2012 Chevrolet Volt Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Volt years
- More complaints than other years 3rd of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 245 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Volt. That ranks 3rd out of 9 Volt model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (86 complaints, 35%), typically at around 98,000 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 2 fires, 11 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
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- 245owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Chevrolet Volt problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 86 | 35% | 98,000 | “passenger seat” (40%) | $1,150 |
| Electrical System problems | 86 | 35% | 73,200 | “instrument panel” (16%) | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 37 | 15% | 77,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 26 | 11% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 23 | 9% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 22 | 9% | 57,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 17 | 7% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 14 | 6% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 4% | 93,700 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 2% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 2% | 21,847 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 2% | 61,350 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 2% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 2% | 21,842 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 1% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 42,650 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 0% | 83 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | 22,292 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | 14 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Chevrolet Volt recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:ignition; engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline
Problem: 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.
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.
Service brakes; electronic stability control (esc)
Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Volt vehicles manufactured March 1, 2012, through April 17, 2012. Due to a brake pressure modulator valve problem, the vehicles do not relieve brake pressure from the front brakes during an anti-lock brake system (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC), or traction control event. One or both front brakes may lock up and not release. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) No. 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems"' and No. 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk: If the brakes lock up it could cause a loss of steering control and/or a lengthened distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will install a new brake pressure modulator valve free of charge. The recall is expected to begin July 12, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-866-694-6546. GM's recall number is 13184.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
- Passenger Sensing System (PE19013) — opened Sep 17, 2019, closed Jul 2, 2021.
- Post-Crash EV Fire Hazard (PE11037) — opened Nov 25, 2011, closed Jan 20, 2012.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and occupied, the contact attempted to start the vehicle; however, the instrument panel displayed a blank screen. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to…
Message on dash "Service High Voltage charging system" . Code cleared by inexperienced mechanic. Stalled on the side of the road with "Engine not available" , "Low propulsion" . My local Chevy dealership confirmed a high volt battery leak its now at risk for catching on fire
Car will randomly accelerate when not on gas pedal and/or a delay in brakes working. Has happened on more than one occasion.
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start, and the lights inside and outside of the vehicle failed to illuminate. The vehicle was jump-started. The failure reoccurred while attempting to restart the vehicle, and the contact was unable to drive the…
Airbag sensor failure in seat.
Other Chevrolet Volt years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Volt | 34 | 2 |
| 2018 Volt | 225 | 2 |
| 2017 Volt | 701 | 0 |
| 2016 Volt | 169 | 1 |
| 2015 Volt | 44 | 1 |
| 2014 Volt | 93 | 0 |
| 2013 Volt | 308 | 3 |
| 2012 | 245 | 2 |
| 2011 Volt | 49 | 1 |
See all Chevrolet Volt problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
Similar Chevrolet models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Chevrolet Volt?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 86 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Chevrolet Volt?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Chevrolet Volt a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Volt model years, the 2012 has more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.