2013 Chevrolet Volt Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Volt years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 308 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Volt. That ranks 2nd out of 9 Volt model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (161 complaints, 52%), typically at around 76,000 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 2 fires, 9 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 308owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 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 | 161 | 52% | 76,000 | “passenger seat” (42%) | $1,250 |
| Electrical System problems | 63 | 20% | 57,000 | “propulsion power” (13%) | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 53 | 17% | 60,000 | “propulsion power” (23%) | — |
| Engine | 37 | 12% | 48,083 | — | — |
| Seats | 31 | 10% | 68,257 | — | — |
| Power Train | 24 | 8% | 47,083 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 19 | 6% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 15 | 5% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 2% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 6 | 2% | 2,176 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 2% | 67,890 | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 2% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 4 | 1% | 80,899 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 1% | 7,500 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 1% | 62,750 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 13,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 0% | 800 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 0% | 141,323 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | 6,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 0% | 135,569 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Chevrolet Volt recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: 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.
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.
Hybrid propulsion system
Problem: 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.
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.
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.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Fully charged. Goes from electric to generator/gas propulsion and abruptly slowes about 1/2 speed. Very dangerous.
The passenger presence sensor is failing or failed because every time someone sit in there the airbag turns on and off repeatedly every 2-3 mins and gives a service airbag warning and if no one is sitting in the passenger seat then it just stays on. Could be really dangerous if a wreck happens…
I received the "Propulsion Power is Reduced" Alert engine light while driving in "Normal" mode on the freeway at around 60mph with 8-9 miles of Battery capacity, it showed 0 miles of Battery forcing the Gas Engine on and the vehicle hesitated upon applying the accelerator for the remainder of the…
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The Check Engine warning light was flashing, and the messages "No Propulsion Power" and "No Power To Engine" were displayed. The contact stated that two individuals pulled…
The passenger occupancy sensor gives a false positive. The only way I can get rid of the beeping is plug in the seatbelt. I have read on Reddit forums that this is a very common problem with 2013 volts, but for some reason there isn't a recall. This is a safety issue. Thank you!
Other Chevrolet Volt years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Volt | 34 | 2 |
| 2018 Volt | 225 | 2 |
| 2017 Volt | 701 | 0 |
| 2016 Volt | 170 | 1 |
| 2015 Volt | 44 | 1 |
| 2014 Volt | 93 | 0 |
| 2013 | 308 | 3 |
| 2012 Volt | 245 | 2 |
| 2011 Volt | 49 | 1 |
See all Chevrolet Volt problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Chevrolet Volt?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 161 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Chevrolet Volt?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 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 2013 has far 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.