles so we assumed it would be covered. The dealer said it wasn’t covered based on my vin but they didn’t know why our vin was left out of the coverage. Obviously if they thought our car didn’t have a suspect becm, they were wrong because it failed during the special coverage time. The repair is $2600 and gm will not assist us with this repair. I have attached a copy of gm special coverage and the bill. This seems to be a clerical error that our vin and maybe others were missed despite the fact our car falls right in the special coverage criteria. I believe this should be a full recall or 2016-2019 volts, especially if the becm has failed.

Reported

Aug 2024

Incident date

Aug 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I'm driving a 2016 Chevy Volt in California that I bought in 2022 from Carmax. In the middle of driving on the highway, the error "Propulsion Power is reduced" alongside the check engine light. In the middle of driving on a highway at 65mi/h, I could not accelerate even though I floored the gas pedal and the car quickly decelerated. This is extremely dangerous especially in the middle of the highway. I had an auto shop look at it and they replaced a fuse and told me it was good to go. When I got it back, I though the problem was fixed but the issue came up again after only 1 week and had to take it to a different shop where I originally bought the car used at ~49k miles (CarMax). It took ~3 weeks before they were able to get it diagnosed at another auto shop. I received this email from them after diagnosis (attached file). A quick search on the internet and it seems a lot of people with this car is having the same issue. Everyone is also having issue with the EGR valve being backordered that is taking a couple months to over a year to get the parts in. Those people are resorting to unplugging the valve and driving as is. I don't want to have to do this either. Please see attached file for inspection report.

Reported

Aug 2024

Incident date

Aug 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I was driving on the highway when suddenly the car lost power, it was very dangerous. I had to glide to the side of the road. The car will not move forward or back after I stopped, it had to be towed.

Reported

Aug 2024

Incident date

Jul 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The EGR valve failed, blew up a fuse, and the internal combustion engine started to overheat and run very roughly and unsteady. I almost lost control

Reported

Jul 2024

Incident date

Jul 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The EGR valve in the 2016 Chevy volt will fail blowing fuse 3 which will also take out the engine oil pressure control solenoid, the evap emission purge solenoid valve, the engine coolant thermostat heater, and the oxygen sensor 1 as they all share the same fuse. The car will tell you that the engine is unavailable and, if you are out of hybrid battery power, will leave you unable to move the vehicle. In my particular situation it left me stranded blocking one lane on a two lane s-bend road on a 5-9% grade mountainside with no cellphone reception. Thankfully the car stopped far enough away from the previous bend that people had time to see me and I didn't get rear-ended. If I had stopped 20 feet sooner that likely would not have been the case. The replacement part for the EGR valve is impossible to find as it is back ordered everywhere and places that will let you back order it will try to charge $1927 just for the part (no installation service included). If you live in a state without emission checks then you can unplug the EGR valve and replace the fuse but that means your producing more pollutants. Until GM gets their act together and offers affordable replacement parts I don't see another alternative.

Reported

Jul 2024

Incident date

Jun 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

EGR valve failed. When switched from Battery to gas car stalled and we were stuck. Dealer said it needs a new EGR valve. But it was on back order. This was a year ago and Chevy still claims the part is on back order! Now the car is ready to renew registration. But it cannot pass inspection because it must have been driven on gas for many miles for the inspection to work! The part is obviously no longer available and Chevy has not offered a solution.

Reported

Jul 2024

Incident date

Jul 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Fuse #3 shorts out every time the engine changes from electric power to gas. We have been told this can be dangerous because this fuse controls several important systems in the car.

Reported

Jul 2024

Incident date

Jun 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

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.

Risk: 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.